Everything hurt.
My vision was blurry.
Nothing came into focus until Owen’s face materialized. I’m not sure how or why he was there, but everything calmed once his hand slid into mine. When they closed the ambulance doors and he disappeared, I thought I must have imagined him. But he was waiting for me at the ER when I arrived.
He stayed by my side while they took blood and checked my vitals. Once they were sure my condition was stable, the nursing staff wheeled me away for imaging. As great as it’s been to havehim here, he’s been oddly quiet. He’s spoken soft, reassuring words, only letting go of my hand when the nurses require it, but there is a coldness to his tone when he speaks to anyone other than me. Like he’s mad at the world.
As angry as he may be, he’s still here, still in his uniform, offering me a small, forced smile every time our eyes meet.
The nurse wheels me out of the X-ray room and when he notices me, he bolts out of his plastic chair and joins me for the walk back to my ER room.
“You stalking me, Swift?” I say to lighten the mood when the nurse pulls the curtain closed around us.
“Gotta take care of my baby mama,” he replies with a wink.
“That reminds me. Who is taking care of our daughter if we’re both here?”
“She’s fine. She’s in her crate.”
I should tell him he doesn’t have to stay, but I don’t.
I want him here.
Only him.
“How’s your head feeling?” the nurse, who’s been pretending not to listen to our conversation, cuts in.
“It hurts. The lights aren’t helping.”
She hands me two small paper cups. One with two pills and the other with water. “Here’s some acetaminophen. It should take the edge off.”
She watches me down the pills and after checking my vitals, leaves, saying the doctor will be in with my results shortly.
As soon as she’s gone, Owen takes a seat on the edge of the bed. “Daisy, please let me call someone. Cal will have my head if I don’t let the family know.”
“No.”
“Give me more than that.”
“No, you cannot call anyone.”
“Even with a concussion, you’re still a smart ass.”
“Takes one to know one.”
“Now you're acting like a ten-year-old.”
I stick my tongue out, proving his point.
“Daisy, tell me why.”
It kills me to admit the truth because it will only make me sound like a child. But this is Owen, and he’s never judged me a day in his life. If I can trust anyone, it’s him.
I lock my gaze on his. His sapphire eyes cast a spell over me like they so often do. “Because I don’t want them to be right,” I confess.
“More, please.”
“You know. Stranger danger and all that. Everyone knew thisdatewas a bad idea. I didn’t listen.”
