Page 86 of Summer Ever After
She blinks back at me a few times before switching gears. “Where’s my phone? We need to tell Capri I don’t have any more teeth.” Her eyes close as she pushes her lips into a pout. “They took my teeth.”
I now understand the nurse’s sentiment about Jane being weepy.
“Shh.” I brush her hair away from her face. “Don’t worry about any of that. We’ll tell Capri.” I pause for a minute then say what’s really on my mind, because she won’t remember any of it. “I missed you, Jane. I went home to Jupiter the last two days and golfed on the course there. I did okay—not anywhere close to where I need to be, but better. I’m starting to wonder if you’re my lucky charm.” I shrug. “Well,beingwith you is my lucky charm.”
Her lids blink a few times before opening. She runs herfingers over the sides of her jaw. “I can’t eat Lucky Charms. I don’t have any teeth.”
I smile, really liking this version of her.
“I’m going to play in the Rocket Mortgage Classic next week. I just thought someone should know. Someone close to me.”
Her lips quiver like she might start crying again. “I want to go in a rocket.”
The nurse comes back in with a stack of papers. Jane tries to get her attention the entire time she’s giving me the instructions.
“Hey, hey, hey.” She finally tugs on her scrubs. “This cute guy kissed me.”
“Uh”—I look at the nurse guiltily—“just on the forehead.”
“This isn’t Beau. This is my brother, Walker.”
Brother? Really? I hate when Jane calls me that, even in her drugged-up state. And thanks to her blurting out that I kissed her, the nurse probably thinks I’m a disgusting brother at that.
The woman ignores her like she’s done this a million times before and shifts her gaze back to me. “Let us know if you have any questions.”
“Thanks. I will.” I help Jane stand. “Alright, let’s get you home.”
“Who’s going to take care of me?” I help guide her down the hall. As we pass by the front desk, she yells at the secretary. “I live alone. Who’s going to take care of me?”
Something about that innocent worry of hers tugs at my heartstrings.
“I’ll take care of you, Jane. Don’t worry.”
Her head flops to me with a goofy grin spread across her mouth. “Okay.”
We drive to the marina garage in silence, aside from a few random tears about how much she wants to go to a Morgan Wallen concert but can’t now because her cheeks are swollen.
Getting her into Stan’s boat took three people plus strapping a life jacket to her since Medicated Jane is apparently scared of water. But within a half-hour, I had her safely back to her own house.
“Where do you want to rest? The couch? The bed?”
She plops down on the floor in her kitchen, getting teary-eyed again. “I don’t know.”
“How about your bed?”
Her shoulders slump. “I don’t think I can make it.”
“That’s what I’m here for.” I bend down, gathering her in my arms, half expecting to feel pain in my back as I lift her, but it looks like my lumbar microdiscectomy is still doing its job. “Okay, where’s your bedroom?”
“Up.” She rests her head against my chest, snuggling into the cradle my arms make.
My eyes close, and my shoulders drop in satisfaction.
I don’t think I’ve ever cradled a woman in my life. Even if I had, Jane is the best thing I’ve ever held—and I’ve held a lot of prestigious golf trophies in my lifetime.
I appreciate the feeling of her against my chest for one more second before climbing the stairs and depositing her on her mattress.
I position her pillows how she asks, and when I’m sure she’s comfortable, I stand and say, “I’ll go pick up your prescriptions and be right back.”
