***
Beau
How stupid can I be? Christ, I shouldn’t have done that but she kissed me first. I miss the taste of her kiss. I thought about going back to the bar and meeting up with Branson but I’m sure he’s being kept plenty busy with Farrah. He probably doesn’t even realize I’m gone. I pull back up to my apartment. As I sit there in the dark, I replay those few moments in my head before her phone began ringing. The lust that was in her eyes haunts me. The words she said play over and over again. He’s not her boyfriend. Then what is the problem? Why can’t she cut him loose? The Shay from last summer would have cut him loose in a heartbeat.
I go inside. Home sweet home…all alone. I toss the keys on the counter…they land with a thud. It’s late but not entirely too late. I grab my phone and dial Sienna’s number. Rob will probably kill me for calling like this but I don’t know who else to talk to. I need a plan and I need one fast if I’m going to get Shay back.
“Hello?” Sienna laughs.
“Hey, you got a second?”
“Tell him he’s messing with my booty call,” I hear Rob yell on the other end.
Sienna breaks into a fit of laughter and tells him to shut up. “Yeah, I’ve got a second. Rob is just being an ass. What’s up?”
“Tell him I’m sorry,” I say, not really meaning it. “I need advice or something. I need a plan, that’s what I need.”
“A plan, okay. Do tell.”
“I went out with a buddy of mine tonight and ran into Shay.”
“Holy hell. What happened?”
“Well, she finally admitted to me that this Wyatt guy isn’t her boyfriend. He went to some gala for the hospital and didn’t take her. I got her to dance with me and then some idiot spilled beer on her so I offered to take her home. I lost control of the situation and kissed her. It got out of hand and by out of hand, I mean we had sex, and then he started blowing up her phone, so that pretty much killed everything. I need a plan to get her back. You speak female, so tell me why she can’t just walk away from him.”
The line goes silent for a minute. The eerie quiet makes me want to talk but I say nothing. “Shit, I’m not sure what the hell is going on with her. Maybe she’s scared he’ll out her at the hospital and ruin her name before she can get started—and you did what? Sex? Hot damn, it’s about time!”
“So it’s like some sort of leverage? That’s bullshit, Sienna, and yes, sex.”
“Hey, you called me and asked my opinion on the matter and I’m giving it to you, Beau Granger.”
“I know, but what can I do to get her back? I would have thought that maybe after what felt like the most amazing sex of my life, she would have felt it too. I feel like I’m running nowhere and coming up with nothing. This is not how this was supposed to be.”
“Okay, Rob is about to jump my bones. I’m not trying to gross you out or anything, but here’s my advice. You love Shay, she loves you. Don’t give up on her. Make little gestures to remind her why she should be with you. Show her why she fell in love with Busty Beau in the first place. Yeah, he may have a fast car and a degree but you have more than he’ll ever have. You have her love.”
I applaud myself for calling Sienna. I knew this was the right thing to do. “Thanks, Sienna. Oh, and fuck you.”
“No thanks, Rob’s about to do that.” She laughs before hanging up the phone.
I shake my head and stare at my phone. I open a blank message and begin to type.
Me: I tried to tell myself I was sorry for taking advantage of you tonight but I’m not. I don’t care who or what he is to you, he’s not your boyfriend. I may not be either but I love you and that’s got to mean something, right?
Once I hit send, I realize just how stupid I must sound. I stare at the phone waiting for her response but nothing comes. Hanging my head in defeat, I stalk to the bathroom and clean up. When I get to my bed, my phone lights up. Her name shines like a beacon of hope on the screen and I open it a little too quickly.
Shay: Of course it means something, Beau. I’m so confused about everything. I know that must sound stupid but it’s the truth. I thought I was moving on and you popped back up and tonight happened. You didn’t take advantage of me, Beau. I don’t know what to do.
I stare at her words and blink back a tear. How can she be confused if she loves me? Love is supposed to conquer all yet it just seems it’s digging a bigger hole of turmoil.
Me: I will fight for you until the end, Shay, until you tell me to go. I told you that when I came here and I meant it.
Shay: I know you meant it.
I’m not sure what else to say so I set the phone face down on my nightstand and crawl under the covers. I just want a peaceful night’s sleep but I don’t see that coming. My mind is racing in a million directions and I have work tomorrow. I glance at the clock before my eyes finally close. I have to be up in a little under three hours. Just fucking wonderful.
Chapter 5
Shayleigh
The next morning I wake to the unpleasant sound of my phone ringing. I tossed and turned most of the night trying to decipher this mess. I can’t help but wonder just how everything would have played out if Beau hadn’t come crashing back into my world. Would Wyatt have even wanted to stay with me? Would he have really made us official? I hate all the questions because I can’t seem to muster any answers to them.
Wyatt’s name shines on my screen and groggily I answer the phone, “Hello?”
“Good morning to you, sunshine. You do realize you’re late and I’m trying to cover for you.” Frantically I glance at the clock and mutter a line of cuss words. “Shay, you’re a lady, for Christ’s sake. You shouldn’t be talking like that.”
“Whatever. I’m on my way.”
I dash out of bed and run to splash a little cool water on my face. A clean set of scrubs is hanging from my bathroom door. Thank you, Dad, for looking out for me. I throw them on and grab my purse as I run out the door. I’ll have to grab something to eat from the vending machines at work. I’m completely out of time. I’m never late. How the hell did this happen?
I drive like a bat out of hell to the hospital and try to hurry and get in line with the other interns for check in without getting caught. My supervisor looks up from the clipboard and glares at me, informing me she knows I wasn’t here a few minutes ago. I hang my head, angry with myself for my mistake. What kind of nurse will I be if I can’t make it on time? I totally forgot that I took the shift of another nursing student who had a death in the family. My brain just hasn’t been here lately. Farrah stands a few feet away and she smirks when she sees me. I attempt to smirk back but I don’t want to get in more trouble, so I turn away. I’m sure she had quite the night. She looks awfully refreshed this morning and I’m pretty sure we both know who to thank for that—Branson.
Our supervisor ends her morning chat and stares as she calls me out. “Glad you could finally join us, Ms. Dougherty. Dr. Perry has been waiting on you. He has several patients he needs you to tend. He’s in his office waiting for you to report for your shift. Don’t make this a habit.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I nod my head apologetically.
She turns away from me and I make a beeline for Wyatt’s office. For someone who wants to keep us such a secret, I don’t see why he insists on me working with him. Maybe it’s so he can keep an eye on me. His office is about two left turns and one door to the right from where I’m standing. I take my time, I’m in no rush. He’s never had me meet him in his office before, so my mind is wandering as I try to figure out what this is about.
As I approach the door, I see it’s closed. His golden name plate stands out, shining bright. There isn’t even a smudge on it. I lightly knock on the door and wait patiently. The door opens and there stands Wyatt in his white button down shirt and dark gray slacks. His hair is slicked back and his lips curl into a devilish grin as he looks both ways down the hall to make sure no one is around. He grabs onto my arm and pulls me close, so close I smell every
inch of him. He takes a step back and pulls me into his office before shutting the door. When the door shuts, he presses me against it and proceeds to crush his lips to mine. What is he doing? In a sheer moment of panic, I push him back with all my strength and rear my hand back, slapping him across the face. His eyes widen with shock as he steps back and brings his hand to his cheek. His skin is a pale shade of pink and his lips purse into a thin, fine line.
“What the hell was that for, Shay?” he asks with a hint of anger.
“Maybe I should ask you what the hell that was for?” I ask, out of breath. “I was told to meet you in your office to check in, not to be harassed.”
“Harassed? What are you talking about? I’ve missed you. I wanted to kiss you, you can’t blame me for that.”
“Then make time to see me after work. I’m not jeopardizing my future nursing career, Wyatt. If someone caught us, that could have been very bad. Not just for me but for you too.”
“Spare me the talk, Shay. You’re my girlfriend, and it’s not like we’ve never met in the closet before.”
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. “Yeah, you just say that because you can’t stand to see someone else talking to me. It doesn’t work that way. We have no label and yeah, we may have met in the closet before, but that hasn’t happened in a while and it won’t be happening again. I have patients to see and I have hours to complete because I take my career seriously.”
I turn on my heels but he catches me off guard when he grabs my arm and turns me to face him. “Look, I’m sorry. I was just trying to get a little alone time with you. It seems like we never have time together.”
“You could have brought me to the gala but instead you chose to go alone. So because of that, I went out with Farrah and Beau…” Someone clamp my mouth shut. What the hell am I saying?
Wyatt’s eyes widen. “Beau, as in the guy from Louisiana? You went out with him?”
“N-no. He just happened to be there.”
“Fuck,” Wyatt hisses. “What do I have to do to keep you away from him?”
“I didn’t seek him out, Wyatt. It’s a public place and he happened to be there.”
“Do you like me, Shay? Do you want to be with me?”
“Why are you so threatened?” I ask him.
“Because you’re mine,” he says with all seriousness. “He can’t give you anything you want or need, Shay, but I can.”
His words punch me in the gut. How does he know whether or not Beau can give me anything? He doesn’t know Beau or anything about him. This just makes everything much more complicated. My heart begins contracting in my chest as I search for words to say. Beau and I have a past but I did leave it behind to come back here. I distanced myself and somewhat moved on. I may not feel for Wyatt the things I feel for Beau but maybe in time I can. It’s a little odd that suddenly he wants to put a title on things but maybe he is being sincere.
“I feel like we’re suddenly rushing things, Wyatt. I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“Don’t think too hard on it, Shay. Leave him behind. I’ll let you get to your rounds but just think on it. I’ll pick you up this evening and we’ll go to dinner.”
I nod my head. That’s all I can do. I have a whole day of rounds. A whole day of patients to deal with and, on top of that, I have the biggest decision of my life to make. Beau just came back into my life. I don’t know that I’m ready to push him back out again. I barely survived the first time. Meeting Wyatt was coincidental. Something about that meeting was therapeutic. In a way he healed me, but not fully. Only Beau could do that. Just when I thought I could somewhat be normal again, Beau resurfaced and it’s been hell on my heart.
***
Beau
Five oil changes and a few tire rotations later, my head still isn’t clear. Branson has been constantly talking my head off about Farrah and how they’re going to see each other again tonight. He kept asking questions, trying to get an answer about whether Shay and I rekindled any kind of flame last night but all I could do was glare at him. Does he seriously think I’m about to admit to him that I fucked her in my truck last night? I haven’t even heard from her since last night when I texted her. Do I expect to hear from her again? Not really. Not unless we happen to meet coincidentally again. She said Wyatt wasn’t really her boyfriend but by the way he was blowing her phone up last night, he sure keeps her on a tight leash. He’s intimidated by me, and as much as I like the competition, I have no clue how to go about fighting for her if she won’t talk to me unless we run into each other.
The wheels begin spinning in my head. Shay is a nursing student. She’s in clinicals right now. All day she’s at the hospital. He’s there too but you don’t see the doctor until after you see the nurse. The faster the wheels spin, the more devious my plan becomes. I’m a fucking genius, but I’m also a fucking idiot. Love sure does funny things to you, like sucking all the brain cells away, causing you to get ready to make the most fucked up decisions.
My eyes land on a jack sitting on the floor. The next car I have to service needs the tires rotated. I stare at my foot, contemplating my actions. I’m so in love, I’m fucked in the head because this is going to hurt like a bitch, I think as I bend down to pick up the jack. I pick these things up all day long like they’re light as a feather. I begin to walk to the car and look down at my foot again and grimace. Here goes nothing. I loosen my grip on the jack and let it fall with a thud. It hits my left foot and pain shreds through as bones crack beneath my skin. Motherfucker. That hurt worse than I realized.
I yell out in pain, letting a string of cuss words fly from my lips. My foot instantly begins to swell and I know I’ve succeeded. I broke my foot. I fumble with my boot, trying to get it off my foot. Branson comes running from nowhere, his eyes widen when he sees me lying on the ground, wincing in pain.
“Holy fuck, dude, what the hell happened?” he asks, running to my side.
“The fucking jack slipped from my hands and landed on my foot. I think it’s broken.”
“Fuck, let me go get Stuart,” he says as he runs to the office.
Stuart comes out as fast as he can and pulls his cell phone out of his pocket. “We’ve got to get you to the hospital. An ambulance will take too long. Can you try to stand? Don’t put pressure on your foot, Branson and I will help you get in the car.”
“I can try. I’m sorry. I have no clue how this happened.” I lie so easily. I grab ahold of a toolbox and slowly pull myself up. My head begins spinning as nausea washes over me.
“Want me to take him, Stu? I can drop him off and come right back,” Branson asks, looking back at me. He’s not stupid. He knows I don’t normally fuck up like this and he wants answers. Of course he does.
“Let’s get him in the car. You sure you can handle getting him out of the car?”
“Don’t they have wheelchairs at the hospital?”
Stuart nods. “Be safe and come right back. Beau, just call when you’re done and we’ll come pick you up. I don’t think you want a babysitter.”
“No sir,” I answer as they help me hobble to the car.
Branson shuts my door and walks around to the driver’s side. He shuts his door and starts the engine. Before he backs out of the parking lot, he turns to face me. I’m hurting like hell and he wants to talk? Can’t he drive and talk at the same time? I need pain medicine and fast.
“So the jack just magically slipped from your hands?” he asks with a smirk.
“Can you just drive me to the hospital? My foot is killing me,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Answer my question first and then I’ll start driving.”
“I should have had Stuart drive me. You’re an asshole, I’m in pain. Fine, the jack didn’t slip. I dropped it on purpose.”
Branson bursts into a fit of laughter and begins slapping the steering wheel. “Why the fuck would you do something like that?”
I glare at him. “Drive.” He begins to finally back the car from
the parking lot and I decide to tell him the rest of my fucked up plan. “Shay is in clinicals at the hospital and I don’t know another way to get to see her. How can I fight for her if I just run into her by accident? We had sex last night, and maybe I expected more from it, like she’d forget that asshole, but she hasn’t said two words to me since.”
“You got some? Shit, dude, I’m thrilled for you, but you are seriously fucked in the head. How do you even know you’ll see her at the hospital? Do you realize how many nurses and interns are inside that place? She’s one in a million in there. You’ll probably get stuck with some stringy haired nurse with yellow teeth and bad breath.” He laughs.
Shit, I didn’t think about that. I guess now all I can do is cross my fingers that I might get a glimpse of her if she isn’t my nurse. I should have thought this through a little more before acting impulsively. Stupid love.
Branson drives like a bat out of hell to the hospital. By the time we get there, I’m completely out of breath and in an immense amount of pain. My foot is throbbing so bad I almost wish I could just saw the shit off. He pulls into the circle for ambulances and jumps out to get a wheelchair. He’s in there longer than I think he should be. I’m half tempted to let myself out and hop inside. I’m instantly relieved when I see him coming through the double doors with a nurse behind him. She’s not stringy haired or any of those things he said. She’s a gentle looking older lady who holds the wheelchair steady for Branson to help me get in. He waves goodbye as he climbs back in the car and the lady pushes me through the double doors. She doesn’t say a word as she pushes me up to a desk and fills my lap with paperwork. I pull my insurance card from my wallet and hand it to her so she can make a copy.
A million forms later, I’m sitting in the waiting room. I would have thought with a broken foot, they would have found a way to get me back sooner. Fifteen minutes pass and I’m sitting in the same wheelchair staring at the same people who have been waiting when I hear her say my name. There is a God above.
Destined for A Dirt Road (Dirt Road Summer #2) Page 4
