Page 42 of The Virgin
And then he waited.
CHAPTER 22
SPENCER
Spencer sent Jonaha text message explaining that he’d call when he could before turning his attention back to Greta, who lay in a hospital bed looking sheepish.
“You should have called me. What were you doing up on the ladder anyway?”
Greta pouted. “You’re not allowed to be mad at me. I’m wounded.”
“You’re lucky you’re not dead and all you have is a concussion. Seriously, Greta. Whatever you were doing could’ve waited until I was available to help.”
“I don’t need help, though. I was going to adjust the stupid ladder light. I wanted it higher. I got that all done, and it was fine. But then I noticed some cobwebs up in the corner of the ceiling, and I thought I could reach it with a broom. But… Well… I reached and lost my balance. I hurt my head and my pride, and they won’t let me out of here until I have someone to make sure I don’t die.”
Spencer folded his arms over his chest. “I should teach you a lesson and make them keep you here.”
“Spencer, no. Please. I hate these places. They scanned my head. I’m fine except for the massive headache I have, and my pride sort of hurts too. But they don’t want me alone. So, unless they know I have someone to watch me for a couple days, I’m stuck here and I hate hospitals.”
Spencer sighed and lowered his arms. “Of course I’ll look after you.” He dropped into the chair next to her bed. He’d have to call Jonah soon and apologize for leaving, but the hospital calling his phone had been a rude way to wake up. He’d planned to stay and wait for Jonah to come back, because it had been weird to wake up and find him gone. But Jonah had breakfast with his dad, and Spencer was supposed to wait for him.
He’d wanted to tell him how he felt last night, but he’d fallen asleep instead. He couldn’t even say that he’d dreamed about it, because he’d dreamed about nothing. He’d closed his eyes one minute and opened them the next to the constant buzzing of his phone and a cold spot in the bed where Jonah had been.
The rest of Spencer’s morning was taken up waiting for Greta to be allowed to leave. If he hadn't shown up, they’d have admitted her for sure, but as it was, she had to wait for the doctor to come around and give them some care instructions for her next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
By the time Spencer got Greta back to her place, he was starving and cranky and missing Jonah.
“Okay, you heard the doctor. No screens, so we can’t binge watch TV, but we can listen to podcasts. I have to make a call first, so I’m going to step out onto the balcony. Do you need anything?”
“I have a concussion, Spencer. I’m not in traction. I can manage.” She waved him off and stretched out on the couch. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
Spencer slipped outside onto Greta’s balcony. She’d redecorated it since he was last out here, and he was happy to make use of one of the chairs she’d repainted.
Jonah answered on the first ring. “Spencer? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, sorry about that. I’m Greta’s emergency contact, and I had to pick her up at the ER.”
“Oh, fuck. Is she okay?”
Spencer warmed at the genuine concern that bled through Jonah’s voice. “She’s fine. She’s got a concussion, and they wouldn’t release her without a babysitter. So, I’ll be playing nursemaid for a couple days.”
“Oh.” Disappointment oozed out of Jonah. Even one syllable was enough to convey how upset he was.
“Jonah? Everything okay? You can always come hang out here with Greta and me. We’re going to be pretty boring, but you’d like her apartment, I think. She’s pretty proud of it.”
“No, uh. That’s fine. Listen, there’s something I wanted to ask you about because, while I was at the diner today, something happened and I didn’t know what to do or what to say.”
“Slow down, Jonah. I’m sure whatever it is, it’s fine.”
“Grant asked me out. Again. To a concert. With his nephew.”
“Grant asked you out again?”
“He asks me out almost every time he sees me.”
Spencer wished they’d had this conversation face-to-face so he could get a read on what Jonah was thinking or feeling.
“Well, what did you tell him?” Spencer’s heart had stopped beating. He was pretty sure it had turned to dust. If Jonah wasn’t interested in Grant, he’d have said no, right? If he’d said no, there was no reason for Spencer to need to be told about it. Unless…he didn’t say no.
