Chapter 27
When Cal opened his eyes, he figured out where he was pretty quickly. The beeps and monitors rather told the story. Someone was sitting next to the bed, saying his name. He turned slightly, wincing at the headache he had not missed.
Blue eyes were watching him. She had a worried look on her beautiful face.
“Now I know I must look pretty bad. If they’ve called you in to sit with me. Where are my sisters?” It surprised him that the three monsters weren’t in there hovering over him right now. Especially Cloe. Cloe liked to fuss.
No surprise considering, right?
“Claudia is at the scene of your wreck, with Zach, talking to the WHP. She said something about driving around looking for a big truck that might have body damage. She’s determined.
A woman on a mission. Clancy is working tonight—somewhere near the county line, I heard.
And Cloe is out with the ambulance on a call.
Cadell seems to have been eaten by wild gorillas or something, though.
No one has tracked him down yet. So…I am the Cal-babysitter of last resort.
They called in blood-sister favors. And since Cloe and I made vows to always be there for each other when we are needed, and I have done the same with Claudia, and Clancy and Em are practically surgically attached—you get me. I hope you can handle it.”
“I’d like to handle you. Like I did last night.” He entertained the thought for a long moment, but… “Just… not at this very moment, actually.”
“How badly are you hurting? I can call the nurses’ desk. My aunt Pam is taking a shift tonight for overtime.”
He wasn’t about to say a word about the pain. Not after what she had gone through. “I am good. Probably feel better if someone would kiss me, though. Want to give it a go?”
She leaned over him—and brushed a kiss against his forehead. “There, feel better, big guy? You scared your sisters. And me.”
It was really nice to not wake alone. He was glad it was her.
“Worlds. How is the guy who hit me?”
“No idea. No one knows who he is. From what I understand, they are still trying to find him. Zach Lowell is waiting for me to text him when you are ready to talk to him. Apparently, Claudia can’t take your statement, or something. Go figure.”
“I’d really like to find the guy who did this. Damn, I hurt.” But he could move—and could probably get out of the bed. If he really needed to. Cal just couldn’t think of a reason why he would need to right now, though. “How long am I in for?”
“Not sure. No one would really tell me. All I know is I got here, Cloe said ‘park it, toots; don’t let our brother do anything stupid. We owe you for this.’ And that was it. So here I am. Cal-sitting.”
Cal just blinked at her. “If anyone got stuck with me, I’m glad it’s you. Since you are my woman now. I’ve come to a major realization where you are concerned, Augusta Dawn.” He shot out a hand and wrapped it around her wrist. And tugged.
“Oh?” She settled on the side of his bed. “What is that?”
“I am not letting you get away from me now. I don’t know what the future looks like for the two of us—but I am going to do everything in my power to make sure there is one for us. You’d better just get ready.”
“Yeah, big talk for a guy about to fall asleep. Relax, Calloway—I am not going anywhere. Just sleep.”
“Not going anywhere?”
“No. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
Now, if he could just make that forever, everything would be perfect. Well, except for the headache from hell, anyway.
What was she doing here? Auggie just watched the man sleeping as she thought about his little threat. What was she doing—this was crazy.
But this was where she felt she belonged. He needed her—so she was there. This man had shaken up her world lately—no denying that.
A sound at his door had her looking up. Her cousin Perci stood there. She’d seen Perci earlier when she’d been ‘recruited’ to watch her besties’ big brother. “All good in here? I’m not sure why you are in here with him, actually. Care to explain, or just doing a fave for his fam?”
“Man-sitting, I think. Claudia and Cloe called me. I…oh, hell. I’m not sure what I am doing here at all.
I don’t have room for the chaos that a relationship causes.
Not right now. If…ever. We went out last night.
On an actual date. Movies, and then…nachos at Chandlers’.
Then he drove me home. Today, he ended up here.
And so did I. I am not sure how any of this happened. ”
“Baloney.” Her cousin was a few years older, and usually told it just like what it was.
“You are afraid, because you have trust-boy issues. Trust me—I get it. Not too far off from what I felt. And he was right there every day, just waiting for me to jump his bones. But I was too scared. Almost lost my chance.”
“Well, way to be blunt there, Perce.”
“I just don’t want to see you make a mistake like I almost did. I fought what I felt for that man of mine for far too long. And we almost lost the chance to go for it together. This guy give you the flutters every time he looks at you?”
Well, there was no denying that. Auggie just nodded. “He does, but…I…with the girls…my life…”
“You are afraid to rock the boat. But sometimes, boats need rocked. I’ve always liked the Grady brothers. There is something so honest about them. Beautiful, too.”
“This just sort of came out of nowhere. And now he wants…but I have six kids. How do I know that me being involved with anyone would be good for them?”
“How about what is good for you? The girls will just want you happy, sweetie. Do you trust him with the girls? To not hurt them? If you were to leave them with him for two days, would they all be safe? More, if you two got involved and something happened to you, would he move heaven and earth to protect your girls?”
There was no hesitation in her answer. This was a conversation she’d had with herself a few times before. To have it with someone else was just…confirming. Auggie knew herself well enough to understand that. “Yes. No doubts.”
She remembered how he had looked, holding Maeya so close and humming to her. Remembered how Markie climbed all over him. “Absolutely.”
“Then...my vote, for what it is worth, trust yourself. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision. And nothing says you have to rush anything, you know. You have time. Go for it.”