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“Actually, you left your pie at the rodeo. You didn’t exactly have time to grab it before the ambulance picked you up. I thought—well, I thought I’d stop by and drop it off, since you paid good money for it.”
“So, you weren’t worried about me?”
Why did I hope she might say yes? Why did I keep torturing myself like this?
Rory scoffed.
“No, of course not.”
“It’s okay to admit it,” I replied.
“I admit that you’re insufferable.”
I barked a laugh then broke off, sucking in a sharp breath of pain through my teeth. Rory twisted her fingers together, biting the inside of her cheek with a grimace of sympathy.
“Can I get you anything? For the pain?”
“It’s not too bad,” I said, despite the obvious strain in my voice. I managed a wobbly smile. “I’ve been through worse. I’ll be out of here before you know it.”
She didn’t appear convinced. I cleared my throat.
“Since you’re offering, I wouldn’t mind if you kissed it better.”
A beat of silence passed.
To my surprise, Rory didn’t say no right away like she usually did. Instead, she seemed…torn. Conflicted about something.
Probably Cody. I swore under my breath.
“Sorry. Old habits, I guess. I shouldn’t talk like that, since you’re with Cody now, huh?”
Rory fidgeted in place and absently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
“No, I’m not.”
“That kiss at the rodeo said otherwise.”
She wrinkled her nose and clenched her teeth with that familiar fire in her eyes.
“Why does it matter to you so much? You’ve been after me for a kiss ever since we were kids. No matter how many times I turn you down, you don’t get the message. I’m not going to kiss you, Beau. I never will.”
For a split second, I could have sworn her eyes went misty. Then she glanced away and I couldn’t be sure.
“Enjoy your pie,” Rory tossed over her shoulder as she turned to leave.
I tipped my head back against the pillows with a noise of frustration.
Under normal circumstances, Rory had no problem standing up to me. That was the comfort of our routine that we’d developed over the years. I would ask the same question, knowing what her answer would be. And just like clockwork, Rory would respond the way she usually did without fail.
This time, it wasn’t the same though. She’d seemed…stung. Barely concealing a hint of hurt in her gaze. As if she couldn’t bear to hear it anymore.
I’m not going to kiss you, Beau. I never will.
Scrubbing a hand over my face, I flung the sheets aside. There was no way I could stay in this hospital bed any longer with her words replaying in my head on a torturous loop without end.
Chapter Six
Rory
