And hopefully Beau’s idea that another woman might make her feel more at ease was spot-on and Eliza would deliver in spades. No one could resist Eliza’s warm, earthy charm. She was as genuine as they came and could make anyone feel comfortable.

He just prayed today wasn’t her first failure.

A moment later his gaze caught Eliza turning the corner of the hallway and striding toward him at a brisk pace. When she approached, bags in hand, she automatically enfolded him in a fierce hug.

“How you holding up?” she asked gently as she pulled away.

“Not well,” he said.

There was little point in lying to her. Any idiot could see he was not okay.

She grimaced in sympathy and then handed a plastic takeout bag to him.

“I got the soup you asked for and I got you a sub, fully loaded, and there’s a bottle of my home-brewed tea for you in the bag as well.”

He smiled at her. “Thanks, Lizzie. You’re the best.”

“Beau brought me up to speed, so you don’t have to. I hope I can be of help to you, Zack. I know this has to be horrific for you, to not know what’s upset her so badly and for her to hate you. Man. I can’t even imagine what you’re thinking right now, what you’re going through. But listen. You know I’m only a phone call away and if you need anything, I mean anything at all, you call me. Got it? Day or night. I don’t give a crap what time it is.”

He reached for her and pulled her into another bone-crushing hug. As pathetic as it might have sounded, he just needed another of her hugs. She gave the best.

She kissed him on the cheek and followed up with a gentle hand to his face, patting lightly before withdrawing.

“Come on then. Let’s go see about Gracie.”

“She’s mostly slept since Beau left. She came around briefly but was in so much pain I had to call the nurse to get her more medicine. I probably shouldn’t wake her up. She needs the rest, I’m sure. But I’d feel better if she could keep some food down and also, you’re here, and I’ll be honest: I’m desperate. I’m willing to try anything to get through to her.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know, Lizzie. I know. I love you dearly. You and Beau. The others . . . You’re the only friends I have. I mean I stay in touch with a few buddies from high school but we see each other maybe once a year, although I haven’t seen them in the last two.”

“Can’t get rid of me,” she said lightly as she put the bag she was carrying down on the table by the bed. “Once you’re my friend, my friend you stay.”

Eliza turned to the bed and studied it for a moment.

“I assume this an adjustable bed and you could raise the back up a bit. Would make it far easier for her to eat.”

“Yeah. It does. I just have to be careful that movement doesn’t cause her even more pain. The doctor said she had a few cracked lower ribs. I don’t imagine that feels good with any sort of pressure on her abdomen.”

Eliza looked contemplative for a moment. “Actually, lying flat like she is, only elevated a bit is probably less comfortable than sitting up more. I had abdominal surgery several years ago and for a week after, the only way I could sleep was in a recliner. Lying flat on a bed? Agonizing.”

Zack frowned. “Damn. I didn’t think of that. I hope to hell she hasn’t been uncomfortable all this time.”

“Do you want to wake her or do you want me to?” Eliza asked quietly.

He hesitated, staring at Gracie’s closed eyes for a long moment. Then slowly he nodded. “Yeah, let’s give it a try. Maybe if you’re the first person she sees when she wakes up, instead of me, she won’t freak as badly.”

“I’m so sorry, Zack. I know that has to hurt you.”

He didn’t deny it but neither did he respond.

“Okay, well, you step back and get the soup ready to go. I’ll see if I can get Gracie to come around for me.”

Zack took a position by the sink, where he wasn’t directly in Gracie’s sight path but he could see her and Eliza both from where he stood. He found himself holding his breath when Eliza bent over Gracie and curled her own hand around Gracie’s.

“Gracie. Gracie, honey, can you wake up?”

Eliza was infinitely patient and she kept her tone low and soothing the entire time.

“Gracie. I have soup for you. You’re probably starving and could likely eat a horse by now, but I bet that jaw hurts like hell. Not to mention your poor mouth.”

Zack’s pulse accelerated when Gracie blinked and slowly turned her head in the direction of Eliza’s voice. Eliza smiled down at her and reached up with her free hand to push back the hair that fell over Gracie’s brow and partially obscured her sight.

“Hey, there you are,” Eliza said affectionately.

To a stranger, it would appear that Eliza and Gracie knew one another. That they had a close relationship. But that was the magic of Eliza.

Gracie’s face crinkled in confusion. She blinked again and moved her head slightly to the side as though she were trying to place Eliza.

“Do I know you?” Gracie asked, her voice hoarse and strained.

Her throat was probably swollen from the trauma and it likely hurt like hell to swallow. He was doubly glad he’d gotten Eliza to get soup. Chewing and swallowing would both be a bitch.

Eliza’s smile widened. “No, or at least you didn’t until now. My name is Eliza Cummings. How are you feeling? Okay, don’t answer that. Bad question, I know. Of course you feel like shit. And hon, not to offend you, but you look like someone ran over you, reversed and backed over you again.”

Gracie looked startled for the space of a moment before she visibly relaxed and let out a short laugh that ended with a cough and a groan.

“Do you think you could get down some soup? It’s nice and hot but not so hot it’ll burn your mouth. I’m sure your lips are pretty tender. It had time to cool off a bit on the drive over.”

Gracie nodded. “That sounds nice. Thank you.”

“Zack,” Eliza called softly. “Can you bring the soup over?”

Gracie’s gaze immediately tracked the room and she froze when it settled on Zack. A hurt, confused look simmered in her eyes and she glanced at Eliza as though she’d been betrayed by the other woman.

“Hon, don’t look like that,” Eliza said. “Zack is a great guy. He asked me to come. He thought you might feel better with another woman here. And hey, we need to even the odds at every opportunity, don’t you think?”