Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
Grace
I slowly opened my eyes and saw Jamieson asleep with his head buried in my arm and his hand holding mine.
“Dr. Harper,” Dr. Lasher spoke. “Dr. Finn, she’s awake.”
Jamieson lifted his head and looked at me.
“Thank God. Hey, baby. Do you remember what happened?” he asked.
“I was at the market,” I sleepily spoke as I lifted my hand and felt the bandage around my head.
Shit. I must have had a brain bleed.
“That’s right, and you were shot.”
“I remember now. What are you doing here?” I asked him.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Go away,” I spoke as I turned my head away from him.
“Grace.”
“I said go away. I don’t want to see you. Dr. Lasher, get him out of here!” I shouted.
“Dr. Finn. Please. Just give her some time. We can’t let her get all worked up.”
The next morning, I was lying and looking out the window when Jamieson walked in.
“I know you don’t want to see me, but I operated on you, and I need to do a post-op check.”
“How did Renata allow that?” I asked.
“I didn’t give her a choice.”
He flashed the light in my eyes and then told me to follow his finger back and forth.
“How are you feeling?”
“Not really good. I’m in some pain.”
“Then I’ll up your pain meds. You had a pretty bad brain bleed. I finally got to see that beautiful brain of yours, and let me tell you, it’s one hell of a brain.” He smiled.
“Jamieson, don’t.”
“Listen, Grace. I’m sorry and you’re going to lie there and listen to what I have to say. I was going to come over that night after I finished my surgery to talk to you and tell you that I can’t live without you.”
“You’re a little too late. You should have known that the day you wanted the annulment and let me move out.”
“I did that for a reason, and when I explain, I’m hoping you can understand.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever understand you.” I looked away.
“Can you at least try?” he asked. “Please, just hear me out.”
“Fine. Explain yourself, but it isn’t going to change anything. I’m done with you. You hurt me so badly. Worse than this gunshot wound did.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
“Sorry is just a word.”
“I didn’t want us to be married anymore because of how it happened.
It wasn’t right. And I needed you to move out because I had to make sure that I didn’t just grow comfortable with you.
I love you, Grace. I always have, but I wouldn’t admit it to myself.
I fought like hell to bury the feelings I had for you.
I felt it back in New York that night, but it didn’t matter because I was never supposed to see you again.
Then you showed up here, and it scared me.
I needed that time alone to prove to myself that what we had was so real and special.
I know that’s really fucked up. Hell, if it makes you feel better, I hate myself for doing it, and I always will.
I will never forgive myself for hurting you the way I did.
When I came home that night and saw all your things were gone, my world went black.
I tried to tell myself I’d be okay, but I wasn’t.
I was far from it. I have never loved anyone so much in my life.
I need you to believe that. I gave everything great thought from the first night we met.
I don’t believe in natural forces or any of that woohoo stuff, but something or someone made sure we met and made sure we stayed in each other’s lives.
It wasn’t a coincidence us meeting in New York, and then you moving here to Los Angeles and taking a job in the same hospital.
I had been in pain for so long, and you had your issues with Sam, and we both needed each other.
I now believe that someone out there is made for one person, and you, Grace Harper, are my person.
The person I was supposed to fall in love with. ”
I swallowed hard as tears infiltrated my eyes.
“If you give me the chance, I will redeem myself to you. I want to make everything that went wrong with us right.”
“I’ll take everything you said under advisement,” I spoke.
“What? Seriously?” He cocked his head. “That’s all you have to say?”
“For now, yes. After everything that happened, you just can’t come in here and expect me to forgive you so quickly.”
“Okay.” He looked at me strangely. “How much time do you need?”
“I’ll let you know. If you don’t mind, I’m really tired.”
“Of course. Get some rest.” He leaned over and kissed my forehead.
My Aunt Cora walked in as soon as he left the room.
“I heard every word that man said. Grace, why are you doing that to him? You know damn well you’re going to take him back. I’ve never heard such sweetness and sincerity come from a man’s mouth. It’s kind of hard not to forgive him after that speech.”
“He needed his time, and now I need mine.”
It was the middle of the afternoon, and as I was eating lunch, my nurse, Jenna, walked in, holding a dozen red roses in a beautiful crystal vase.
“Look what came for you.” She smiled.
“They’re beautiful. Who are they from?”
“Take one wild guess.” She smirked as she walked out of the room.
A moment later, she walked back in with a cart, and two other nurses followed behind her, pushing carts with roses sitting on them.
“Oh my God, what is this?” I grinned.
“Fourteen dozen roses, all in vases for you, Dr. Harper. Here’s the card,” Jenna spoke as she handed it to me.
I took the small card out of the envelope and read it.
One dozen red roses for each day we were apart.
I love you, Grace.
Love forever, Jamieson
“What the hell?” Renata smiled as she walked into the room. “Let me guess. Jamieson?”
“Yes. He’s trying to redeem himself to me.”
“If that man weren’t such a damn fool to begin with, he wouldn’t have to.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I love him, Renata.”
“I know you do, sweetheart. Sometimes, we just have to forgive the jackasses in our life, no matter how badly they hurt us.” She smirked.