His answering scowl isn’t reassuring. “License and registration, ma’am.”
“It’s okay. We just shared a meal. You can call me Lucy.”
He doesn’t even crack a smile.
Swallowing down my anxiety, I hand him the documents and twist my hands in my lap.
“Stay here while I run this.” He taps my car as he walks back to his.
Is this really happening?
When he returns, he issues me a ticket, pointing to where I need to sign.
“Guess I’m not getting reimbursed for that meal,” I mutter to myself.
“What was that?”
“Thanks for the meal.”
Once he releases me, I drive under the speed limit to Levi’s school, cursing Doug the whole time.
This is why I don’t do relationships. I have the worst luck with men.
I fear he may have ruined Ben Affleck for me. And butt chins. And coffee.
——————
When I get to the hospital, I text Bella to let her know I’m here and hurry inside, nearly knocking over three people in my race to get to Micah. Levi fidgets in my arms, begging me to put him down, but I know it’s faster to carry him so he doesn’t wander off.
“Lucy!” Bella’s voice calls out from behind me.
I race over to her, and she pulls me into a hug. “Where is he?”
“He’s in the ER. I’ll take you back,” she says, just as Levi makes grabby hands for her, leaning away from me.
“Come here, big guy,” she coos as she takes him and points over my shoulder to indicate where we’re headed.
“Thanks.” I turn around without looking and run smackdab into a brick wall. Or cinderblock? It’s hard to tell from the searing pain in my face, but I’d say the wall won. “Son of a?—”
“Oh my God, Lucy, are you okay? You’re bleeding.”
“Mama, oh no!”
The last thing I remember is looking down at my bloody hands as everything fades to black.
CHAPTER 4
MIKE
Micah is putting the finishing touches on Bulbasaur and I’m coloring in Charizard’s fire tail when I hear a commotion in the hallway.
“I’ll be right back, lad. I’m going to check on that. Sit tight.” I hustle over just in time to see a beautiful blonde woman walk face first into the wall. She looks vaguely familiar. Then I see Bella behind her, holding a small boy, and it clicks. This must be Micah’s mom.
She rears back from the wall, blood pouring out of her nose. Bella shouts something, but I can’t make it out as my brain shifts into emergency mode. The blonde looks disoriented, and I rush over right as her body goes limp. It’s not the most graceful catch, but at least I prevent her from falling onto the floor.
“Mama!” the little boy wails as he reaches toward us, but Bella wraps a comforting arm around his torso and turns to shield him.
“Let’s go check on your brother,” she says as she takes the long way back to his room, looping around the back of the nurse’s station.
