Page 72 of Big Island Horizons
She hurried to his side and then hovered near the bed, unsure of what to do. He patted the mattress and she perched there next to him, careful not to jostle the IV that went into his arm.
“How are you?” she asked softly.
“Better. I slept all day.”
She just nodded. Everything that she wanted to say to him was caught in her throat, a pressure that rose and burned behind her eyes.
“Lani?” He frowned and put his hand up to her face, cupping her cheek in his palm.
She met his eye and swallowed, trying not to cry.
“This wasn’t your fault.”
The dam broke and she folded forward, sobbing. She couldn’t stop. She buried her face in a thin hospital pillow, ashamed of herself. The man had a gunshot wound. He was recovering from surgery. And here he was, comforting her, rubbing her back while she cried.
“Itismy fault,” she said when she finally managed to take a gasping breath in. “This never would have happened if I hadn’t come here.”
“This is your home,” he said firmly. “You belong here.”
“But–”
“You’re not responsible for him.”
She sat up, grabbed a box of tissues, and blew her nose.
“I should have broken things off with you as soon as he showed up,” she said.
Tenn frowned. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
“You can’t mean that.”
“They got him, didn’t they?”
“What?”
“Zeke is in jail.”
“Yeah.”
“And soon he’ll be in prison. Attempted homicide, that’s twenty years.”
“Right.” She blew her nose again.
“So you’re safe.” He brushed a strand of hair out of her face and gazed into her eyes. “It was worth it.”
She buried her face in his uninjured shoulder, all cried out but completely overwhelmed.
The guilt was still eating at her, no matter what he said, but that bitter feeling was eclipsed by the sheer overwhelm of knowing that he loved her this much.
The man had taken a bullet for her, and he didn’t regret it.
How could she ever live up to that kind of love?
They must have dozed, because when she opened her eyes the sun was low in the sky. Golden light slanted through the open window.
Tenn was asleep, but he opened his eyes the moment she sat up.
“Hi.” He smiled at her and blinked, sleepy. Then he winced, and she sat up all the way.
