Page 103 of Burn With Me

Before I can answer, the doctor walks in.

“Good afternoon, Amelia. Glad to see you up. My name is Liz, and I’m the doctor on duty today. How are you feeling?”

“My throat and arm hurt, the light is bothering me, and I kind of feel like I got hit by a truck, but I’m alive,” I say honestly.

She goes through her exam and asks questions along the way. “Well, you’re looking really good, considering. I’ll keep you one more night because of the smoke inhalation and the concussion. Someone will be back in a few to check in on you. Do you have any questions?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Perfect. Well, I’m here if you think of anything.” She pats my arm and walks out.

Even though I just woke up, I’m already ready for a nap.

“Sleep, sweetness. I have a feeling the whole crew will be ready to knock down the door tomorrow once you get home.”

“Yeah, right. Pam will be here before visiting hours are over. Wait, who has the animals?” I say with a yawn.

“My mom is at the house with the animals. I’m pretty sure Penny loves my mom more than me. Sleep, baby.”

The machines start beeping faster as my heart rate increases. “What do you mean your mom is at my house? The house isn’t clean enough for your mom to stay there! You have to go home right now!”

“Hey, I need you to take a breath, sweetness. Everything is okay. Pam knew you would freak out, so she cleaned before they came in. I promise everything is taken care of. Now go to sleep so I can shower.”

He gets up to go shower, and I squeeze his hand to hold him in place. “Fine. Hey, Luke?”

“Yeah, sweetness?”

“I love you. I know I don’t remember everything yet, but one thing I remember clearly was that other than leaving the animals, my one regret would be that I never told you how I feel.”

The nerves kick in as he stares at me.

Shit, does he not feel the same?

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same, I just wanted—”

His mouth is on mine, swallowing the rest of what I was going to say. Slowly he starts to pull away and rests his forehead on mine.

“I love you too, sweetness. Now go to sleep before Pam gets here.” He kisses my forehead before moving back toward the bathroom.

Happiness fills my chest hearing him say those words.

“Okay,” I say through a yawn.

I don’t remember everything that happened, but I’m alive, and I can piece together everything else after I rest my eyes for a little bit.

I don’t know how much time has passed when I hear Pam in the hallway.

“Luke, I will kick you in the nuts if you don’t let me in there. I waited an hour, and I’m not waiting any longer.”

I snicker at the attitude in her voice. To be honest, I’m shocked she waited at all.

“I know . . . I just don’t want to wake her up just yet.”

“She has a concussion. She needs to be woken up anyway. I’m a nurse, I know these things. Don’t make me not like you anymore.”

“Fine.” I can hear the smile in his voice, and I love that he isn’t mad that she didn’t wait. He knows he can’t stop her from coming in here.

“Bitch, I can tell you’re awake. I don’t know who you think you’re fooling,” she says with a hitch in her voice.

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