The Rookie: Book 2 The Last Play Series Read Online Free Page B

thing she knew the car had stopped. She opened her eyes and saw they were sitting in front of what looked to be some type of lodge. “This is the hospital?” She pushed the door open and looked for proof.
    Legend was already around the car, helping her get her bag out. “That’s what it says.”
    It looked more like some kind of ski lodge. She tried to take her bag out of his hands, but he brushed her off. “I’ll help you find him and then I’ll get out of your hair.”
    At the moment, she didn’t have time to overanalyze why Legend James had offered her a ride or why he was continuing to be so helpful. She needed to find her grandpa.
    The lady at the front entrance referred them to the ER. When they got there, the ER receptionist told them he was getting transferred to a recovery room. When Charity insisted on seeing him, a doctor appeared and explained that he hadn’t woken up, yet.
    “All the tests we’ve run have concluded that he had a stroke.”
    “Is he okay?”
    The doctor frowned. “We think so, but it may take a while for him to wake up.”
    “How long is a while?”
    “Hours to days to…” he trailed off.
    “To what?” she pressed. “Are you saying he might not wake up?” A trembling started in the pit of her stomach.
    “We don’t know at this point.”
    The doctor was managing the situation. On some logical level she got that, but she still felt frantic. “When can I see him?”
    “As soon as they have him set up in his room, we’ll come get you. I’m running more tests right now, so we should know more soon.”
    “Fine.” Miserably, Charity found a chair and slunk into it.
    Legend sat next to her.
    Taking her bag out of his hand, she didn’t look at him. “You can go.”
    Legend didn’t move. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t get up to go.
    The fact that he wouldn’t go kind of ticked her off. She didn’t need him here to witness her fall apart again today. She didn’t even know the guy. Well, strike that, she actually probably knew him better than he knew himself. Contrary to his belief that she printed lies, she’d been taking notes on him and scouring the Internet, and his friends and the girls he dated for months. But now he was making her uncomfortable. “Please just leave.”
    “I want to wait until you get to see your grandpa.”
    The vulnerability she felt was overwhelming, and she tried to cover it. “I guess it’s not enough to ruin my career. You want to stick around to make sure I’m suffering?”
    Leaning back, he crossed his heels and folded his arms. “You don’t know me at all.”
    “Actually, I bet I know you better than you know yourself. Hmm, let’s see. Besides all the information about your love life, I know about—”
    “My mother dying when I was born. You already mentioned my abandonment issues.” His lips were tight. His green eyes were angry.
    She could tell he didn’t like how she’d thrown that around, but just now she liked that he didn’t like it. She needed to hurt someone, and he was a heck of a good target at the moment. “And you’ve lived with your aunt because your dad’s been career military. You’ve been the hometown jock pretty much your whole life, worshipped because you can throw a ball. Wow, the things we value in our country.” She shook her head.
    But he wasn’t getting upset. “I agree with you, but hey, like you said, you gotta find the hole in the defense and use it.”
    Mentally measuring him, she was startled he’d agreed with her. Apparently he wasn’t one of those die-hard jocks that thought the game was the only important thing in life. She wondered why he would still be in town and not back in Texas. “Why aren’t you at your Aunt’s place this week?”
    Seeming pleased, he smiled. “I guess you do know your facts, Rookie.”
    This bugged her. “Don’t call me rookie.”
    “Why not? Aren’t you a rookie reporter?”
    She kept her voice even. “Ahh, if you think I’m a rookie, I feel