Page 87 of Summer Ever After
Her hand grabs mine. “Don’t leave me.”
“You need your pain medication.”
“Lie with me, just for a second, so I’m not alone.”
I brush her hair back from her face and sit on the edge of her bed.
“That feels nice.” Her brows lift, but her eyes stay closed. “Why won’t you lie with me?”
“When you wake up, I think you’d be mad at me if I did.”
“I wanted you to lie with me on the boat, but you didn’t.” Her words come out very matter-of-factly. “My parents fell in love in one bed.” Her doe eyes open, staring me down. “But it didn’t work for me.”
My lips lift as I brush the side of her face with my knuckles. “It worked better than you think.” I haven’t been able to stop dreaming about waking up with Jane in my arms.
“I just thought it would work.” She sighs, closing her eyes again. “Especially with you.”
My lips lift. “Why with me?”
“I’ve loved you my whole life.”
I blink down at her, not sure if I heard right.
That has to be the meds talking.
Before I can ask for clarification, she softly snores her way to sleep, leaving my heart more confused than ever.
Capri’s words ring louder in my ear more than ever.
She’s not your summer distraction while you’re in Sunset Harbor, or your rebound girl after Lydia, or how you console yourself while you’re down in the dumps. Jane deserves more than that.
Jane
“Ouch!” I wake up with aching gums and a dry mouth.
Aside from a small light shining from my bathroom, the room is mostly dark.
I sit up, running my fingers gently over my ginormous cheeks. I bet I look terrible. My hand reaches for the lamp next to my bed, flipping the light on. Bottles of pills and a glass of water are strategically placed on my nightstand, waiting for me with a note. I pick it up, squinting at the scribbles.
Jane,
I didn’t want to wake you, so I put your medicine here for you when you’re ready to take it. There’s also some chicken noodle soup in the refrigerator—compliments of Ivy from the café—several things of yogurt, and even some Otter Pops in the freezer. I didn’t know what you’d feel like eating. Tala said she was coming to check on you tonight, and I’m only a few minutes away if you need anything—just text me. I hope you get some rest and feel better soon.
Walker
I fall back onto my pillow, immediately regretting how it jars my mouth.
I thought Walker picking me up from the doctor’s office was just a dream—a really good dream that I didn’t want to wake up from. But now that I’m more coherent, I see flashes of moments: him helping me into his car, wearing a life jacket on his boat, crying on the floor in my kitchen, resting my head against his chest, and even him brushing my hair back from my face with so much tenderness my heart nearly breaks open.
What the heck happened to Beau?
And why do I feel like Walker taking care of me made mefall for him even more? I can barely even remember what he said or did or what I said or did. I just know he was sweet, and all this sweetness is making it hard to fight the good fight.
Walker
Show upto the Beach Break Bar at seven-thirty p.m.—those were my instructions from Jane when she texted me this morning.
Well, that,andtry to make Dustin Pearce jealous while she’s on her date with him.
