Lucy

Doctor Bradburn was still talking about the extent of Lucy’s injuries when Jaxon knocked on the open door. He peeked into the room holding three cups of coffee and Doctor Bradburn waved him in.

“Brought you some coffee,” Jaxon said setting two of the cups down on a tray by the bed.

“Good man,” Doctor Bradburn said, picking up one of the cups.

“I can come back later if I’m interrupting,” Jaxon offered.

“I was actually just finishing up,” Doctor Bradburn said, turning back to Lucy. “Do you have any more questions for me?”

Lucy’s mind was reeling. She had a million questions. She’d just been told she had bruised ribs and a fractured leg that was being held together by titanium screws. But somehow the only question that came to her mind was completely ridiculous. “Will I be able to swim again?”

“Swim?” Doctor Bradburn asked.

“I’m on the swim team at Saint Andrews.”

The doctor’s face showed the first hint of sadness and it told Lucy everything she needed to know. He’d somehow made her injuries sound like no big deal, smiling through his recommendations for recovery like it would be a breeze. But apparently, he drew the line at swimming.

“Lucy, I’m afraid it’s unrealistic to think you’ll be able to return to competitive swimming this school year. But with diligent physical therapy and training I have every confidence you’ll be able to return to swimming.”

Lucy nodded and swallowed the lump of sorrow caught in her throat. Doctor Bradburn’s pager went off—again. That was the third time now. He glanced at it and frowned momentarily. Then he turned back to face Lucy, smiling warmly. She appreciated that he was trying to look like he wasn’t rushed. But he was the chief of surgery and he’d already spent almost thirty minutes with her.

“I know I gave you a lot of information just now, but I’ll be back to check on you later today. In the mean time if you need anything or think of any questions just press the call button for your nurse, okay?”

“Okay,” Lucy replied.

Doctor Bradburn smiled again and gently patted her arm before turning to Jaxon. “I’ll see you at home,” he said patting his nephew’s shoulder.

Home? Wait. Didn’t Jaxon live on campus? Saint Andrews was a boarding school. Everyone lived on campus. The school was the closest thing Lucy had to a home. Suddenly, tears burned at the back of Lucy’s throat and another question burst from her. “When can I go back to school?”

Jaxon

Jaxon’s uncle turned to face Lucy, his calming smile hiding his weariness. “Let’s see how you do today, but I’d like to keep you at least one more night for observation. Barring any complications I think we’ll be able to send you home just as soon as I go over some of the physical therapy and medical equipment with your parents.”

“My parents aren’t . . . they’re not . . . it’s complicated,” Lucy said in a small voice.

Jaxon watched his uncle’s perfect bedside manner slide back into place as he offered her a tight smile before consulting her chart. A slight frown crossed his face as he read it over. “Lucy, I’m afraid we can’t release you without a parent or guardian since you’re under eighteen.”

Lucy’s lower lip began to quiver and Jaxon could all but taste her tears coming. “But I-I’ll be eighteen in a few months.”

Jaxon’s uncle held up a hand. “It’s nothing to worry about. I’ll send in a counselor to meet with you today to go over some options, okay?”

Lucy nodded and Jaxon looked between her and his uncle, uncomfortably. He didn’t really want to be left alone with her if she started crying, but he couldn’t leave now without looking like a total ass. The girl had no family for Christ’s sake. Plus, Jaxon really wanted to ask Lucy what she remembered from the accident. If her memory was as good as she claimed, he was going to call Conner in to take her statement.

Lucy

When Doctor Bradburn left the room Lucy was ready to fall to pieces, but of course the small problem of Jaxon standing there prevented her from doing so. She gazed at him through glassy eyes, willing her tears to rescind. He was more like a big problem. The guy was a giant. He had to be almost six-four. And his muscles weren’t too shabby either. They stretched the fabric of his blue scrubs taught across his broad chest and coiled biceps. No wonder he’d been able to pull her from the car. He looked like he could play for the Lakers!

Lucy supposed she was lucky Jaxon was there when she crashed, but at the moment, she didn’t feel very lucky. She felt like her life was imploding all over again. She was truly on her own. She had been for a long time now, but somehow it felt like she was being abandoned all over again.

Jaxon moved to the chair next to her bed and sank into it. She could feel him staring at her with his sharp blue eyes. Rather than avoid his gaze, Lucy turned straight into it. Their eyes met, holding each other for a quiet moment.

She didn’t know what to say to him. ‘Thanks for saving me. Sorry I was an ass but my life’s a huge mess and maybe you shoulda just let me die?’

It didn’t have a great ring to it. And with Lucy’s luck, Jaxon would just call his uncle back and have her committed to the mental ward. Although what did it matter? It’s not like she was getting out of the hospital anytime soon . . .

“So swimming?” Jaxon asked, interrupting Lucy’s spiraling thoughts.

“Yeah.”

“You any good?”

She shrugged, then winced from the pain it caused her. “I guess. But that’s not why I do it.”

“Then why?”

“I don’t know. It’s just my happy place.” She frowned. “I know it doesn’t make sense, but it was something that was just mine, ya know?”

He nodded. “I get it. That’s what basketball was for me.”

“You play?” She didn’t know he was on the team at Saint Andrews.

“I did.”

“Not anymore?” she asked.

He shook his head. “It’s complicated.”

She nodded. “I’m familiar with complicated.”

“Sounds like it.”

Lucy knew he didn’t mean anything by it, but Jaxon’s comment still stung. She hated that her life was a trainwreck. But she had no control over it—not until she turned eighteen. Then she was going to make some changes.

Jaxon

Jaxon took a slow sip of his coffee, not sure what to say next. He felt bad for Lucy for more than the obvious reasons. Being injured was bad enough, but having it happen in a car wreck that was entirely not her fault was heartbreaking. And on top of it she apparently had no family to help care for her. Plus, she’d just found out she’d lost swimming; something she clearly loved.

Jaxon could relate. That’s what basketball had been for him before the accident. Being on the court with the ball had always been simple, joyful. But Jaxon didn’t really feel he had the right to joy after what happened to his mother.

He wished he had something to say to Lucy as he watched her settle hopelessly against her pillows and look up toward the ceiling. Her eyes fell closed and he wondered if maybe her painkillers were kicking in. But then she blew out a deep, frustrated breath. “Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter what swimming was for me. It’s over now.”

“Maybe not forever.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “Please. This is my last year to swim competitively. I’ll never make a college team if I don’t have a high school resume.”

“Colleges understand extenuating circumstances.” At least he hoped they did since he had a few of his own. “Besides, I thought that’s not why you do it,” he said, mimicking her girly voice.

She scowled at him, but her hazel eyes looked resolute once again. “Touché. But your uncle says recovery will take me at least twelve weeks. And that’s if I’m lucky and don’t have any complications. And clearly . . .” she gestured to the hospital room, “We can rule out my good luck. I should just kiss swimming goodbye. And prom, and spring break. And basically my freedom.”

Jaxon watched as a storm of emotion gathered behind Lucy’s eyes. The bits of gold flecks he’d noticed among the green and brown seemed to disappear under a cloud of gloom. “I’m sorry,” Jaxon said quietly. “It really sucks this happened to you.”

“Yeah, it does.”

Lucy

Lucy stared at the ceiling for a while fighting the turmoil that was coursing through her. The accident happened yesterday, but the impact of it was still battering her over and over. Life as she knew it was over. It was more than just prom and spring break and swim team. She wasn’t completely shallow. The thing that worried her most was what giving up all those things meant. It meant she’d lose even more of herself; more of her freedom.

Alex already controlled so much of her life and now this injury would cost her everything she had left. She’d be completely reliant on him. And she already hated how much he rubbed the fact the she needed him in her face. Until she was eighteen and could get access to her trust fund, Alex Alvez owned her.

New realizations washed over her ever few seconds. How would she get anywhere off campus? Alex would have to drive her. How would she even get to class? Would she have to ask Alex to carry her books? He’d never agree to that. What about her summer internship at the zoo? Would she have to give that up too?

Panic sliced through her. Lucy had wanted to be a veterinarian ever since she could remember. Her dream was to work at the San Diego Zoo as a vet. She was attending Cal State in the fall and they made it clear that every volunteer hour she could collect would make a difference when it came time to apply to the competitive vet programs.

The sound of Jaxon slurping his coffee made Lucy jump. She’d forgotten he was there for a moment. She glanced over at him, noticing he seemed willing to look anywhere but her eyes. He focused on the cup in his hand and finally took another sip.

“Is that one for me?” she asked, nodding her head to the lone cup sitting on the tray by her bed.

He finally looked at her. Surprise reflected in his eyes like lightning over water. Good Lord, his eyes were vivid!

Jaxon grabbed the forgotten coffee cup and held it out to her. “Coffee?”

“Thanks.”

“Wait,” he kept hold of the cup even though Lucy’s fingers were now around it too. “Are you even allowed to have coffee?”

She sighed. “Probably not. Seems I’m not allowed to do much, including ever leave this place again.”

Jaxon smiled. “Then it seems the least I can do is give you a caffeine fix.”

He had a nice smile. Lucy gave him one back. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

Jaxon smirked and released the cup. “Fine, but just don’t go dying on me again.”

It was too soon to joke, but Lucy grinned anyway. “Deal.” She took a sip of the coffee and nearly gagged. “Ugh, what is this?”

“Coffee.”

She pulled the lid off and frowned. “Why is it black?”

“Uh, that’s how it comes.”

“You drink it like this?”

He nodded.

“No cream and sugar?”

“If I wanted to drink cream and sugar, I’d order a cup of cream and sugar.”

Lucy sighed and sniffed tentatively at the cup. She tried it again with the same sputtering result. She gave up drinking it, but was content to let her fingers curl around the paper cup for warmth as she rested it in her lap while Jaxon finished slurping the black sludge he called coffee.

Jaxon

An awkward silence stretched out between them and Jaxon scanned the room wondering what to say. His eyes landed on the yellow stuffed dog resting near her thigh. “I’m assuming there’s a story behind him?”

Lucy’s eyes darted to the dog and her entire face lit up. “Mr. Pickles? Yes, but I’ve been wondering how he got here?”

“Your roommate stopped by and dropped him off along with a bag of your things last night.”

Lucy brightened. “Brooke was here?”

Jaxon paused realizing he never asked the girl her name. “Blonde girl, ‘bout yay tall?” he asked raising his hand slightly above his shoulders. “Kinda looks like Luna Lovegood?”

Lucy nodded, her face pulled into a surprised smirk. “You’ve read Harry Potter?”

“I watched the movies.” It was a lie. He’d read every one of those damn books and loved them all. They were timeless!

Why did he always get the exact look Lucy was giving him now whenever he mentioned he liked books? Jocks could read, too. “Ya know, she threatened to kill me if I let anything happen to Mr. Pickles,” Jaxon said, hoping to change the subject.

Lucy laughed, then winced. “That sounds like Brooke.”

Jaxon needed to lay off the humor. Lucy’s face looked pretty bad. Just talking had to be painful. “Despite the death threats, I liked her,” he confessed, realizing it was true. Brooke had seemed genuinely concerned about Lucy, unlike Alex.

Lucy fussed with the cardboard sleeve around the coffee cup before asking, “Did anyone else stop by?”

“Your boyfriend.”

Her head snapped up. “Alex was here?”

“Not here,” Jaxon replied gesturing to the room. “You weren’t allowed any visitors last night.”

“Just you?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

She grinned, “Hero privileges?”

“Uncle privileges,” he corrected.

“So Alex didn’t see me . . . like this?”

“No.”

Lucy seemed relieved.

“You don’t look that bad,” Jaxon added.

She laughed. “I can’t look good.”

“I don’t know,” he teased. “Purple is definitely your color.”

She smiled again. She had a nice smile.

“So you really think your parents are gonna let you rot in this place?” Jaxon asked.

The light vanished from her eyes and she looked down again. “I never knew my mom. She passed away when I was a baby. And my dad . . . It’s complicated.”

Jaxon’s heart twisted. “I’m pretty good with complicated,” he said, quietly. “Try me.”

“I can’t.” Lucy gripped the edge of her white hospital blanket tightly. “Legally, I mean.”

He met her eyes and the unspoken connection between them seemed to spark to life again. Jaxon sat up straighter, putting as much distance between them as he could. He could not let himself get attached to this girl. She was his only hope at finally making someone pay for a senseless crime, just like the one that stole his mother. “Speaking of legally,” he started. “There’s some things I’ve been wanting to ask you about the accident.”

“It wasn’t my fault,” she fired back, defenses blazing.

Jaxon put his hands up. “I know. I saw the whole thing. The asshole driving was totally at fault.”

Lucy’s eyes narrowed. “You saw him?”

“Yeah. Did you?”

She nodded slowly.

“Listen, my brother’s a cop. He’s working this case. I want to call him in to take your statement and if you’re open to it, he said he can get a sketch artist down here to help identify the driver.”

The dark glint in Lucy’s stormy eyes mirrored Jaxon’s. “Let’s nail the bastard,” she whispered.

Her ferocity surprised Jaxon. It probably should’ve made him wary. But somehow, her need for vengeance made him like her even more.