Page 85 of I Wish I Would've Chosen You

“I’m not trying to avoid you,” I say. “I’m just studying.”

“Bullshit.” She steps closer and presses a hand against my forehead. “You’re burning up and your face looks awful. No offense.”

“None taken. I’m fine.”

She rolls her eyes and disappears, returning with a cold towel and a thermometer.

She stuffs it between my lips.

It beeps several seconds later.

“You’re at one hundred three degrees, so I’ll be nice and give you two choices,” she says. “One, you can let me take you to the doctor. Two, you can agree to take some medicine and if it doesn’t go down in a few hours, I’ll still take you to the doctor.”

“Three,” I say. “I’ll go back to sleep and wait for it to go down on its own.”

“Okay, so option two it is.” She scoffs. “I’ll be right back.”

She leaves and returns to the room moments later, helping me to sit up and sip water.

My vision blurs and I follow her instructions, but the next thing I know Liam is sitting on the edge of the bed and running his fingers through my hair.

“What the…” I try to sit up, but I can’t. “What are you doing here?”

“Shhh.” He looks concerned. “Try not to move so fast.”

“Where is Lauren?”

“At work,” he says. “She insisted that I take her place for a few hours with you.”

“She really likes you.”

He doesn’t say anything.

“Really really likes you,” I say. “You’re cute together.”

“I think it’s clear that my relationship with her is over.”

“I don’t see why.”

“Do you need a mirror?”

Silence.

“I haven’t been able to sleep since I kissed you,” he says. “And I know you’re having trouble, too.”

“You’re wrong.” I shake my head. “I’m fine. I’ve been keeping myself very busy.”

“By studying?”

“Exactly.” I nod. “And being with a man who won’t abandon me.”

“You lied to me, Genevieve.” He runs his fingers through my hair, and when I look into his eyes this time, I don’t see the anger that was there before.

“I hope you’re not expecting an apology…” I repeat words he once said to me before.

“That would actually be nice, seeing as though both of us wouldn’t be in pain if you hadn’t lied.

“If I’d told you the truth, you would’ve never given me a chance,” I say. “I practically had to beg you to look my way when you thought I was eighteen, and…” My words trail off into a soft sob.

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