Chapter 20
Raelyn
“Do you know your name?”
“I’m, uh...” The answer was right there within my reach, but I was in such a deep haze I couldn’t force myself to grasp it. “I don’t know. I can’t remember.”
“It’s okay. We’ll get there.” The paramedics had put a neck brace on me, so I couldn’t turn and look at the nurse as she asked, “Do you know where you are right now?”
“I think I’m in the hospital.”
“That’s right. Do you know what city you’re in?”
“Nashville?”
“Yeah, that’s good. Very good.” Her voice sounded reassuring as she added, “We’re getting things ready to take you down for a CT scan.”
“A what?”
“It’s just a scan to ensure you don’t have a concussion.”
“Oh.” I was still fighting the fog that had settled over me, but I knew enough that I didn’t want them to do the CT. “But I don’t think I need that.”
“You have a pretty nasty bump on your head, and we need to get that checked out.”
“But—”
“It’s just precautionary. We need to make sure you don’t have any other potential injuries. Don’t worry. It won’t take long.” She patted my arm lightly, then added, “When you’re done, we’ll get you into a private room so you can rest.”
“Okay.”
While I couldn’t recall my name, I remembered everything about the accident: the black truck speeding through the red light; its squealing tires and screeching brakes; gritting my teeth as I braced for impact; the jagged sounds of metal on metal and glass shattering; and the panic that took hold when I lost control of my car.
My body was being jolted from side to side; then, everything had gone black. I’d woken up in the back of an ambulance with paramedics poking and prodding me as they took my stats. I tried to sit up and tell them I was okay, but the neck brace made it hard to move.
I was now in the ER with nurses hovering over me, ensuring I didn’t black out again.
I tried to answer all their questions but was too out of it and couldn’t respond much more than with gibberish.
But the longer I lay there staring up at the white ceiling tiles, the clearer my mind became until I was finally able to say, “Raelyn Thomas! My name is Raelyn Thomas.”
One of the nurses stepped over to me and smiled as she said, “That’a girl. I knew you’d get it.”
“I was in a car accident.”
“Yes, dear. We know.” One of the nurses stepped over to me and said, “The paramedics who brought you in told us everything. They also located your purse and phone, so we were able to contact your parents and let them know you’re here. They should be arriving soon.”
“My parents?” I was still in a bit of a fog, so it took me a second to register what she’d said. “Oh, yes. Thank you.”
“No problem.” When someone else entered the curtained area, my nurse announced, “It looks like we’re ready for that CT. My friend, Marcus, is going to take you.”
“And what’s your name again?”
I knew she’d already told me, and I hated to ask, but I simply couldn’t remember. She seemed to understand and warmly smiled as she answered, “I’m Judy.”
“Judy. That’s right.” As Marcus started pushing my gurney, I told her, “Thanks for taking good care of me, Judy.”
“Just doing my job.” She gave me a little wave. “Good luck!”
I felt like I was trapped in some horror movie as I lay there motionless while the orderly pushed me down the hall. I could hear people talking and moving around, but blinding lights and dated ceiling tiles were all I could see. I didn’t even want the damn CT scan.
I remembered how things played out the last time I had one and didn’t want a repeat of that. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in a position to stop it from happening. I could only lay there and pray it would all be over soon.
With the help of a nurse, the orderly moved me from the gurney and over to the CT machine. As the radiologist started prepping me for the scan, I could feel my anxiety rising. I didn’t want to dwell on what was happening, so I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else.
Conor was the first thing that came to my mind.
I pictured his handsome face, and the tension in my body immediately started to subside. I started thinking about all the time we’d shared as one memory fed into the next, and it wasn’t long before the night I’d gone to Stilettos with Haleigh wandered through my mind.
We’d had such a great time, talking and laughing, and then Haleigh had dared me to dance. That was when our night took a turn.
Conor had taken me to the red room, where we’d had the kind of sex that made all other experiences pale in comparison, and then we headed home. I thought we’d both just crash for the night—
We didn’t.
I’d just changed into a t-shirt and was unbuckling my skirt when Conor came up behind me and started trailing kisses along the back of my neck. “Um, what are you doing?”
“I think you know exactly what I’m doing.”
“But we just, you know, a few minutes ago.”
“What can I say? I can’t keep my hands off you.” Conor turned me around to face him, then put one of his hands behind my neck and pressed his mouth against mine. My lips parted in surprise as he backed me up against the wall.
“You’re just too beautiful.”
His tongue swept across my open lips before dipping seductively into my mouth.
The kiss was urgent, and I quickly became lost in the heat of his touch.
I gasped into his mouth when his hands grabbed my ass, pulling my hips closer to his.
I could feel the growing bulge of his arousal even through his jeans.
His mouth roamed over the curve of my neck while his hands wandered restlessly over my body.
“So fucking tempting.”
He didn’t realize that he was the tempting one.
With just one touch, my desire for him took over, and I was consumed with need.
I reached for his t-shirt, pulled it from his body, and watched it fall to the floor.
A wicked grin crossed his face as I bit my lip and lifted my arms over my head.
He immediately grabbed the hem of my long-sleeved t-shirt and eased it over my head, tossing it to the floor.
His hands roamed over my bare skin, only stopping when he reached my breasts.
His fingers slipped inside the cups of my bra, pulling them free.
Anticipation surged through me as he leaned back, his eyes devouring me, and I couldn’t stop myself from squirming from the heat of his stare.
A low growl rumbled in his throat as his hands ran up my back and unhooked my bra.
I was so wrapped up in my little fantasy that I could almost feel his hands on me, which was one of the reasons why I hadn’t heard the radiologist when she first spoke to me. It took her placing a hand on my arm and giving me a little shake. “Ms. Thomas? Are you with me?”
“Yes,” I gasped. “I’m here. Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine. I wanted you to know we finished the scan.”
I didn’t bother asking her if she saw anything.
I knew she had.
I could see it in her eyes as she said, “I’ve sent the images to the doctor on call so that he can look everything over.”
“Okay, thanks.”
She and Marcus placed me back on the gurney, and then he wheeled me down the hall. I was mindlessly staring at the lights and counting the ceiling tiles when Marcus pushed the gurney into the elevator. I became worried after realizing we weren’t going back to the ER. “Where are we going?”
“We’re heading upstairs.” He pushed the button, and seconds later, the doors closed just as he told me, “Your room is ready.”
We rode up to the third floor and arrived at my room after a few quick turns.
Once we were inside, Marcus and the floor nurses moved me over to the bed.
I’d just gotten settled when Mom and Dad came rushing into the room with alarmed expressions on their faces.
Mom was on the brink of tears as she hurried over to me and cried, “Oh, sweetheart. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I think so. I’m just a little dizzy, and my side is tender.”
Dad placed his hand on mine and gave it a light squeeze. “The nurse said they ordered a CT.”
“Yeah.” My chest tightened at the thought. I knew what they’d find, but I didn’t want to worry him—at least not yet. “She told me it was just precautionary.”
“Good. I’m glad they’re taking good care of you.”
“Me, too.” Mom placed her hand on my cheek. “I’m just so relieved that you’re okay.”
“We both are.” Dad’s brows furrowed with worry as he asked, “Can you tell us what happened?”
“I was driving through an intersection when someone ran a red light.” I flinched at the memory, then sighed. “It happened so fast. I just didn’t have time to get out of the way.”
“It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart.” A spark of anger flashed through my father’s eyes as he said, “That idiot that should’ve been paying better attention.”
“It was an accident, Dad. It could’ve happened to anyone.” The thought led me to say, “I wonder if he’s okay.”
“Only you would be concerned about the man who almost killed you when you need to worry about yourself.” Dad shook his head, then asked, “I wonder how long it’ll take them to get back to us about that CT scan?”
Mom grimaced. “You saw how crazy things were down in the ER. I imagine it will be a while.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Dad walked over and sat down in the chair next to me, then pulled out his phone and called my grandparents to let them know I was okay and check in on my brother and sister.
While he was busy talking to them, Mom sat on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers along my cheek. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m okay.”
“Have you called Haleigh to let her know you’re here?”
“No, I haven’t had the chance.”
“Okay, I’ll call her.” Her eyes skirted over to my father, then back to me as she leaned in and whispered, “What about your friend? Do you want me to call him, too?”
“Nooo!” I gasped.
“But—”
“No, Mom.” The truth was about to come out, and she and Dad would finally know the truth behind my crazy behavior. I dreaded it with every fiber of my being, and I didn’t want to make matters worse by including Conor in the mix. “I’ll call him later.”
“Okay. Whatever you want, sweetheart.”
I nodded, then let my head fall back as I closed my eyes.
I hated that I’d gotten myself into such a mess.
I wanted to be done with it.
I wanted to tell her right then and there about the issues I’d been having over the past two years and the fear I’d felt over the possibility that they were a result of my aneurysm.
But one thing prevented me from saying the words—the slim possibility that I was wrong about everything.
It was something I didn’t want to admit to anyone—not even myself.
I wanted to believe that the pain behind my eye, the dizziness, the look on the nurse’s face, and all the doctor’s phone calls were just my imagination playing tricks on me.
It was a sliver of hope that I held on to in the thick of night—just like I was now.