Page 40 of Nothing At All

“You are a smart young woman. Brilliant. I know you didn’t go into this without thinking.”

“Well, I kinda did.” Nothing would be gained by lying to my mother. She saw through everything – and cut through it like softened butter.

“Well, it’s time to think about it now. I don’t know why I’m surprised.” An element of exasperation crept in, crisp despite the deep underlying affection. “You’ve been flighty with these boys you’ve dated–”

“I’m not flighty.” I bristled all over, voice rising above a hushed whisper, and I shrank into the chair. My gaze darted to Dan’s face. He needed to sleep, not wake up to my discussion with my mother.

“Not normally, except you keep dating these men who aren’t long term material for you. He’s much more serious–”

“You haven’t even met him.”

A soft snore rattled his throat, and I leaned forward, watching his pulse in his throat, his breathing, those numbers on the monitor. Slowly, I relaxed as his pulse stayed steady.

“I listen when you talk about him. He’s mature and settled. Devoted to you. Everything all these other boys weren’t.” Her small harrumph carried over the line. “Your daddy is ready to meet him.”

My eyes widened. Daddy hadn’t said anything when we’d talked earlier in the week. And I didn’t know what to say now. She thought I was flighty?

She wasn’t finished either. “As bad as I hate this happened, maybe you should take this as an opportunity to consider your level of commitment here.”

What? I snapped my mouth shut. I knew that tone, and there was no arguing once Mama assumed her closing-argument voice.

Chastened, I murmured a goodbye and a love you in response to her farewell. Pulling my foot up to rest on the edge of the chair, I wrapped my arms around my knee while I watched him sleep. I didn’t want to cheat him.

Surely I wasn’t the type of person to play with someone’s feelings? I’d assumed we were in the same place, exclusive but not too serious.

Now I didn’t even know what place I was in.

I leaned forward, gaze on the steady rise and fall of his chest once more. At each breath, a corresponding wave of gratitude washed through me.

He could be gone.

And he wasn’t. He was still here, bruised but sleeping.

The IV alarm shrilled, cutting through me. His eyes flew open, a sharp inhale jerking his chest.

I scrambled to my feet, stroking his jaw, his shoulder. “It’s okay. You’re okay. Honey, you’re all right.”

Pupils wide, he blinked at me, grabbing my wrist while another panicked breath shook his torso.

After a quick knock, the nurse bustled in, smiling at both of us. “All right. Let’s get your discharge papers and your buddies from the PD and see about getting you out of here so you can rest for real.”

Blinking hard, he nodded, a few more hard inhales moving his chest under my hand before he settled. He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Shit.”

“Oh, that alarm is awful when you’re asleep.” She cut the power to the pump and reached for his hand to remove the IV cannula. “I’m going to grab your stuff and be right back.”

Eyes closed, he huffed out a breath. I trailed a gentle finger along his jaw. “How do you feel?”

“Awful,” he rasped, a wince drawing his brows together. “Like cotton in my head but it hurts.”

I leaned in to press a soft kiss to his cheek, inhaling him underneath the sharp antiseptic. “I’m so sorry.”

His hand drifted over my hair, a soft hum vibrating in his throat.

Devoted.

I closed my eyes.

Flighty.