After Bev ran to get her car, I watched as Brody rubbed his chest and stared at nothing. I watched as his hand ran from one scar to the next in one large circle. He wasn’t in that kitchen with me. He was back in that hospital fighting for his life.

I scooted to the edge and lowered myself to the floor. I held on to the counter until I balanced myself and hopped over to him. I needed him to get me out front. Bev didn’t need to see him like that. When I got close enough that I could reach out, I grabbed his arm and hopped closer.

He blinked a couple of times and looked down at me. He narrowed his eyes and glanced to the counter before turning a glare to me. He scooped me up for the second time that day as if I weighed nothing. “What are you doing?”

I placed my hand on the side of his face and looked into his beautiful green eyes. “Where did you go?” When he didn’t answer, I placed my other hand on his chest. “Will you tell me about this sometime? It might help to talk about it.”

His eyes roamed my face before he looked directly into my eyes and said, “No, it won’t.”

I placed my forehead to his when Bev honked. “I’m always here to listen if you’ll let me.”

“I need to get you out front.”

He was afraid, but I wasn’t giving up on him. “Okay.”

* * *

I was rushed to X-rays when I got to the emergency room, but there was nothing but waiting after that. I wasn’t the greatest at waiting. I looked at my watch again.

“It’ll do you two a lot of good to spend some time apart.”

I looked at Bev and narrowed my eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think you spend too much time with him. I think you’re getting too attached.”

“He’s been nice to me.”

She put the magazine she was pretending to read down and looked at me. “Nice? So, I have to worry about every boy who treats you ‘nice’ in the future?”

“You actually don’t have to worry about me at all. I can take a cab home.”

“Maggie.”

“What, Bev? You haven’t given him a chance since the moment he stepped foot into your diner.”

“I gave him the same chance I give everyone who steps into my place, and he failed.”

“Because his brother stole his money?” I scoffed. “You’re judging him on something he can’t control.”

“That’s what he tells you. How do you know that’s even true?”

“Because I talked to his brother.”

She shook her head. “There’s no talking to you about him. There’s no reasoning. He’s going to hurt you.”

“Why is that? Because you think he’s going to walk out on me? Are you worried he’s going to leave me behind without another word?” It was wrong, and I shouldn’t have said it, but I couldn’t help it. “I guess I should listen to you. If anyone knows how to spot someone who will leave me, it’s you.”

She looked down and closed her eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip. It was her signature move when she wanted to stop herself from saying something or crying. I needed to learn a move like that. I felt terrible for what I said. Just as I was about to apologize, the doctor walked in.

“Good news or bad news?”

Bev looked up but wouldn’t look at me. I wouldn’t take my eyes off her. It was a long time ago that she walked out on Dad and me, and she’d been great to me ever since I showed up after he died. She was even excited to see me again. It was the only reason I stayed. I had found myself alone without my father or fiancé, and I was angry. I needed to lash out at someone, and she was the only one I had left to lash out at. She took more abuse from me than she deserved.

“Ms. Jensen?” The doctor was trying to get my attention, but he couldn’t heal what was really broken.

* * *

Brody was waiting outside the diner when Bev pulled up. She didn’t speak the entire way home. I didn’t, either. I’d said enough. She got out and walked into the diner when Brody opened my car door.

“Hey.” He looked down to my foot before he lifted me out of the car. “I don’t see a cast, so that’s a good sign.”

“Yes, it is.”

Bev opened the door and yelled out to Brody, “I don’t know if you’ve eaten, but she missed lunch, and now it’s time for dinner. Bring her in here before you head back to the gym. She needs to eat.”

I looked at him when she went back inside. “I’m not even hungry.”

“I think she’s going to kill me if I don’t. Did something happen? She didn’t talk to you.”

“She’s worried about me.”

He nodded and shut the car door with his hip. “She thinks I hurt you.”

“No, she thinks you’re going to hurt me.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad you cleared that up.” He looked at the diner and back to me. “Do you want to go in there, or do you want to go to bed?”

“Bed, but let’s do what she says first.”

“Okay.” Brody carried me in and set me down in the booth. I turned, put my foot up on the seat, and slid to the back. “Are you good?”

I looked at Brody and nodded. “Thanks.”

He slid across from me. “What did the doctor say?”

“It isn’t broken, but I messed up some ligaments or muscles. I wasn’t paying attention. I need to keep weight off it and give it time to heal.” I watched Bev as she got back to work and greeted her customers as if she weren’t just in the emergency room getting reamed by her daughter.

“Yeah, kind of like now.”

I looked at Brody. “Huh?”

“You’re not paying any attention here, either.”

I stuck my bottom lip out and spoke as if I were pouting. “Oh, is Brody feeling a little ignored?”

He pointed at me and tried to not smile. “I’m not above kicking the ass of a handicapped woman.” He got serious. “Did they give you something for the pain? What about your arm?”

“Yeah, they gave me something at the hospital, and Bev picked up the prescription at the pharmacy for when that stuff wears off. My arm isn’t broken, either. It’s bruised, but no other damage than broken blood vessels.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “What do you want to eat?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you one of those holistic types who doesn’t believe in medications, or were you wishing my arm was broken?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I believe in medications. I also believe those are overprescribed. A lot of people get hooked on them.”

“You’re right. I’m not one of those people. I doubt I even take the entire prescription, but I probably will take them for a night or two in order to get some sleep.”

Bev placed a couple of club sandwiches and fries in front of us. She turned to leave, but I took her hand when she let go of my plate.

I squeezed her hand and hoped she knew how sorry I was for what I said. I was relieved when she squeezed back. She still didn’t look at me, but at least she squeezed back. It was a start.

* * *

Brody stood at the bottom of the stairs with me on his back and looked up. “I think we’re going to bring your mattress down here tomorrow. It’s going to be a long night with all the soda you drank.”

I had my arms wrapped around the front of him and slapped his chest. “Why don’t you just go get it now? Better yet, put me down and toss it at me.”

“Hmm. That’s an idea.” He laughed as he took the stairs. “I’ll consider it my workout, but don’t get too used to it. I’ll be testing you occasionally to make sure you’re not faking it, Cleopatra.”

“Cleopatra?” I laughed. “Either you think I’m very beautiful or you think I want to be carried around by men. Let me think on that for a moment.” I laughed again.

He unlocked the door and let us in, but wouldn’t put me down. He turned and shut the door, but snapped his fingers instead of locking it. “I should’ve gone to the bathroom before carrying you up here.” He opened the door again. “It’ll just take a minute.”

“Hey!” I couldn’t stop laughing. “I’m not joining you for that.”

“Oh, fine. It’s always about you, isn’t it?” He shut the door and locked it.

I wasn’t sure what had gotten him into such a good mood, but I liked it. He was relieved when Bev and I came back and nothing was broken, but I never expected the reaction I was getting. He knocked on my bedroom door and waited. I placed my forehead on his shoulder as I laughed even harder. It took everything I had to stop laughing long enough to say, “Come in.”

“I didn’t think you’d ever let me open the door.”

“Oh, God. I’m dying.” I wiped my eyes and chuckled a few more times. “I never knew you could be so funny.” I tried to get down, but he grabbed my arms and pulled them in front of him again.

“I will let you get down when you are safely on your bed. The doctor said no weight on your foot, and I think he meant it.”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes as I hung on to his chest again. I liked having my arms wrapped around him, so I wasn’t complaining. I wanted him to think I was annoyed, though.

He stood at the foot of the bed. “Well, here we are.” He let go of my arms and held his out in front of him as he fell toward the bed. I had started to let go, but I wrapped my arms around him and held on tighter when we dropped. His hands out in front braced the impact so I didn’t slam into him when we landed, but it still scared the shit out of me, but only for a moment.

I laughed. “You’re crazy.” My arms were pinned between him and the bed, and when I tried to pull them free, I laughed harder.

“Are you stuck?” I could hear the amusement in his voice. He was enjoying himself.

“Just a little.” I kept giggling.

“I’d love to help you, but I’ve got this extra weight on my back. I don’t think I can move.”

“Come on!” I laughed again. “You’re cutting off the circulation.”

“Okay. Don’t get all whiny on me.” The smile was still in his voice.

He turned over but didn’t stop to where I could get my arms free. He kept going and pinned me to the bed underneath his back. I screamed and laughed harder.

“Is that better?” He couldn’t stop himself from chuckling. “I mean, you’re laughing, so everything must be better.”

I tried to shove him, but it didn’t work. “I can’t breathe.”

He rolled over just enough to change his body to face me. He propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at me. I hadn’t seen him smile like that before. It sobered me up a little.

“Most people suck in air when they laugh that hard. You should’ve sucked.”

“I had a restriction on my chest.”

He raised an eyebrow and looked at my chest. “I’d say you have two.” He laughed when I shoved him. “Well, what did you expect me to say to that?”

I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair. I wanted to touch him everywhere, but I didn’t want to scare him off. I loved feeling my body under his. “We really need to get you a haircut.”

“You don’t like my hair? I was going to grow it out so we could braid it.” He shook his head as if he were a fashion model, even though his hair wasn’t long enough to shake like that.

I decided to be bold. “I like everything about you.” I caressed his face.

He didn’t look away, but he did stop smiling. It wasn’t replaced by a scowl. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking while he was looking down at me. I knew what I was thinking. I wanted him to kiss me. He looked away, and I closed my eyes.

“You’ve stopped yourself from kissing me before. Go ahead and stop now.”

“It’s harder to stop tonight. You didn’t drink beer.”

I opened my eyes and looked at him. “What?”

He looked down to my lips. “The only reason I haven’t kissed you before is because you were drinking beer every time I wanted to.”

“I wasn’t drunk.”

He looked at me. “No, you weren’t, but—”

“I’m not a drunk.” I was getting defensive. “I can enjoy an occasional beer or two.”

“I am.” He sat up, leaned forward, and placed his head in his hands. “I’m an alcoholic.”