I was stunned. “Uh, we’ve never talked daily, and I just returned from spending the last five days with you.”
“So, maybe I got used to talking to you every night and got concerned when you didn’t answer. I could tell on the plane you were nervous about coming back here and trying to figure out what to do.”
I’d grown accustomed to spending all of my time with him lately, too. “I should probably tell you the same thing I told Brian, then, which is I’m a big girl. As much as having people worry about me is sometimes nice, I think it’s time for me to do the grown-up thing. Maybe tomorrow, though, because tonight I’m having Captain Crunch for dinner.”
He chuckled. “Any ideas thus far?”
I decided to throw out a notion I’d been kicking around while I was running. “I was thinking about traveling at the end of the summer.”
“You mean go on vacation?”
“I’m not sure, but I feel like I need space.”
“Space?” He paused before asking, “This isn’t because of our kiss, is it?”
If it was, I wouldn’t admit it to him—ever. “Contrary to your belief, the world does not revolve around you.”
He laughed at my ego shot. “It does from my point of view.”
“It’s more about trying to figure out what it is I want from life. I need to Eat. Pray. Love or some shit like that.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“The book: Eat. Pray. Love. Obviously I have no problem with the eating part, and the rest is about finding yourself. This woman in the book, after a divorce, traveled to three places in the world and—”
“I’m going to stop you there to say there’s no way you’re wandering around the globe by yourself.”
“Know how to get a twenty-something-year-old woman to do the exact opposite of what you want her to do?”
“How?
“Tell her she can’t do something. We only end up seeing it as a challenge.” Unless it came from my mother, in which case I couldn’t seem to manage that mindset.
He chuckled. “Duly noted.”
“You said you’d be supportive.”
“Well, if it’s a vacation you need, we could plan one. We can go to one of my hotels in Cabo or Cancun or travel to Europe, if you prefer. I can’t take off right now with the baby getting here and helping Josh with some of the business, but I could make time at the end of the summer for a couple of weeks.”
Holy mixed signals Batman. “I don’t have a clue how to respond to that.”
“Then think about it.”
“Okay.” And since we were unable to spend five hours apart without talking and evidently planning vacations together, I decided to go with it. “What do you think about coming over for dinner tomorrow night? I’m craving lasagna and need someone to help eat it.”
He hesitated. “I, uh, have a thing, but if you don’t have any plans for Friday night, we could do dinner then?”
“Is it a date? Your thing tomorrow night?” My mind, which had been complacent in not knowing the truth for many years, now needed to hear it.
He sighed audibly. “It’s an engagement that includes a date, yes. Are you okay with hearing that?”
Not really, but I hated even more to remain purposefully oblivious. “Yeah, and do me a favor: don’t tiptoe around your plans anymore. The days of you having to act sensitive because I was a little girl with a crush are appreciated but no longer necessary. A real friend shouldn’t have to hide the fact he has a date.”
His smile was evident in his reply. “Okay, deal. I’ll see you Friday, then?”
“Sure, sounds good.”
***
By the next afternoon, I’d finished cleaning my one-bedroom apartment thoroughly after having gone for a long run and realized it was getting late in the day. I’d done both activities in the hopes I could push aside thoughts of Colby taking a date out tonight, but it wasn’t working. Did he ever have a night out with a woman that didn’t involve sex? The odds didn’t stack in my favor. And what did I have planned at the moment? I resolved that it would not be another Hostess-filled night capped off with Captain Crunch. Nope. I had a mission.
After putting on some makeup and cute clothes, I drove to the grocery store, where I bought a nice bottle of Pinot Noir. The second half of the wine-vibrator expedition, however, involved using Google maps to locate my next destination.
Two minutes inside Pleasure Palace made me realize the purchase decision involving a vibrator was a lot more complicated than I could’ve ever imagined. Looking at the large assortment on the wall, I was at a complete loss for words. Big, small, flesh colored, red-white-and-blue with—huh, were those sparkles? I was looking closer at one, in particular, when the sales person came up beside me.
“Ah, that’s the Star-Spangled Bang-Her edition,” she offered.
She’d said it so matter-of-factly that I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling. “Uh huh. Do you have any recommendations?” That was a normal thing to ask, right?
“Depends on what you’re looking for. Clitoral stimulation, vaginal, both, or double penetration? If your partner is a woman, we have quite a few strap-on varieties. Or if your man enjoys it up the a—”
“Okay, I get the picture.” And, boy, did I. Suddenly, I was in a hurry. I should’ve ordered online or gone with a girlfriend after drinks instead of standing here trying to get images out of my head of the Star-Spangled Bang-Her doing a patriotic duty on anyone. “Um, how about clitoral stimulation that’s somewhat discreet?” Then I could shove it in my bag and be out of here.
“Sure. Over here.” She picked out an egg-shaped one, and I quickly took it to the register. Just like that, I was the proud owner of a baby vibrator. Putting my new-found purchase in my purse, I stepped out onto the sidewalk and began to walk towards where I’d parked a block away.
Lifting my face towards the sun, which would set in a couple of hours, I thought about how much I loved Southern California. I took a deep breath, enjoying the warm night until the scream broke me out of the moment. As if in slow motion in a nightmare sequence, there was a car heading straight for me on the sidewalk. It was the last thing I remembered.
***
As I lay there fighting the pain and nausea, trying to figure out where I was and what had happened, I recalled standing on the sidewalk and then the car coming towards me. It had appeared out of nowhere. One moment it was on the road, the next it had jumped the curb and veered right at me. Considering the amount of pain I was in, it was a good guess I’d survived.
Opening my eyes, I glanced around the small room in which I found myself. There were machines to my left, and when I lifted up my hand, I realized I was hooked up to an IV pole. To the right was a window which revealed the outside world and the fact it was nighttime. Turning towards of the sound of footsteps coming in through the door, I saw an older gentleman with gray hair and glasses in a white doctor’s jacket.
“Excellent, you’re awake. Can you tell me your name, miss?”
I licked my dry lips. “Yeah. It’s McKenzie Lane.”
He smiled kindly. “Good. Ms. Lane, I’m Doctor Winters. You were brought in via ambulance to the ER here at Cedars-Sinai Hospital about three hours ago. You were hit by a vehicle on the sidewalk and injured. Nothing is life-threatening, but you’ve sustained a couple of cracked ribs, a fractured wrist, broken ankle, and some deep lacerations on your legs.”
Flashes came back to me of the chaos and people gathering around me. Of the fuzzy ambulance ride and then doctors working on me like a pit crew for a race car after arriving in the ER.
“We had to do surgery on your ankle, but the break was clean. The metal plate we screwed in will help it heal faster, and we’ll cast your wrist now that you’re awake. I don’t have a lot of information about the driver, but you’re one of three who came in here.”
“Did everyone make it?” The tears welled up thinking about how lucky I’d been.
“Yes, as far as I know.
I’m confident the police will be here first thing in the morning to take your statement. They’ll be able to provide more information then. In the meantime, you’ll need to stay at least tonight. We need to do a CT scan in order to be on the safe side about any possible head injuries. Do you have a headache currently?”
“I do, but it’s not bad. Maybe from the throbbing in my wrist and ankle.”
He nodded, making some notes in my chart. “That’s fortunate, but we’ll take you for a scan in a few minutes to be sure. Do you have someone you can call?”
“Yes. Did anyone bring my purse? My phone is in there.”
“I believe so. I’ll get the nurse, and she can assist you. I’ll return in a couple hours to check on you. Try to get some rest.”
I lay my head back on the pillow, wondering what time it was and how long before the nurse would come in. Thankfully, it only took a minute.”
“Hi, honey. My name is Nurse Charlotte.”
“I’m Kenzie. Nice to meet you,” I replied, watching her bustle around the room. She appeared to be in her fifties, had curly hair and a nice smile.
“How you feeling?”
“Okay, I guess, considering.”
“The paramedics brought your purse in with you. Is your phone inside?”
I nodded.
“Here you go, honey. You need me to dial?” she asked, handing it to me.
I cringed, realizing my right hand was in a splint. This would be inconvenient for just about everything. “Uh, please. The unlocking code is 1122, and under contacts, it’s Colby. What time is it?”
“It’s after nine o’clock in the evening. The good news is you’re injuries aren’t too bad, and we’ll get you fixed up.”
I appreciated her warm smile and positivity. Holding the phone to my ear, I felt thankful when he picked up on the second ring.
“Kenz, this isn’t a good time.” His voice was hushed, and the call seemed to be breaking up.
I heard feminine laughter, which caused my heart to sink. Shit, he was out with his date. “Sorry, um—”
“I knew I shouldn’t have told you about tonight, but I’m in the middle—Hold on…”
Tears started to fall with the realization he thought I was interrupting his evening because he’d told me about his plans. Then I overheard him say the worst thing possible:
“It’s my friend’s little sister, I’ll only be a few more seconds.”
He came back on the line. “I have to go.”
“It’s just that—”
“Shit, they’re going to take my phone away if I don’t hang up, so unless you’re lying in a ditch somewhere, you need to go to sleep. I’ll call you later, I promise.”
Humiliation overwhelmed me. “Alright, I’ll let you go,” I said thickly, feeling the fat tears fall.
“Good girl. Now get some sleep.”
I hung up the phone and saw the sympathy in the nurse’s expression while she fussed around my room. She’d obviously overheard my end of the conversation.
“You need me to dial someone else?” she asked.
“Um—” Hadn’t I wanted to grow up and be independent? I’d already embarrassed myself by disrupting Colby’s night. Did I now want to ruin Brian’s?
She picked up on my hesitation. “Honey, people who love you would want to know you were hurt. You’re lucky you only have the injuries you do, but they’re serious enough that you should call someone.”
I nodded numbly and then requested she dial Brian’s number.
“Hello.”
The minute I heard Sasha’s sleepy voice answer, emotion clogged my voice. “It’s me, Kenzie.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m okay, but I’m in the hospital. I was on the sidewalk when I got hit by a car earlier—”
“Jesus. Are you all right? How hurt are you?”
Brian’s voice was in the background, and I prepared myself.
“I’m putting you on speaker, so your brother can hear. I’m going to look into flights, okay?”
“Are you all right?” Brian asked in a panic.
For his sake, I tried to keep my voice calm. It wasn’t every day I woke up my brother across the country at midnight his time. “I’m injured, but nothing life-threatening. I’m at Cedars-Sinai hospital in a room and have to stay the night.” I filled him in on my list of issues. “They’re taking me up for a CT scan soon and to cast my wrist.”
“What happened?”
“I was walking on a sidewalk, and a car jumped the curb. I’m not sure if he stopped or not, but I don’t think he was traveling very fast. You don’t need to fly all the way out here. I feel much better now that I’ve heard your voice.”
“Like hell I’m not coming out. Sasha is looking at flights now. Actually, to hell with that. I’m calling Josh to take the company jet.”
Relief flooded me that they would be on their way soon even if it would take at least six hours to cross the country.
“Did you call Colby? He could be there with you until we arrive.”
“Um, no. I think he may be out of town and I’ll be fine. By the time they’re finished doing everything, I’ll be ready to crash with these painkillers. And then when I wake up, you’ll be here. Do me a favor, though and don’t call Mom. The last thing I need is for her to come out here right now.”
“Okay, sis. We’ll discuss it after I get there. I’ll call you when we board to let you know when we’ll land, and if you don’t answer, I’ll send a text. I love you, and we’ll be there soon, okay?”
I sniffed, trying not to get emotional. “I love you, too. Be safe, and don’t worry about me.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
By the time they were done with the CT scan and casting my wrist, it was after midnight. I was exhausted, and the pain medication was making it impossible to stay awake. Nurse Charlotte was talking, but I couldn’t understand her until she hovered above my face.
“Honey, you get some rest and let those meds do the trick. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon when I’m back on shift.”
I don’t even think I managed a nod before passing out.
“What the fuck, Kenz? I swear if you weren’t already hurt, I’d kill you.” It was Colby’s voice.
Deciding he couldn’t possibly be yelling at me in my dream unless he was a prick there, too, I grasped he must be real and in my room right now. My eyes fluttered open, and I saw his face next to mine.
He expelled a deep breath, and a gentle hand stroked my cheek. Relief was etched into his features.
“You’re either an asshole in my dreams, or you’re real and still an asshole.”
I was rewarded with a smile and then a stern look. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“Can’t you?”
I watched him wince. He ran his hand through his hair. “I was in a movie theatre with the premiere about to start. Plus, the reception was terrible.”
“I get it.” I pushed myself up further on my bed, inadvertently letting out a small cry when I put weight on my injured wrist.
“Christ. Did you break it?” He glided his fingertips over the pink cast.
“That and my ankle. Oh, and a couple of ribs, which means you can’t make me laugh.”
His expression looked mischievous for a second before sliding back into concerned. “What did the CT scan say? Brian mentioned you were having one.”
Ah, so he had talked to my brother. “It was normal. Well, normal for a crazy twenty-two-year old female anyhow.”
“Considering you threw yourself in front of a moving car to get my attention, I’d say that’s pretty crazy.”
I knew he was teasing, but it still fired up my temper. “You’re a narcissistic ass.”
He chuckled, even while his hand didn’t leave my good one. “My ass is not narcissistic although I maintain if it was, it would have every right to be. It’s a nice ass.”
I shook my head, trying not to laugh.
The look in his gaze reflected his wo
rry, and this banter was his way of getting back in balance.
“Are you hungry or thirsty? Brian and Sasha should be here in another three hours. I’ll stay with you at least until they arrive. He sounded shaken up on the phone.”
“I told him I’m all right.”
“Did they catch the guy?”
I shrugged. “I’ve been a little busy being passed out, but the doctor did say the police would be by in the morning to take my statement, so I’m assuming they’ll tell me then.”
“I feel terrible. I’m sorry you had to call your brother because I cut you off. And then telling you I’d only come if you were lying in a ditch. That was a new low, even for me.”
“I figured you’d probably regret that little comment once you found out what happened, but it’s not as though you knew. I’m sorry I ruined your date.”
“You didn’t ruin anything. I’m here because I want to be.”
“You’re here because Brian called you, and you feel an obligation.”
“Are you serious?” He was instantly pissed off. Unfortunately, I was finding this side of him pretty hot.
“I heard you on the phone tell someone that I was your friend’s little sister.”
He grimaced. “Let’s get something straight, McKenzie—I’m not using your middle name because you hate it—Lane. I only made the little sister comment because I needed more importance placed on it than I’d get by saying it was a friend who’s a girl. I’m here because we’re good friends, and I love you like one. Just don’t go taking that statement and twist it all up in your girly mind.”
I rolled my eyes. “Back in asshole territory, and thank you for not using my middle name. It demonstrates that sometimes you might actually listen to me.”
He sighed. “I about lost my mind when Brian told me where you were. I tried calling you and—it was awful. Don’t ever imply you’re a burden again because it pisses me off.”
“Clearly,” I said dryly, laughing at his sour expression. “Oh, God, my side.” I grabbed it and cringed.
“Uh-oh, this might be a problem considering I’m pretty damn funny.”
He wiggled his brows comically, causing me to bite my lip. “I’ll just think of asshole Colby to keep from laughing.”
Bet Me Something (Something Series Book 3) Page 10
