Page 174 of Sunrise & Serenity

She levels an unimpressed stare. “Graham.”

Mom approaches my bed. “How are you feeling?” Unlike Mia, she’s only asking about my head.

“Like I fell down a ditch.”

Irritation flickers across her face. “Sage.”

Humor has never been one of her strengths. Dad’s either.

I sigh, sinking into the pillow behind me. “My head hurts.”

Her shoulders loosen the slightest bit. “There we go,” she says, as if I’m finally speaking a language she understands.

Dad sits in the chair Holden occupied last night. Graham remains standing. Naturally. Wouldn’t want to ruin the vibe.

My mother folds her hands together. “We were hoping to talk.”

I nearly laugh. Of course they were.

Mia stands and moves to the other side of my bed. “Do you really think this is a good time for that?”

I love that she’s trying to protect me, but I need to fight my own battles.

I smile up at her. “That’s okay. I’d rather get this over with.”

She studies me carefully, then squeezes my hand. “I’ll go get coffee.”

Once the door has closed behind her, I focus on Mom. “Let me guess. You want to talk about Milan.”

She’s halfway through explaining all the reasons I’m making a mistake when I hold up a hand. A glance passes between all three of them, which tells me everything I need to know.

Graham steps forward. “It’s not too late,” he says. “The opportunity is still available.”

I close my eyes and blow out a breath. When I look at him again, he’s watching me, wearing an expression I’ve seen a thousand times. Patient, reasonable, certain he knows best.

I stare at him, then at my parents. Not one of them has asked me what I want.

Mom leans forward. “I understand you’re emotional right now. But once you’ve had some time to recover, you’ll see this more clearly.”

I should have known what she’d say.

The familiar pressure I expect in my chest doesn’t appear. Maybe I’m too tired. Or maybe I’m finally done caring what they think.

“I got a concussion,” I say evenly. “I didn’t lose my personality.”

Dad grunts. “That’s not what your mom meant.”

The look I give him must reveal what I’m thinking, because he looks away first.

Graham clears his throat. “The residency would change everything.”

I study him for a second. Patient, reasonable, certain he knows best. The same Graham I’ve known for years.

“Why do you care so much?”

He frowns. “What?”

“About Milan. About what I do next.” I hold his gaze. “You don’t love me. You don’t want me back, and in case I wasn’t clear, I definitely don’t want you back. So why do you care?”