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“But you never made a move. You never brought it up. I watched you hookup with girl after girl with absolutely no emotion whatsoever, but every time Zoey would walk in the room it’s like you came to life. I could see she was the reason your heart beat. Even as young as we were. I told you to go after her because I knew you would love her like she deserves.”
I feel my throat get tight at his words. I’m not sure where this is coming from. Zane and I are best friends. We tell each other most everything, but we seldom delve into our emotions. We’re don’t have a superficial friendship by any means, but neither of us are too sharing when it comes to our feelings. “I tried to, Zee,” I say a little thickly.
He shakes his head with a smile. “No. You don’t try. You just do it. I couldn’t have picked a better man for my sister. You support her. You take care of her. You protect her. Just the fact that you’re here, still proclaiming your love for her after she ran away from you, speaks volumes. You are exactly what she needs. I just hope you don’t lose patience because I have a feeling we have a long, hard road ahead of us.”
Jax
It’s been three days since we arrived in New York, and Zoey still isn’t awake. They've taken her off the ventilator, and she's breathing fine on her own. The doctors have run several tests and assure us that everything is functioning as it should. It hasn’t made either of us feel better.
We got a hotel room so we would have a place to shower and sleep when we can drag ourselves away from her.
Zane left about half an hour ago when I returned after a long, hot shower and a couple hours of sleep. A couple of hours is all I can seem to manage even when I’m in the chair next to her.
I hold her hand, absently stroking the bandage over her arm. I talk to her when we’re alone. I want her to know I’m here. That I’m not leaving without her, and she’ll have to kill me to get away from me again. I need her to hear me.
“God, Zoey. Please open your eyes, baby,” I beg for the millionth time as my bloodshot eyes threaten to close. The two hours of sleep just wasn’t enough.
I lay my head on the bed next to her. Sleep finally wins.
“Whatare you doing?” Zoey asks with a laugh as I hold my thumb up to her as if measuring.
“Isn’t it obvious,” I say with faux exasperation. “I’m painting your portrait.”
She rolls around on the floor smiling at me. She always looks at me like I’ve hung the sun and moon. What she doesn’t know is that, for me, she made the sky to hang them in.
“Jay, tell me something good,” she says thoughtfully.
I give her a look of confusion. “Like what, Zo?”
She stretches her arms about her head, revealing a small expanse of skin. I’ve seen more when she wears a swimsuit, but for some reason that small inch makes my mouth suddenly very dry. Her crystal blue eyes twinkle with something I only ever see in her.
“Like something meaningful,” she explains.
I go blank. I’m a smart guy, but meaningful? So, I think for a bit. “You remember when you first saw me sitting in the cafeteria that day?”
I can see the memory of that day flit through those gorgeous eyes. “I remember. I wanted to go up to you because you were new and were sitting alone. I was afraid though, so I made Zane go with me.”
“Well, that was my third new school in three years. I was a really sad and lonely nine-year-old. I’d never really had friends before because Dad’s work moved him around so much. When you and Zane came up to me, it was the most important day of my life. It was the day that I finally had friends, but then you both became so much more than simply my friends.”
She stands up from the floor and walks toward me. She wraps me in a hug, making everything in me feel warm and fuzzy. I return her hug with equal measure.
“It was the most important day in my life too, Jay. I found my best friend that day.”
I look into her eyes, and I realize I could lose myself in those ice blue eyes and that warm smile. It hits me like a ton of bricks. I love her.
No scratch that. I’m in love with her.
I’m in love with Zoey.
Fingers scratch through my short hair gently. It feels so damn good, and I groan at the simple pleasure. Until I realize that I’m in a hospital and I jerk up with a start.
The first thing I see are those beautiful, ice blue eyes staring down at me. “Zoey?” I question because I’m not entirely sure I’m not still dreaming.
“I’m sorry,” she croaks weakly. Her eyes fill with tears as her hand trails down to cup my cheek. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
I grab her hand and bring it to my lips. I kiss each one of her knuckles then turn it over to place kisses to her palm. My own eyes sting with the threat of tears, but I can’t hold them back as relief that she’s finally awake washes over me.
“Don’t be sorry, Angel. You’re awake and I’m here. I’m not leaving. Okay?” I plead with her to understand.
