Page 6 of Reaching Hearts

Chapter Three

Annie

They’ve got a plan and I’m not into it.

Taryn follows and jerks her head to Manny.

“We’re not going to the hospital.” I watch them pick up their bags while Manny pulls his keys from his pocket.

Taryn grabs my recovered, money-filled bag from where it sits in front of me. The leather rubs against my arms. I watch it, but I stay put. Then she picks up his jacket. That gets my attention. “Perfect excuse to see him. We’re going to the hospital. He needs his phone, doesn’t he?”

I smooth down my hair. “What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if his girlfriend slaps my face? What if she’s really an alien and she’s trapped him in a pod?”

“Never know until you find out.” Laura throws up her arms, bracelets jangling. “Oh, I can’t wait to lay eyes on the guy who’s got Annie smoothing down her hair five times in a row when not a piece is out of place!”

Embarrassed, I smile. I shouldn’t go. I know I shouldn’t go. “I really don’t think this is a good idea.”

“You’ve just said the beginning of every great thing that ever happened.” Taryn throws both her palms up like she’s checking for rain.

I hop off the barstool, still smoothing my hair. “Can you hand me my bag so I can stop doing this?” Taryn swings it to me and I catch with a dip of my knees. “Yikes. Okay. Let’s go.” We start for the door.

Manny opens the register. “We should clear this out first.”

His voice turns me. I catch site of his face and stop walking. “No, don’t do it, Manny.”

With a handful of quarters weighing down one arm, he turns. “Do what?”

Tilting my head, I walk over, holding his eyes like I understand. He stares at me as I put my hands on the bar and get very still. “Don’t blame yourself. Please just don’t. This is all on me.”

His arm drops and a few quarters slide to freedom, tiny clinks hitting the ground below, bouncing through the rubber mat. “I had a bad feeling last night.”

“I know you did. I didn’t listen. This is not your fault. Do you hear me?” He nods but I can tell he’s not convinced. Too tired to try harder, I push off the bar and mumble, “I should empty the safe, too.”

Laura calls out quickly. “Annie, it’ll be fine.”

Taryn’s worried, too. “Yeah, just leave it. Come on.”

I turn and walk backwards. “I’m going to the hospital, okay? Nothing could keep me away. Believe me.” With my hand on the doorknob, I add, “And I know he’s got a girlfriend. I’m just going to see if he’s okay. That’s it.”

They nod, but they both doubt the fates. It's like they think something's going to happen to stop me from going if we don't go right now.

“Stop it, you guys. I’m going to the hospital. I promise. Grab a chair. I’ll be right out.”

Reluctantly, they head over as my phone rings in my purse. Taryn mumbles, “Oh no.”

Laura yells out, nice and loud, “We’re so not going.”

Ignoring them, I pull out the phone. Christiano’s name and photo are staring back at me again. Him, beautiful, shirtless, smiling with the spatula in his hand. I stare at it and realize he’s called twice. He never does that. Something must be wrong. I swipe to answer, scooting into the office as I call out, “I’ll just be a second, everyone. Hey. Everything okay?”

“Bella.” He’s been sleeping and his voice is sexy, low and hoarse. “I was dreaming about you.”

It’s way before dawn where he is. I’m still not used to the time difference. I walk to the safe, but my feet are moving slower. “Was it a good dream?”

Still half in it, he mumbles, “No. It was bad. Worried me. I miss you.”

I can hear the pillow crinkling under his shifting head, hear him stretching. I can picture it all as if he’s right in front of me. I want to lean over and kiss him. Tell him I’m scared. That I almost died. That I need a hug. That I made a huge mistake. How huge, I don’t know yet.

“I miss you, too.” Closing my eyes, I push my forehead into the door. “Christiano, something bad happened.” My voice catches because I know I can’t tell him everything and even saying this, feels wrong. But he’s been my best friend for years. How could I not tell him, and so I say on a reluctant whisper, “I was robbed last night.”

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