Chapter 35
The instant I open my eyes, I lock my gaze with Jeremy”s glassy eyes. However, I don’t miss the tear that falls, tracing a path down his cheek. My hand twitches in his grip. Part of me wants to swat the droplet away, while another part yearns to kiss away the pain etched on his tormented face.
Mom is on one side, and my dad on the other, with Jeremy positioned beside my mom, holding my hand. I know it’s his hand by the familiarity of the touch. A minute later, a nurse enters and asks them all to leave the room. I want to protest, but the quicker she checks my vital signs, the quicker they can return. I’m desperate to spend time with Jeremy, assure him that I’m okay, and emphasize that I don’t blame him.
I move in the bed to relieve some pain, but it makes it worse. My hip area is on fire. And when I ask the nurse, she explains how I have a fractured pelvis.
She leaves and brings me back pain relief that she pushes through the IV. After the nurse takes my vitals, she tells me she’ll let everyone back in.
I expect my parents to come in, but when Jeremy steps into my room alone, the corner of my lip lifts.
“Hey.” My voice cracks.
He takes my hand and sits in the chair closest to the bed. “Nova.” He starts to say in a voice that breaks.
He looks at our joined hands. “I’m so sorry. I did this to you. I was so scared I was going to lose you,” he rambles.
I reach out to touch his face, enjoying the way the scuff of his beard feels against the palm of my hand. I hold it against his cheek as I speak. “I’m fine, Remy. I don’t blame you. The guy ran a red light.”
He shakes his head but still enjoys the touch of my hand on his skin. “I wasn’t paying attention. Too busy working. I was always working.”
“Was?”
He swallows hard and explains. “I’m cutting back. This was the biggest wake-up call. The most important thing in my life isn’t work.”
I stay silent for a beat, observing the way he breathes heavily. His face pinched with concern, evidence he”s been struggling to see me in the hospital. I hate knowing he’s riddled with guilt. I’ve forgiven him, and now I need him to forgive himself. However, it”s clear his dedication to his work was consuming him more than I realized until recently. The signs were there, showing up late or cancelling, when he never did before. “There’s nothing wrong with working, but I think you need to find a balance.”
As I stare into his conflicted eyes, a sense of calm washes over me, a combination of the pain relief taking effect and his presence in the room. I wish he could wrap his arms around me and hold me. But there’s still lots of wires attached to me.
“I didn’t tell you something I should have, and I was scared I wasn’t going to be able to,” he confesses.
“Yeah?” I respond, my curiosity piqued.
He stands abruptly and leans forward. His intense gaze holds mine as he utters the next words. “Nova, I love you. I have loved you for so long. I can’t believe I’ve never told you. But from today onward, you’ll hear it every day.”
Before I met him, I was not living, but now, I feel like I’ve been given a second chance and I’m not wasting it.
I smile adoringly at him. “I love you too, Remy. So much.”
His lips take mine in a gentle, careful kiss. He’s trying to avoid the tube in my nose. He’s pouring his heart into this kiss and it brings tears to my eyes. I blink through the blurry vision, tasting salt on my tongue. Pulling back, he lays his forehead against mine and he cries too.
“I haven’t cried since…fuck, I can’t even remember and yet now in the last few days I’ve cried three times. What are you doing to me?”
I part my lips as a wide smile takes over my face. “I don’t know. But I hope it’s a good thing.”
“With you, everything is a good thing.”
He moves his lips to my forehead. Laying a gentle warm kiss there before pulling back, allowing me to admire him in his olive-green sweater and blue jeans.
“So, if you’re not going to work, what is the next chapter in your life?” I ask, knowing he wouldn’t pull out of his commitments without a plan.
“Right now, you. You have a long recovery and I want to be there every step of the way.”
As lovely as that sounds, I know I want to go back to my new career. I worked so hard in college to get there. “I will be getting better so I can return to work. Bentley will have me back.”
“If he doesn’t, he’s crazy, and I have plenty of jobs I can give you.”
“Is that so?”
“Like a head job,” he teases.
I smile. “Are you being dirty, Mr. Lincoln?”
“Never.” He winks.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be out of commission for.”
His hand comes up to cup the side of my face, tilting my head back so I meet his eyes. “We won’t be doing anything until you’re ready. You need to heal.”
“I assume I’ll be here for a few more days and then to rehab.”
“Would you be opposed to coming to my house? I’ll have the best physio visit you daily at my house.”
“Seems excessive,” I argue.
“Not to me. I want to take care of you.” He adjusts the blankets on my waist, tucking them in gently, careful not to hurt me.
“Is this because you feel guilty?”
“Part of it.”
That makes me queasy. “Please don’t. I don’t want you caring for me because you feel sorry for me and are wracked with guilt. I want you to care for me because you love me.”
“I do love you. I’m crazy about you. I want to bring you breakfast and coffee every day.”
“You’ll make me breakfast?” I ask, biting back a wide smile.
“Yep. And what”s funny about that, Miss Lee.”
I roll my lips before answering. “Nothing, I just look forward to having someone cook me breakfast. I’ve never had that treatment before.”
“Well, get used to it. As soon as I can take you home, you will see a different me.”
I push out my bottom lip in a pout. “I don’t want a different you. I’m not fragile.”
He raises a brow at me.
I roll my eyes. “Well, maybe a little. But only for a short time.”
“I won’t be a different person, just more caring.” He skims his fingertips down the side of my face in a soft caress.
“Don’t go all soft on me.” I huff, trying to hide how much his touch affects me.
His thumb rubs hard over my lips. “Trust me, as soon as I can, I’ll show you how hard I am.”
That makes me smirk.
“But I can’t live with you.”
He frowns but his eyes are flicking between mine. “Why not?”
“I should be home. My dad? I haven’t been helping out. I didn’t do a lot but still my mom must be exhausted…”
The next words that leave his mouth have me awe stricken.
“I sent your mom her flowers and they now have a chef, cleaner, and a driver.”
A tear slips from my eye and trickles down the side of my temple.
“Thank you,” I breathe, not bothering to argue because they deserve the help. I can get better and help out when I can.
“Not going to fight me on it?”
“No,” I say with a soft smile.
He gives me a matching one as my room door opens.
Damn it. I was enjoying our time alone. I need more.
“You look so much better already,” Mom calls out, entering my room with my dad following closely behind her.
“I’ll grab you a coffee and I”ll be back.” He says kissing my lips before leaving. I moan and grab his hand before he walks away. “Thanks for the roses.”
“I wanted you to see them when you woke up in case you woke up without me here.”
My heart swells at how sweet he is. My gaze shifts to the massive bouquets. Red roses. My favorite, of course. I don’t know how I’ll get them home, so I’ll probably leave them for the medical staff here as a way of thanks for caring for me.
He slips out the door and my parents come right up to me. I hug them so hard.
I ask them to fill me in on everything I’ve missed.
Summer and Chelsea arrive next. They both burst into tears at seeing me awake.
My parents leave us to chat while they sit outside the room.
“God. You aged me by about ten years,” Summer sniffs.
“Sorry. This wasn’t planned,” I joke.
“One would hope not. Now let’s get you home. It’s been too quiet without you,” Chelsea replies.
“Quiet? Or are you two sick of cooking or getting takeout?”
They give each other a look before Summer looks at me, the twist of her lips giving her away.
“You girls will have to carry on without me.” I laugh.
Chelsea frowns. “Why? You’re awake now so surely you’ll be discharged in a few days.”
“I am, but Jeremy is taking me back to his place,” I admit excitedly.
Shock settles on their faces before Chelsea speaks. “He’s been a mess without you.”
I believe her after seeing his face today.
“He told me he loved me today.”
“I’m surprised he waited to say it. The guy has been a smitten kitten for ages,” Summer adds.
“A smitten kitten.” I laugh, but it hurts too much, and I grimace. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”
“Do you want me to call the nurse?” Chelsea asks.
I shake my head. “No, I had some pain meds not that long ago. I don’t want too much because it’ll make me drowsy. I want to stay awake.”
“So should I pack up your stuff?” Chelsea asks with a smirk.
“Not everything. I’ll be coming home.”
Summer laughs. “There’s no way that fine man is letting you out of his sight. You mark my words, you won’t leave his house.”
I wouldn’t mind living there permanently, as long as he treats me like a girlfriend and not a sick patient. I couldn’t handle that.
“Sounds like you’re trying to kick me out,” I tease.
Chelsea grabs my hand. “I’m not. I need to know where your head”s at.”
“You planning on filling the room with someone?” I ask.
Summer snorts. “No way. And Chelsea isn’t allowed to move Bobby in.”
I look over at Chelsea, who wears a sad expression.
“You okay, Chelsea?”
She sits in the chair beside my bed. “Yeah, fine.”
“Well, I’m planning to move home eventually. I’ll keep you updated with any changes. But Jeremy has started changing part of his house to accommodate my arrival.”
“I bet. I’ve never seen a more gutted guy than when he visited you.”
I run my hands through my hair and wince. “I can’t imagine why he didn’t run. My hair is so greasy. I can’t wait to shower. I feel disgusting.”
“Minus your hair, which is a bit oily, I’m not going to lie. You look surprisingly well,” Summer replies.
“Jeez thanks,” I mutter, shifting in the uncomfortable hospital bed.
“It’s true. I’m sure if I was in your position, I would feel gross too, but I promise you don’t look that bad,” Chelsea adds.
“I’ll have to ask when I can shower and wash my hair. I can’t be going on like this for much longer.”
“It won’t be today. Maybe tomorrow?” Summer says.
“Hmmm maybe,” I reply.
I hope so…
The doctor is the next to come in. My parents follow him in. He explains I’ll have a couple days here and that Jeremy has already spoken with him about the plan for me to stay with him and have a personal physio. I look toward my parents who don’t flinch. I should’ve already guessed he’d debriefed them and asked for their permission.
How could they say no?
He’s so charming and guilt-ridden. I think anyone would give him anything he wanted. And my parents would prefer me getting private physio in the comfort of a home instead of a hospital. They just couldn”t afford it, but with Jeremy, they know he can afford it.
I’ll be here for a week. It’s going to be a very long one. I already can’t wait to be with Jeremy at his place.