“As much as I regret not being able to witness the rest of this as it unfolds, we have reached your destination,” Tiana announces. “Good luck with your shitty situation, and please remember to leave a positive review.”
Claire chuckles at our driver as she gathers her things.
“Listen, you don’t have to stay with me,” I turn to tell her. “I know we joked about it, but you deserve better than an evening in a hospital waiting room. Besides,TanteVerna would never forgive me if I subjected you to this.”
But I’m afraid I’ve already let things go too far. She frowns, looking disappointed when I brush over her suggestive offer once again.
“I can’t just leave you here, though,” she says quietly.
“My brother and his wife live a few minutes away. In fact, he’s adoctor, too. I can get him to pick me up later.” I don’t admit that Cyprien’s a podiatrist, but Claire doesn’t need to know that right now.
“Oh, well. I guess I thought …” She looks away, her eyelashes fluttering as if she’s actually hurt by my dismissal.
“Bruh,” Tiana groans from the front seat. “You can’t really be this dumb, can you?”
My head rears back in surprise. “I’m … sorry?”
“Don’t leave my girl hanging,” Tiana continues, “especially after she was willing to overlook your tummy issues and take you to the hospital.”
My jaw lowers. “But I didn’t mean to?—”
“Lead me on?” Claire interrupts and finishes for me. “So you didn’t mean it when you said you’d do anything for the chance to talk to me a little longer?”
I swallow hard. “No, it was the truth, but … I’m not … I can’t …”
Tiana clicks her tongue and looks up to direct her advice at Claire through the rearview mirror. “I get it now. Poor baby’s embarrassed. He’s probably afraid of letting you down later if things don’t go well in there, you know?” She cringes and whispers the last part, reinforcing the suggestive nature of her comment.
Claire glances back at me with a furrowed brow and waits for me to respond.
“Technically, epinephrineisa vasoconstrictor, which means it’s more than likely restricting the blood flow to some of my … vital parts,” I explain awkwardly. “But that’s not exactly what I’m worried about.”
“You’re afraid of getting the bubble guts in front of me, then?” Claire offers and presses her lips together in an effort to keep herself from laughing, but it doesn’t work. She tilts her head back and cackles, and it’s so contagious that Tiana and I join in.
Gah, she’s beautiful,I catch myself thinking as I stare at her. I’ve never heard a girl this pretty talk the way she does, but it’s surprisingly not a turn off. In fact, I might actually like that she speaksher mind so freely. It kind of reminds me of the way my mom and sisters interact, though Claire’s language is a little more colorful.
It takes an amused glare from her to bring me back from my thoughts.
“The looming threat of gastrointestinal distress is another valid concern, yes,” I concede after a while.
“Stop worrying,” Claire tells me with a reassuring grin. “I won’t hold any of your bodily functions against you. Besides, we’ve come too far for you to let me off the hook now.”
I let out a measured exhale, my heart quickening at the idea of having her by my side for the rest of the night, even if it’s spent in the emergency room. So what if she’s more worldly and experienced than the women I usually date? That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy her company for a few more hours. Now that I think about it, it’d be pretty judgmental of me to write her off because she might be into casual hookups or simply because she has a crude sense of humor in comparison with the women I’ve dated in the past. And it’s not likely we’ll find ourselves in a place of temptation with the aforementioned symptoms I’m experiencing, so there’s no point in stressing over having to explain my stringent moral code.
“Only if you’re sure you don’t mind the lack of romantic ambiance,” I say, softening my expression, and she shrugs.
“I’m not really into the romance thing, anyway,” she replies.
My smile widens when Tiana lets out a short squeal, and I go around and get Claire’s door, stopping to slip Tiana a few twenties from my wallet.
“Don’t charge her card if you can help it,” I ask our driver, and she nods approvingly.
“Good luck, you two,” she calls out from her window. “I’ll be on standby to give you a ride back later.”
Tiana drives away, and I lead Claire on through the emergency room entrance before stopping at the triage desk to check in. Once I reassure the intake nurse that epinephrine seems to have done its job and I’m only here as a precaution, I’m directed to have a seat in the waiting area.
Claire settles next to me on a bench, running her palms over her arms. “Are you cold?” I ask, instinctively looking for my jacket.
“A little, but this is what I get for wearing my hoochie dress,” she says with a laugh, taking the opportunity to scoot closer and press her side into mine when I reach up to scratch my neck.
