Page 111 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

I heard soft footsteps and managed to open my eyes. Merritt walked in with a cup of coffee.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s fine.”

She didn’t bother with the chair. Instead, she climbed into the hospital bed, careful not to jostle me too much, and curled herself around me. Her close proximity was better than any pain meds against the lingering aches in my body.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.”

“I’m sorry I talked to you like that,” I said.

“Yeah, I’ll give you a pass one last time for being a jerk. I think we got to learn a valuable lesson without paying too high of a price. Never walk away angry. We agree to stay put and fight it out.”

“Agreed.”

“What about the other driver?” she asked. “Were they hurt?”

“I don’t think so,” I said. “I don’t know. I just remember coming to a resolution that I was going to slow down and do what you asked. I had this sense of peace wash over me and then there were headlights. It happened so fast I barely had time to react. I think I swerved to the right, but it wasn’t enough. There was an impact and the next thing I knew people were yelling at me with flashlights in my eyes.”

“I met Kleo,” she said softly.

I blinked, turning my head to look at her. “Kleo? Who? Wait, the Kleo I know? How?”

My brain was a little sluggish. Between the concussion and the pain meds, I wasn’t sure I was hearing her correctly.

“I went to the cemetery to see my dad, which saying that sounds really weird still. Anyway, she asked if I was okay. It turned out she was there to see Leah. I didn’t realize my dad was buried so close to her. She was with me when Riggs called me.”

“Small world. How is she?” I asked.

“I think she feels guilty about not being there after Leah died.”

“I feel the same way about her,” I admitted with a sigh. “I should’ve checked on her too. We were both hurting, but I just shut down.”

Merritt nodded, her eyes full of understanding. “Maybe when you’re feeling better, we can reach out to her. Together.”

I stared at her, overwhelmed by how much she understood me. “You’d do that?”

She smiled softly. “I owe it to Leah. And so do you.”

For a moment, I couldn’t find the words. “Thank you.”

She rested her head against my shoulder, her voice barely above a whisper. “Leah was a part of your life, and I respect that. But I also know that what we have, it’s different.”

She was right. I had loved Leah, but what I felt for Merritt was something else entirely. Leah and I had a relationship that burned hot and fast. It didn’t have staying power. I was glad Merritt understood that.

Even with the pain radiating through my body, I had never felt so at peace.

“Okay,” I murmured.

“Sleep,” she whispered. “Rest and heal. I’ll be right here the whole time.”

As my eyes grew heavy, I let the sound of her breathing lull me to sleep, knowing that for the first time in a long time I wasn’t alone. I believed her when she said she was going to be there for me.

I vowed to be there for her, too.

44

MERRITT