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The doc had me repeat this so many times I almost believed it. And maybe that attributed to my exhaustion today, but something in the back of my mind nagged at me that it was something else, I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
After another hour of waiting tables, my head was fuzzy like I’d had a few drinks, but that definitely wasn’t the case.
Shit, I’d forgot to eat today.Again. I didn’t mean to, but it was a full day with a session with Dr. Casson and then my last day of volunteer work with Jim, quickly followed by a double shift here.
I was hungry, that was all. I’d get something once I closed out this table.
“Hey, stranger,” Brad’s voice filled the space behind me, and I whirled around with a smile.
“Hey there, how was your holiday?” I asked as he took up a lean at the front counter.
“Can’t complain,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. I brought your present.”
“You didn’t have to,” I said. “Give me a minute though, I need to get them drinks.” I motioned to my table, indicating to Brad that I’d be right back.
I went to grab my table’s drinks, piling them on the tray at the drink station when a searing, sharp pain sliced through my side.
I yelped so loud Lyla came running out of the kitchen, and Brad hurried around the counter toward me.
“Anne?” Brad asked.
His voice sounded far away, my head suddenly swimming like it was trying to get away from the pain.
Another wave crashed over me, and I dropped the tray, the glasses plummeting to the floor in a loud shatter. I grabbed my side, black dots splashing across my vision.
“Anne!” Lyla yelled, then said something to Brad I couldn’t understand.
Wait, where was I again? And why was Brad reaching for me?
Heaviness and confusion sank over me, pulling me down, down, down—
My legs gave out, and I fell against someone, darkness fully washing over my eyes, sweeping me away until all I could hear was static.
CHAPTER16
Jim
ME:You working later than planned?
I typed out the fast text with one hand and pet Binx with the other. He’d finally, officially warmed up to me once he realized I wasn’t going to force him out on the streets again.
Plus, I bribed the guy with tuna twice a week, so it was hard for him to stay mad at me for long.
Anne was running late, but I figured she was just caught up chatting with Lyla. She’d become a good friend and boss—
Lyla’s number flashed across my screen before I’d even put my phone down, and some buried instinct in me woke up and stood at attention.
“Lyla?” I asked by way of answer.
“Hey, Jim,” she said, and the tone of her voice had my stomach plummeting. I knew that voice. I had to use that voice all the time relaying difficult news to people after car accidents or something equally terrible.
“What’s wrong?” I was already standing, grabbing my keys off the drop station near my front door.
“Anne’s okay,” she said, but the tone of her voice didn’t give me an ounce of comfort. She sounded like she’d been crying. “She is. We’re at the hospital now—”
My entire world shifted on its axis, and I slipped into the kind of shocked calm that came with my profession.
“What happened?” I asked as I climbed into my car.
