Page 52 of Falling Inn Love
I shower and feel a million times better as I step out and carefully dry the area around my incision. I get dressed and dial a video call to Beth.
“How are you feeling?” she asks, speaking softly.
“Not too bad,” I tell her. “Why are you talking so quietly?”
“Kase is here, napping on the couch.”
“Aw, how are things going over there?”
“Evan, I am so excited about the fall festival. It looks like we’re able to bring back some of your dad’s traditions, plus we’ve brought in some fun new ones that I can’t wait for you to see.”
“Like what?” I lean back and get comfortable. I love hearing her talk so excitedly about the inn. Given how excited everyone is for the festival, we need to make this a permanent future tradition again. I just hope we can save the inn to be able to do that.
“Okay, you can’t tell Sasha, but Pete is making a pumpkin cannon to surprise her.”
“You know she’s not going to like that, right?” I laugh.
“That’s exactly what Mellie said, too.” She laughs. “But it will definitely be fun to watch it play out.”
I think back to the time a few years ago he tried to surprise her with a pumpkin trebuchet and he accidentally knocked over her pie table. Sasha was not pleased.
“We have a whole sheet of volunteers and I’ve planned everything down to the tiniest details.”
“That all sounds really great, Beth. Everyone is going to love this.”
“I hope so,” she says.
“I miss you. Can’t wait to get cleared to come home to you.”
“We all miss you.”
“What do you mean ‘we’ all? Don’t you miss me, Beth?” I tease.
“Yes,” she says quietly and I see her try to hide her smile.
“How much?”
“Well, when you get home, I’ll show you.”
I take a deep breath and wince a little. I’m still stiff and uncomfortable from my surgery. “I’ll hold you to that.”
“I’m so glad you called. I didn’t want to bother you, but I’ve done nothing but think about you guys nonstop. When do they think you’ll be able to fly home?”
“Probably in a few days.”
“Is that… too soon?”
“No, I’m good.”
“What about your wounds?”
I laugh a little. “Beth, I’m a combat medic. I’m good with basic wound care.”
“I guess you’re right. Well, then come home. I’ll be your nurse.”
“You know, the nurses here all volunteered to help me shower…”
“Which nurses? They’re all dead,” she says.
