Extra Dirty Read online

  The moment the car pulled up at the main emergency department entrance, Kyle tipped the driver and opened the door. He made a beeline for the check-in desk with Cam following close behind. “We’re here for Eric Murtagh,” he said.

  The woman raised an eyebrow. “Are you family?”

  “Yes,” Kyle said. “We are.”

  It turned out Eric was in the Radiology Department for testing, but eventually, one of the admissions staff led Cam and Kyle back to a waiting area where Sara sat, staring at the wedding ring on her finger and twisting it around and around.

  “Sara?” Kyle said. “Jesse called and asked us to come.”

  “Oh!” Sara wiped at her eyes and stood. Cam grabbed her elbow when she seemed to struggle out of her chair. She smiled and hugged him around her belly. “I can’t believe you guys came so fast.”

  “Of course we did.” Kyle hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “Now, what can we do to help?”

  She shrugged. “Distract me? They’re running a bunch of tests on Eric right now, so all we can do is wait.”

  “Can I get you a drink?”

  Sara laughed weakly. “I mean, if I wasn’t pregnant and you had booze stashed on you, I could go for a margarita.”

  Kyle grinned. “I meant coffee or tea from the cafeteria or whatever.”

  “Herbal tea would be nice.”

  “Okay. I’ll go hunt some down and be right back, okay?” He glanced at Cam.

  “I’ll stay with you, if that’s all right,” Cam said to Sara.

  She nodded. “Thanks.”

  “Do you want anything, Cam?” Kyle asked.

  He shook his head. “I’m fine, thanks.”

  Sara settled into the chair and rubbed her belly.

  “How are you feeling?” Cam asked.

  “Other than scared shitless my husband’s had a stroke?”

  Cam offered her a rueful smile. “Yeah. I figured that’s a given. I meant with the mini Murtagh.”

  Sara chuckled. “Mini Murtagh, I like it. The spawn is fine. I’m trying to stay calm so I don’t stress out and wind up in labor.”

  Cam winced. “Yeah, no kidding. How have you been feeling? Is the heartburn better?”

  “It’s been manageable, thanks. You’re the pregnant lady whisperer.”

  “That’s what happens when you’re nineteen years old and your mom gets pregnant with twins.”

  “The gum tip helped so much. It’s been a lifesaver.”

  “Good,” Cam replied. “I figure it’s the least I can do to help the people doing all the work to continue the species.”

  Sara chuckled. “God, I’m glad you guys came. I thought about calling my best friend and decided against it. I love her to death, but she is not calm in a crisis. And she doesn’t know how to deal with my sarcasm and dark humor during one.”

  “Trust me, I get it.”

  “I keep telling her this is how descendants of the Irish handle stress—booze and black humor. Can’t have the booze right now so…”

  “I’m familiar,” Cam said drily. “My grandma’s surname was O’Shea.”

  Sara took his hand. “I’m glad you’re going to be here for Jes, too. He’s going to need it.”

  Cam looked away, but he squeezed Sara’s hand. “Assuming he wants me to be. Things are fucked up right now.”

  “Oh, I know. But I also know this is only a blip for you guys.”

  “You think so?”

  “I do,” she said. “You’re good for him, Cam. I’ve known him for years, and this is the first time I am sure he’s met someone who is the right fit.”

  “Then I have a lot of work cut out for me to fix it.”

  Sara opened her mouth to answer, but Carter’s appearance in the lounge cut their conversation short.

  “How’s Eric doing?” he asked before he’d even reached them.

  “They’re running tests now,” she said.

  “No, don’t get up,” Carter protested when Sara moved to stand. “I’ll come to you.”

  “So I am beginning to resemble a beached whale then?” she joked. “I was afraid of that.”

  Carter leaned down to hug her. “Nothing of the sort.” He held a hand a few inches from her belly, and he waited until she nodded to pat her stomach. “How’s this one doing?”

  “Sleeping at the moment, I think. For future reference, we’re now going to be referring to it as the Mini Murtagh.” She winked at Cam.

  “I like it,” Carter said. He held a hand out to Cam. “Glad you could be here, too.”

  “I came with Kyle,” Cam explained and shook it. “He’s hunting down tea for Sara at the moment.”

  “He has found tea for Sara,” Kyle said from the doorway. He crossed the room with a hot cup in his hand.

  “Oh, perfect.” Sara smiled. “You guys are the best.”

  * * * *

  Several hours later, there was still no news. Sara spent time with Eric between tests, but there were more to be run. Jesse was on a plane over the Atlantic.

  A notification on Cam’s phone reminded him that he needed to be at work in a few hours.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Cam said to Kyle. “I don’t want to leave, but I’ve got a gig tonight.”

  “It’ll be hours before they know anything, I’m sure,” Kyle said. “And hours before Jesse gets here.”

  “I want to be here when he arrives,” Cam admitted.

  Kyle smiled faintly. “I get that. Well, would your boss care if someone filled in for you?”

  “He won’t be thrilled on such short notice,” Cam said. “But maybe if I got someone lined up before I told him, he’d be okay with it.”

  “Worth a shot, right?”

  “Yeah, agreed.” Cam fired off a few texts to some other DJs with regular rotations at Ember, but his phone remained silent.

  “It’s not looking good,” he said, half an hour later. “I think I’m going to have to go in.”

  He remembered then that all his equipment was back at the loft. “Fuck, and I’m going to have to go to Brooklyn before the club. I need my gear.”

  “You have a couple of roommates, right?” Kyle asked, stretching out his long legs. “Can’t one of them grab your stuff and meet you?”

  Cam shrugged. “Guess I’ll find out.”

  He sent texts to Myron and Louise. Kevin and Bernice were already upstate with her family, looking at wedding venues.

  Louise responded within a few minutes.

  Sorry, Cam. I’m stuck at work until 11 tonight. Hope you find someone.

  Myron texted back shortly after.

  I would, but I’m going into work in half an hour.

  Fuck. Who else could he ask? Taryn, maybe, but they hadn’t talked much lately. Fuck it, he decided. I’ll ask anyway. The worst she can say is no.

  Cam fired off a quick note. I know we haven’t talked much, but I could use a big favor. You free right now?

  Taryn responded a few minutes later. What do you need?

  * * * *

  Cam was beat by the time he returned to the hospital around one a.m. Thankfully, Taryn had pulled through for him. Myron had let her into their apartment to pick up Cam’s things, and she’d met him at the club. He’d also heard from Jeff, another DJ who’d agreed to fill in. Jerry had given him the okay to do half a set and hand it over to Jeff, so he’d been able to get back to the hospital sooner than expected.

  The security guard in the Emergency Department let him through. Eric hadn’t been admitted yet and was still in the emergency observation area. Since it was well after visiting hours, and Cam, Kyle and Carter weren’t actually family, Cam suspected someone had pulled strings to allow them all to wait there. Harry Murtagh, perhaps, or maybe Jesse himself.

  Kyle and Carter were both in the waiting area.

  “Any news?” Cam asked. He dropped his overnight bag on the floor. He’d left his gear at the club with Jerry’s permission, but Taryn had also brought a change of clothes and some toiletries.
>
  Kyle shook his head. “Not yet. It sounds like he’s got a hell of a headache on top of everything else, but at the moment, he’s sleeping. They’re going to do more tests in the morning. Sara’s with him.”

  “Okay.”

  “Jesse landed and cleared customs, and he’s on his way now. It shouldn’t be long. His parents are still a few more hours behind.”

  “Good.”

  “Riley said hi,” Carter added. “He stopped by for a bit while Audrey watched the kids, but he headed home to be with them for the night.”

  “Oh, of course,” Cam said. “Tell him hi back.”

  Cam took a seat, but he couldn’t stop fidgeting, and several times, Kyle laid a hand on his jiggling knee to stop his movement. “Sorry,” he muttered.

  Kyle simply nodded. Cam felt profound gratitude for their friendship at the moment. Kyle was an oasis of calm in the midst of the stress and anxiety.

  A short while later, Kyle glanced up from his phone and looked at him. “He’s here. He’s talking with Eric and Sara now. He’ll come by here when he’s done.”

  “Okay.”

  That did nothing to calm Cam’s nerves. He kept his gaze trained on the door, and the moment Jesse stepped through it, Cam was on his feet. Jesse looked exhausted and worried, and Cam desperately wanted to gather him close.

  He held his breath, expecting Jesse to go to Kyle, but he strode straight toward Cam. Without thinking twice, he pulled Jesse into his arms. Jesse sagged against him and buried his head against Cam’s neck.

  “God, I’m glad to see you.” His words sounded muffled against Cam’s shoulder. “I didn’t know if you would come.”

  “Of course.” Cam stroked his back. “If there was any chance you needed me—”

  “I did.” Jesse straightened, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he rested his forehead against Cam’s. “I do.”

  They stood there for several long moments, just breathing. Cam soaked in the feel of Jesse’s body against his, wishing he could give Jes any strength he needed. Eventually, Jesse stepped away to hug Kyle and Carter. He returned to Cam’s side almost at once, and Cam guided him toward a small loveseat. Jesse sank onto it and leaned against Cam’s side, entwining their hands.

  “Eric’s still in a lot of pain, but they’re expecting results soon. Some of his symptoms are improving at least, like his speech. And my parents should be landing within the hour. Thank you guys for being here for Sara.”

  Carter and Kyle both nodded. They made light conversation until Jesse lapsed into silence. His usually vibrant spark was dim at the moment, but Cam couldn’t blame him. Cam didn’t know what to say, but Jesse squeezed his hand occasionally, and Cam decided maybe being there was enough. He hoped so anyway.

  They sat quietly until Ellen and Harry Murtagh arrived. Jesse went to join his family in Eric’s room and Cam dozed while they were gone. An hour later, Jesse returned, followed by his parents and Sara and her parents.

  Sara seemed to be scolding him. “You should go home. We know Eric’s out of the woods, and there’s nothing more you can do here tonight.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” Sara’s tone was gentle but firm. “You have been up for an unreasonable number of hours and are running on fumes. Go home, sleep and come back tomorrow.”

  He frowned and came over to stand by Cam. Cam agreed with Sara. Jesse looked wrecked, and he needed sleep.

  Sara raised her voice slightly. “The doctors spoke with us. It looks like Eric didn’t have a stroke. There’s no evidence of one on the MRI, and all signs point toward something called a hemiplegic migraine.”

  “What does that mean?” Carter asked.

  “Basically, it’s a type of severe migraine with symptoms that mimic those common to stroke,” Sara replied. “The muscle weakness, vertigo and confused speech are all rooted in what started out as a regular migraine.”

  “Jesus.” Cam ran a hand over his head. “That’s super fucked up.”

  Sara smiled. “Well, you know these Murtaghs—they’re special in a lot of ways.” Jesse scowled and poked her gently in the ribs, and Sara chuckled. “Anyway, the migraine isn’t life-threatening, and the symptoms should be gone in a few days. Eric’s being admitted so they can keep an eye on him, and there will be follow-up testing tomorrow.”

  A collective sigh of relief went up from everyone.

  “Now, although I appreciate everyone coming, everyone should go home and get some rest.”

  Jesse frowned. “What about you? Shouldn’t you go home?”

  “Before they came to the hospital, my parents stopped by our place and got me a change of clothes. I’ll sleep in the reclining chair in Eric’s room tonight. Trust me, with the added bulk of the Mini Murtagh, not to mention the heartburn, that chair is going to be a hundred percent more comfortable than my bed at home right now.” She patted her stomach.

  Jesse relented. “Okay, okay, I’ll go get some sleep.”

  Cam pulled out his phone.

  “What are you doing?” Jesse asked. He rubbed at his eyes.

  “Ordering us a Lyft,” Cam said.

  “Why don’t we use the family car?”

  “Sure. Tell me who to call. I’ll take care of it.”

  Jesse dug his phone out of his pocket, fiddled with it a moment then handed it to Cam.

  The call went through after the first ring. “How can we help you, Mr. Murtagh?”

  Cam cleared his throat. “I’m calling on behalf of Mr. Murtagh. Can I get a car to pick him up at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, the Weill Cornell Medical Center Emergency Department, to take him home?”

  “Certainly, sir. I’m in the area and can be at the main entrance in ten minutes.”

  “Thank you,” Cam said. He said goodbye, hung up and handed the phone back to Jesse. He started slightly, as if he’d been spacing out.

  “The car should be here in ten minutes. I’m taking you home,” Cam said.

  “My home or your home?”

  “Yours. Madison Square Park is a hell of a lot closer than Brooklyn.”

  “Are you coming with me?”

  “Yes.” For the first time, doubt stirred inside Cam. “Unless you don’t want me to.”

  “I want you to. I didn’t know if you wanted to, in light of”—Jesse made a vague gesture—“things.”

  “Right now, ‘things’ don’t matter. Once you’ve had some sleep and this crisis is over, we can talk and hash it all out. But unless you tell me otherwise, I’m taking care of you,” Cam said firmly. He wrapped an arm around Jesse’s shoulders.

  Jesse leaned against him with a tired grunt. “I like the sound of that.”

  * * * *

  Jesse dozed on Cam’s shoulder for the better part of the ride to his place in NoMad. Cam dragged him into the elevator in his building, then his loft. Jesse let out a sigh after they were inside, and he’d punched the security code into the alarm panel.

  “’S good to be home. Not just here, but New York.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” Cam said, his voice soft. “You were missed.”

  “Yeah?” Jesse gave him a sleepy smile. “So were you.”

  Cam wanted to say a lot more, but Jesse was crashing, and Cam suspected he didn’t have the energy for more than a quick shower. “Come on.” He coaxed Jesse toward the bedroom. “Let’s get you cleaned up and into bed.”

  Jesse didn’t protest when Cam led him into the bathroom, stripped him and pulled him into the shower. He leaned on Cam like he was the only thing keeping him upright—which Cam suspected might be the case—and moaned with appreciation when Cam scrubbed his hair and body.

  Cam toweled him dry and dressed him in a pair of boxer briefs. Cam changed into his own clean pair of boxers, then maneuvered Jesse into bed.

  Jesse tugged the covers up and held out an arm. “Sleep with me?”

  Even if Cam had planned to refuse, he never would have managed it after a request like that. “Yes, I’m just going to make sure the li
ghts are out and our phones are plugged in,” he said.

  “Good.” Jesse flipped onto his side and burrowed under the covers. “I’ll be waiting.”

  Of course, by the time Cam returned, he was snoring. But even in his sleep, when Cam spooned behind him and draped an arm around Jesse’s waist, pulling their bodies close, he made a contented sound.

  Smiling, Cam pressed his lips to Jesse’s shoulder, closed his eyes and fell asleep, too.

  * * * *

  Jesse was still out cold when Cam awoke after eleven a.m., but he had no inclination to wake him. They hadn’t gotten to sleep until after four a.m. Cam slipped out of bed without disturbing him, dressed in sweats and a long-sleeved tee and ventured into the kitchen to make coffee.

  While it brewed, he checked his phone to make sure there were no urgent messages from any of the guys or Sara regarding Eric. Everything was quiet, which he took as a positive sign.

  An hour or so later, Cam heard the toilet flush. He poured a cup of coffee, fixed it the way Jesse liked and carried it into the bedroom. Jesse stepped out of the walk-in closet dressed in sleep pants and a T-shirt.

  “Hey there.” His voice sounded raspy, and he was still a bit bleary-eyed, but he looked much less wrung-out than the night before. “I was coming to find you.”

  “Coffee?”

  “Please.” But after Jesse took the mug from Cam, he set it on the nearby dresser rather than drink it. He stepped forward so their bodies brushed. “Thank you for last night.”

  “Of course,” Cam replied. “I’m glad I could help.”

  Jesse smoothed his hands over Cam’s shoulders. “You really stepped up for me. I’m not sure you know how much that means to me.”

  Cam didn’t know how to respond. Jesse stood even closer now, and Cam realized their bodies fit together like nothing had changed between them. God, it made his heart ache. Cam had missed this so much.

  “I want to kiss you,” Jesse said, his voice husky.