Page 102 of Tangled Up

The damn breaks inside me, and I exhale a husky laugh. “I didn’t know what to talk about, so I talked about us.”

She blinks a few times and pulls my hand. I guide her IV line and monitors around the rails as she sits forward, as we carefully draw closer until her head is against my chest. Tears are in my eyes, and I look up at the ceiling, exhaling a silentthank youas I hold her with every fiber of my being.

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

CARLY

“Iwas out less than twenty-four hours. Everyone’s acting like I’m made of glass.” My hand is on Beck’s rock-hard bicep, and he holds me as we walk along the shore in front of the Pearl.

When I awoke in the tiny clinic a week ago, I had to stay another twenty-four hours for observation, but they released me with a miraculously clean bill of health.

Alize was stable enough to be transported to the state-contracted hospital in Pensacola where a custody officer stands outside her door until she recuperates enough to be returned to jail.

Her plight is heavy on my mind, as is my promise to her. The doctors think she’ll make a full recovery, and I have to keep my word.

Beck won’t hear of it. He says I’m not working with her anymore, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Ever since I’ve returned to Eden, everyone has been fussing over me like I’m the Queen of England. Ronnie told me to take as long as I needed to come back, but to be honest, the longer I’m here, the more I want to stay. I miss my family, and I need to be closer to Aunt Viv now that she’s getting older. Not to mention Jessica and her silly dream.

“You had a brain injury, Carls.” Beck’s voice is tender. “We’re going to take it easy until we know you’re a hundred percent.”

“The urgent care doctor said I was fine.”

“Not to pull rank, but that doctor doesn’t specialize in brain activity.”

“You’re not a neurologist either.”

“No, but I work with geriatrics, and neurology is a big part of many of my patients’ health care.”

I shake my head, but it’s no use. He won’t listen to a word I say.

The truth is, I kind of love overprotective Beck.

We walk a little farther, and when I glance up, I see he’s frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“When you were in the hospital, that long night, I kind of made a deal with God.”

My mind flickers back to what I’ve heard, what Henry and Kevin told me about Beck sitting at my side nonstop the entire time, talking, falling asleep, waking up, talking more, singing, holding my hand until I opened my eyes. It all squeezes my chest and makes me love him even more—if that were possible.

“To live to be one hundred?” I tease.

“Only if you’re with me.” He catches me around the waist, pulling me against his chest.

“Deal.” My nose wrinkles and I laugh. “What’s this deal with God?”

His arms loosen, and he steps beside me, turning serious again. It makes me a little nervous. “Don’t tell me you promised God you’d let me go or something bizarre like that.” My nerves keep me talking. “I don’t understand promises like that. If you’re promising something to keep someone alive, why in the world would you promise not to be with that person?”

“Hey…” He catches my face in his hands, sliding his thumbs over the tops of my cheeks before kissing my lips. “Calm down, it’s nothing like that.”

I exhale a nervous laugh. “Good. You’ve been so quiet lately, I was getting worried.”

“I used all my words waking you up.”

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I squeeze him. “I’ll never forget it as long as I live.”

He wraps a strong arm around me, and I watch the water pushing sand over our toes as we walk. I love it here, with the saltwater and the sand and the beautiful blue skies and the sea breezes…

“I need to talk to you about the night Tyler died.” He stops and turns to face me, taking both my hands in his.

---