JESSICA LAY BACK on the pillow, exhausted from being pricked by about a million and one needles. She moaned as she shifted on the bed. Jesus, my head is pounding. Is the doctor ever going to find out what the hell is wrong with me?

A middle-aged nurse walked in, flashing a bright smile at Jessica. She handed her a cup. “Here’s some water, sweetie. And I’ve got some Motrin for you. We need to bring down that fever.” She checked the IV and handed Jessica another cup with two small pills.

Jessica struggled to sit up. “Thanks. Do you know when the doctor will be in?” She swallowed the pills and handed the cup back to the nurse.

The nurse hummed as she checked Jessica’s chart. “He should be in shortly.” She popped a thermometer into Jessica’s mouth. “Hmm, still a bit high. Why don’t you close your eyes for a bit? Try to rest, sweetie.”

Jessica leaned back and sighed. “I know I should, but I just can’t. Too much on my mind right now, you know? I mean, aside from trying not to hurl again.”

The nurse nodded. “I’m sure. But you’re in good hands. We’re going to take care of you, so don’t you fret.”

“Thanks.” Jessica pointed to the doorway. “Um, there’s a guy who came in with me. Do you know if—”

“Do I know if he’s been anxiously pacing the floors of the waiting room since you were brought in? That would be a giant yes. Boyfriend?”

Jessica gave a half-shrug. With everything that happened since she arrived, they hadn’t gotten a chance to talk. Why was he at the airport? And how did he even know I was coming?

To her shock, James was there when they wheeled her off the plane and he didn’t leave her side until the nurses forced him to stay in the waiting room when they arrived at the hospital. But she was petrified, and just having him near was more comforting than anything else she could imagine at that moment.

“Should I send him in? Are you up to it?” The nurse flashed a knowing smile. “Maybe your handsome friend can keep you company while you wait for the doctor? I should probably tell you that he’s been asking for an update at least every fifteen minutes since you got here. Seems like he thinks of you as way more than just a friend.” The nurse shrugged. “For what it’s worth.”

Jessica sipped the water. “It’s pretty complicated. We were dating but then…” She picked at the blanket. “We broke up not too long ago. I’m not sure why he’s even here.”

“Well, based on what I see, he’s not about to let you walk away a second time.”

Jessica stifled a snort. Ha! How ironic is that.

The nurse picked up the empty cup, a thoughtful look on her face. “Relationships can be tricky. There are always bumps in the road. How you both deal with those bumps becomes the most important thing. You have to figure out if the relationship is strong enough where you can put issues in the past and grow as a couple. I don’t know what happened between you two, but he’s here with you now, worried sick. That’s got to count for something, right?”

Jessica nodded with a small smile. “Maybe so. You’re a pretty wise woman.”

“It’s part of my job. I look out for the physical and emotional wellbeing of my patients.”

“Would you mind sending him back?” Jessica flashed a sheepish smile. “And thanks for the advice.”

The nurse winked. “You’ve got it. Let me know if you need anything else, sweetie.”

Jessica settled back against the pillow and sighed. She missed James so much. Listening to his voicemails over the past weeks was heartbreaking but she forced herself to ignore his attempts at reconciliation. She needed to protect herself. But he’s here to watch over you now, even after you blew him off. He’s not going away quietly. She recalled the nurse’s words. That’s got to count for something, right?

A minute later, James appeared in the doorway. He crossed the room and bent over to kiss her softly on the mouth. “Jess, thank God you’re okay. I was so worried about you.”

Her heart soared as his mouth grazed hers. Oh Jesus, I’ve missed him so much.

“James, why are you here?”

“Jess, I’m so sorry. I know I messed everything up between us. I had a chance to handle things like an adult and I failed miserably. I was stubborn and unfair, a complete ass. I made a huge mistake letting you go.” He took her hand and put it to his soft lips, making her pulse race all over again. “I’m here to prove to you that I’m in this. I won’t let you get away again.”

A giggle escaped her lips and she motioned to the wires and machines surrounding her. “Ah, yeah, I can’t see myself going anywhere for a while. So, are you going to tell me how you knew I was coming out here?”

James flashed a sheepish smile. “I was on a flight headed to New York to see you. I called all of your numbers and left multiple messages. Lisa got the one at your apartment. She called me and told me everything. Threatened me if I ever hurt you again.” He looked into her eyes, his voice cracking. “Jess, I…I miss you so much. I’m so in love with you. Please give us another chance.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered. “Thank you for being here.”

His eyes widened and the corners of his lips turned up into a hopeful smile. “So…what do you think? Will you give us another shot?”

She smiled through her tears. “I don’t know, it’s a pretty big risk. Lisa doesn’t believe in empty threats. If she tells you she’s going to do something, you can take it to the bank. Are you prepared to handle that?”

He grinned. “I’ve got nothing to be nervous about.” His blue eyes turned serious and he squeezed her hand. “Can we get past this? Will you forgive me for being a complete jerkoff? Because I want you. Forever. No matter what.” He leaned closer. “How can I convince you? Do I need to shower you with Starburst jelly beans?”

Jessica’s face relaxed into a smile and she winked. “Well, as long as they’re part of the offer…”

James grinned and pulled a bag out of his jacket. “I knew that would work.” He cupped her face. “I love you, Jess.” He leaned in gently, his lips so gentle and warm on hers. She shivered against him, the delicious sensation traveling throughout her limbs. Oh yes, this is truly worth the risk.

“Ahem.”

They jumped apart, startled by the unexpected intrusion.

An older, gray-haired doctor strode in with a grin on his face. “Hello, folks. Sorry for the interruption.”

Jessica cleared her throat. “Excuse us, Doctor, we were just…”

The doctor held a hand up. “No need for explanations. I was young once.” He walked to the bed and picked up Jessica’s chart. “I’m Dr. Chandrasekaran.” He smiled. “Dr. C for short.”

“Nice to meet you, Doc, although I wish it was under different circumstances. Can you tell me anything about what happened earlier?” Jessica bit her nail. “To say I’m a little bugged out would be an enormous understatement.”

Dr. C nodded. “Understandable.” He flipped through the pages and looked up. “Well, we’ve confirmed your current diagnosis, however, what you experienced on the plane was nothing more than a side effect from an injection. We got information from your doctor in New York that you had your first dose yesterday, is that correct?”

Jessica nodded. “Yes.”

Dr. C smiled. “It’s a rare side effect, though a pretty troublesome one if you aren’t prepared for it. The medication brings out intense flu-like symptoms that tend to last a couple of weeks. It can be scary, especially in light of the symptoms you’re dealing with day to day.”

Jessica breathed a sigh of relief. “So I haven’t gotten worse?”

Dr. C shook his head. “Everything is stable as of your latest test results. This was just a minor blip. Of course, we’ll have to monitor you for the rest of the day to see how the injection continues to affect you. You may require a different medication down the road, but time will tell.”

James squeezed her hand and looked at the doctor. “So, what can she do in the meantime?”

“Well, since you’re only out here temporarily for business, I’d recommend getting a referral from your current doctor. You can manage the flu symptoms with over the counter medication and with any luck they’ll fade sooner than later. You’ll be back to normal in no time.” He smiled. “The nurse will be in a bit later to check your vitals. Don’t expect to get any sleep tonight because someone will be in every hour to monitor you.”

“Thanks, Doc. I really appreciate it.” Jessica smiled at James as the doctor left the room. “Thank God.”

“Jess, I don’t really like the idea of you being by yourself out here.” James looked at her, his eyes darkening. “I mean, what happens if you have another episode or if you get sick again and need help—”

Jessica shot him a coy look and fluttered her eyelashes. “So what should we do about that? Are you volunteering for the job, James?”

He stroked her cheek and smiled. “Yeah,” he whispered. “I thought I already told you that, but I’ll say it again and as often as you need to hear it. It’s you and me. Forever.”