Butterflies erupted in my belly, but I tried to play it cool and simply asked, “How long?”
“Since the first time I ran into you when you started working in the ER. I thought, “Whoa, who is this hottie?” Then I realized it was you. I thought about asking you out that night, but you had a ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude, so I chickened out.”
I blinked as I looked up at him, not sure I’d heard him right.
“You’ve thought about asking me out for five years?”
“Oh, yeah. Whenever someone needs to be transported to the hospital, I’m always the first to volunteer. Haven’t you ever wondered why it’s usually me who brings a suspect in?”
“I mean, I guess I just assumed it was one of the duties assigned to you.”
“No. It’s actually below my paygrade now, but I don’t give a fuck if it’s a chance to see you.”
“But you’ve never asked me out.”
“From the very first night, you intimidated me.”
“Iintimidatedyou?”
“Absolutely. I tried to strike up a conversation with you that night, but you were no-nonsense and not having it.”
“I think I remember that first night. It was like my second shift ever in the ER, and I was still trying to figure everythingout. I screwed up when you brought your suspect in, and I got my ass chewed out for it.”
“How did you screw up?”
“I went into the room while you were still securing him to the bed, and Allie, the charge nurse, saw me in there, pulled me out, and gave me a lecture on how I was supposed to behave when law enforcement brought someone in. So, I know I was hyper-vigilant about protocol that night. And probably for the next year after that.”
“Just think, if you’d only waited a minute before going into that room, I might have asked you out then, and we’d probably be married by now with two kids.”
I snorted. “Married with two kids? All the women in your parish would have been saying the rosary every night to make sure that didn’t happen. And it wouldn’t have happened since there’s no way I would have gone out with you.”
He pulled his head back with a furrowed brow and demanded, “Why not?”
“Brian, I had a crush on you starting around age twelve that lasted until you went away to college, and I’m not sure you even knew my name in high school.”
“I knew your name, Jade. And I knew you were super smart—way too smart for me. You still are.”
I hesitated before asking, softer than I meant to, “You really knew who I was?”
“Of course I did,” he said without missing a beat. “You were the only one who ever argued with Mr. Wooley in chemistry class. You corrected his math in front of everyone, and he had to admit you were right. I thought, damn—she’s brilliantandfearless.”
My throat tightened. “I was shaking the whole time. I wasn’t fearless. I thought I was going to get detention. I can’t believe you remember that.”
He brushed his thumb along my spine. “I remember you.”
****
Brian
She let out a soft sigh and nestled closer against my side. Soon, her breathing evened out.
Between her little sleep noises and the sound of the ocean coming through the open window in the bedroom, I smiled with a contentment I hadn’t felt in years.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could stay like this forever?
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jade
