Page 36 of Pick Me This Time

The door opened and the doctor walked in, striding directly to Sterling. He introduced himself and I tried to slow my heartrate before I passed out myself. Did he really just say all that? What is happening?

“Mr. North? It’s good to see again. I’m not sure if you remember me, but I’m⁠—”

“Doctor Hepburn,” Sterling said with a grin. “Of course, I remember you. You put a cast on my arm when I was six. How could I forget? I’m surprised to see you’re still around, Doc.”

Doctor Hepburn chuckled and shrugged, pulling out a penlight of his own. “I’m like a weed, not that easy to get rid of. Want to tell me what you’re doing here? I heard you got sacked by the football team, is that right?”

“Yep,” he said.

“Sterling thought he could take on the entire current team with only my brother as backup,” I said. “He got tackled quite hard, Doc. He even lost consciousness for a second.”

The doctor nodded at me. “Thanks, Daph. You should’ve told me that, Mr. North.”

Sterling shrugged. “I know what it feels like not to be fine, and I’m not feeling that. I’m fine.”

The doctor chuckled. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

After a brief examination, the doctor smiled at both of us. “I’m happy to report you’re not concussed, Mr. North. If you start feeling any symptoms after you leave here, call my office immediately, but outside of that, just take it easy for a couple days and you’ll be fine.”

Sterling nodded and shook the doctor’s hand before we left. As we walked back outside, he held his hand out to me with his palm up. “Keys.”

I snorted. “No way. I’m driving you home, Hot Shot. You heard the man. You have to take it easy.”

“He said I was fine,” he retorted but dutifully walked around to the passenger side of the truck once he realized I wasn’t going to back down.

On our way back to the farm, we were both quiet, me obsessing about that moment I’d seen him go down and everything he’d said to me since, and him probably thinking about some supermodel he’d been with back in the city. When we got to his house, I turned off the truck and got out with him, giving him a pointed look when he opened his mouth to question me.

“Don’t,” I said. “I’m walking you to your door. I insist.”

“This reminds me of something.” He sounded amused as we climbed the stairs to their porch. “What does this remind me of, Daph?”

“Probably the night you walked me home after the cops shut down that party,” I said.

He chuckled. “So you do remember.”

“Of course, I remember.”

When we reached his door, he turned to face me. “Do you? Do you remember everything about that night?”

“Yep. Good night, Sterling. I’ll bring Eric’s truck back to you tomorrow.”

As I turned to leave, he caught my hand, holding it until I turned back to him. That fluttery feeling exploded in my stomach as he gripped my fingers and stared into my eyes. “Thanks for everything, Daphne. Really. I appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” I murmured, staying right where I was because I was completely unable to move. I couldn’t even remember how to give my feet the command to do it. So I just stood there, staring right back at him, holding his hand, and wondering if tonight was going to be the night when he finally kissed me.