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“Can I call her?”

“School.” Fire blazed through my throat. I slipped another piece of ice into my mouth. “Lili.”

Clover furrowed her brows. “You want me to get Lili from school?”

I shook my head and took a breath to calm the adrenaline spiking my blood. But another coughing fit hit. Clover held the bowl as I coughed up more shit from my lungs.

“Teacher,” I gasped and banded a palm around my ribs. Pain took my breath as I adjusted on the bed.

“Push the button,” Clover said.

I shook my head. I could hold out on the pain meds. I just needed Jaymi next to me.

“Jaymi—” Breathe. “—is Lili’s teacher.” The words were slow, but I got them out.

Clover checked her watch. “It’s after two. What time do kids get out of school?”

“Three thirty.” I closed my eyes.

Clover grabbed her purse from where she’d dropped it on the floor, fished out a pen, and a store receipt. “Write the name of her school on the back of this.”

My hands trembled as I held the pen. Before I’d finished spelling Jefferson, Clover stood. “Jefferson Elementary. What grade?”

I held up a finger.

“Okay. Will she talk to me? I mean, given our history, do you want me to get one of the guys to go?”

I shook my head. “She might not want to come.” My words were barely above a whisper. “Tell her I need her.”

“Add her to the visitor list,” she said as she rushed out of the room.

For the first time since the doc had pulled the ventilator, I felt like I could breathe.

Chapter Eighteen

Jaymi

My phone sat on the corner of my desk. Calls and texts were on silent which was why I kept touching the screen. No missed calls. No replies to my messages.

Lili sat at her table. I smiled as she counted on her fingers to find the answer to her math problems. I moved around the room, eventually sitting behind my desk, opening my phone, and texting Holly.

Jaymi: How long do you wait for a reply to a text before sending another?

Jaymi: I mean with the guys you’re dating. Like Tyce.

Holly: A random? One day. Tyce? Five minutes. That boy better have his phone glued to his hand.

Jaymi: I texted Brett last night. He hasn’t responded.

Holly: Text him again.

Jaymi: What if he doesn’t want to hear from me?

Holly: Do you really think he’d ghost you?

Jaymi: No. But why wouldn’t he text me back? I know I hurt him.

Holly: He doesn’t do games. He wouldn’t play you.