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friend.
    “We’ll clean everything up,” Bernie called after Ryan, who waved as he rushed out the door behind the paramedics.
    Ryan groaned when Henry pulled into the driveway and leaped from his car.
    “What’s going on?” Henry asked. “Is it Susannah?”
    “ What are you doing here?” Ryan asked.
    “I wanted to check on Susannah. What’s wrong?”
    “She had an allergic reaction to something she ate.” Ryan struggled to be patient when all he wanted was to get to Susie.
     “They’re taking her in as a precaution.She’s fine.”
    “I want to see her,” Henry said, rushing toward the ambulance.
    “Not now.” Ryan pushed past him and winced as he climbed into the ambulance. His head and ribs pounded, but he ignored his
     own discomfort as he sat on the bench across from Susie and reached for her hand. “How are you doing, baby?”
    “Better,” she said.
    “Susannah!” Henry called from outside. “Honey, I’m here.”
    The paramedics closed the doors, and the ambulance jolted as it pulled out of the driveway. Ryan could have fainted from the
     pain radiating from his ribs, but instead he gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay focused on Susie.
    “Was that Henry?” she asked.
    “Yeah.” Ryan brought her hand to his lips. “I told him you’re okay.” All at once, the whole thing came crashing down on Ryan
     and tears filled his eyes. “You scared me.” He rested his forehead on her hand as he struggled to get a hold of himself.
    “You saved my life, Ry.”
    Ryan kissed her hand. “I was so relieved the EpiPen was where you always kept it.”
    “I can’t believe you remembered that.”
    “I used to live in fear of it happening, but nothing I ever imagined could’ve prepared me for the reality of it.” Ryan released
     Susie’s hand so the paramedic could check her blood pressure.
    “It hasn’t happened since I was thirteen. I’d forgotten how terrifying it is.”
    The moment the paramedic removed the blood pressure cuff, Ryan reclaimed her hand. The hives on her cheeks had faded, but
     her eyes were still big with shock.
    “Darling was freaking out. He thought you were kidding about the peanut butter.”
    “It’s not his fault. I should’ve come right out and said I was allergic.”
    “Or I should’ve. I should’ve been more protective of you—not just today, but always,” he whispered since the star-struck paramedic
     hung on his every word. “I’m sorry I wasn’t.”
    Susannah’s eyes filled with tears as she squeezed his hand.
    They arrived at the hospital a minute later, and the paramedics whisked Susie into an exam room. A nurse stopped Ryan when
     he tried to follow her. “Please wait here, Mr. Sanderson. The doctor will be right with you.”
    Henry came dashing through the E.R. doors. “How is she? I want to see her.”
    “You can’t,” Ryan said, annoyed by the pesky man who had somehow convinced Susie to marry him. “Why don’t you go home, Henry?
     There’s nothing you can do here. I’ll make sure someone calls you later with an update.”
    “I’m not leaving until I see my fiancée,” Henry said, his face set into a stubborn expression.
    A nurse with a clipboard approached them. “I need some paperwork,” she said, holding out the board.
    Henry reached for it. “I’ll do it.”
    The nurse raised her eyebrow. “And you are?”
    “Her fiancé.”
    Ryan took the board from her. “I’ll take care of it.”
    The nurse looked from Henry to Ryan and shook her head as she left them to fight it out.
    “Do you even know her date of birth?” Henry asked, his hands on his hips and his chin raised with indignation.
    Today his bow tie was a yellow paisley, and his gold-rimmed glasses had slid down his nose, giving him the appearance of a
     nutty professor. What the hell does Susie see in this guy?
    “It’s official,” Ryan said. “You’re annoying me.” He sat in the waiting room and did the best he could to complete the forms.
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