A knock on the door interrupted us.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Hi, Dr. Stephens.”
“Good news. Everything looks good. I’m signing you out now. You can go home in the morning, and I’ll see you in my office next week.” Evan and I breathed a simultaneous long sigh of relief.
“Thanks, Dr. Stephens. For everything.”
“My pleasure. You just take care of yourself, and I’ll see you next week.”
I turned to Evan. “So, tomorrow you can take me home. To our home. Sounds nice doesn’t it?”
Evan put his arms around me and covered my mouth with his. “I would love to take you home with me.”
I was going home with the man whowasmy home. Life didn’t get much better than that.
Forty-Two
Paige
“General Tess isn’t freakingout that you’re living in sin?” Natalie gawked at me from across the table.
I’d been home for a few weeks and had started working from my apartment again, taking on a couple of small projects just to keep my mind occupied. I was still supposed to “take it easy” but staying inside was driving me crazy. When Natalie had asked me to meet her for lunch on her day off, I’d practically jumped at the chance.
“No, she hasn’t said anything really. She has a big soft spot for Evan, so for whatever reason she’s not on my case about living together without being married. I think they bonded at the hospital. Who knows, but I’m not planning to bring anything up.” I chomped on the rest of my salad. I really wanted the cheeseburger, fries and shake I’d glimpsed at another table. My steroid dose had tapered a bit, but was still high. I spent most of my days fighting the urge to eat everything in my pantry or rip apart my closets.
Natalie crinkled her nose and nodded. “Yeah, wise not to poke that bear. So why the long face?”
“What long face, I’m fine.” Natalie rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Like I can’t tell when something’s bothering you.”
I shrugged. “I guess it’s been a little lonely since I came home. Evan’s been working all the time the past couple of weeks, and . . .” I trailed off as I picked at the rest of my rabbit food.
“And . . . what?” Natalie rested her elbows on the table as she leaned forward.
“I don’t think Evan is attracted to me anymore.” I threw the fork onto my plate and put my face in my hands.
“Are you sure they cleared you for that brain infection? Because you’re talking like you’ve lost your mind. That boy never left your side in the hospital. And don’t tell me it was out of obligation. I stopped in to check on you that first night and he was sitting there, just watching you sleep, at four o’clock in the morning. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”
“I didn’t say he didn’t love me. But look at me, Natalie. I know it’s awful to sound so vain after what happened to me, but look at my face.” Natalie shrugged.
“Yeah, your face is a little fuller than before. You’re still beautiful, and I’d much rather see you with a rounder face than skin and bones like you were all those months. And I am positive Evan agrees.”
“After seeing me like that all those weeks . . . I had a catheter bag for fuck’s sake. Maybe he doesn’t see me the same way anymore. We haven’t even had sex since I’ve been home. Kissing and cuddling, but that’s been it.” Natalie started laughing and shook her head.
“I’m a little upset over here; it would help if my best friend stopped laughing at me.” She put her head down and laughed even harder. I nudged her arm.
“You shouldn’t anger a woman on steroids, Nat. What’s so damn funny?”
She lifted her head and let out a long sigh. I fumed as she grabbed my hand.
“You were in the hospital for a month, plus the poor dude has been working non-stop for the past two weeks. Even a couple with a porn star-quality sex life like you guys had wouldn’t be able to just jump right back in under those circumstances.” I leaned back in my chair and narrowed my eyes at Natalie.
“Porn star? What are you talking about?”
“You remember the night of Jack’s funeral? Evan had to go to your uncle’s house to sort out some papers so I came to your apartment with some Godiva liqueur to take your mind off things. Remember saying you’d get drunk faster if you mixed it with the Bailey’s you already had?”
