“No, only that you had to rush to the emergency room.” She seems relieved. “Everything okay? What’s going on?” My eyes are transfixed on this beautiful creature before my gaze shifts to the side to try and understand the situation.
“I… I… just a normal kitchen mishap. You know, knife gone rogue, most definitely nothing out of the ordinary.” She swallows, and I can tell she just lied to me, especially as the doctor’s mouth tugs slightly and in an entertained way.
I play along. “Okay, well, looks like we’re keeping knives away from you for a while.” I step farther into the area. I remember blood freaks her out. A kid in her class once scraped himself on a tree and she vomited. Liam had to pick her up from work.
Her eyes hold mine, and I hate that she’s in pain. I’m fiercely protective of her, the same level as her brother.
“Almost done?” Hailey grits out to the doctor.
He cuts the suture. “Sure am. Your boyfriend can take you home.”
Hailey’s strained face probably matches my own. “Uh… not exactly boyfriend,” I correct him, and I hate that I have to. Basically, I’m totally infatuated with this woman who is always so close but not in the way I would like.
By association, she’s in my circle of friends. That’s what happens when your friend invites his sister to every BBQ or that our town is small enough that random run-ins are a given. There is also the fact that she lives down the street from me.
It’s a form of torture. Our level of flirtation isn’t just in my head, I’m too smart to misread it. But our level of respect for one another is even higher. We would never want to taint the circle of friends or our own friendship. There are too many risks if I were to slam my mouth onto hers because her eyes narrow in on me with that playful warning that crosses her lips far too often.
The doctor swings his eyes between Hailey and me. “Ah, apologies.”
Hailey clears her throat, and it’s an awkward silence for a few seconds.
The doctor ignores us as he helps Hailey up to sitting. “Well, it’s great that you can drive her. Make sure to keep the stitches clean until they come out,” he tells her. “No tetanus shot is needed but I’ll write up a prescription of antibiotics as a precaution, as it was a deep cut and you’ll need to start those today, along with a lot of rest today. I’ll get the discharge papers moving.”
A few minutes later, a nurse gives more detailed instructions and has Hailey sign papers. When it’s time to go, Hailey hesitates to hop off the table.
I’m aware it’s because of me.
The thing is, we can have a good time around each other. There are also certain moments when something else lingers, and it causes us to not say much.
Right now? Evidence of that.
“Are you still feeling dizzy? Need help? Maybe we should get you something to eat,” I list. The overbearing concern ripping through me returns.
It causes her to crack a gentle smile. “I’m okay. Just want to get home to my couch.”
“Yeah, of course.”
She stands up, and we walk out to the parking lot. I’m quick to open the passenger side door of my sports car so she can slide onto the seat.
When I start the engine, the energy feels different to our normal encounters with one another.
“So, uh, the wedding is almost here,” I say in an attempt to start our conversation as we drive off.
“Yeah, Liam is excited. Colorado should be fun.” Liam’s fiancée, Ava, is from there, so they decided to have their wedding where her parents live.
“Lucky you for flying out.” I grimace
She chortles. “Why did you volunteer to drive?”
“Because I’m a good best man and Liam needs his car for their honeymoon driving around the Rockies.”
“Well, it’s sweet of you. I would never be able to drive that far. I want to save humanity, and my driving will not help with that.”
True. Her driving scares the hell out of the entire street.
We turn onto Everhope Road, where lush green trees line the street, with yards and mailboxes at the end of driveways that make the houses feel more like homes. Hailey is now renting out her friend Esme’s old house. Esme moved next door to be with my buddy Keats. And I live down the street. It’s enough distance to subtly avoid people if need be. My brother lives even farther up, on the corner of our street. It’s all a crazy coincidental map.
Parking then turning the engine off when we arrive in front of her house, I don’t hesitate and quickly exit my car and circle around to help her.
