A sob lodged in my throat. I bolted out of my seat and turned my back to her. “I can’t. I’m sorry. You’re welcome touse my office if you need a quiet place to write.” I didn’t want to kick her out.
“Ashton, I don’t need a place. I needyou.Please? I don’t know what else to do.”
“I have to go.” I swiped my bag from the floor and left her in my office.
ten
ASHTON
You are my heart, my life, my one and only thought.
— ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
“What is wrong with you?” Anna said, as angry as she’d ever been with me. I pinched the phone between my ear and my shoulder.
“You need to hold still,” the nurse barked as she stabbed my knuckle with a suture. They’d given me a local in my hand but it was still jarring to feel the tug under my skin.
“I’m trying,” I said.
“Where are you?” Anna asked.
“The E.R.”
“Why are you at the E.R.?”
“My hand is broken.”
“What happened?”
“Mr. Dupree.” The woman huffed. “If you’d put your phone down, this would go a lot faster.”
But I was positive if I hung up before Anna had said everything she called to say, she’d drive down from Blacksburg and throttle me. “Sorry. No can do.” Then to Anna, I said, “Hold on.”
Then I held perfectly still for the nurse.
“There. That should do it.” She patted my hand. “Luckily, you shouldn’t need surgery. Here’s your appointment to get it cast one week from today.” She handed me a card. “You need to rest it. Keep it elevated, do you hear me?” She raised a brow in warning.
“Yes ma’am.”
I hopped off the table and walked out into the hall. A cop who was sitting in a chair eating a cafeteria burrito pointed me toward the exit.
“Okay.” I held the phone to my ear with my good hand. “You can finish blessing me out now.”
“Do you have any idea how much courage it took for Tally to tell you that?” Anna said. “I promised her you would be kind and help her.”
“You shouldn’t make promises for other people.”
She cussed me under her breath.
“Babe.” I heard Blue trying to calm her in the background. “I’m sure if Ashton won’t help her, he has a good reason.”
I clicked my tongue. “Bingo. You should listen to your husband.”
She cussed me again. “Fine. Tell me the real reason you won’t help her?”
“I told you. I’m her professor.”
“Not good enough. She already told you she won’t tell anyone. And you know she’s good for the secret.”
