Page 21 of Happily Ever Never

I was hungry, but I didn’t feel like stopping for anything.I should have stayed there and eaten, but I didn’t want to deal with that. I didn’twant to deal with anything.

Instead, I made my way home.

Everything hurt. I was done.

I took a right at the light, headed down the main road in myneighborhood, and stopped at a stop sign. So close. I was so close to beinghome. And then I wouldn’t have to think about this anymore. I wouldn’t have tothink about dating or Theodore or being hungry. I would be home. I could getinto comfy pajamas and get ready for tomorrow.

Life didn’t end when someone stood you up. That was theleast of my problems.

I looked both ways and then turned right. I kept going pasta two-way stop sign where it was a straightaway for me. And then I screamed.

A car slammed into my driver’s side, the sound of metaltwisting and scraping echoing in my ears. I spun in a circle as the car keptgoing as if he hadn’t even felt the impact. The airbags deployed, and Iblinked.

And then there was nothing.

“May? Fuck. May? Don’t move.”

I blinked my eyes open and realized that I was leaningagainst the seat, the airbag slowly deflating in front of me.

I knew that voice. Why did I know that voice?

“Leo?”

He cursed again under his breath. “May. Baby. I saw that damn man run the stop sign. He’s over there. At least hedidn’t leave completely. I live three doors down. It’s the only reason I saw.Damn it. Just don’t move. I called 911. They’re on their way.”

“I…everything hurts.”

“Don’t move, baby. You’ll be okay. I promise. I’m so sorry.”

He held my hand, and I let out a breath.

I was fine. I could feel my toes—and the pain in myshoulder. But I was okay.

All I wanted to do was cry.

Because, for some reason, Leo was here. To take care of me.

And I knew I would be safe, even for just the moment.

So, I closed my eyes. As Leo whispered my name, the darknesscame again.

I let it because I knew I would be safe.

Chapter 6

Leo

“You can’t tell me anything?” I asked the nurse at the frontdesk again. She shook her head and glared at me, and I winced.

“I’m so sorry. I know I’m not supposed to ask you thesethings. You’ve already told me that you can’t tell me anything because I’m notfamily or on any paperwork. I’m sorry. I’m just going to sit here and wait forher family to show up. I’ll stop bothering you.”

The nurse glared at me again, and I quickly made my way tomy seat, trying not to get kicked out. Because I had a feeling if I didn’t walkaway now, I would end up escorted out of the hospital waiting room by hospitalsecurity.

My heart still raced, and I couldn’t get the sight of Mayhurt out of my mind.

It was just a coincidence that I had even seen the car runthat stop sign. It was an issue because the other street didn’t have a stopsign and was cross-through traffic. Meaning the people used to the stop signsometimes forgot it was there or purposely ignored it.

I had been in my living room and saw the car go too fastthrough the intersection out of the corner of my eye. The sound was familiar,metal against metal, the screeching of tires. I dropped my mug of coffee andran out, afraid that someone had been hurt.