35. Grant
Chapter Thirty-Five
GRANT
Harley swiped at her cheeks with her palms, and I passed over some more tissues. My throat was knotted with emotion, and my chest hurt.
“Are you okay?”
She sniffled, blinking rapidly as she lifted her gaze to mine. “Uh-huh, but you got attacked by a bear,” she wailed before bursting into another round of noisy tears.
This was the first time a woman had cried like this in front of me. Although I had two sisters, they were more prone to losing their tempers than bursting into tears.
“I'm fine,” I insisted. “I swear. You want to see my leg?”
She shook her head quickly when I stood to jokingly unbutton my jeans. “Grant!” she yelped just as the door opened, and Helen peered in again.
She pinned her gaze on me. “You need to stop getting her heart going. That's what caused this in the first place.”
I looked down at Harley and back at Helen before I sat down quickly. “Sorry.” Helen disappeared again. “What is she talking about?” I asked, fully aware Harley had yet to explain what happened.
“You know I've been dealing with that heart issue,” she began. She twisted a tissue between her fingers.
“Yeah, but you were taking your medication. Are you okay?”
“Quinn said he needs to adjust the dose.
But when I heard you got hurt, I kind of panicked.
I took an early flight back. I didn't eat much on the flight, and I couldn’t sleep.
After I landed, I was tired, but I wanted to get here, so I started driving.
Quinn told me I just can't be casual about things like that. Based on the monitoring info from the EMT’s, he thinks I fainted, which caused the accident. I'm sorry,” she whispered hoarsely.
My eyes stung with tears. I reached for one of her hands, holding it between mine and stroking my thumb across her wrist, where I could feel the steady beat of her pulse. I almost needed to feel it. I needed the reassurance.
“You don't have to apologize. I get it. Maybe I overreacted because of what happened with my mom?—”
Her hair swung as she shook her head quickly. “You didn't. I've been annoyed about it, and I guess in denial.”
“You? Avoiding something?” I managed to tease lightly.
She rolled her eyes, squeezing one of my hands.
“I guess I've always needed to be tough.
I got defensive when I should have been smart.
I was in a hurry to get back and see you, but I should have stopped and gotten something to eat.
Now, I'm being honest with you about this, so for God's sake, don't drive me crazy over it.”
The vulnerability in her eyes nearly undid me. My heart swelled, and I smiled down at her, joy punching its fist through the fear inside my heart. “As if that would work,” I said.
She looked chagrined. “Lesson learned. It’s possible I just fell asleep, but I'm lucky nobody else was on that stretch of road when it happened. Someone came by right after it happened, which is why the EMTs got there so fast. My car bounced and rolled, but I'm fine.”
“Are you fine, though?” I pressed.
“I mean, I'll be sore, but all things considered, yes.”
Quiet fell between us. I kept brushing my thumb over the steady beat of her pulse on the inside of her wrist. A moment later, I leaned over, brushing my lips over hers. I meant for it to be a chaste kiss.
But she arched closer, making a soft sound at the back of her throat. Her tongue darted out to glide against mine. The next thing I knew, that monitor was beeping again. We broke apart just before Helen opened the door.
“She's one hell of a chaperone,” I murmured.
Harley giggled and sniffled again.