Chapter Fifteen
I woke up Sunday morning, or maybe it was afternoon, groggy and not sure where I was. When I tried to rub my eyes, I whacked myself in the face with my splint and yelped in pain from both the impact and the jostling of broken bones. My door burst open half a second later and three little boys came pouring in with demands to know if I was all right. Well, I was awake now.
“I’m fine,” I said as I laid back down.
Lydia appeared a few minutes later with a glass of water and two pills. She shooed the boys out and shoved the medication and water at me. “These aren’t nearly as strong as what you got in the E.R., but they should be enough to take care of the pain.” She watched and waited until I had downed them both.
My brain must have still been half asleep, because I asked, “Is Roman here?”
Lydia huffed in irritation. “Yes, of course.”
“Don’t be mean to him.”
“Why not?” she demanded.
My head was starting to hurt. “Because he’s your friend and he doesn’t deserve it, and because if you are, I’ll go home.”
“You can’t go home. You need my help.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she dared me to contradict her.
Like I said, I wasn’t fully awake and thinking properly. “I have a broken wrist, Lydia. I’m not dying. I can go home if I want.”
“Or go to Roman’s?”
She was really mad, I realized. I couldn’t figure out why, though. I thought I might have had this discussion with Roman on the way home from the hospital, but that whole section of time felt blurry. “Why would I go to Roman’s? And why would you be pissed off if I did? You like him. He’s one of your best friends, Lydia. I don’t get why you’re being such a snot about this.”
I didn’t get an answer to any of my questions. Lydia stormed off like a two-year-old, not quite slamming the door behind her, but not closing it gently either. I didn’t have the energy to figure out her issues right then. I wanted a shower, clean clothes, and something to eat. I was closing the bathroom door before I considered I didn’t have anything with me yesterday, but I only had to turn around to realize Lydia had already taken care of it. Of course.
My favorite pair of jeans and the ratty old t-shirt Lydia had bought for me when she took me to my first concert were sitting to the side of the sink, along with a shower caddy containing spare shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. There was also something that looked like a long plastic sleeve with a sticky note attached to it that read, “To cover your arm. Don’t get the splint wet.”
Bossy as ever. “Thanks, sis.”
Getting out of my clothes wasn’t fun. My shirt got stuck on my head, then the splint. Removing my pants with only one working hand was a chore as well. It was lucky I’d perfected the art of unclasping my bra with one hand years ago out of pure laziness, otherwise I may never have gotten it off. I felt like I’d just finished working out before I finally stepped into the shower and began washing away the smell of the hospital. At least there hadn’t been any blood, and the pain had done wonders to distract me from my usual aversion to medical facilities. Roman’s presence had been a bonus as well.
I felt squeamish at the thought of having to go back in order to get my cast put on. I didn’t have to go back to the E.R., but doctor’s offices were all the same. Sighing, I knew Lydia would want to go with me. I was standing under the water with soap running down my face when I realized I might actually have to stay with her for a while. The wrist I broke was my dominant hand. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to drive with a cast on. Certainly not with the splint and the pain. Resignation killed my mood.
Normally, staying over at Lydia’s wouldn’t be something to be upset about. I stayed over fairly often for one reason for another. The way she’d been acting lately, especially when it came to Roman, I didn’t think I could take being there a few more hours, let alone days. Rinsing as best I could, I shut off the water and decided I’d simply have to figure out what was making Lydia so cranky.
That plan fizzled as soon as I made it to the kitchen and found everyone crowded around the table enjoying sandwiches and chips. There was an empty place waiting for me between Sammy and Colby, Roman on the opposite end. When I met his gaze, he shrugged, but I decided not to push the issue in front of the boys. I’d deal with Lydia later.
Everyone wanted to know how I was feeling as soon as I sat down, and I answered them between awkward bites of food. The boys lingered longer than they usually might have in order to be fully reassured I wasn’t going to be whisked back to the hospital for some reason. Then they dispersed to games and running and yelling, and I was left with the grownups.
James and Roman chatted about work and the boys while Lydia remained largely silent. When she got up to tell the boys to stop running through the house and go outside if they wanted to be rowdy, I shot James a questioning look. He only shrugged. It was another uncomfortable twenty minutes before I managed to finish my lunch one-handed and Lydia whisked my dishes off to the sink.
Standing, I said, “I’m going to see if the boys want to go for a walk with me. If anyone else wants to come…”
“Do you really think you should be moving around that much?” Lydia demanded.
“I need some fresh air. You can come and check up on me if you want.” I added a smile, though she knew me well enough to see it as a challenge and not friendliness. She turned back to the dishes with a roll of her eyes and I focused on the men. “James, Roman, want to join us?”
“I think I better help with the dishes,” James said, eyeing Roman. “Greenly and the boys might need help with Thor, though.”
“No problem,” Roman said and stood. That drew an exasperated huff from Lydia.
Done putting up with her cattiness, I gestured for Roman to follow me and marched to the backyard to collect the boys. They were more than happy to accompany us and had Thor leashed and ready to go before I made it to the front porch.
Roman waited until we were out of view before taking my uninjured hand in his. “Did Lydia tell you why she’s so pissed at me?”
“No. Did she tell you?”
Roman shook his head. “I thought this was what she wanted,” he said, glancing down at our linked hands. “It’s got to be more than what you said on the way home from the hospital.”
Thinking hard, I tried to remember what that might have been and came up mostly empty. “What did I say?”
One corner of his mouth turning up playfully, Roman said, “You don’t remember?”
I pulled back and eyed him warily. “Why are you smiling?”
“Do you remember anything you said to me after we left the E.R.?”
Oh no, what did I say? Or do? Could have been either. “No,” I said slowly.
Now Roman broke out into a full grin. “You said Lydia was mad that I was trying to take care of you and not letting her do it.”
Okay. I could believe I said that, but why was he still grinning like that? “What else did I say?”
Roman laughed and shook his head. “Hmm, I don’t think I’ll tell you quite yet.”
“What? Why? That’s not fair,” I argued, which only made Roman laugh even more. “Did I say something to Lydia? Something mean? Is that why she’s mad at me?”
“She’s mad at me,” Roman clarified. “You were pretty much out once I got you to her house, so I doubt you said much, but I can’t promise you didn’t spill any other secrets.”
Any other secrets? My stomach sank. What had I said to Roman? Suddenly, figuring out Lydia’s hangups didn’t seem nearly as pressing as discovering what stupid thing I’d said to Roman that had him laughing at me again. “You have to tell me,” I begged. “Please. It’s going to drive me insane. I’d rather know how I made a fool of myself than sit around wondering about it.”
A full belly laugh shook Roman’s frame. “You didn’t make a fool out of yourself, I promise.”
“Liar,” I grumbled. “You wouldn’t be
laughing at me if I hadn’t.”
Pulling me to a gentle stop, so as not to jostle my wrist, Roman turned to face me. Thor didn’t even try to get away and run after my nephews as they sprinted off the sidewalk and onto the playground equipment. “I’m serious. You didn’t say or do anything to make a fool of yourself. It just makes me laugh that you don’t remember saying what you did.”
“Why?” I demanded.
Roman wrapped the hand that wasn’t holding Thor’s leash around my waist. “Because I’ll never forget it.”
Closing my eyes, I said a silent prayer I hadn’t said something ridiculous, or…fear sparked somewhere deep inside of me. Had I said something about the letters? No, that couldn’t be it. Roman wouldn’t be laughing about that. He’d be worried. Had Lydia found out about the letters? That would definitely be enough to make her mad at me for not telling her right away. That wouldn’t have anything to do with Roman, though.
“What did I say?” I pleaded.
Clearly teasing me still, Roman’s mouth twisted into a mockingly thoughtful expression. “Well, there was mention of a Thomas…”
“Thomas?” For a minute, I stared at him blankly. I couldn’t figure out what in the world he was talking about. The name didn’t even ring a bell.
“The EMT,” Roman said slowly, “the one who apparently got you out of your wrecked car two years ago and gave you his full attention the entire ride to the hospital, then stopped back by after his shift and left you his number in case you needed anything. That Thomas.”
Heat raced from my core up to my face. I couldn’t believe I’d brought up Thomas, and I doubted I’d been coherent enough to tell him all of that, which meant Lydia had filled in the details. Traitor. “We went on one date.”
“But you’d planned a second one as well,” he teased.
“Sure, but Lydia got the flu and called to see if I’d come watch the boys and I had to cancel…”
“At least I’m not the only one you do that to,” Roman interjected.
I threw him a baleful look. “He never called me again after breaking the date. Shocker.” Rolling my eyes, I almost forgot what had led us to this topic and was about to head for the park with Sammy when I remembered. Thomas the EMT wasn’t what Roman had been talking about. That might have been memorable, but not something he would never forget. Turning to face him, I pulled together all my stubbornness. “What else did I say? I know Thomas wasn’t it.”
Roman’s lips parted to speak, but that was as far as he got.
“You said you loved my dad,” Sammy supplied from right next to us. Apparently it wasn’t that shocking to him, because he moved on rather quickly. “Do you want to come on the swings with us? I can push you since your wrist is broken.”
Finding it impossible to speak at the moment, Roman answered for me. “That’s very nice of you, Sammy. Maybe in just a minute, okay? Let Greenly and me finish talking first.”
Sammy sighed, but nodded anyway and ran over to his friends. I looked up at Roman and asked, “Is that really what I said?”
He’d laughed earlier, when teasing me about not remembering, but now he looked nervous. “Yes. You said you thought Lydia was upset because she thought it would take longer for you to fall in love with me and she wasn’t ready to let go.” His hand on my back moved, as if he couldn’t decide whether pull me closer or let me go. “Did you mean that? Being in love with me,” he said. “I’m pretty sure you’re dead right on the Lydia part.”
I felt frozen, but freed as well, which didn’t really make sense. “Yes,” I whispered. “I mean, I feel stupid saying that, but…” I couldn’t look at him any longer. My gaze dropped and my forehead fell against his chest. “I can’t believe I said that.”
Roman didn’t try to make me face him. He pulled me against his chest and held me. “Don’t feel stupid, Greenly. Believe me, I know it’s fast, and we’ve gotten off to a strange and complicated start, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the same way.”
My breathing stalled, completely.
“I don’t know if that’s really what Lydia’s mad about,” Roman said. “Yes, things between us have moved faster than expected, but I see how you are with Sammy, how much I love talking to you and being around you, and I guess I just, well, I love having you in our lives. I love you, and I know Sammy does too. He’s asked me more than once this week why you can’t just come live with us so he can see you all the time.” Roman chuckled, finally kick-starting my brain again.
Looking up at him, I asked, “Are you serious?”
“About which part?” His grin said he knew the answer already, but was having fun teasing me again. “Am I in love with you? Yes. Am I asking you to move in with me because my seven-year-old adores you? No, but I’m not taking it off the table, either. I figured that might be a little premature. I should at least take you on a real date first, right?”
Oh…wow.
“Greenly?” Roman asked, concern slipping in behind his teasing.
“I’m fine,” I whispered. “Just in shock, or something. Maybe it’s whatever Lydia gave me.”
Roman laughed and pressed a kiss to my mouth. That was an excellent way to clear my thoughts. I looked up at him more focused than I’d felt all morning. “I would love to go on a real date with you.”
“Good,” Roman said, “because I made reservations for Friday night. Even if Lydia’s still mad at me, James said Sammy could have a sleepover.”
“Sleepover?” I asked, a smile spreading across my mouth as I crooked an eyebrow at him. “What exactly do you have planned? This is technically our first date, remember?”
Roman darted in and kissed me again, light, but hungry. “Yeah, but I’ve already had you in my bed, and I’m certainly not opposed to a repeat.” His wolfish grin mellowed into something softer suddenly. “Waking up with you in my arms, I don’t think I can even explain how good that felt.”
I couldn’t resist Sammy when he needed comfort or just to talk to a friend. Roman was ten times worse, on several different levels. If we hadn’t been in public, at a park full of children for that matter, I would have had a very difficult time stopping things there. Even as it was, I couldn’t resist reaching up and kissing Roman lightly on the mouth. Friday couldn’t come fast enough.
The Crazy Girl's Handbook Page 19
