“Nora?” Concern creeps into his voice. “Is Cormac okay?”
With that, I’m instantly snapped back to reality. Cormac is injured, lying on that bed, and I have to make sure he’s getting the best medical care available.
“He…he’s going to be okay. But his face got injured.” I stifle a sob. “Someone hit him while he was wearing his glasses, and he sustained lacerations around his eye. There might be a corneal injury too. I was hoping you could help me. We’re at the hospital in Apple Ridge. I don’t think they can give him the care he needs, and?—”
“I’ll arrange for a helicopter to transport him to Charlotte.”
“Thank you.Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. He’s my best friend.” Silence hangs on the line for a moment. “I need to know what happened.”
I can tell from the way he asks that he thinks I threw a bottle at Cormac’s face or something, which makes me feel a wave of fresh shame. I suppose I might as well have. I certainly can’t get mad at Kenji for asking.
“It’s a long story, but my business partner punched him in the face.”
“Sounds exciting,” he says, his voice colder now. He doesn’t want me with Cormac, and I don’t blame him. I don’t know what Cormac told him, but obviously it was enough for him to make up his mind.
“Can you tell me about your business with him?” I ask.
Kenji tells me all about the work he and Cormac are doing, possibly because he’s hoping I’ll do the right thing and get the fuck out of their way. They’re starting a nonprofit to fund young tech entrepreneurs. Kids with brilliant ideas, like they used to be.
Cormac is starting an enterprise he believes in with a friend. He supported my dream, even though it didn’t work out. If I really love him, then I need to do the same.
I’m hanging up with Kenji when Cormac’s father comes running around the corner.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CORMAC
“Am I dreaming?” I ask as I watch my dad walk into the hospital room—his whole being blurry thanks to the fact that I am currently down to one eye, and that eye has no glasses to assist it.
He curses loudly. My father is not a person who curses, so that feels like an argument in favor of a dream. But when I give one of my bandages an exploratory poke, the wounds still hurt.
“José did this to you?” he asks, coming closer and pulling up a chair. “Why?”
“He thought I hit on his girlfriend.”
“Nora?”
“No, the flower lady.” I squint my eye for a better look. “Dad? Do you…” I glance around but am unable to discern anything but the fuzzy outline of a door. “Where’s Nora?”
He takes off his newsboy cap, running a hand over his head. “We came because I’m your emergency contact. The hospital called me. Nora told me they’re getting a helicopter to medevac you to Charlotte. It’ll be here in a few minutes, son.”
“Am I dying?” I ask with detached interest.
“Oh, poppycock. Nothing like that. It’s an overreaction. Itold Nora as much. But she was nearly hysterical. Wouldn’t hear a word of it. I’ve never seen her like that before.”
He lifts a rectangular object in his hand.
“I have no idea what that is,” I say. “Everything’s blurry.”
“Your phone. Nora gave it to me.”
“Where is she?” I repeat, feeling a surge of panic.
He sighs and sits in the chair beside the bed, the one Nora ignored so she could be closer to me.
She loves me.She said she loves me, so everything’s going to be fine. She wouldn’t leave me. Not like this.
