Had Enough

by Anie Michaels

  “I will call. The nurses have your number, too. Plus, you wrote it on that giant whiteboard by the door,” he said, motioning to it.

  “I’ll come back later after I get back from the middle of nowhere.” I had to admit that being out in the wilderness where cell phone service was sketchy was making me a little nervous. But I knew I could go for a five-minute drive every couple of hours to check messages and that made me feel a little better. “I’ll bring you dinner. No hospital food for you tonight.”

  “Oh, talk dirty to me.” His voice was low and sultry. Even though he was trying to play and seem silly, it worked for me.

  I leaned over the bed and stopped only when my lips were a few inches from his.

  “Bacon cheeseburger,” I whispered slowly.

  “Fuck, yeah,” he groaned.

  “Stop it.” I laughed as I kissed him swiftly, making sure I didn’t put any pressure on his torso.

  “You’re taking my SUV, right?”

  I let out a sigh as I stood. “I was just going to take a cab.”

  He tensed at my words. I was hoping I could escape before he thought to ask me about transportation.

  “Bullshit, Hadley. You’re taking my SUV.”

  “Maybe Camden or Riley can take me.”

  “They both went back to work today. They can’t drive you out to the middle of nowhere. And a cab will cost a fortune, not to mention I don’t want you riding with some stranger out to the middle of fucking nowhere. Take my SUV.”

  “Fine, bossy.”

  “Damn right. Come back down here and kiss me goodbye.”

  I tried to hide my smile as I did just that.

  “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m sure my mother and I will just sit here and play cards or something.”

  “Tell her I said hello, okay?”

  “Will do.”

  “Love you,” I said just before I left the room.

  “Love you too, babe.”

  Two and a half hours later I pulled up to Aiden’s beautiful house and was reminded of why I wanted to work with him so badly. I was an artist staring at a blank canvas, only this canvas was big, beautiful, and expensive. The best canvas money could buy. And I could make it look even better.

  I’d brought some swatches and a few accent tables that were easily accessible at the storage unit. I’d called on the drive over and scheduled Martine and Martine for a big move as soon as they had an opening. Looking down at my phone, I was glad to see I still had one bar of cell service, so I tried to call Justin.

  “Hello, pretty lady,” he said as a greeting. He sounded rested and so much better than he had the day before.

  “Hey, handsome. Everything going okay?”

  “Yep. Mom got here about a half hour ago and we’ve been catching up. Did you make it to Aiden’s okay?”

  “I did, thanks to your rig. You guys will text me if anything happens?”

  “That’s the deal, but nothing’s going to happen. Aside from more Jell-O consumption.”

  “Okay,” I said firmly, trying to convince myself that everything would be fine. “I’ll call you in an hour or so just to check in.”

  “I’ll be waiting on pins and needles,” he replied sweetly.

  Just then the front door opened and Aiden came out and stood on the massive front porch.

  “I gotta go, babe, Aiden just came out.”

  “Knock ’em dead, babe.”

  “Will do.”

  I hit end on the call, took a deep, calming breath to settle my nerves, and jumped out of the SUV.

  Aiden was smiling by the time I reached the porch and I took that as a good sign.

  “Hey,” I said as I climbed the few stairs.

  “Good to see you,” he said, still smiling widely. “How’s Justin?”

  “Good. Really good, actually. Better than expected.”

  “That’s great.”

  “I know. It is. Thanks again for being so understanding.”

  “Don’t mention it again. Seriously. Any decent person would have done the same. Besides, I’m excited to see what you have planned for me today.”

  “Great, I’m ready to go too. I have a few pieces here that I could get to on my own, but I also have my laptop that has the digital portfolio of all the furniture from my personal collection, plus all the furniture I can borrow from designer friends I’ve partnered with. So, I’m ready to dive in.”

  “Fantastic.” He rubbed his hands together. “Let’s unload.”

  The day flew by faster than it had in a while. I took a few breaks to call Justin and each time he sounded rested, aware, and bossy. The last time I’d called he told me I was bugging him and to stop calling because I was interrupting The Ellen Show. He was kidding, of course. Well, sort of. But I laughed and told him I’d call him when I was wrapping up.

  Aiden helped me unload that morning, then browsed through my extensive collection of photos of furniture, but after about forty-five minutes I watched as his eyes glassed over. When an electrician showed up for a few minor fixes he’d looked hilariously relieved. That was fine. He could be as involved as he wanted to be. Or—and this was how it seemed it would play out—he could trust my instincts and let me work my magic.

  When my stomach started rumbling for food, I figured I’d better pack up and head back into town, especially if I was going to bring Justin dinner too. I packed up my things and went in search of Aiden. When I found him, he was in my favorite place. The back porch.

  “Hey,” I said as I slipped out the French doors. “Wow, it’s so pretty out here. I bet the sunset is beautiful.”

  “It is.” His voice was wistful.

  “You really love it out in the boonies, don’t you?”

  He shrugged. “I can’t hear anything in the city, ya know? Too loud. Too crazy.”

  “I can definitely agree with that. I guess the difference is, I like the craziness of it all. Sometimes I think it’s better if you can’t hear yourself think.”

  He laughed and looked out at the river running along the property. “You headed out?”

  “Yeah. If you didn’t need anything else from me today.”

  He laughed again, only this time louder and unrestrained. “I think we established today that you can do your job just fine without any input from me.”

  “And the same could be said about your job.”

  “We’re even then.”

  “Indeed.”

  “Let me walk you out.” He turned back toward the house. We went through the whole house, making sure the lights were off and all the doors were locked.

  “I still can’t believe you build these houses just, like, from nothing.”

  “The next time I break ground I’ll bring you out so you can see the very first stage. You can bring Justin too. I’ve never had anyone around for the whole process before. Well, not anyone who doesn’t help build the damn house.”

  “That would be awesome.” I opened the door and looked back at Aiden. “I know you said not to mention it, but thank you, again, for being so great. I appreciate it, and I know Justin does too. I know our professional relationship hasn’t been too traditional, but I promise you won’t regret partnering with me.”

  “I’d much rather we be friends and business partners, if that’s okay with you. You and Justin seem like good people and I’m glad everything is working out.”

  “Me too.”

  “When’s the next time you’ll be out here?” he asked, gesturing back to the house.

  “I’ve got the truck and movers planned for a few days from now. I should be able to get everything loaded in and put together in one day. If not, I’ll come back the next day and finish up. But it’ll definitely be done by the deadline. Will that work for you?”

  “Sounds good to me. Here.” He held his hand out to me. “Just in case you need access and I’m not around.”

  I opened my palm and he handed me a key.

  “
Thanks,” I replied. “That will actually come in handy. I’ll get it back to you when we’re all through.”

  “All right, drive safely back to Portland and have a good rest of your evening.”

  “You too.”

  I hauled myself back up into the SUV and Aiden closed the door for me, giving me a small wave as I drove away. I bumped along the gravel road until I came to the highway, but then stopped to dial Justin. The phone rang and rang, but he didn’t answer. I figured maybe he was in the bathroom or taking a walk down the hall with his mom. A few minutes later when I crossed back into Oregon I called again and still got no answer.

  Immediately, I began to panic.

  I dialed Alice next and cursed when she failed to answer too.

  I called Camden next and, thankfully, he answered after only two rings.

  “Hey, Hads. How’s it going?”

  “Have you heard from Justin?”

  “No, why? Is something wrong?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m freaking out. I’ve been calling him and his mom for almost forty-five minutes and neither of them are answering. I’m starting to worry.”

  “When was the last time you spoke with him?”

  “About three hours ago. You?”

  “Not since before lunch.”

  “Damn it.”

  “I’m sure everything is all right, Hadley. He’s probably resting. And Alice is probably in the cafeteria or something. The reception down there is shit.”

  “I guess you could be right.”

  “Everything is probably fine.”

  “I’m going to just go to the hospital and see what’s up.”

  “Let me know when you find out everything’s all right.”

  “Okay.”

  We hung up and even though I was starving, I skipped grabbing dinner because nothing seemed as important as making sure Justin was okay.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Justin

  I saw the missed calls from Hadley and they made me smile. All forty of them. I knew, as I dialed her back, she’d be furious when she answered. I wasn’t wrong.

  “Are you alive?” she asked, more angry than concerned, which made me laugh.

  “I am.”

  “Good, ’cause I’m going to kill you as soon as I get my hands on you.”

  “I can think of better uses for your hands than murder, Hadley.”

  “Don’t get cute with me. I’m almost to the hospital and then you’re in trouble. In fact, it’s probably good you’re already a patient. Less paperwork.”

  “That would be a benefit, if I were still there.”

  There was a pause, then Hadley’s confused voice came over the line. “What do you mean if you were still there? Where are you?”

  “I’m at home.”

  “What the hell are you doing at home?”

  I tried to make my voice sound as nonchalant as I could manage. “They needed the bed and I’d made a miraculous recovery. The doctor took a look at me and my chart and said as long as I took it easy I was good to go. Mom dropped me off just a little while ago.”

  “You were discharged from the hospital and you didn’t think that was reason enough to call me?”

  Oh, she’s mad.

  “We didn’t want to pull you away from work. It really wasn’t a big deal. They gave me a prescription for ibuprofen and sent me on my way.”

  “This is bullshit, Justin. You aren’t ready to be home. You had an organ removed from your body twenty-four hours ago.”

  “A useless organ. A spleen doesn’t do much.”

  “I’m done talking to you over the phone. I’m too angry to have this conversation with you right now.”

  I held back a laugh.

  “You’re coming over here, though, right?”

  “Ha! No. I’m going to Riley’s to drink some wine. Then I’m going home. Alone.”

  “But I need someone to be here with me. What if something happens?”

  “That’s what your mother is there for.”

  “She left.”

  “She left?”

  “Well… yeah.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “She had to go make dinner for my dad.”

  “So, the hospital sent you home early, you can hardly walk, you’re got an incision in your gut, and your mom left you all alone?” She was quiet for just a second before she asked, “Are you high?”

  “Unfortunately, no.”

  A loud and long sigh came from her, then the words I knew would eventually come.

  “I’ll be there soon.”

  “Thanks, babe.”

  “Don’t ‘babe’ me, Justin. I’m too pissed for pet names.”

  That time I couldn’t hold in the small laugh that escaped.

  “Okay. See you soon.”

  I ended the call and rubbed my hand down my face.

  “Was she mad?” my mother asked.

  “Livid,” I said, unable to force down the smile that came with the vision I had of her trying to comprehend what I’d told her.

  “You better hope this works the way you want it to,” she replied with that motherly tone that indicated she wasn’t sure I knew what I was doing.

  “Hadley doesn’t realize it, but she likes it best when I push her buttons.”

  “Well, I hope for your sake that’s true.” She stood from the couch where she’d been sitting next to me for the last hour. “I’m going to go throw that last load of laundry in the dryer before I leave.” She leaned down and kissed my forehead.

  “You don’t have to do my laundry, Mom.”

  “You had better stop trying to tell me what to do, young man. I’ll fawn over you all I want and you’ll let me.”

  I nodded, really the only appropriate response when you get scolded by your mother after the age of twenty-five.

  I stayed on the couch, both out of necessity and logistics. I knew standing up by myself was not a wise idea, and even if I made it up, going anywhere more than a few feet away would exhaust me. So, I sat on the couch and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Seconds ticked by and with each tick I envisioned Hadley getting closer and closer, growing angrier by the mile. I wanted her feisty when she got there. I wanted her sassy. Hadley had many sides, but I loved the unstoppable, unrestrained Hadley the best.

  “All right. Laundry’s in. Tell Hadley not to worry about finishing it. I’ll be by tomorrow morning to check in and take care when she has to go to work. Just let me know what time you need me.”

  “Thanks for everything, Mom. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

  She swallowed hard and looked down at her hands. “I know your relationship with her has been unconventional and crazy, and I promise one day it won’t hurt to think about you getting married without me there to watch, but I am so thankful you let me be a part of today, Justin.”

  “I love you, Mom.”

  “Love you too, baby boy. Call me,” she said, pointing a finger at me before leaning down and giving me a gentle hug and one more kiss on the forehead. “And don’t you dare get off that couch before Hadley gets here.” More pointing.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” I claimed, holding my hands up in surrender. “She should only be a few minutes away by now.”

  “Then I better get a move on.”

  We said goodbye again and I watched as she left, then I was alone for the first time in days.

  The silence was welcome, but also lonely. My mind was free to mull over what was happening, cultivating every single outcome imaginable. What I was about to do was unnecessary in some respects, but still important. It had been eating away at me for a while, but definitely hit home when I woke up in a hospital and all I could think of was Hadley and her safety. I couldn’t have cared less why I was lying in that hospital bed—the first thing I needed to know what if she was all right.

  The relief of knowing she was unharmed was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.

  She was vital to me. And I needed her t
o know that.

  The rumbling of the SUV pulling into the driveway told me Hadley was home, and my nerves shot off the charts. I rubbed my hands down the cotton of my lounge pants, trying to calm myself. I was positioned on the couch in the family room right across the foyer. When she opened the front door, the very first thing she would see was me. I wanted all her attention.

  Listening, I heard the loud clacking of her angered footsteps marching up the front steps and a smile crept across my face. She was angry in heels. Just the thought got my blood pumping.

  The door swung open and before I could even utter a word, she was speaking.

  “I don’t know what your problem is, but I thought I’d made it pretty clear that I’d had a rough go of it with you in the hospital and not knowing what was going on, so why the fuck would you leave the hospital without telling me?”

  She’d thrown the door closed behind her and marched through the foyer, stopping at the beginning of the living room, her eyes trained on me, practically shooting lasers at me from across the room. She was breathing heavy and I could tell that even though anger was prevalent, she was also scared.

  “I’m fine,” I assured.

  “Well, good. I’m glad you’re fine. But I’m pissed.” It was with those words that she finally took in the room around us. I tried to see it through her eyes, to take it in as she did. She noticed the lights were off, the only light coming from candles sprinkled around the room on every surface. When her eyes went wide and her hands came up to cover her mouth was when I figured she realized the room was filled with flowers. “What did you do?” she said through what sounded like a half cry, half whisper.

  “I’m going to need you to come sit down with me,” I said, holding out my hand to her.

  Her eyes darted to my hand, then back up to me, and I could see she was completely surprised.

  Mission accomplished.

  She walked slowly to me, putting her hand in mine, then slowly lowering to the couch next to me.

  “What is all this?” she asked on a breath.

  “This is the proposal you should have gotten. The one you deserve.”

  “Justin,” she cried, looking around at everything. “I don’t need this.”

  “I disagree, but the fact that you believe that makes me love you even more.” I could tell she wanted to argue, to tell me I was wrong, and even though I loved arguing with her under normal circumstances, now was not the time. I took her hand in mine and continued on. “When I woke up in the hospital, when I realized where I was and that something bad had happened, my first thought was you. My first concern was whether or not you were safe. When I saw your face, Hadley, it was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen.”