33. No More Matchmaker #2
I felt his face burying into my neck as he inhaled. “Don’t thank me, angel. All I’ve done is love you. Which has been incredibly easy,” he whispered back.
Rowan eventually sat back down and updated me on a few things involving Wyatt, his friends, and a clean up that was apparently necessary in the motel room.
I didn’t ask questions because I didn’t want answers.
He did tell me that Sam was taken care of, and when I worriedly asked if I killed him, he kissed me again and told me I wasn’t capable of something like that.
I didn’t argue with him, even though I didn’t agree with him.
I was capable of something like that. He never asked me why I’d shot Sam, but it wasn’t just to protect myself, like I’m sure he was thinking.
It was for him. I didn’t tell him what Sam had whispered into my ear over and over again when he curled up behind me in the motel bed.
How he’d said awful things about Rowan and what he’d do if I tried to get back to Rowan.
What he’d do if he found out I’d run again only to be with some rancher.
The way he’d spat it in my ear as an insult, when it was anything but.
Rowan was a kind-hearted family man whom someone like Sam never could’ve related to or understood, for that matter. But it didn’t matter, not anymore. He was gone.
Once the doctor came in and okayed it, the local police came in to talk to me.
I wasn’t sure what Rowan had told them, but they didn’t ask much.
Just confirmed it was my ex that had taken me and run me off the road.
I told them yes, and that seemed to be that.
They said if I saw him again, to immediately call 9-1-1.
The older officer gave Rowan a knowing look, though, and they left.
I was free to go under the supervision of Payton, who gave Rowan and me a thorough briefing on what to expect with all of my injuries.
Mostly to take it easy the next few weeks and to not be so hard on myself.
The most severe of which was my concussion and my broken ribs.
I’d already been here for three days, two of which I’d slept through.
Apparently, stress and anxiety will do that to a girl.
But I was leaving this place with its bleach smell and shockingly white walls—hopefully to never come back again.
Rowan had driven us home. He still had Oliver’s truck, thankfully. I don’t think Payton would have approved of bike riding for a while.
He’d made me a comfy bed of blankets and had me set up on the couch. Kissing my forehead, he smirked. “You should have guests over at any moment, angel.”
I arched a brow at him. “Who?”
He shrugged. “Girls’ night, apparently. I have a few things to take care of before I’ll be back home to curl up with you.”
I put up a fake, exaggerated pout, and he laughed, but just then, Ivy came walking in through the front door.
She saw me, dropped her bag on the floor, and ran toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight hug.
“Don’t you ever do some dumb shit like that to me again!
I can’t lose you, bitch!” she whisper-yelled into my neck.
“Ivy! She’s breakable. Be gentle,” Rowan commanded from the kitchen. She let out a small squeak and lessened the pressure around my body, but she didn’t move. When she pulled away, she had tears in her eyes as she looked me over.
“Well, your bruises have improved, so that’s good!
I came to sit with you as soon as I was able to.
I hung out with Hudson until Abby could come over with him, and then I came right in.
But of course, I had to work, which is stupid.
I called out for you, of course. Lucas wasn’t mad.
He said to take your time; your shifts are still there.
” She squeezed my hand and sniffled again.
“Fuck, I missed you so much. That was the longest we’ve gone without each other since the day we met, did you know?
I did,” she said, her tone hurried and full of anxiety.
“Ivy?” I questioned. She stopped talking and stared at me. “Please breathe. I’m okay. Promise.”
She wiped her eyes with her free hand quickly.
“When I got there, you woke up and looked at me crying because you said you thought I wouldn’t care that you were gone, Aspen.
” Then we were both crying. “The nurses told me not to take it seriously, you were hopped up on painkillers, but I know you. I know the thought crossed your mind, or you wouldn’t have said it, Aspen.
I will never leave you. Ever. You’re my best friend. ”
I wrapped my arms tightly around her, ignoring the pain in my side. I genuinely couldn’t believe I ever thought for even a moment these two would just move on with their lives and forget about me.
“I’m an idiot,” I whispered to her.
I felt her nod, and I smiled. “Yes, you are,” she replied.
By the time we calmed down, Payton arrived with three pizzas in hand and a stack of rom-com DVDs for us to watch. Rowan gave me a kiss before he reminded the other two to keep an eye on me.
“Yeah, Ro, because I, the one with the nursing degree, need the reminder. Thanks, bro,” Payton grumbled.
Ivy and I laughed as Rowan rolled his eyes and walked out. Once he was gone, Ivy leaned up, pausing the movie.
“Did you ask how he knew where you were?” she whispered.
Payton went wide-eyed and stared at me. “Did you?”
I shook my head. I had thought about it once I’d woken up. I didn’t have my phone, and Sam didn’t have one. They hadn’t seen the truck we were in, so logically, he shouldn’t have had any idea.
“I bet he implanted you with some microscopic tracker. I read about a guy who did that once in one of my books. It was hot as hell,” Ivy said, smiling.
Payton and I just stared at her, and while Payton started cackling, I just thought back to the pain in my butt cheek after I’d moved in and started wondering if he would’ve…
nope. Not going there. I didn’t even care, honestly.
My cowboy had rescued me, and sometimes I was fine being ignorant to shit like that. This was one of those moments.
I leaned up, deciding not to say a word, and pressed play on our movie again.
“Oh my God, my brother is fucking nuts. Great,” Payton muttered with a laugh.
“I still want my own Carragan brother,” Ivy said nonchalantly.
“None of them would be good enough for you, Ivy,” Payton said. “Although maybe…no, he said no more matchmaking.” She sighed and grabbed another piece of pizza.
I chuckled and grabbed myself another slice, just happy to finally have girlfriends in my corner.