I refuse to make the same mistake.
29
Summer
Ipop my head out of my father’s room when his groan announces he’s finally emerging from the comatose state the doctors placed him in to keep his stubborn ass in bed. It was touch and go for him the days before his surgery to remove a tumor from the right side of his brain, but like everything he does, he breezed through recovery and was transferred from the ICU a couple of days after that.
I’ve been maintaining a bedside vigil the past week and a bit, and although Lennox has rarely left my side, he’s been withdrawn and moody. He usually disperses his frustration out on the mound, and with my father’s diagnosis hitting extremely close to home for him, he needs to vent more than ever.
Although a baseball field is close to here, my father’s swift recovery assures me I’ll soon have plenty of time to help Lennox come up with a new way to dispel his frustration. After the tough past week we’ve had, I’m very much looking forward to some one-on-one time with him. We haven’t had a chance to discuss what we are, much less the reason he farewelled me the morning after we did the nasty by kissing me on the cheek like we were still only friends.
I stop summarizing my relationship status when Lennox’s eyes finally lock with mine. With a smile that reveals my happiness, I announce, “He’s awake.”
He signals that he will be a minute before announcing to his caller that he needs to go. Even though I can’t see his phone’s screen, I’m reasonably sure I know who his caller is. Lindsay has been blowing up his phone nonstop since he went to fetch me a change of clothes and some food our first night here.
My teeth rake my bottom lip when a familiar husky twang murmurs, “What’s this I heard about you two locking lips?”
When I spin to face my father, my face as guilty as it could be, I narrow my eyes when I reach the half of the room where Uncle Reggie is. Uncle Reggie isn’t really my uncle. He was my father’s best friend before he went to play for the majors and offered him a job when he tossed in the towel only months later.
“I didn’t say a thing…” He melts under the heat of my glare before finishing, “To him. The nurses, though. They’re all up in your business.”
I wipe the riled expression from my face when my dad asks, “Is he treating you right, pumpkin?”
“Of course, he is.” As I pace toward his bed, I fold my arms under my chest. “Unlike you. You should have told me the instant a tumor was diagnosed.”
“And have you leaving school to fuss over me. No thank you.”
Although his comment is one hundred percent accurate, I act as if it isn’t. “You could have died, Daddy! Then what would I have done?”
Before he can answer me, Lennox enters the room. The air is so hostile, even he appears hesitant to join our conversation, and he loves a good debate. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” I lie. “Daddy was just asking if we’ve kissed.” I no longer believe a tumor will kill my father. Coronary failure seems more logical when I say, “I only reached the parts of my body from my breasts up, so perhaps you can fill in the rest.”
“Summer Ramsay,” my father and Lennox growl out in sync when I leave the room with the dramatics neither of them realize I have.
“You know you signed my death certificate today, right?” Lennox asks while pulling my dad’s truck into the front of his trailer. With my comments causing my dad’s blood pressure to skyrocket, the nurse kicked me out for the night. She believes bed rest is more important to my father right now than controlling all aspects of my life.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her he would have done that from the grave if his pride had taken him away from me.
With my mood unsure which way to swing, it takes me a little longer than I care to admit to notice that Lennox isn’t following me inside. He’s standing by the driver’s side door of my father’s truck like he’s waiting for me to enter safely unlike how Paul didn’t when he drove me home after taking my virginity.
“Are you not coming in?” I ask, shocked.
He’s been staying here the past week, hasn’t he? I didn’t exactly ask where he was going each night he left the hospital, but I assumed with money being tight, he came back here to sleep.
My stomach gurgles when he shakes his head. “I have to head back to Ravenshoe. I was meant to return last week, but I got an exemption for your father’s surgery.”
“Okay,” I reply, capable of understanding even with it hurting like a bitch. “I won’t be able to go back with you just yet. Dad will be out of action for a couple of months, so I thought I could help at the shop until he’s back on his feet.” Pretending my heart isn’t in the process of cracking, I climb back down the stairs I just climbed, then ask, “Did you want to meet up here the weekend you’re returning to Morrison? If he’s back on his feet by then, we can drive back together? I’ll book a room at the motel we stayed at the first night…”
My words trail off when Lennox shakes his head again. “I’m not going back to Morrison. I signed on to play for the Ravens full-time. My placement will be announced at the end of the summer leg.”
“Lennox… wow.” I’m pleased for him, yet very, very shocked. “I didn’t know that was what you wanted, but congratulations, you must be ecstatic!”
When I throw my arms around his neck to hug him, he stiffens like he did when I tried to sneakily kiss him earlier this week. I thought it was because we were in the same room as my dad. I’m not so foolish now.
Feeling rejected, I take a step back. I want to keep retreating when Lennox mutters, “I also don’t think I can do the long-distance thing.” I stare at him like I don’t know who he is when he laughs out like it’s a joke, “I could barely keep my dick in my pants when you were right in front of me, so I don’t see it being a possibility when you’re at Morrison, and I’m thousands of miles away.”
Well-rehearsed on the sacrifices couples have to make to ensure their relationship works, I blubber out, “I’m sure there are good schools near Ravenshoe.”
