Page 19 of Always Yours

“I hit my head on the rearview mirror of my car. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You were holding your ribs earlier. You need to be checked out.”

Brandon walks back into the room, pushing a wheelchair. “All right, let’s go, you two. I have you in a room with two beds. We’re going to get Ally situated and then we’re going to get you some stitches and maybe an X-ray.”

I am not going to argue with him now. I’m not worried about me, but before I argue anything, I’m going to make sure that Ally is resting and has her medication. Then I'll clean myself up. But whatever I do, I’m not leaving her side.

Chapter11

Ally

Iwake up with Austin’s arm under my head. I’m pressed against his body, and his other hand is wrapped around my hip. There’s a bed right next to mine, but Austin stayed in bed with me all night. I know he’s not comfortable. There’s no way he could be.

I pull back to look at him. Lifting my hand, I run my fingers softly through his hair and barely resist tracing my fingers across his creased brow.

Austin has been my best friend for what feels like forever. If there’s anyone that I can depend on, it’s him.

My life is falling apart right now, but he hasn’t left my side. I’ve always known I can depend on him. Growing up, he picked me up when a date went wrong. He always looked out for me at parties. He made sure to include me even though I didn’t really fit in with all his friends. Time and time again, he would hang out with me instead of going to the pep rallies and parties out in the fields at the edge of town. Even since we’ve become adults, he’s been here for me. I see him all the time. I know half my clients are because he’s sent them to me. He’s always doing little things for me like buying me food, getting my car fixed, and things like that.

But what he’s trying to do for me now is not small. What he’s offering could change his whole life, and I can’t let him do it. Everything is getting blurry, and it would be so easy for me to give in and let him take care of everything. The kisses we’ve shared, the way he made me feel last night, all if it is what dreams are made of. But just because I’ve been in love with my best friend for most of my life, that doesn’t mean that I can just let him throw his life away because he has this need to take care of me.

His body tenses for just a second, and then he rubs his hand up and down my hip. My whole body reacts, but I try to keep it contained. “Morning, Alley Cat.”

I roll my eyes at the nickname he gave me back when we were in middle school. You save a few homeless cats and nobody lets you live it down. He kisses my forehead and then untangles his arms and legs from mine before he gets up. I miss him as soon as he pulls away. He’s stretching his arms over his head and yawns. “I promised the nurse I would let you sleep, and she told me I needed to be in my own bed, but I couldn’t leave you last night.”

I roll to my back and rub my hand up and down my belly. I’m not sure what to think about this new side of Austin. He’s always been protective of me, but it seems he’s taken it to a new level.

Just when I’m about to thank him, the door opens, and in walks Dr. Reynolds. “So you listened. I thought for sure you’d be throwing a party in here or something.”

Austin rolls his eyes at him. “Whatever, Doc. I let her sleep.”

I cut in and clear my throat. “Yeah, actually, I think it’s the best I’ve slept in forever.”

I can feel Austin’s eyes bore into me, but I keep my eyes focused on the doctor. “Can we go home now?”

Dr. Reynolds picks up a clipboard and reads through it. I’m sure he’s catching up on my blood pressure and other readings that the nurse documented through the night. “Okay, so we got you and the baby stable. I’m writing you a prescription to take. It will help with the blood pressure—”

I cut him off. “But the baby…”

He says, “The medicine is perfectly safe to take while pregnant. You need to take it.”

I nod my head, ready to promise him anything if it means I can get out of here.

“Okay, done. I’ll take it. Now can we go?”

He shakes his head and holds the clipboard to his chest. “You have to rest for two weeks. That means off your feet for two weeks. Only out of bed to shower and use the bathroom. That’s it.”

I’m already shaking my head in denial. I grab on to the handrail that is up on my right side and use it to pull myself into a sitting position. “I can’t take off work for two weeks.”

Dr. Reynolds gives Austin a dirty look and then gives me a bored one. I’m sure he never gets a good reaction when he tells a patient to stay in bed for two weeks, and I’m definitely not taking it well.

He puts his hand on top of mine. “Look Ally, I understand. You’re independent. You’re—”

He’s cut off when Austin growls. He literally growls. The sound fills the room, and both Dr. Reynolds and I look at him. Austin is glaring at the doctor, and Dr. Reynolds lifts his hand from mine. Finally, when he’s not touching me anymore, Austin nods his head. “Go ahead, continue.”

When I turn back to Dr. Reynolds, he has his arms crossed over his chest, and he’s smirking. “Okay, listen. I don’t want to scare you, Ally, but you need to keep the baby in there for as long as you can. I’m already sure that you’re not going to carry it to term.”

Alarmed, I rear back. “I won’t?”

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