Chapter 32
Ben
“Sherry, you need to go,” I said for the hundredth time. “You have a wedding in”—I checked my watch—“six hours. The florist should be there soon.”
“Rose and Char are there, and so is my mom. I’m not leaving you.”
“Don’t be stubborn.”
“Right back at you.”
A weak laugh escaped me, followed by a wince. “Touche.”
She sat back in the chair beside the hospital bed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her hair had dried in a half wave, half frizz mess, and she had twisted it into a bun. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was still in her sweatpants from last night.
“At least close your eyes for a minute,” I said. “You’re not going to get through the ceremony on caffeine alone.”
We probably would have been out of there hours ago, but there was a crash on the highway involving a summer camp bus returning from a field trip, and the halls were filled with concerned parents and banged up kids.
“I’m fine,” Sherry muttered through a yawn.
“Here.” I held my arm up to her. “Come lay with me.”
She glanced around the room as if I had asked her to strip down and jump on my cock.
“It’s as innocent as you want it to be,” I said, and she rolled her eyes, but pushed up from the chair. She climbed in with me, careful not to press too hard against my two broken ribs. Her hand slipped, and she tried to right herself, elbowing me in the process.
“Sorry!” she exclaimed.
“It’s okay,” I moaned.
I was wrapped up tight, pain killers administered, and just waiting on the discharge papers.
Her head rested against my shoulder, and I kissed the top of her head, grateful to have her in my life. It wasn’t every day I took steel-toe boots to the ribs, but I was glad Sherry was there with me.
“I’m sorry,” I said, and she pushed onto her elbow and looked at me, confusion in her gaze. “For what?”
“You should have had your hot shower last night, a glass of wine, and an orgasm. Then you should have gone over the seating chart and had a full night's sleep. Instead, you’re in this hospital—” Her fingers pressed to my lips.
“You managed to save the seating chart, and it was a great distraction while you got X-rays. Besides, you saved the tent. This wedding will be a massive success whether or not I’m there.”
“You will be there.”
She inhaled against me, and I wanted to squeeze her tight, but the pain pills weren’t that strong.
“You will get to bask in the glory of all that you accomplished. You will get the credit you deserve.”
A knock sounded at the door, and both our heads swiveled toward it. A nurse stepped in, waving a bunch of papers. “I bet someone is ready to get the hell out of this chaos.”
“You have no idea.”
She handed me the papers and a pen. “Discharge instructions, pain management, follow-up appointment, yada yada, Sign here, and I’ll grab a wheelchair.”
I scribbled my name the best I could and handed them back. “No offense, but I’ve had enough of hospitals for a while.”
“You and everyone else who comes through, my friend. But I don’t blame you, especially today. Sorry for the delay with pretty much everything.”
“It’s okay. Just happy to be getting out of here.”
I glanced at Sherry. “See, I’m officially released. Now you can stop worrying and go do your job.”
“You are my job now or part of it.” Her head tilted, eyebrows tight in confusion. “You know what I mean.”
“Do I?” I laughed, then immediately groaned.
“That’s what you get.”
“You’re mean. I thought you’d take care of me because I’m hurt.” I pouted, and she laughed. God, I would never not love that sound.
She leaned in, her lips brushing over mine. “I love you, and I will be the best nurse ever, but first I have a wedding to go to.”
“ We ,” I said.
“Oh no. You are going home and getting some rest. Nurse’s orders.”
I shook my head. “I want to see you in action. It’s sexy. Turns me on.” I kissed her again.
“You have two broken ribs, mister. Being turned on is not going to be good for your health.”
“Okay, Romeo, time to get in the chair,” the nurse said, returning with a wheelchair.
That pretty pink flooded Sherry’s cheeks, but then she was up, helping me out of bed. She took the handles.
“You’re letting her push this?” I asked the nurse, fear widening my eyes. “I mean, I love her, but she’s a bit of a klutz. I’m not sure we can trust her.”
The nurse snorted. “She got you through sabotage, assault, and a tent crisis. I think she can handle a wheelchair.”
“You underestimate her ability to trip over air.”
Sherry leaned close, a smirk on her too kissable lips. “One more comment, and I’ll make sure to hit every single bump from here to the parking lot.”
God, I loved this woman.
***
Seeing Sherry on no sleep, running on caffeine and passion had been a balm to my soul.
She’d been in her element, and the wedding had gone off without a hitch.
I stayed back, watching her move from table to table, checking on every detail like she didn’t just spend the night in the hospital chair next to my broken body.
And as I watched her, something settled over me. My father could take credit for trying to ruin everything good in my life, but he couldn’t take this.
He’d tried to ruin the wedding of the century, and he’d failed epically. This wedding would grace every wedding account on social media, would be used as inspiration for thousands of people, and Sherry had done it all with grit, determination and grace. Three things my father didn’t understand.
I stared at my father’s house. This would be the last time I ever came here, but I couldn’t move on until I cut every last string.
Mario was at the door, and I glared at him with disgust. I didn’t even stop as I continued to my father’s office. I knew he’d be there—the king on his thrown.
I hadn’t understood why he came to this side of the country, but after seeing Chardonnay’s presentation, I realized he burned too many bridges.
He had no choice but to move on to new territory.
He left Mom in California because she couldn’t be caught dead on the east coast unless she was in New York.
He leaned in his chair, that stupid smirk on his face. “Come here to gloat?” he asked. “Go ahead. Doesn’t change anything.”
“You’re right.” Despite the burn of my insides, my voice was calm. “It doesn’t. You’re still a bad person and an even worse father.”
He cocked his head. “Yet you take my money, and you’ll take it again.”
“No.” I leaned in enough for him to think I was about to give in. Just enough to see the flicker of satisfaction in his cold, dead eyes. “This is the last time you’ll ever see me. I only came here to tell you to go to hell.”
The smug smirk on his face dissipated. Good.
“I might have owed you money, but I don’t owe you me. Not anymore.” I stepped back and took a deep steadying breath. “If you come near her, if you even think about touching what’s mine, I’ll burn every last bridge you’ve ever built, even if it means setting myself on fire to do it.”
His lips twitched, more snarl than smirk. “Big words for someone who came crawling back once already.”
“I’m not crawling now.” I turned for the door, then stopped. “By the way, if you didn’t already know. The board voted unanimously. You’ll never own a business in Vine Valley.”
I heard a glass shatter against the wall as I strolled out, a smile inching higher and higher with each pain-stricken step.
For the first time in my life, the ties were finally cut. I had no idea how he would react. If he would retaliate and not heed my warnings. Whatever he planned, I’d be ready for him. If it meant throwing myself in the flames to bring him down, I would happily take a running leap.
My reputation. My name. None of it mattered.
All that mattered was Sherry.
Us and the future we were going to build together.
As the thought settled over me, every muscle in my body eased.
I was free .
The air never felt so fresh. I eased myself into the car, and Sherry gently threw her arms around me. “You did it,” she whispered, pressing her forehead to mine.
I wrapped my arm around her the best I could, careful of my ribs. “I’m done with him for good. I don’t need him.”
Sherry looked at me, those light brown eyes filled with so much love, and for the first time in my life, I felt worthy of it. “You don’t,” she said. “You have me.”
Her lips captured mine, and I knew I’d never get tired of kissing her. “And I come with two parents and six overbearing siblings and all their significant others, so you’ll never be lonely.”
“Sounds like the life I’ve always wanted.”
The life I now knew I deserved.
All because of a one-night stand with a sexy woman dressed as Alice in Wonderland who grabbed hold of my heart and never let it go.
***
Thank you for reading!
If you liked this story, please consider leaving a review.
Reviews help other readers find my books.
***
~If you liked this book, keep reading for an excerpt from Mad About Matt,
Book 1 in the Red Maple Falls series. ~