Page 25 of Kept By the Loan Shark

Chapter Eight

When there was a timid knock at my hospital room door the next morning, I turned my hopeful gaze toward it. A moment later, Kyle poked his head into the room, and I had to school my features to keep my disappointment from showing. It wasn’t his fault that I was expecting Hagen.

Kyle didn’t seem to notice and smiled contritely. “May I come inside?”

“Sure. Of course.”

He carried in a green glass vase filled with bright, happy sunflowers and a small gift bag. As he placed the vase on the counter across from the hospital bed, he said, “I wanted to apologize for the way I behaved yesterday.” He moved to the empty chair next to my bed and sighed. “I only want what’s best for you. I want you to be safe. I shouldn’t have upset you like that.”

“I appreciate your apology.” My gaze moved to the pretty sunflowers cheering up my room. “And the flowers.”

“I saw them in the shop, and it reminded me of the photos of you and Taylor at the corn maze last year. You had your faces in those big wooden sunflower photo props.”

“That was a fun day,” I said, a little surprised he remembered those photos we had shared on Instagram. “I had planned to take Hagen next weekend, but after last night…”

Kyle frowned. “After last night what?”

I shrugged. “It’s complicated.”

“I have time. I’m here to listen if you want to talk.” He smiled encouragingly. “I’ve had plenty of experience with peer counseling. Let me help you.”

I wasn’t sure I was ready for that just yet. It seemed like a violation of my relationship with Hagen to tell Kyle about our fight. Part of that was me wanting to protect Hagen from anyone thinking less of him. I didn’t want my friends to hold grudges against him.

“We were both stressed out last night and said some things we shouldn’t have,” I explained. “We’ll figure it out.”

If he comes back…

“If there’s anything I can do to help, just ask.”

“I will.” I couldn’t imagine what Kyle could do to help fix a problem with my boyfriend, but it was nice of him to offer nonetheless.

“Here.” Kyle handed me the small gift bag. “I got you something as an apology-slash-get-well present.”

“You didn’t have to get me something,” I protested. “Flowers were more than enough.”

“I wanted to,” he insisted. “Open it.”

Curious, I pulled out the bunched-up sheets of pink tissue paper and reached into the bag to retrieve the bracelet inside. The round enamel beads were a brilliant blue with white circles and black dots on each one. With my vision still blurry in one eye, it was hard to examine the beads, but they seemed to be hand painted. One had a little defect in the black paint, just a little scuff that made the bracelet all that more precious. “Oh, it’s so pretty!”

“It’s supposed to be a Russian good luck charm. Something about repelling the Evil Eye.”

“God knows I need all the luck I can get lately,” I murmured and carefully slid the bracelet onto my wrist. I enjoyed the look the of the blue beads against my skin. “Thank you, Kyle. It’s so sweet.”

“You’re very welcome.” He tucked the paper back in the bag and placed the bag on the rolling table. “So, how are you feeling this morning?”

“Tired,” I admitted. “Sore. I have a headache, but it’s not too bad.”

“Is that going to be a long-term thing? The headaches, I mean?”

“Maybe,” I replied uncertainly. “The neuro team told me that it’s hard to predict what head injuries will do. I’m lucky that mine was minor, all things considered.”

“Doesn’t seem very minor to me,” he grumbled. “You had to have your head drilled open.”

“Yes, but I didn’t have a stroke or lose a huge chunk of my brain function,” I reasoned.

“Your vision? Has that cleared up any?”

“No,” I answered reluctantly.

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