Page 63 of Fall With Me (Sugarland Creek)

“Ready to go?” I ask Noah, trying to avert my gaze from Ellie as if I didn’t hear everything she said about me.

“Yep.” Noah leans over and carefully hugs Ellie. “I’ll check on you tomorrow first thing. Text or call if you need anything.”

“Will do.”

“I’ll be right back,” I reassure Ellie before we walk out the door.

When we get to the nurse’s station, Dr. Murray rounds the corner and stops us. “I didn’t want to mention this in front of Ellie, but seeing as you’re her friends and will be around her, I need to caution you on not telling her too much about the things she doesn’t remember. It’s better to let it come back naturally or it’ll just confuse her mind even more. She won’t know what’s a real memory and what she just remembers being told.”

I glare at Miss Big Mouth.A little too late for that.

“What if she never remembers?” I ask. “Do we share with her at some point?”

Dr. Murray crosses his arms, nodding. “Yeah, I’d say if in a couple months she needs help filling in holes of what she does remember, that’ll be fine. Most likely then, it’s a lost memory anyway and won’t come back. But in most circumstances, the brain fog leaves within a few weeks. She probably won’t remember the day of the accident and possibly the day before, but everything else should come back to her as her brain heals. It’s why she shouldn’t do any vigorous activity.”

Not sure if that should put me at ease or on edge. Either way, I wish I knew how long I had for this second chance at showing her who I really am.

Noah and I thank him, and then I walk her out to the truck.

“You sure stayin’ with her is a good idea?” she asks.

“Would you rather she be in there alone?”

“Her parents should be comin’ soon.”

“She asked me to. If I said no, I woulda hurt her feelings.”

She sighs. “Just please, don’t give her false hope.”

“About what?” I play dumb.

Her shoulders tense before she relaxes them. “She has a crush on you.”

“Oh!” I pretend to be shocked. “And why is that a bad thing?”

“Uh…because you have a girlfriend. And I know the moment her memory resurfaces, she’ll be livid to find out you two were alone together.”

“Her forgettin’ me and realizin’ she likes me just proves that she never genuinely hated me in the first place.”

“Maybe…but you don’t know that for sure. It could just be a side effect of her concussion and she’ll remember in a couple days how much she hates you.”

“Well, aren’t we the glass is half empty type,” I deadpan.

“Landen, I’m serious. Don’t string her along. Plus, you’re not a cheater.”

“Cecilia is not my girlfriend, so you can stop worryin’ about that.”

She rolls her eyes. “Title or not, you’re with someone. She was literally with you last night.”

Yeah, but she doesn’t know I rejected her. It’s why she left so soon.

“I will always treat Ellie with respect. That’ll never change,” I say, hoping to ease her concerns.

She pokes me in the chest. “You better, Landen Michael. I don’t wanna hear tomorrow that you have a black eye because she punched you when she remembers.”

“Good night, drive safe…” I goad, opening the door for her.

She huffs but then gets into the driver’s seat, and I shut it behind her. I watch as she starts the engine and then I wave as she takes off.

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