I laughed, shaking my head. “Everything was fine. My ER rotation was fun today. I learned a lot from the lead physician.” I swallow, knowing I couldn’t tell her about the MVA today. People’s pain saddens her, and my line of work stresses her out. It was the one thing I did that she really didn’t understand. “Classes are good. Professors are fine. You know how it goes.”
“Just fine, huh?”
I swallowed, sensing that she knew something was wrong. She knew everything, my mom. She knew it all. I wanted nothing more than to spill everything to her and tell her about Matt, Jake, and Aaron, all three men who had made my life a living hell. Mom knew all-too-well about these three guys, and so did my dad.
But I couldn’t. I couldn’t say anything because I couldn’t do that to my parents. After all, those three men were responsible for my downward spiral when I was younger, and it was a mess my mom and Dad had to clean up themselves.
I couldn’t do that to them. Not again.
“Everything is fine, Mom. I was just tired.”
“Well, get some rest, baby, okay? And call me soon. Remember the rules? Twice a week, preferably more.”
“At least,” I agreed. “Give dad a kiss for me.”
“I will, baby.”
We hung up the phones, and I reached for my open laptop, closing it to shove it away into the depths of my bag. Something at the bottom got smashed under the computer and crinkled as I slid it in. I pulled the sheet of paper out, reading the sloppy script.
Call me anytime, even just to chat.
- Jason Laramie
My frown turned into a smile as I laid back down on the bed, eyes scanning Jason's phone number scrawled down on the paper. I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand beside my bed and swiped my finger across the screen to unlock it. Then I typed in Jason’s number to compose a new message.
This is Renee Lyon. I ended up with your phone # somehow ;)
I locked the screen and set it aside, anxious suddenly. Schoolwork was no problem. Flirting, however, had never been my strong suit. But I knew it was right because Jason Laramie seemed like a good man and friend. Shit, a goodperson, and I needed more of those in my life. I didn’t have many people like that in high school, so I wasn’t about to brush him off.
Besides, maybe Jason was just the distraction I needed from Matt, Aaron, and Jake.
After far too many minutes, my phone chimed, and I grabbed for it, eyes scanning over the message on the screen.
I was hoping you’d find the paper...no complaints here, Renee.... ;)
Feeling better, I tossed the cell phone aside and slid under the covers, eyes heavy with fatigue. My first class wasn’t until noon tomorrow, so I figured I could work on homework in the morning, preferably with a clear mind and a good night’s rest.
But as I slowly drifted to sleep, body heavy, all I could think about was Matt Nelson’s chiseled face and slightly shaggy coal-black hair. No matter how much I tried to focus on something else, I finally fell asleep with a light tingling between my legs and Matt’s face in my dreams.
