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“I want to. After the meeting I’ll stop by to see Val, but afterward, if you don’t have plans....”
I shook my head, then realized he couldn’t see me. “No plans.”
“Great. I’ll text you when the meeting ends.”
“All right.”
“That’s settled, then. I’ll see you tonight. I have to go over the briefing for the meeting now.”
“Go get ’em. You’ll knock them off their asses.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Are you wearing cuff links?” I asked, remembering he’d told me he wore those whenever he meant business.
“I am. Went home from the hospital to change.”
“Pffft, you already got the deal in the bag, then. No one can resist cuff links.”
“Ouch! I take back my thanks.” He laughed, and I was so happy I’d managed to cheer him up despite everything going on. “I can’t wait to see you tonight, Maddie.”
Oh, what those words did to me. They awoke butterflies inside me. I might have even swooned a little, though I wouldn’t admit it out loud. I hadn’t realized how much I’d hoped to hear them until now. Adrenaline zipped through me, and I couldn’t keep my emotions in check.
“Back at you.”
After I clicked off, I was grinning like a fool. I didn’t want to get all dreamy and romantic, but I couldn’t help it. I decided to start the day by visiting Val. I realized I didn’t know which hospital she was at, so I texted Landon.
I wanted to see with my own eyes that she was okay, as much as one could be okay with three cracked ribs and a broken leg. I’d bring her a mozzarella and tomato sandwich too. On second thought, I added M&M’s to the mix. As far as mood lifters went, M&M’s were at the top of my list, and I had a feeling Val could use all the mood lifting she could get.
Chapter Sixteen
Landon
It was six o’clock in the evening by the time I left my sister’s office. My right temple was throbbing, my mind spinning. Though I’d called Val periodically during breaks, I headed straight to the hospital to give her a blow-by-blow account of the day and to check on her.
“You look better,” I said.
She was lying in bed, one leg in a cast, her torso bandaged up. Her right side had taken the brunt of the collision.
She smiled. “Oh, yes. Please lay it on thick with the charm. I really need it. I haven’t seen myself in a mirror, but I can’t look better than I feel, and I feel like crap. I’ve already been spoiled with apparently all the goodies money can buy in LA, but my twin’s charm is always welcome.” She pointed to the hospital table next to her. It was buried under mountains of sweets and food. She sighed. “My head feels messed up. Tried to read some e-mails today and nearly got sick.”
The doctors said she had a concussion, which meant she’d be unable to focus on reading for some time, plus she’d get headaches and become tired quicker, but ultimately there would be no permanent damage.
“This is a disaster,” she said.
“It could have been worse,” I said quietly. When Will had called, he’d explained everything in one breath. But in the seconds it took him to add, “It’s not life-threatening” after saying, “A drunk driver hit her car,” my mind had already jumped to the worst-case scenario. I blamed the negativity on having lost so many people already: our parents, Rachel. The thought of losing Val had paralyzed me.
“I know, Landon. We’ve been through enough that I can appreciate I’m alive. But the timing sucks. Not that there’s any good time to be sick, but now with the deal.... Thank you for meeting with them today.” She fiddled with her cover, and I sat on the bed next to her good leg. “They’re going to jump ship. I could hear it in their voices, even if they didn’t say it out loud.”
I’d put her on loudspeaker during a few crucial moments, and I couldn’t lie to my sister.
“I had that impression too. They think your team won’t prioritize the project with you in recovery mode for six weeks.”
“And they’re right. I might be able to work from home once the headache subsides, but it’s not the same thing. A new project requires my presence at the office, to motivate and lead the team. This project was my baby. I was going to oversee the entire development of the line. If I were them, I’d jump ship too.”
She shifted her good leg a little to the right, then back where it was.
“I want to run an idea by you,” I said.
