Page 29 of Forgettable in Every Way

Simon grinned, knowing which books he spoke of. It was not the first time he’d been made aware his voice had enhanced a couple’s love life. “I’m glad you enjoy them, mate.”

Calista gently elbowed Tristan. “We won’t be listening to them anymore.” She sounded disappointed.

Simon knew better and didn’t mention it. “I understand your misgivings about me.”

“Do you really?” Calista questioned.

Simon nodded warily, wondering if he’d missed something. “Please, will you tell me where I can find Jules? I swear it is not my intention to hurt her. It never was.”

Calista let out an elongated breath. “The thing is, is that you did hurt her.” She bit her lip like she had said too much, but she couldn’t help but finish telling him off. “You should probably think about that before you decide to work your way back into her life. By the way you talked at lunch, it’s obvious you didn’t forget her, but you sure as hell didn’t remember her either. How you didn’t see what was right in front of your face, I will never understand. But this I do know: Jules is one of the best people on the planet and if you hurt her, I’m not above revenge. In fact, I’m pretty much known for it around here.”

Tristan kissed Calista’s cheek, proud of her.

Simon, on the other hand, felt sucker punched and like the world’s biggest jerk. He stood there, rubbing the back of his neck, not sure how to respond. Was he being a prat trying to get to know Jules again? The fact that he’d obviously hurt Jules more than he’d realized killed him. An unsettling sense of loss filled him, knowing he’d probably missed out on the kind of relationship he’d always hoped to have with a partner. He’d missed out on Jules.

“I’m not going to tell you where Jules is,” Calista spat. “If you really want to find her, you’re going to have to open your eyes this time around.”

Damn, he thought. His eyes were certainly open now, and he wasn’t fond of the view.

Jules

“KNOCK, KNOCK,” CALISTA WHISPERED BEFORE peeking her head through the door.

I sat up on the green, fake-leather couch in Dad’s hospital room and stretched and yawned. I probably should have gone back to my parents’ house to sleep, but I felt less lonely in the hospital room with beeping monitors and a book on my phone for company. That was, when I could concentrate on it. Calista’s earlier words had been running through my mind all night. Now, in the early light of day, I knew what I had to do. I had to find myself again.

Calista slipped in, leaned against the door, and bit her lip.

“Everything okay?”

She looked at my dad, who had hardly stirred throughout the night other than when the nurses came in to check his vitals and to switch out his IV bag. I’d talked to his doctor overnight, and he believed Dad fell because of dehydration and low blood sugar. What it meant was Dad wasn’t taking care of himself. I feared he wanted to die.

Calista tiptoed toward me, still in her scrubs. Her shift had probably just ended. She sat next to me on the couch and put her arm around me.

I leaned into her, worried. “Did you hear something about my dad’s test results?”

“I took a peek just now, and it doesn’t look like he had another stroke. But that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.”

I sat up straight, curious. “What is it?”

“Well, um ... when Tristan came to the hospital last night to say good night, an unexpected visitor appeared and interrupted us.”

“Was it Tristan’s mom or dad?”

“No,” she growled. “Although I would love to lash out at them in person. They’re hell bent on trying to ruin their relationship with Tristan and my niece and sister forever. Part of me is proud someone can hate me so much,” she laughed. “But I don’t like what it’s doing to my family. This lawsuit is getting out of hand. Worse, it’s preventing Tristan and me from moving forward with opening a clinic on ‘my’ side of the lake to provide free or low-cost health care. There are other doctors and investors who would love to get involved, but they’re too skittish right now until they see how this lawsuit pans out.”

“You’re good people.” I patted her leg. “So, if it wasn’t Tristan’s parents, who was it?”

She took my hand and squeezed it extra tight. “It was Simon,” she blurted.

I squinted, thinking I must have heard her wrong. “Why would Simon come visit you? Did he hear what a big fan you are of his voice?” I teased her, although I was more than confused and not sure how to feel about how amorous Simon made Calista feel. Not thinking about it.

“As glorious as his voice is, I won’t be listening to him anymore on principle. Tristan is quite disappointed.” She grinned.

“I don’t understand why he would come see you. Especially at the hospital. Is he sick?” I worried.

“I probably made him a little sick,” she said proudly.

“How?”

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