Page 75 of Between the Lines

“I told them everything, just like you asked me to,” he went on. “That I’m staying with you. That I’m trying to make this custom furniture venture work as an actual business, not just a hobby.” He glanced down at his arm, then away. “I didn’t keep anything back.”

“How did it go?” she asked.

“Better than I expected,” he said, after a beat. “And maybe a little worse than I hoped. But it’s done.” He shook his head slightly, watching the nurse work. “I don’t want the very next update to be, ‘And by the way, I ended up in the ER.’”

“Yeah, I get that,” Maude said. She ignored the fact that now her parents knew she hadn’t told them Robbie was staying with her. Well, hopefully, they understood that part. She held her hands up. “It’s up to you to talk to them about this, then. However you want to handle it.”

He looked at her, something very much like relief flickering across his face. “Thanks.”

“If you change your mind,” she added. “I can make the call. Or I’ll sit with you while you do it. Whatever you want. But no pressure.”

“I appreciate that,” he said. “But not today.”

“Okay,” she said. She understood. He had enough going on without having to tell their folks what had happened. She knew how they’d react as much as he did. They’d be headed to the hospital the minute they hung up the phone.

The nurse finished irrigating the wound and stepped back. “All right, Robbie, I’m going to get the doctor so we can close this up.”

Robbie grimaced. “I’m going to get some pain meds for that, right?”

“Right,” the nurse said, smiling. “You’ll get a local and, I promise, you won’t feel a thing. You’re doing great.”

Maude stayed by the bed as the nurse left, keeping her hand on the edge of it like she needed to touch something connected with her brother.

He flexed his fingers carefully, like he was testing to be sure they still moved. “I’m really glad you were here today,” he said. “That you could be here now.”

“So am I,” Maude replied. “Even if I wish it had been under different circumstances.”

He gave her a lopsided smile that didn’t last long. He glanced down at his arm again. “Yeah. Me, too. Sorry about all this.”

She shrugged. “Accidents happen.”

He rested his head back against the bed. “I guess so.”

She squeezed his fingers once, gentle because of the IV tape and dried blood. Whatever else they’d have to navigate with their parents or their living situation or this small setback, they’d do it together.

All that mattered right now was that Robbie was okay.

Chapter Thirty-One

Paige woke up alert. Awake in a way that felt good. Like her mind and body had decided there was something worth getting up for.

She grabbed her phone and checked to see if there were any updates from Maude about her brother or Cece concerning the procedure she’d had done or Essie with news about Sophie. All was calm on the Queen Bees front.

So far. The day had just begun. And it was time for her to get moving.

But first, she set her phone back on the nightstand and carefully coasted her fingertips over her face, praying there were no bumps or breakouts.

There weren’t. In fact, her skin felt soft. Maybe softer than it had before. Could the Luminelle skincare really have worked that quickly?

She swung her legs out of bed and padded into the bathroom. She flipped on the light and leaned toward the large, round magnifying mirror that was an essential part of her getting-ready routine.

Her breath caught.

Her skin looked good. Not just unbothered. Not just free from redness or irritation. It looked smoother. Brighter. Even-toned in a way that felt natural rather than cosmetic.

Was this real? It seemed too good to be true. She lightly touched her cheek again, then her forehead. The softness was very real. And it was plain as day that her complexion was calm. There was no odd tightness. No telltale heat that a spot was about to emerge. Not a single hint of a reaction waiting to make itself known.

She smiled at her reflection, turning her face from side to side.