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Maybe I should have just kept my mouth shut, because my words only seem to anger him more. His eyes are hot coals when he glances back at me.
“You don’t get it, Candace. This is the life I lead. It’s what comes with my career. The lack of privacy, the photographers—all the bullshit. It’s not just going to magically go away.”
“Well so what? I know what I’ve signed up for. Don’t you think I realize how serious this all is?”
“No. I don’t think you do. Not after this morning. That—” He shakes his head as if trying to dislodge the memory of it. “That can’t happen again.”
“Okay…so we won’t walk to breakfast for a while. Or y’know, next time we’ll use better disguises. Kat actually has these awesome wigs—”
He cuts me off. “Candace, you’re not getting it.”
His tone is sharper than ever before, and I can’t help but feel wounded. Does he think I’m a complete idiot? That I’m not going to be more careful next time?
Then our eyes meet again, and it suddenly clicks.
“What do you mean it ‘can’t happen again’?”
“I won’t let it.”
So that’s it then? This is how it ends?!
“Jesus, what a coward you’ve turned out to be! Just say what you’re tiptoeing around. I can’t stand it!”
“If it weren’t for me, this would have never happened.”
He’s the one with the soft voice now. I’m the one shouting and growing angrier by the second.
“You’re kidding me! What a load of piss! You’re worried because I’ve been hurt and now your way of making sure I’m okay is to break it off with me? Too bad! I’m breaking it off with you first. How’s that!”
Our voices must have carried out into the hall because there’s a knock on the door, followed by a gentle voice. “Hello? Is everything okay in here? Candace, I’d like to do a quick check of your vitals.”
Then a nurse walks in with tight braids and green glasses and a gentle smile.
“Yes, that’s fine. He was just leaving anyway,” I say, jutting my chin out toward Logan.
“Candace—”
“I can come back in a few minutes?” the nurse offers, glancing awkwardly between us. “Though I should warn you, Candace, you’ve been through quite a lot today, and I don’t recommend making it any worse…”
She’s trying to tell me to stop shouting at my boyfriend, and that’s fine. I’m done shouting at him. He can damn well leave for all I care.
“I’ll come back later,” he tells me as he starts to head out of the room, and because the pain of our argument still stings, I fire back a two-word response that I immediately regret.
“Don’t bother.”
He nods, turns, and leaves the room.
And just like that, we’re over.
The door slams and I let out an angry groan.
“Right, well…good riddance!” I shout in his wake. “Who needs a man like that anyway? I’ll show him. I’ll have a new boyfriend by the end of the day. Maybe I’ll meet a handsome doctor or nurse or janitor. I don’t bloody well care who he is. I’ll just make sure Logan knows I’ve moved on and he can go do whatever he damn well pleases. Breaking up with me like that when I’m already in hospital! Who does he think he is?!”
The nurse just blinks at me, a little taken aback. “Boyfriend troubles?”
“Not anymore! Have you got a single brother you could set me up with?”
She actually smiles at that, though she tries to hide it. “I don’t think you want to be set up with anyone just yet. Here, lie back and let me see your hand.”
“Oh, I assure you I do. I’m as single as they come. Completely solo as of, oh…thirty seconds ago.”
“If you ask me, I don’t think he was going to break up with you.”
“And how would you know?” I ask, all menacing.
She glances behind her and looks back at me, as if weighing her options. Then she shrugs and admits, “Well, I was listening at the door. I was supposed to come in a few minutes ago, but you two were really going at each other.”
“What a Nosey Nellie! Can’t say I blame you. Actually, it’s good that you were listening—you can give me some proper advice. So you don’t think he was going to break it off with me?”
She’s examining my hand when she replies, “No. It’s obvious he feels guilty. He’s the one who forced you into the limelight, and now look, it’s landed you in the hospital.”
I drum the fingers of my good hand against my chin, considering what she’s said. “It sounds bad when you put it like that.”
“Exactly. So it’s natural that he would want to reassess the relationship and make sure you’re still up for the challenge after all that’s happened. I think it’s actually really considerate of him.”
