Page 21 of After All

“Hey, man, I don’t make the rules about muscles and shit healing,” Kyle said, typing something into the computer by Scott’s bed.

“Muscles and shit? Stop with all the technical talk, Doc,” Scott said dryly.

“You want me to go over all the anatomy that you ripped up?” Kyle asked. “Sure thing. But I kind of thought the important part here was how long Nurse Sassy Pants was going to belivingwith you.”

Nurse Sassy Pants. That was about right. “Just don’t tell Derek,” Scott said. “I don’t need you both thinking this is hilarious.”

“Oh, it’sfuckinghilarious.”

Scott sat up quickly as Derek’s voice filled his room. His gaze narrowed in on Kyle’s phone propped up on the bedside table. And on speaker.

“You fuckers. Isn’t that some kind of HIPAA violation or something?” he asked, slumping back against the pillows.

Kyle nodded. “Which is why we should discuss your love life instead of your health.”

“Remind us again why you won’t just sleep with her?” Derek asked. Then added, “Again.”

Because, of course, they loved the fact that he’d fallen off the wagon on St. Pat’s Day. Because, of course, he’d made a big deal out of being so strong and focused that he could resist her.

That had been stupid.

“Every guy in the county wants to sleep with her,” Scott said. “And given half the chance, they would.”

Kyle nodded, and Scott knew Derek was in agreement as well. They both admitted that Peyton was stunningly beautiful, and that her smart mouth and spunk were a turn-on. Though they also both admitted that they wouldn’t want to be the one having to deal with a pissed-off Peyton on any kind of regular basis. Peyton could be sweet as candy. She could be funny as hell. She was a ton of fun and always up for anything. But she had a temper, and she didn’t even try to dial it back.

It almost always came out when someone she cared about had been wronged or someone had done something stupid or cruel to someone else. The guys who dated Peyton’s girlfriends knew that if they fucked up, their headlights and windshields were at risk, not to mention their noses and other body parts. Scott had taken a baseball bat out of her hands mid-swing, twice—once the guy’s truck had been the victim, and once the guy’s barbecue grill. Scott had also hauled her off a guy who was twice her size because he’d shoved her friend up against the outside wall of the Come Again and threatened her.

That time, Scott had let her get a few good swings and kicks in before he’d pulled her off.

Peyton was a little bottled-up and pressurized can of emotions, and you just never knew when she was going to erupt.

Her riled-up, passionate, defend-everyone side got him going. He’d admit that. He wanted to kiss the hell out of her every time and then throw her over his shoulder, carry her home, and unleash some of that passion without any clothes on.

But it was her sweet side that got him right in the gut. And that was how he’d ended up losing his mind a month ago. She hadn’t been pissed off that night. She hadn’t been spoiling for a fight. She’d been sweet and mellow.

“And you want to show her that she can be wanted for more than all of that,” Kyle said, completing Scott’s thought about why he had been avoiding sleeping with her.

Okay, he was going to blame this on the drugs later too, but he said, “Everyone just sees what’s on the surface. Her friends look at her and see a good time. Her sister looks at her and sees a girl who’s trying but just can’t quite get her shit together. Her parents look at her and see her independent streak and just feel relieved because they don’t have to do anything for her. Guys look at her and see a hot body and an adventurous streak and think ‘hell yeah’ for a weekend. And it’s all…not enough,” he said. “She’s more than all of that, but she’s comfortable with people just seeing these parts of her.”

Kyle was watching him, a slight frown on his face. “If she’s comfortable, why are you trying to get more out of her?”

“Because comfortable and happy aren’t the same thing,” Scott said.

“And you’re going tomakeher be happy?” Derek asked from the phone. “You can’t force someone to be happy.”

“But I canshowher,” Scott insisted. “To her, letting someone close means being vulnerable. Like her parents. Neither of them could live without the other. Particularly her mother—there have been suicide threats, even an attempt or two.” Kyle and Derek both knew this. Everyone did. “She’s worried about turning out like her mom. And making someone miserable, like her dad.”

“Dan doesn’t seem miserable,” Derek said.

But Kyle was nodding. “They have a tough relationship. Dan doesn’t seem miserable, but he’s given his whole life to Jo. Maybe he doesn’t let himself think about being miserable. He convinces himself that he likes how things are.”

Scott nodded. “I think he gets off on being the only person Jo wants or needs.”

Kyle agreed. “So Peyton thinks being in a relationship, letting someone too close, makes you crazy.”

It sounded funny, but it wasn’t. “That, or she’s afraid she’s already crazy and letting someone too close will make them unhappy.”

Neither of his friends said anything for a moment. Scott appreciated these guys. They gave each other a lot of shit, and had a lot of fun, but he could be serious with them too. Kyle was an excellent physician. There was no one better to be standing beside Scott, taking care of the town they both loved. And Derek was an EMT, a volunteer firefighter, and a general go-to guy around town, along with helping Bryan Murray run the social spot in town.

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