* * *
That night the nurse led us to the post-op wing and we were allowed into see Ellie. Her curtains were drawn around her, and Elodie and Clark were in front of me so I didn’t see her at first. When they greeted her quietly and stepped back I flinched.
I hadn’t expected to feel so scared.
Dr. Dunham was right—her head was pretty swollen and kind of misshapen on the right side, her eyes still glazed from the anesthesia. White padded bandages were wrapped tight around her head and I felt my stomach lurch as I thought about the fact that today her brain had been cut into.
She gave me a lopsided quirk of a smile. “Joss,” her voice was hoarse, barely audible.
I wanted to run. I know. That’s horrible. But I wanted to run away from this part. People ending up in hospital had never concluded well in my life, and seeing her there, so vulnerable, so exhausted, just reminded me of how close we might have come to losing her.
I felt a hand squeeze mine and I turned my head to see Hannah watching me. She looked as pale as I felt, and her fingers were trembling between mine. She was scared too. I smiled reassuringly at her, hoping I was pulling it off. “Ellie is okay. Come on.” I tugged on her hand and pulled her with me to Ellie’s bed side.
I reached out for the hand Ellie had held out for her mom, and I slid mine into it, feeling relief and love as she gave me a gentle squeeze. “Am I pretty?” she asked with a little slur, and I laughed softly.
“Always, honey.”
Her eyes dropped to Hannah. “I’m okay,” she whispered.
“Are you sure?” Hannah pressed in close to the bed, her frightened eyes glued to Ellie’s bandaged head.
“Mmmhmm.”
She was still tired. We shouldn’t stay long. I gently eased Hannah back so Braden and Adam could get in with Declan. Declan thought she looked cool of course. Once Braden said hello, Adam wouldn’t leave Ellie’s side.
Her eyes started to flutter closed.
“We should leave her to rest,” Clark ordered in a hushed voice. “We’ll come back tomorrow.”
“Els,” Braden murmured, and her eyes fluttered back open. “We’re going. We’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Adam grabbed a chair from the side of the room and put it beside her bed. “I’m staying.”
We nodded, not really wanting to argue with the determined clench of his jaw.
With soft goodbyes we left them, Braden and I trailing at the back as we walked in a solemn fog through the hospital.
“She looked tiny,” Braden observed hoarsely. “I wasn’t expecting her to look so bad.”
“The swelling will go down.”
He shot me a careful look. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t seem fine.”
“It’s been a tiring day.”
We stopped at—actually I didn’t know where. The hospital was kind of confusing with lots of a little parking lots and different entrances and yellow barricades. I didn’t know where the hell I was. We were standing at an entrance anyway, and Elodie sighed. “Are you two getting a taxi back?”
Clark’s car wasn’t big enough for everyone to get a ride in. I’d gotten a ride going in but Adam and Braden had gotten a cab. I supposed it would be rude to suggest Braden take a cab and I get a ride.
“I’ll get a cab. Braden, you should go with them.”
He smirked knowingly. “We’ll get a taxi together.”
Shit.
I reluctantly let Ellie’s family go, and waited as Braden called for a cab. I then stood at the entrance doors, keeping an eye out for the cab.
I smelled his cologne as he pressed close to my back. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to block out the fact that even though I’d ripped the bedsheets off my bed, I still hadn’t washed them because I could still smell Braden on them. I really was that girl.
“Do you want to tell me why I’m getting the silent treatment?” He asked gruffly, his breath hot on my ear.
I hunched up my shoulders, pulling away. His voice had an effect on my body and I didn’t want him to know that. “I’m talking to you.”
“Barely.”
“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“When have I ever wanted to talk about it?”
I felt the heat grow hotter as he stepped closer, his hand sliding down my hip. “You used to talk to me, Jocelyn. Don’t pretend you didn’t.”
Seeing the familiar black cab of the city turn the corner into our part of the building, I pulled away quickly. “Cab’s here.” And started off toward it.
When we settled in the cab I could feel he was annoyed. I also knew him well enough to know that he was going to try to talk to me about it even if it meant following me home. I gave the cab driver Jo’s address in Leith.
Braden shot me a look.
I shrugged. “She asked me to come over.”
After a few more inane questions and a few more one word responses from me, Braden gave up, but not before sending me a lethal ‘this isn’t over’ warning look.
I got out at Jo’s without a goodbye and watched the cab drive away. I called Jo to make sure she was home, and I went up to her apartment and spent almost all night there.
* * *
Avoiding Braden took skill. Well, no it just involved me not spending any time at the apartment. It also meant getting a cab out alone to visit Ellie. Every day without fail Braden sent a text asking if I wanted him to swing the cab by my place to pick me up for visiting hours at the hospital. I sent him a polite ‘No, thanks’ back each time. Visiting hours were all about Ellie so I was safe there. She had a private room, was bored out of her mind and desperate to get home, but she had a whole week here. The swelling was going down more each day, but I could tell she was exhausted. She let us all, and by all I mean Elodie, chat around her, smiling and taking it in. Thankfully, I didn’t get to see the sad part, when her eyes would inevitably get all weepy as we left her. I didn’t get to see that part because I always left before everyone else. I saw not only the questions in Ellie’s eyes when I did this, but everyone else’s too. I tried to make up for it by bringing her a silly present each time I visited, but I knew she was dying to ask me what was wrong.
I wasn’t at all surprised that Braden didn’t chase me out of there.
He had moved on, so he didn’t really need to know why I was avoiding him.
Or so I thought.
New Years’ Eve I spent with Jo. I got a call from Rhian. Texts from Craig, Alistair, Adam, Elodie, Clark and the kids. I got a text from Braden.
Happy New Years, Jocelyn. I hope it’s a good one for you. X
Who knew a text could be so heartbreaking? I text back . . . wait for it . . .
Back at ya.
Yeah, I did. I did do that. I’m an idiot.
As I began staying away from the apartment, swimming at a different pool and avoiding the gym we shared, I think it must have begun to dawn on Braden that I knew about Isla.
Four days into Ellie’s recovery at the hospital and only a few days before she was to come home, I got another text from Braden.
We really need to talk. I’ve come by the flat a few times but you’re never in. Can we meet up?x
I didn’t text him back. Obviously, he wanted to tell me about his new manager.
It didn’t matter if I didn’t text back. Fate already had plans for us to meet. Two days after the text, I was dodging the apartment and having lunch at this great pub on the Grassmarket. I was going to head up along George IV Bridge to Forrest Road where there was this little kitschy store that Ellie loved. They sold these umbrellas that were like old-fashioned parasols and she’d been going on and on about buying one but never
had. So I was going to buy it for her as a little present for her return to the apartment the next day.
I had just finished my lunch and had stepped out onto the Grassmarket, trying to shove my purse back into my bag, when I heard, “Jocelyn?”
My head snapped up and my heart did that thing where it beat so hard it unhooked itself from my chest and took a swan dive into the pit of my stomach. Braden was standing before me, and at his side was this tall, stunning blonde. She was wearing a pencil-skirt and Victorian-style suit jacket, sexy stiletto heels, her long blonde hair was perfectly tousled, and her make-up was as flawless as her face.
Was she for real?
I hated her instantly.
“Braden,” I murmured, my eyes flying anywhere and everywhere to avoid his gaze.
I should mention I was wearing my jeans with the worn out knee, a ratty t-shirt that advertised a famous beer, and my hair was in its usual knot on my head. I wore no makeup.
I looked like hell.
I’d really made his choice easy huh.
“I text you,” he said in an annoyingly stern tone.
My eyes flew to his at that. “I know.”
His jaw clenched.
Isla cleared her throat politely and he tried to relax, although his penetrating gaze didn’t leave mine as he said, “Isla, this is Jocelyn. Jocelyn, this is Isla, the new manager of Fire.”
Putting on my best acting skills I smiled politely and held out my hand for her to shake. She smiled back at me curiously. “I’ve heard all about you,” I told her meaningfully.
Braden’s whole body froze at that and I sent him a bitter smile, my eyes sending their own message—yeah I know all about her, asshole.
Isla turned to Braden with an attractive and exceptionally flirtatious tilt to her mouth. “You’ve been telling people about me?”
He didn’t answer. He was too busy killing me with his eyes. “Isla, can you give us a moment please?”
Uh oh.
And then miracles. Bon Jovi saved the day. I’d reset my ringtone.
SHOT THROUGH THE HEART, AND YOU’RE TOO BLAME, YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME.
Yeah, I hadn’t been feeling subtle that day.
Braden raised an eyebrow at it, a stupidly amused smile curving his lips as I pulled my cell out. Rhian. Thank God. “I have to take this. I’ll catch you later.”
His smile quickly turned into a glare. “Joc-”
“Rhian,” I answered with affected cheer, giving Isla a little wave goodbye, one she returned obliviously.
Rhian snorted. “You sound wired.”
I hurried past the pubs heading for Candlemaker Row, a shortcut up to the bridge and Forrest Road. “I didn’t give you a good enough Christmas present, do you know that.”
“Uh, why?”
“Because you just saved my ass. I’m sending you a little something as a thank you.”
“Ooh, chocolate please.”
“Done.”
I let her talk to me about everything and nothing for ten minutes in a desperate attempt to dull the excruciating ache in my chest at seeing Braden. It didn’t last long. I went home, curled up with the unwashed bedsheet that smelled like him and cried for three hours, before I finally got up the courage to put it in the wash.
Chapter 25
Perhaps I was still feeling guilty about flaking out on Ellie that first night, so I went a little overboard on getting the apartment ready for her return. It was clean from top to bottom, but I’d held back my own inclination to ‘tidy’ and left her clutter out since I knew it made her feel at home. I ordered this gorgeous pale green luxury bed set online because she loved green, I bought a few decorative cushions, and made her bed up into a princess bed. I bought a breakfast-in-bed table that rolled up to the side of the bed and swung over so she could eat in bed. I bought flowers. Chocolate. I packed the fridge with her favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. There was a pile of every latest issue of every magazine I’d ever seen her reading on her bedside cabinet. A couple of Sudoku and crossword books. And the most extravagant . . . a small flatscreen television with a built in DVD player. It was probably a little much for a patient who was only supposed to be on bed rest for two weeks but I didn’t want her to get bored.
“Oh my God.” Ellie’s eyes widened as she walked into her room. She was standing with her arm wrapped around Adam’s waist, and Elodie, Clark and Braden were already in the room, smiling at everything. The kids were back at school so they’d missed out on ‘Joss goes overboard’. Ellie’s eyes swung to me. “You did all this?”
I shrugged, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. “It’s not much.”
Ellie laughed and came over to me slowly. “You’re a little bit awesome.”
I huffed. “If you say so.”
“Come here.” She wrapped her arms around me and I hugged her, like always feeling like a little girl hugging her mother because she was so tall. “I love it, thank you.”
“I’m glad.” I gently eased her back and frowned. “Lie down.”
Ellie groaned. “This is going to be fun.”
As Adam helped Ellie off with her shoes and into the bed, Elodie came over to me. “The doctor says you need to make sure her bandages don’t get wet when she’s showering.”
“She can take baths for now.”
“Good. And, she’s to rest. She’s allowed to walk about, but not constantly.”
“Got it.”
“She’s to go back in two weeks to get the bandage off.”
“Okay.”
“And then she has a check-up three months after that. If everything’s fine, it’ll be a year after that.”
I frowned. “Wait.” I shot a hopeful smile Ellie’s way. “You got your biopsy results?”
“No one told her?” Ellie’s brow puckered as she stared accusingly around the room.
Braden sighed. “Maybe if she would stop avoiding everyone someone might have.”
“Hello!” I waved my hand. “Results please?”
Ellie grinned. “Benign.”
I sagged in relief to hear confirmation of what Dr. Dunham had predicted. “That really should have been the opener.”
“Sorry.”
“Uh huh.” I quirked an eyebrow at Elodie. “P.S. I’m going to take good care of her.” My eyes flickered to Adam who had climbed on top of the covers on Ellie’s other side. “That’s if Lover Boy let’s me.”
Adam grimaced. “I’m too old to be called a Lover Boy.”
“I quite like it.” Ellie smiled mischievously.
“Then Lover Boy it is.”
“Well, I think I’ll go make us all some coffee before I throw up on Ellie’s new bedspread,” I cracked and made to move towards the door.
Braden stepped in front of it, his face expressionless. “We need to talk.” With that he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving me no choice but to follow.
I found him in my room and as soon as I walked in he strode past me to shut the door.
“We could talk in the sitting room,” I told him irritably, hating him in here where there were so many memories. Plus, his presence in my room had always been overwhelming.
In response, he prowled towards me, only coming to a stop when there was an inch of space between us. I wanted to back up but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. I stared up at him defiantly and he bent his head a little so he could look me directly in the eyes.
“I’ve been trying to give you space, but this is ridiculous.”
My head snapped back at that. “Uh, what?”
I watched his gorgeous and furious eyes narrow into slits. “You’re never here. Are you seeing someone else? Because I swear to God-”
Furious didn’t even cover it. “Are you kidding me?” I yelle
d, forgetting there was an audience down the hall.
“Well, what the hell is going on?”
I drew in a shuddering breath, trying to calm down. “You’re an asshole. Coming in here and accusing me of messing around behind your back when you’re the one who’s screwing his new nightclub manager.”
Now Braden jerked his head back in shock, and the look he gave me? Well, let’s just say it was not a polite way of expressing that he thought I had a screw loose somewhere. “Isla? You think I’m fucking Isla? I don’t believe this.”
Okay. I was completely confused. I crossed my arms over my chest in an attempt to look as if I was in control of this conversation. “Ellie told me everything.”
His mouth actually fell open. It would have been funny if the situation wasn’t like a knife in my gut. “Ellie? What exactly did Ellie tell you?”
“She met you for lunch. The two of you met her and Adam for lunch and she said that you were all over each other.”
Now Braden crossed his arms over his chest and the soft fabric strained against the muscles of his biceps. I got a flash image of him above me, his hands pressing my wrists into the mattress, the muscles in his arms moving as he thrust hard into me and over and over again.
I flushed, shaking the image out of my head.
Crap.
“Ellie told you she had lunch with me and Isla, and that I was all over Isla?” he asked me slowly, as if I were a mental patient.
I answered through gritted teeth, “Yes.”
“If she hadn’t just had brain surgery I swear to God I’d kill her.”
I blinked. “What?”
Braden took another step forward which meant I had to step back if I didn’t want my boobs mashed up against him. “I never had lunch with Isla and Ellie. They met when she and Adam stopped by the club to drop off a USB stick I left at the flat. They met for two seconds.”
I scratched behind my ear not liking at all where this put me in this conversation. “Why would she tell me that?”
Braden sighed heavily and turned away, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I don’t know. Probably because I told her I was giving you space as part of the next stage in my plan to get you back, and Ellie didn’t agree it was a good idea. Apparently, Ellie thought jealousy was the next step.” He shook his head and shot me an unfathomable look. “Apparently she was wrong.”
On Dublin Street (9781101623497) Page 29
