Page 121 of That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss

“I crashed the Chevy,” I rasp.

“Nope,” Natalie protests, with a sharp shake of her head. “The Chevy crashed you.”

Hudson’s face twists, almost like he’s the one in pain. “The brake pads were completely worn through, and the rotors were shot. I should’ve figured out something was wrong before you left the parking lot. The truck was grumbling.”

“Your poor aunt and uncle are beside themselves,” Natalie says. “They feel responsible.”

I frown. No. No, that’s not right. Uncle Phil and Aunt Elaine were just being generous, loaning me their truck. I knew the brakes weren’t so hot. They squealed a little, and the steering wheel would vibrate at intersections. But I was too focused on the inn this month to follow up on auto repairs.

It’s not their fault.

“Just an accident,” I mumble.

Hudson nods. “That’s what everyone’s been telling them you’d say.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Everyone?”

“Literally everybody. Your entire family.” Hudson glances at Natalie, then swings his focus right back to me. “We take turns with you, since there’s only supposed to be one person in here at a time. Your mom’s been in a lot, but she’s also got your grandmother to contend with, and Big Mama is … a handful.”

“That’s an understatement,” Natalie says, and a smirk pushes across her face. “Once she found out your prognosis was good, she started flirting with the doctors and begging all the nurses for more lime Jell-O. Yesterday she took Doctor Markowitz’s stethoscope and was wearing it like a necklace.”

Yep. That sounds like Big Mama. Even with a cloudy brain, I can picture her particular brand of chaos. I almost chuckle, but my throat’s too toad-like, so I end up coughing.

Hudson offers me more water this time, holding the cup to my mouth. “I promised your mom I’d stay with you whenever she’s not here,” he says while I drink. “And all your aunts and uncles have stopped by. Your cousins too.” Hudson glances at the wall clock. “Mac, Darby, and Tess will be back this afternoon.”

I choke on the water. “What?”

“They all flew out as soon as they heard about the accident. Oh, and Francine Tomlin sent a massive bouquet of get-well flowers, but they’re not allowed in the ICU.”

“ICU?” My eyes dart to Natalie, and my brow furrows. I thought she was a pediatric nurse. How muddled is my brain? And why are some of my memories so clear while others are blurry?

“I know.” Natalie sneaks a peek over her shoulder. “I don’t usually work the ICU floor, but I’ve got some pull here. So do you.”

My eyes drop into a squint. “Hmm?”

“Your brother donated a whole bunch of money to the hospital, remember?” she says. “He’s the one who helped me get hired here.”

Ah. Of course. That I remember. Good old Mac with his foundations and investments. And Darby with her med school. And Tess with her town council and summer camp. Everyone in my family has been busy making their mark on the world. And that’s what I was planning to do too. I flash back to something Hudson said.

Francine Tomlin sent me flowers.

I was on my way to see her about a job at Luxe. She promised me an offer I couldn’t refuse. And I was going to visit Sutton and Naomi, too. They said I could live with them again. In my old room. Maybe?

I don’t know. Memories flicker and fade.

“Francine,” I moan.

“Right. She sent you a bouquet,” Hudson says. “Natalie’s keeping it at the nurses’ station since we can’t have them in here.”

Natalie glances at the monitor. “On that note, I’ll page Doctor Markowitz so he can give you a full exam now,” she says. “We should be able to move you to a regular room later this afternoon, but with your level of TBI, you’ll probably have to stay for observation over the next seventy-two hours or so.”

“TBI?”

“Sorry.” Her mouth draws into a straight line. “Traumatic brain injury.”

A low rumble sounds in the back of Hudson’s throat like he’s mad at the words. “She’s okay, though,” he says. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

Natalie nods. “There’s no sign of permanent damage. You got lucky, Liv—relatively speaking. But you can expect some pretty severe fatigue and confusion for a few days. We probably won’t release you until Thursday or Friday. In the meantime, you need to take it easy.”

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