Page 61 of Through the Water

I calmly wiped the soil from my hand and straightened before nodding to Tsega. Let’s go.

Helen sat in openmouthed silence for several seconds before roaring, “I will sue you, young lady! Help, I’ve been assaulted! Somebody help me!”

We left her squawking at the table, scurrying back toward my room like a pair of criminals. Tsega took the flowerpot from my hands and placed it on the counter before doubling over.

“The look on her face,” she wheezed, her eyes streaming with tears. “I can’t believe you did that! Are you okay? You won’t get in trouble. I’ll tell them the things she said.”

It wasn’t that.

What happened with Helen had been a long time coming.

My mind was still reeling over the news that Killian was a baseball player. I’d wanted to flee the church, only to run right to another spotlight. The t-shirts and thinking I wanted an autograph—and suddenly, the weird jaw kiss was not the most mortifying thing I’d ever done.

The breath caught in my throat, and I swallowed.

I wanted—

God help me, I wanted Killian.

In a spectacularly stupid move, I’d developed feelings for a man known all over the world. Overwhelmingly chaotic emotions that had chosen to reveal themselves at the worst possible time.

I’d fallen for a baseball player with pretty eyes and a kind heart, thinking we could live happily-ever-after in a place Tristan would never find us.

How was that for naïveté?

* * *

“You want to tell me again what we’re doing here?” Tsega asked as she knocked on the door.

I shook my head, bouncing my legs lightly in anticipation.

“No,” she repeated with a strange smile. “Okay. What if we talk about, I don’t know, maybe Killian being in your room last night? Or perhaps, your sexy smile?”

In hindsight, trusting the night aide, Sierra, to keep a secret hadn’t been my best idea. I didn’t know what to do—feign ignorance and hope she didn’t tell anyone, or come clean and hope she didn’t tell anyone?

I licked my lips and took a deep breath just as Georgia called, “Come in!”

Tsega turned her hand against her lips before dropping the imaginary key into the pocket of her scrubs. “Your secret is safe with me.”

I nodded, grateful that I had at least one thing working in my favor.

Georgia’s room was the only place I knew to go where I didn’t run the risk of another awkward run-in. My suspicion that Killian was avoiding me was confirmed when he saw me in the hallway, frowned, and then made a hobbled beeline in the opposite direction.

Clearly, I’d made a mess of everything.

Georgia was reclining in an oversized chair near the television, flipping through a magazine. Her hand lifted in a brief wave when we entered before she sat up to jot something down in a small notebook. “Oh, hello, girls. What brings you here?”

I peered down at the colorful pages spread across her lap before grabbing my notebook. The scenery changed from one photo to the next, but there were smiling faces in every one.

What are you doing?

Georgia reached out for me, and I wheeled myself closer. “Still haven’t found your voice, dear? I was just certain last night would have been a turning point for you.”

I shook my head, my face heating in shame.

As if she was the embodiment of happiness, the sides of Georgia’s mouth stretched wide. “This is for my trip. My hip injury set me back a few months—word of advice, don’t let anyone tell you that skiing is something that just comes back to you, because it’s not. Had to learn that the hard way, dear. Anywho, now that you’re here, would you like to help?”

I hesitated as she passed a magazine over.

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