Page 71 of First Love, Second Draft

Matt crept to the top of the staircase. The lights from below weren’t all that bright, but it pierced through his skull just the same. He squinted his eyes and inhaled a few deep breaths while the voices continued floating up from the kitchen.

“Isn’t it great,” Gracie said. “My dad’s favorite dialysis nurse is the same girl Matt’s taking a shining to. I think that’s just great.”

A shining to?Really, Aunt Gracie?

“I love Buck. Everyone does. He’s one of our favorite patients. But anyway,” Rachel’s voice continued carrying up the stairs. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. Matt left his discharge instructions in my car, so I just wanted to drop them off.”

“You’re not interrupting anything,” Gracie said. “Stay. Drink coffee. Eat a brownie. They’re a little overdone because Noah didn’t trust me when I said it was time to take them out of the oven, but they’re edible. Mostly.”

“I did the toothpick thing and they weren’t done yet.”

Matt continued hobbling down the stairs as quick as he could, which was not all that quick. He clung to the banister to steady his balance. He needed to catch her before she left. Try to redeem himself somehow. Hopefully work out the potential for another chance at that whole kissing scenario—preferably when his head wasn’t spinning or his stomach threatening to revolt.

“Hey, is it okay that he’s sleeping?” Noah asked when they stopped arguing about toothpicks and brownies. “I remember an episode ofWingsonce where they couldn’t let the one gal sleep all night because she’d had a concussion or something.”

“Well, if you saw it onWings,” Gracie said, “then by all means rush on upstairs and wake him up. DidNorthern Exposurehappen to have any episodes about pelvic injuries? Is that why you thought you knew how to take care of me?”

Rachel giggled. “I think it’s okay to let him sleep.”

“Don’t dis my shows,” Noah said.

“I’m not dissing your shows,” Gracie responded. “I’m dissing your medical knowledge. It’s a wonder I survived more than forty-eight hours under your care.”

Matt finally made it to the bottom of the staircase and rounded into the kitchen.

Rachel’s eyes widened. “Hey. You’re awake.” She sprang out of her seat. “I just came by to drop off your discharge papers. I forgot about them when we were... um... talking.”

Matt pretended not to see the way Noah’s eyebrows wagged up and down at Gracie while Rachel motioned to her vacant chair. “Take my seat. I was just getting ready to leave.”

“No, you weren’t,” Gracie said. “You were going to stay for coffee, remember? Hey Noah, grab the pan of brownies. And probably some steak knives.”

“They are not that burnt.”

Gracie smiled at Noah, and Matt did a double take. Gracie’s smile actually seemed genuine. Like she was teasing Noah and enjoying it.

Nah. Probably just his head injury playing tricks on him.

Matt slid into Noah’s empty seat, glad to be off his feet. Bed was already sounding good again.

“So any idea who hit you?” Gracie asked.

Matt adjusted the sling on his left arm, then dropped his forehead into his hand. “Police are looking into it.”

“Person probably panicked,” Noah said. “Maybe didn’t have insurance or something. Fool could have been drunk. Who knows?”

“Either way, they really need to do something about that curve. It’s such a bad spot for accidents.” Gracie nibbled on a brownie. “Where were you coming back from?”

“Ace’s bar.”

“Who’s Ace?” Gracie asked the same moment Rachel sputtered on her coffee and Noah said, “Rachel’s Ace?” Which made Rachel sputter harder while Gracie asked, “Who’s Rachel’s Ace?”

“You went and saw Ace?” Rachel wheezed out in between more coughs and sputters.

Gracie handed her a napkin. “Wait, Ace? As in beer-on-the-head Ace?”

“What did you say to him?” Noah said.

“Did you pour beer on his head?” Gracie said.

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