Page 63 of Linc
What I want is to wrap her in my arms and never let her go but I need her to make the first move.She’s been through something that I’ll never understand and can only sympathize with.The attack is something that she’s going to have to overcome by herself and I can only be a body to lean on in the meantime.
“What time is it?”She peeks over to the nightstand at the digital clock.“Wow, I can’t believe I just slept for five hours,” she says in disbelief.
“I think we both needed the sleep.”
Her hand comes up and cups my cheek.Looking at me, her eyes soften.
“You look tired Linc.”
“I’m fine,” I respond the same way I’ve done for the past month when anyone questions how I’m doing.It’s a straight lie but she doesn’t need to be worried about me at all when she’s the one who was attacked and hurt.
“I can see you’re not but I’ll let it slide this one time,” she says before removing her warm palm from my cheek.
“I don’t want you to worry about me.”
“How can you say that?You may not have been physically hurt but that doesn’t mean that you didn’t suffer in all this too.”
How she can experience the horrific ordeal she went through and still want to make sure my wellbeing is okay, makes her the most amazing person on this planet.
“I love you,” I say without thinking.
“I love you too, Linc.”
My heart thumps rapidly against my ribcage and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing that.
“How are you feeling?Have you been back to the doctor yet?”I ask.
“I saw Dr.Brewer earlier today and everything checked out perfectly.I go back in three weeks to get the cast off and start physical therapy.”
“That’s good,” I say.“Are you hungry?I can order us some food and then we can talk for a bit?”
“Yeah, I think that sounds great,” she says as her stomach starts to rumble at the mention of food.
We get up from the bed and I head out towards the kitchen to order from the take-out menus, as Everly pops into the bathroom.When she comes out, I’ve placed our order for pizza and settle us on the couch.I’m on one end facing her and she’s opposite, mirroring me.I’d prefer for her to be snuggled up against me where I can feel her body but I know our talk is something we have to, in order to move forward.
“Ran into Blaire Hutchins this afternoon when I stopped by your office to see you,” she says, staring right at me but not in an accusatory manner.
“Well that’s not how I thought we’d start our conversation but we can if you want to,” I cautiously say.“I haven’t spoken to Blaire personally in almost two months.I passed her account off to Levi and another associate at the firm.”I take a deep breath then lean forward toward her.“I want to say to you how incredibly sorry I am for the way I acted out when you were in the hospital.Everything was so out of control and I was so worried about you that I wasn’t in my right mind.I was so panicked about what had happened and then relieved when they said you’d be okay.When you started asking me questions, I should’ve started from the beginning and told you everything, not deflect.I thought getting you home safe and starting your recovery was more important than what was being thrown at me.”
“I get that you have a history before me, Linc.I really do.It comes with the territory of dating an old man,” she says with a smirk and I can’t help but clamp down on her ankle with one of my hands and use my other one to tickle the bottom of her foot.
“Easy on that old man business,” I playfully chastise, making sure she doesn’t hurt her injured arm in our playfulness as we laugh.“I’d be careful with my words when you’re down a good limb to fight back.”
“Okay, okay you win that one,” she concedes with a giggle and it’s music to my ears.It’s nice to see her happy like she was before everything went to shit.
“You may continue then,” I say, then release her leg but not before giving her ankle a kiss and placing it back into my lap.
“The entire situation is shitty at best and I don’t blame you for what Linley did.It just seemed like you were holding back on information and purposely trying to avoid telling me.It makes me think I don’t really know you when things are thrown in my face and everyone in the room knows but me.”
“You’re right and I was withholding things.I feel like ever since I opened the firm, I’ve had to have my attorney hat on at all times.Always having to be on the defensive about every situation, or knowing certain information but holding back to make sure my client doesn’t suffer for it.And I did that with you.I was trying to be in boyfriend and attorney mode at the same time doing damage control, and it wasn’t working.You are and will always be my number one priority and I’m sorry if you felt otherwise.I never want to hold back from you and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.No secrets.”
“I would appreciate that,” she says nodding.
“Also, my grandparents have been blowing up my phone; they wanted to see you before they left for their Montana home for the next few months.When they found out what happened, they wanted to come see you, but you’d just left with your dad.”
“Montana is a very popular state for the retired crew because Saylor’s grandparents headed up there last week after stopping by and seeing me,” I mention.“I’d love to go see your grandparents.Do you think Grandma would make me her strawberry cheesecake?”Everly has a very special place in their hearts.They are always asking when I’m going to pop the question so that I can start my little family.
“She’d make you one for every day of the month if it meant you came to see her,” I say honestly.
