Page 3 of Tequila Burn

Chapter Two

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Hudson:Please answer your phone. We need to talk.

Hudson:I can explain everything. Just call me back.

Hudson:Lennon?

Hudson:At least tell me you’re okay.

Hudson:Tell me where you are. Please.

I ignore message after message as well as decline every call Hudson has made over the past half an hour. I’m assuming, given the way my phone started blowing up not long after I left Emma’s, that he’s out of jail.

Is it bad that I almost wish he weren’t?

Tossing my phone onto the passenger seat, not wanting to deal with Hudson right now, I climb from the car before looking up at the large four story hospital in front of me.

I don’t know what I’m doing here. Honestly I had no intention of visiting Gage. I was driving around, feeling more lost and helpless than ever before when I found myself sitting in the visitor parking lot of the county hospital.

Letting out a slow breath, I make my way through the main entrance, turning left to find a reception desk manned by an older lady who barely glances up from her computer when I approach.

“Can you please tell me which room Gage Dawson is in? He was admitted last night.”

“Gage Dawson,” she repeats, continuing to type away on her keyboard. “Room three sixty-four. Take the elevators down the hall to the third floor. Once there, make a left.”

“Thank you.”

She meets my gaze, gives me a brief nod, and turns her attention back to her computer.

The ride up feels like an eternity. My heart races in my chest, filling the small box with the thud of my nerves. By the time the doors finally slide open, I’ve all but talked myself out of visiting Gage.

It’s crazy really. I don’t know why I care. I shouldn’t care. But deep down I feel like I need to make sure he’s okay.

A part of me feels like I’m to blame for what happened last night. Not entirely given that it wouldn’t have happened had he not kissed me. But I still bear a great deal of weight and no matter what Gage has done, I don’t feel like he deserved what Hudson did to him.

Yes, he’s an incredible asshole. Yes, he’s put me through more shit in the last year than is even close to acceptable. Yes, he’s the reason I have a hard time trusting anyone. But he’s still the man I once saw my future with.

Peppered into all the bad memories are some good ones. Some really good ones. And it’s those memories, those little glimpses of the man Gage has the potential to be, that has me wrapping lightly on the door of room three sixty-four before pushing my way inside.

The room is dim. The overhead lights are turned off and the blinds are drawn, casting an almost orange glow into the room.

“Lennon?” Confusion is clear in Gage’s voice the instant he spots me.

My heart sinks into my stomach when I catch sight of him lying in the bed. He looks awful. His face is bruised and swollen. There are stitches across his left cheek and white tape running along the bridge of his nose. One eye is almost completely swollen shut while the other has a dark bruise underneath it. A deep slit runs down the center of his bottom lip to what appears to be more stitches across his chin.

“I hope it’s okay that I’m here.” Stepping further into the room, I continue, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“You shouldn’t be here.” His voice is strained, eyes looking anywhere but at me.

“I know. I can go,” I say, turning.

“No.” I hear the bed shift and turn back to see him sitting up fully in bed. “I said you shouldn’t be here, not that I didn’t want you to be.”

“I’m not here...” I start, but he instantly cuts me off.

“I’m not stupid enough to believe that you being here means you’ve changed your mind.” He shakes his head. “I think that message was delivered pretty clear already.” He gestures to his face.

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