She must have seen the pain lining my features when I moved.
I shrug because what am I supposed to say right now? I’m not going to lie and say it doesn’t hurt. It fucking does, but all things considered, I’m alright.
“Let’s get you out of here,” she says quietly. Her breath tickles my neck.
Shivers course through me, but they’re the good kind and not from the pain. I grasp onto that feeling, distracting myself from everything else.
The guys make more dumbass jokes as we walk through the brightly lit hallways and out to the sidewalk.
The sun is minutes away from dipping behind the mountains. The rest of the day slipped away while I was holed up inside.
Wyatt jogs across the parking lot and hops into his car. I want to roll my eyes because I really could walk across the parking lot. I’ll be walking around everywhere else, so this seems a little ridiculous.
I don’t press it, though, because Abby is right behind me. Her thumb is currently gliding over my good shoulder. The point of contact is small, but I never want it to end.
Wyatt brings the car to a stop right in front of us. “Your chariot awaits,” he says through the open passenger window.
Like I said… dumbass.I might be getting a little cranky from the pain and fatigue that’s setting in.
I don’t need her help, but Abby is right there while I climb into the passenger seat. I reach across my body and grab her hand.
“Thank you for taking care of me today. You’re a really good nurse.”
I might have been doped up on drugs while I was in there, but I could still tell she was damn good at her job. She’s wicked smart and genuinely cares about her patients.
“Thank you for being okay.” She shakes her head, clearing the emotion from her gaze. “I don’t know about the good at my job part, though. I’m not supposed to be cuddling in bed with my patients.”
“Just blame it on your unruly patient.”
Her smile is soft and warm. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
I give her hand a little squeeze. “You’re coming over when you get off, right?”
I try to keep a modicum of chill, but it’s not really working. As shitty as this day has been, I don’t want it to end because she’s been here at my side.
I like having her there. It feels like that’s where she’s supposed to be. It can’t be that way in any sense beyond friends, but it’s getting harder and harder to fight this when the connection feels too right.
She glances down at her watch. “I get off in less than an hour. I’ll be over after I run home and grab a few things.”
“We have things you can have.” If I can’t drag her with us right now, I want her there as soon as possible. Her going back to her house is unnecessary.
Wyatt laughs. He leans over closer to us. “Go get your stuff, and we will see you when you get there,” he tells her.
I turn to glare at him because what the fuck?
“Those drugs must still be doing something in there.” Wyatt laughs, tapping the side of my head closest to him.
My head flops back against the headrest.
“We’ll save some dinner for you,” Linc tells her from the back seat.
She tightens her hand, then backs away. “See you soon.” She looks right at me. “I promise.”
My bed shifts beside me, and my eyes reluctantly open. Wyatt helped me get set up in my room while Linc went to get Oliver from Cole’s house.
I’m pretty sure I passed out thirty seconds after my head hit my pillow.
I blink a few times, and Oliver comes into focus. He’s perched on the side of my bed.
