Chapter 72
Please Stay
When I woke it was almost midday. I was aware of murmured voices coming from downstairs.
The scuttle of feet walking across the floorboards.
A laugh I knew belonged to Georgie. Where she was, no doubt Jodie and BJ would be too.
I groaned, I didn’t want to face anyone today, my embarrassment outweighed their concern.
The sun shone brightly through the open curtains.
I stretched out my arms and legs, they creaked stiffly.
I got up slowly. Everything ached—legs, back, bones.
I threw on a long sleeve top and jeans then stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror.
The face staring back at me was ghost-like— pale and gaunt—my eyes seemed dimmer than their usual shade, as if the cold had sucked the life right out of them.
I brushed my teeth, rinsed my face, slipped on my ring and, reluctantly, headed downstairs.
The first person I saw was Karson. He stood off to the side of the crackling fire, lit even though the day was relatively warm. Our eyes locked. His expression was unreadable. My heart pinged.
The others were all seated.
“Morning, Bear Grylls . . . Ethan run his eyes up and down me. “You look terrible.”
They all turned to look.
“Thanks, Ethan.” I felt terrible. My legs moved as if the bones were frozen.
I was weak and tired to the point of exhaustion.
I held the rail for support as I descended the stairs.
My knees grated, my hips were stiff and my thigh muscles quaked and gave way.
I gasped and clutched at the rail tightly.
Karson sat his drink down and strode forward, like he was going to carry me down the stairs. I held up a hand in a stop signal. He paused, his brow flickering and stepped back.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs. Jodie, Georgie, and BJ rushed forward throwing their arms around me in a group hug. I grimaced, tolerated it for a long moment and then pulled back.
“Aims, I’m glad you’re alright,” Jodie said, still clutching my arm.
Georgie sent a half smile, tears bubbling in her eyes.“I told you running was bad for you.”
BJ gave me a look of sympathy.
I glanced at Karson again. Words sat perched on the tip of my tongue, like a river of ice ready to crack.
He said he was sorry. He must want me back. He must want to work it out. Of course, he would, I reaffirmed. The time we’d had together was perfect.
And yet, there was no warmth on his face.
And yet, he hadn’t climbed into bed with me last night.
And yet, I was still a witch, and he was still a vampire.
I was intensely aware all eyes were on the two of us. I clenched my hands together to stop them from shaking. Not from cold, but from a thousand butterflies flapping inside.
“Come sit, I made soup.” Ethan leapt to his feet and headed to the kitchen.
Jodie’s eyes lingered behind him. “He’s hot and he cooks.”
“He does, quite well actually.” I settled myself into the warmth of the seat he’d just left.
Jodie sat back on the couch, crossing her stiletto black ankle boots on the coffee table.
“If you’re feeling better, us girls are heading to Cottleslow beach for the weekend.
There’s a nice little bar that always has a load of good-looking men and we will be getting you laid. ” She threw a combative look at Karson.
The corner of his lip lifted up ever so slightly. Something blistering flashed through his eyes but it was gone so fast, I thought I might have made it up. “I think I’ll help Ethan in the kitchen and leave you girls to your plans.”
“Jodie, really.” BJ scowled. “He did help find her, you know.”
Jodie shrugged. “When they screw with you, you screw back a whole lot harder.”
Without a shadow of a doubt, she was going to make one hell of a lawyer.
Sarah laughed. “Way to go with the puns, Jodie.” She turned a sweet smile to me. “Or we could stay in the cabin, eat chocolate, drink wine, and watch movies. See how you feel, it would be lovely to have you.”
“Maybe, thank you, I’ll let you know.” It was a non-committal response. But Sarah didn’t seem to mind.
Moments later three steady knocks sounded at the door.
“That will probably be Tom,” I sighed, toying with my ring.
“I’ll get it.” Jodie jumped up and strutted to the door.
“Hello, I’m here to see Amy,” Tom said his voice was polite and professional.
“Amy.” Jodie yelled at the top of her lungs. “The ass that shagged your best friend is here to see you.”
Dismayed, I threw my head into my hands, peering through the slit in my fingers as she came back around the corner with a smirk plastered on her face. An angry looking Tom loomed behind like a dark shadow.
“Thanks for the reminder,” Tom muttered.
“You’re welcome,” she said light-heartedly, plonking herself on the couch with a satisfied grin. “How’s your cheek, Tom, has it recovered?”
He ignored her and cast his hazel eyes on me. “Amy, you still don’t look good.” He frowned, settling his bag on the floor. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.”
Karson and Ethan came back in and stood by the fireplace, like guards summoned to a post. Tom opened his bag, located the stethoscope and wrapped it around his neck.
“Could we have some privacy, please.” He shot a firm look at both men, who threw him steely gazes in return. I didn’t think they were going to move, but after a few seconds they did without fuss.
“I’ll just go with them then,” BJ said, standing up. He wasn’t exactly a fan of either man. It’d be an uncomfortable wait for him. The girls stayed sitting. Two were nurses and there was no doubt Jodie wouldn’t be going anywhere in case the chance should arise to screw this one a little harder too.
With a resigned look, Tom handed me the end of the stethoscope. I placed it up under my top, turned my eyes to the fireplace. He did what he needed to do, slipping straight into doctor mode and going through all the same steps as last night.
“Your blood pressure is still low, your heart rate too.” He reached across and touched my forehead with the palm of his hand.
Which was unnecessary given he’d taken my temperature already.
“If you get a temperature at any stage, or your chest starts to feel heavy, you need to come straight to hospital.”
When I didn’t answer, he said sharply, “Amy, are you listening?’’
“Yes, Tom, I heard you,” I snapped, “there’s nothing wrong with my hearing, as you know.” I couldn’t help that last shot.
His face flushed. He studied me for a long moment, as if debating what to say. Finally, he exhaled and stared at me with a tender look. He reached for my hand and held it, jiggling it up and down softly like he wanted to shake words loose.
“We’ll talk when you’re feeling better, I left something by the door for you.” He leaned down, collected his bag in his other hand, and whispered in my ear, “I love you.”
The words were a knife blade twisted in my heart. My lungs felt too heavy for my chest to contain them. My fingers tensed in his grip.
He stood up. Our hands held clasped between us, like a linchpin to the past tugging us back together. A history I could not erase. Those beautiful moments we shared flashed through my head. His soft touch, captivating kisses, the laughter we shared.
His look was soft, agony tore through his iris.
He loved me. But if he loved me as much as he proclaimed, how could he have cheated? How could he take every moment and throw it all away?
I loved him. But it’s nothing compared to my feelings for Karson. If Tom was the flame, Karson was the whole damn fire.
Exhaustion dissolved my strength. I pulled my hand away and closed my eyes before tears sank them. I looked back as he turned the corner. The door clicked shut moments later.
A single tear trickled down my cheek. I wiped it roughly away with my sleeve, hoping the girls wouldn’t notice.
Georgie moved over and perched herself on the arm of the chair.
She put her arm around my shoulders as a few more tears slipped silently down.
Whether they were tears born from Tom and Kelly’s betrayal, the loss of Karson, or sheer exhaustion I didn’t know. Maybe it was all three.
“Did you kick him in the balls and punch her in the nose?” Sarah asked.
I glanced up. She had a serious expression on her perfect face. I shook my head.
“Oh, you totally should have; it would have made you feel so much better.” She grinned. “Or burned his bed while they were still in it.” Her smile widened until it filled her whole face.
“Oh, I know,” Jodie said excitedly, “let’s sneak into his apartment and cut up all his clothes into thousands of tiny pieces.” There could be no bigger crime than cutting up someone’s clothes for Jodie.
“Yes, and we could drive to Ohio and paint whore all over the bitch’s car, in lipstick,” Georgie added, equal in her excitement.
“Forget the lipstick, use paint.” Sarah sat back and crossed her long legs. “And then punch her in the kisser for good measure.”
I laughed and shook my head. “No, it’s a little far to drive. She’s not worth the petrol.”
“I have a better idea,” Georgie said, “we sneak into his apartment and swap the sugar and the salt over.”
Georgie was sweet and kind, her idea of hurting someone was a little more kindergarten variety.
Jodie rolled her eyes.“Totally lame, Georgie.” She lowered her voice and leaned forward, like we were planning a robbery. “No, we sneak into his apartment and rub his toothbrush on our butts, right in the chocolate star.”
We all laughed.
“Oh no, Jodie, too far,” Georgie said, twisting her face and chuckling.
“No, I like it,” Sarah said, nodding. “And then we burn the fucker’s bed.”