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“Let’s focus on getting you better, alright?” he suggests, his eyes conveying a tenderness that makes my heart race.
“Okay,” I agree, nodding shakily.
“So, do you remember anything about how the fire started?” he asks, staring at me curiously.
I let out a breath. “I think it had something to do with the oven.”
It’s the strangest thing, really. I’m always so careful to turn the oven off when I’m done, and for some reason, I can’t even remember what I’d been baking, but that’s the only plausible thing I can think of.
“Okay.” He nods, although it’s almost as if he has more questions, or he doesn’t believe me.
What reason would I have to lie about something like that?
“Why do you ask?”
He shrugs. “It was just…you know what, never mind.”
“Bu—”
“Harper, would you mind if I stopped by to check on you once in a while?” Hudson asks, cleverly changing the subject, his tone sincere and hopeful. Luckily for him, I don’t have enough energy to ask more questions. “I just…I want to make sure everything’s okay with you. You didn’t exactly have a say when you were in that coma.”
His words catch me off guard, and my first instinct is to put up walls, to keep him at a safe distance. But as I look into his deep blue eyes, filled with genuine concern, I find it increasingly difficult to maintain that resistance.
“Alright,” I finally concede, exhaling a shaky breath. “I think that would be nice.”
As he squeezes my hand reassuringly, I can’t help but feel a strange mix of excitement and trepidation at the prospect of opening up to this enigmatic, sexy firefighter.
He grins. “I promise it will be. I have to go, but take it easy, okay? The doctors really have been worried about you. Don’t stress too much.”
“I’ll try not to.” But, that’s a lot easier said than done.
2
HARPER
Isit in the hospital bed, fingers hovering over my phone screen, hesitating. The sterile scent of antiseptic fills my nose, and the steady beeping of the heart monitor provides a rhythmic backdrop to my thoughts. I glance over at the unopened bottle of water on the bedside table, contemplating whether or not to call my estranged mother.
I can already imagine the harsh words she’s going to say. We haven’t gotten along in years, and I’m sure this fire is going to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Ugh,” I groan aloud, my breath ragged with frustration.
My internal monologue is a whirlwind of mixed emotions as I weigh the pros and cons of reaching out to my mother. There’s a part of me that longs for the comfort of family, someone to lean on in this vulnerable time. But another part of me knows that the painful memories between us aren’t easily forgotten. I acknowledge that my mother is my last family member, and there’s a fear in my chest that if I don’t try to mend our relationship now, I may never get the chance again.
But, none of that matters if she doesn’t feel the same way and wants absolutely nothing to do with me.
“Maybe she’s changed,” I whisper to myself, trying to find some semblance of hope in the situation. “Maybe we both have.”
I don’t believe my own words.
I stare at my reflection in the darkened window across the room, my eyes searching for answers. The fluorescent lights overhead cast an unnatural glow on my face, accentuating my pale skin and the dark circles under my eyes.
“Or, more likely, she’s going to tell me what an awful person I am,” I murmur, my voice wavering. “I don’t know if I can handle that right now.” I put my phone down on the table beside the bed.
The kids are better off with her right now anyway.I’m not at my best to protect them, and at leasthedoesn’t know where my mother lives, so they’re safe with her. I have to figure out what my next steps from here are going to be, regarding where the kids and I will live.
Even if my mother and I don’t particularly get along, if there’s one thing she’s good at, it’s mothering, so at least I know the kids are in good hands.
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I’m caught in the storm of my conflicted thoughts. The steady beep of the heart monitor is the only sound that fills the sterile room, offering no comfort or guidance. The heaviness in my chest feels unbearable, and all I want to do is escape from it.
