“You’re fired,” I shout as I grasp for any reason for him to let go. “I’m not your duty anymore. Now, you can let go.”
“No, baby, I can’t.”
“You have to go!” I cry. “I won’t be your duty. I won’t be the reason you don’t go home!”
“Don’t you know?” he asks quietly for my ears only. “I don’t have a home.”
His words make me want to cry. But then again, I’m already crying. Once the dam lets go, I can’t stop it.
He lifts me into his arms like I’m precious and carries me over to a chair. King sits down and places me in his lap, holding me tight. I’m done. I’m so done. I have nothing left in me, so I just hold on to him and let it out. I cry until I feel weak and tired.
King tucks me into his arms, and I rest my head on his chest. He makes me feel safe and secure and cared for, and I firmly wish he didn’t, because I know in my heart that while this feels nice now, he’s not mine to keep, and getting used to it would be a fatal mistake for my soul. That is, if it’s not too late already.
After a while, the door opens again, and a doctor steps through. I jump up, and King follows me. I notice that Manny, who had stayed by the wall to give us some privacy, steps forward as well. Manny has said and shown to me that he wants me for King; I can only imagine what he’s said to the man himself. I just wish he wouldn’t. It’s time to let dead horses lie.
“Are you here for Eric Goodnite?” the doctor asks.
“Yes, sir,” Manny says.
The doctor nods, then goes on. “I’m Dr. Williams, and I have been treating Mr. Goodnite since he arrived,” he explains. “He has a concussion, which seemed worse than it was at the time, but I have full confidence he will be just fine in a few days.”
Thank God. I feel a wave of relief wash over me. King touches the tip of his index finger to the back of my hand, letting me know it’s all going to be okay, reassuring me it’s going to work out.
“We’re going to keep him for the night and then release him in the morning,” the doctor adds. He really is going to be all right. “Visiting hours are over for today but open again at nine in the morning.”
“Thank you,” King says.
“He really is okay?” I can’t help but ask.
“You must be Campbell.” He smiles gently at me. “He’s been asking for you.”
King and Manny both visibly stiffen, and his assumption that I’m the mysterious woman from ten years ago is worrisome if Eric has been talking about her now. King and Manny both look seriously concerned, and after my embarrassing meltdown, I need to smooth this over for them.
“No, no,” I say gently with a smile. “I’m Addie. His… friend.” I hope it’s not too far of a stretch to assume that he would want to be my friend if he wasn’t on a job to protect me and all that. Actually, he probably wouldn’t. I’m just some girl who sleeps with his friend. How embarrassing is that?
“Oh,” Dr. Williams replies, sounding a little flustered. I’m nosy enough that I want to know just what our sweet Eric was saying about the mysterious Campbell. “My mistake. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you as well,” I respond. He clearly doesn’t watch racing or know me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have mistaken me for Eric’s long-lost love. “And there’s no harm done.”
“Thank you,” King says, redirecting the conversation. “We’ll be back in the morning.”
“Of course,” the doctor replies.
King and Manny walk me back through the hospital to the parking lot after the doctor goes back behind the heavy door to see to his patients again.
“I’ll take her home,” Manny says, and I think I’m finally going to get a moment to collect my thoughts. But then King destroys my plans once again.
“No,” King inserts. “I will.”
Manny looks pleased with his decision, but I can’t help but to hear our earlier conversation echo through my brain. He even admitted that King was always going to hurt me. My heart never stood a chance.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Manny says before heading toward his own vehicle.
King helps me into the passenger seat of his SUV and then shuts the door behind me. He makes his way around the car and climbs into the driver seat. We haven’t spoken to one another since he held me in his arms in the hospital waiting room. He was gentle and caring, and I don’t want to think on it because it will only remind me of what I want and can’t have.
We also do not speak the entire way back to my home in Torrey Pines. And by the time we pull into my driveway, it’s late. Dinnertime has come and gone, and I haven’t been hungry for days. I only ate when Eric or Manny made me feel like I should, like they were judging me and my heartbreak.
As he shuts off the car and walks me to the side door, I realize I’m finally hungry, not for food but for something else, something I shouldn’t allow myself to want, but I’m helpless not to.
