All She Ever Wanted (Cedar Valley Novel Book 1)

by Christina Butrum

  Leah took a few quick sips and motioned for Rachel to set it on the stand next to her bed. The nurse came in with two pills in a tiny cup. Looking at the pills, Leah took the cup from her. “Aren’t these for a horse?”

  After a good laugh, the nurse explained, “If you’re unable to swallow them, I can give you something through your IV. They’re a bit bigger than the average pill, but I can assure you they’re for people, not horses.”

  She liked the sense of humor the nurse had—all the nurses for that matter. They really knew how to make a stay in the hospital less intimidating and more comfortable. She had once dreamed of becoming a nurse, but had decided against it when she thought of all the years she’d have to be in college.

  She tipped the cup, dumping the pills into the palm of her hand, and swallowed them one at a time, chasing each down with a swig of water. She had to admit, they were a bit hard to swallow, but the cold water felt good against her throat.

  She waited for the nurse to leave the room—making sure she was alone with two of her favorite people—before she asked, “What happened?”

  Liam cleared his throat, but before he could get any words out, Leah said, “First, let me ask this,” she said, her eyes focused on Liam. “Did we…”

  Rachel’s eyes darted between Leah to Liam. Rachel’s mouth dropped open and she quickly brought a hand up to cover it. With wide eyes and a huge smile, Rachel waved a hand and said, “On that note, I’m out of here.” On her way out the door, she quickly turned back, looking at Leah, she said, “I’ll expect the details later. I gotta get back to work. I’ll let everyone know you’re doing okay.” Pausing, she motioned towards Liam and said, “In more ways than one.”

  With a wink and a quick wave, she left the room, closing the door behind her. Leah tried hard not to laugh, but couldn’t hold it back. She placed a hand against her side and exhaled slowly.

  “The answer is yes,” Liam said, no hesitation.

  Raising her eyebrows, she asked, “So, the kiss really did happen?”

  Nodding, he licked his lips, almost as if it still lingered there, the taste of her lips against his. Only when her lips curled into a smile did he smile—relieved that she was happy it had happened.

  “It was great, by the way,” she said, her eyes meeting his.

  Hovering close to her face, he gently pressed his lips against hers. She leaned into it, giving every bit of effort she had; running her hands through his hair, gripping as much of it as she could. Her mouth never lost contact with his, until they were interrupted by a gruff clearing of someone’s throat. Pulling away from each other, they found the doctor at the foot of the bed.

  The doctor’s eyes lit up with a smile. Chuckling, he said, “If I’m not mistaken, I’d say you’re feeling better.”

  * * *

  The news the doctor shared with them was good. He informed them that what had happened with her spleen was not expected, but at the same time, was not uncommon. According to the doctor, the spleen would take a while—weeks, if not months—to fully heal to its normal state. He advised she would only be in the hospital for a couple of days more. He encouraged her to rest as much as she could while she was at St. Mary’s. He ended his lecture with a quick shake of hands and a generous smile. She could’ve sworn she heard him say something about love birds, on his way out of the room.

  Leaning back in his chair, chuckling, Liam said, “I really like that doctor.”

  “This hospital has the best staff,” Leah said.

  “Some are really great, but you wouldn’t think that way about a few of them, if you knew the hoops I had to jump through to get back here to see you,” Liam said, frustrated by the thought. “They rushed me out as soon as I brought you in. I tried a few times to push my way back here, but they kept ushering me back to the waiting room.” Frowning, he asked, “Have I told you how much I hate that waiting room?”

  Shaking her head, she said, “I can only imagine.”

  “So, here I am in the waiting room, the minutes ticking by. Not a single nurse came to update me, including the nurse who had promised me that she would!” he said with a clenched jaw. “Gosh, I was so angry. So frustrated and worried.”

  The thought of him being that concerned and worried about her made her eyes fill with tears.

  “I was so scared,” he admitted. “I thought… I thought…” He shook his head, struggling to say what he wanted to say. Grabbing for his hand, she held on as he found the words to tell her what he had been through. Clearing his throat a second time, he said, “I didn’t want to lose you. I needed to be back here with you. And when that damned nurse wouldn’t allow me to be back here…”

  He looked up at her, and in that moment, she saw the pain and the emotion he had carried this whole time she had been away from him. “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged off her apology. “Don’t be silly. It isn’t your fault.”

  “It kind of is,” she said. “I’m the one who didn’t pay attention to the road. I’m the one who lost control of my vehicle.”

  When he shook his head, she said, “Read the accident report, I’m sure it’ll tell you the same.”

  “When that nurse didn’t let me back here,” he continued where he left off, “and she didn’t give me updates like she said she would… I went crazy.”

  She tried to tell him it was okay, but he didn’t allow her the time to say it. “I went crazy with the thought that I was going to lose you. I didn’t want to lose you.”

  She had never seen a grown man cry, until today. She had never witnessed so much emotion come from a man before today—especially in regard to her well–being, or whether they’d see her again.

  She hadn’t had the slightest clue they had gone this far—this deep. This man really did care for her, and she was a fool for not realizing it until now. Through all the text messages, the phone calls, the “dates” that she had never allowed him to call actual dates—they had crossed that line—that wall—she had built as a protection for her heart. Without any hesitation at all, he had chiseled away at that wall surrounding her heart, her thoughts and her feelings—everything that she had guarded so firmly with all her might.

  * * *

  She hadn’t forgotten about Liam’s conversation in the hallway she had overheard. She needed to think of a way to bring it up to him without making it seem like she’d purposely eavesdropped—like she really had a choice being confined to the hospital bed. She decided she needed to be straight forward. If they were going to be coworkers, they’d need to communicate all matters of business.

  Returning with two coffees, he handed her one and sat down beside her on the bed. Looking stressed, with dark marks under his eyes, he didn’t seem to be himself this morning.

  “I brought you a mocha latte from the coffee shop downstairs,” he said, handing her a cup. “I hope you like it.”

  “Thank you,” She said, taking a sip as soon as it was in her hand. “The coffee’s perfect.”

  St. Mary’s had opened the coffee shop, per request of the hospital’s CEO, who had made a special announcement in the local newspaper—“No one operates to their maximum best without a fresh cup of coffee!”

  Reaching for the stand next to the bed, she set it down—letting it cool a bit more before she drank anymore of it. Liam drank his within minutes and was about to go back for a second cup, when she stopped him.

  “Liam.”

  Turning, he looked at her. The stress he was under was written all over his face. Within two days, he had shown signs of stress—he looked completely exhausted. She wondered if he had been sleeping at night while he stayed at the hospital with her.

  When he sat down, she reached out and took hold of his hand. She had planned what she’d say, and how she’d say it, but now that the time had come to talk, the words had left.

  Sighing, she waited for the words to come back to her. She was never any good at conversation, especially times like this. He set his cup down and placed his free hand on
top of hers. He waited patiently for her to say something.

  When she didn’t say a word, he moved closer to her—expecting the worst. She opened her mouth, but words struggled to come out. She sounded like a complete idiot. “I… I don’t know how to...”

  Leaning in, unable to sit still, Liam listened. This conversation—any conversation for that matter—should be easy. She needed to get a grip and just say what needed to be said. She needed to know what was on his mind. She wasn’t going to find out unless she let him know what was on hers.

  Inhaling a deep breath, she released it slowly. His eyes widened and were focused on her. “You’re not breaking up with me already, are you?”

  She had no control over the laughter that escaped her—she nearly snorted when she caught her breath. Realizing he was serious, she slapped a hand over her mouth.

  “Absolutely not,” she said. “You won’t get rid of me that easily.”

  Pulling her close, he kissed her forehead. “I hope not. Now, tell me what’s on your mind. You’re too beautiful to look so worried.”

  She smiled, taking another deep breath before she said, “I heard your conversation the other day.”

  He raised an eyebrow and leaned back. “What conversation? I mean, I know I talk to myself, but if it concerns you that much, I’ll stop.”

  Chuckling, she shook her head and said, “I wasn’t trying to listen, I promise. I just overheard you talking on your phone with someone, when I woke up from surgery.”

  Nodding, he reached for his coffee cup. He raised it and asked, “Mind if I get some coffee first?”

  She had forgotten about coffee. Smiling, she nodded and reached for hers. She watched him walk out the door and waited for him to return.

  Grabbing her phone, she sent a text to Rachel.

  Are you sure you want me to move out?

  Within two minutes, she had a message back.

  Well, how do you do, too. How are you feeling?

  She typed a quick message back. Good, but sore. I’ll call you after bit. But I really need to know that you’ll be okay if I move. I can always stay at home and drive back and forth.

  Don’t be silly. Good luck with convo. I’ll be waiting for your call ☺

  The door slid open and Liam appeared from behind the curtain. Raising two cups, he said, “I think I’m ready, now.”

  She laughed when she realized both were for him. She traced a thumb along the rim of her cup.

  “So, you heard what I said on the phone?”

  “Not the whole conversation, but I heard the mention of Levy’s.”

  Damned near slamming his coffee down, he tossed the empty cup into the nearby trash can—positioned perfectly for him to make a basket.

  “I’ll be fine if you don’t want me to know,” she said. “I know it isn’t any of my business—”

  Shaking his head, he held up a hand to stop her. “I thought we’d made it clear that it is your business.”

  He was tense, but his smile was relaxed. “Ok, then it’s my business. I’m only concerned because you look really stressed out, and honestly, you look like crap.”

  Sitting back, like she had just slapped him, he said, “Thanks a lot. You sure know how to wound a man.”

  Laughing, she said, “I’m sorry.”

  Pointing a finger, he said, “No, you’re not! You’re laughing!”

  A fit of laughter rolled out of her as she grabbed her side for support. She hadn’t needed to take both pain pills today, but she might need to after laughing.

  Crossing his leg so his ankle rested on his knee, he said, “Ok, time to be serious so you don’t hurt yourself.”

  Silencing her laughter, she focused on him.

  “I don’t even want to have this conversation with you right now,” he said, gulping down the rest of his coffee.

  She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to notice. When he didn’t, she cleared her throat. He looked at her and she tilted her head and asked, “Why not?”

  “This isn’t really the time or the place to have a discussion about business,” he said. “You’re here to get better, not worry or get stressed over nothing.”

  “That’s tough,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her. “Obviously something’s wrong and can’t wait. And obviously,” she said, waving her arms around her leg and upper body, “I’ll be here for a while, and I’m sure whatever is going on won’t wait that long to get worse.”

  “Ok, then,” he said. He sat down and furrowed his eyebrows. “For now, this goes no further than you and me.”

  She nodded, encouraging him to get to the point while motioning him on with her hands. She hated waiting. She had no patience at all—zip, zilch, none.

  “Gramps called while you were sleeping,” he said. “He said he received a letter in the mail last week. I had no idea about this letter or anything until now.”

  “What’d the letter say?”

  He gripped the coffee cup in his hand, causing it to make a crackling noise. Frustration and anger crossed his face, and she knew it wasn’t going to be good news. “Levy’s isn’t in good standing with the bank.”

  She kept her thoughts to herself and allowed him to continue.

  “So, they want to yank it away from us.”

  “What will happen then?”

  “It’ll close up,” he said. “Foreclose.”

  “What happened within the last few weeks to make this happen?”

  Shaking his head in frustration, he said, “The fact is the bank is stuck on their word, unless they get the money up front, and the loan officer I had a meeting with isn’t budging either.”

  She was never into the business side of things. She lived a simple and carefree life—work and home. She never had to worry about the debts of a business because she had never owned one. She had no idea how a business really ran, or what all it took, but she had helped turn the diner’s money around by advertising and drawing people in. Social media was a blessing in disguise for these small town, and big city, businesses. It was a dog-eat-dog world out there, and the only person who cared about you was yourself.

  “How much do they want?”

  “Gramps seems to think the letter said twenty-thousand.”

  She was blown away by the amount. That was a lot of money to come up with. “When do they want the money?”

  “As soon as we can get it.”

  “That’s not very helpful,” she said. She waited for him to say something along the lines of ‘thank you Captain Obvious’, but he didn’t. He sat, quietly distracted, in his chair.

  “It is what it is,” he said.

  “Who does your bookkeeping?” she asked, switching into problem-solving-mode.

  “No one, really. Grandma had done it for years, but when she passed away, we’ve just been estimating what the differences are each month. It’s how we’ve done it the last five years.”

  Levy’s needed help, and immediately. They had who-knows-how-long to figure out a way to bring in twenty thousand dollars before the bank closed it down. Panic erupted at the thought of Wes and Liam losing everything their family had worked so hard for.

  “I’ve got an idea,” she said. “Where’s that notebook I asked for?”

  “In my truck,” he said.

  “Go get it!” she said in a loud whisper. Excitement filled her as Liam raced out of the room. Her mind flooded with a ton of ideas on how to save Levy’s, and more importantly, the Spencer family, from another heartache.

  19

  Blank pages were soon filled with the ideas that she had in mind. Liam watched as she wrote crazily along each page. He tried to look over her shoulder as she wrote, but she shooed him away a dozen times.

  He was impressed at the thoughts that woman had. A few that he’d caught a glimpse of had him more excited than she was. He couldn’t wait to go over all the ideas with her when she was finished brainstorming. Better yet, he couldn’t wait to tell his Gramps. That was the motivating kicker right there—he
refused to allow everything his grandparents had worked so hard for turn into nothing.

  He nearly jumped to the side of the bed when she finally dropped the pen. He leaned in and she shooed him back once again with a playful shove—he barely moved, but he got the point. Backing up, he sat on the edge of his chair. “Whatcha got?”

  She smiled. “I think I have a brilliant idea, or should I say, ideas?”

  The playful grin she had, made him want to jump all over her and wrestle her for the information. She was taking too long to tell him and like her, he was impatient too. “Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to tackle you?”

  Shaking her head with a shitty grin, she said, “You won’t be able to do that.”

  “I’ll be damned,” he said, frustrated at his failed attempt. Standing, he quickly grabbed the notebook out of her hands.

  “Hey! Give it back!” she hollered at him, straining to grab it from him.

  “Shh,” he said, pressing a finger to his lips. “You’re going to get us kicked out of here.”

  “This isn’t a library. They can’t kick me out,” she said, laughing. “You maybe, but not me.”

  She thought she was cute! Rushing to her side, he tossed the notebook in the chair—far out of her reach. Wrapping his arms around her, he allowed his lips to land on hers. It was impulsive, yet uncontrollable. She made him crazy and he loved it. He had never met someone quite like her—reserved, but fun and witty, absolutely amazing. “I’m not sure you’d want that to happen,” he whispered in her ear causing her to squeal and squirm while smacking him away.

  “Get out of here!” she said.

  He grabbed the notebook from the chair and examined her ideas. She had made pictures along the pages—almost like a timeline or map of some sort. The ideas were written everywhere, but he was unable to read some of her writing. Her words were crammed all around the page. It almost looked like scribbles and doodles done by an overactive, imaginative child. There was no doubt that her ideas would save his family’s business and homestead.