Chapter 114
“Woah.”
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My eyes snap open, a rush of adrenaline racing through me. For a second, I have no idea where I am.
Then I hear a soft groan, and the weight on my shoulder lifts, soft hair tickling my cheek.
It all comes rushing back. Last night–the fight with June, a battered, bloody Nathan.
Penny Carter stands at the door to the doctor’s office, a briefcase in hand and a shocked–albeit mildly amused–expression on her face.
“Hi, Penny,” Nathan drawls, rubbing the back of his neck.
I straighten, feeling a blush creep up my neck.
Penny walks into the office and shuts the door behind her. “Is there a reason you two-”
She freezes, and I see the moment she really sees Nathan. I brace myself for her reaction.
But she just sighs, sympathy shining in her eyes. “Oh, Nathan.”
A shudder runs through me.
Penny isn’t surprised. Because this isn’t the first time.
Nathan hops off the table. “I’ll live.”
I watch his back muscles contract and relax as he stretches. Then he turns to me and smiles. It’s soft and sad, and my heart aches. “Morning, April.”
“Morning, Nathan,” I breathe.
Penny walks up to us and grabs Nathan by the chin.
He groans. “Penny-”
“Save it,” she says as she examines his injuries. From what I saw, the swelling on his cheek looks like it’s gone down, and his nosebleed stopped last night. After turning his face every which way, she gently palpates his stomach.
Finally, she straightens and leans to the side, shooting me a smile. “You did an excellent job, April.”
I start to smile, but then stop. Good job on patching him up after his father beat him black and blue.
“See me every twelve hours,” Penny instructs Nathan.
He swats her hand away from his face. “Yeah, yeah.”
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Chapter 114
He turns to me, bracing his hands on my thighs. His eyes lock on mine, and it feels like Penny has evaporated, leaving only Nathan and me alone in our own little universe.
“Say the word,” he says softly, storm clouds gathering in his eyes, “and a car will be ready to take you home in minutes.
I keep my eyes locked on his so he can see the sincerity, the lack of doubt. “No.”
He releases a breath and leans forward, pressing his lips to mine. The kiss is brief, and when Nathan pulls back to look at me, the storm clouds have passed.
He gently tucks a strand of hair behind my ears. “Take your time and rest,” he says. “Come back when you’re ready.”
I shake my head. “I’m coming back today.”
The sooner we finish this rollercoaster soap opera of a competition, the better.
Nathan’s smile is tender. “Then I’ll see you back at the house.”
I return his smile. “See you.”
He pulls away from me, turning to Penny, a sudden reminder that she’s been in the room all along. “See you in twelve hours, doc.”
She tosses a pill bottle at him, which he effortlessly catches. “Two every four hours,” she instructs.
Nathan gives her a mock salute. It bothers me how…natural the whole exchange is. How often has this happened?
After the door closes behind Nathan, a tense, awkward silence ensues.
Penny turns to me, and I can see her gearing herself up to say something.
“So listen, April, I—”
“I wish you’d talked to me first,” I say quietly.
She doesn’t have to ask to know what I’m talking about. She nods. “You’re right; you shouldn’t have heard from June that—”
“That you want to take my sister away from me.”
Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head. “No! It’s not that, I swear.” She sighs. “It’s just till the end of the competition.”
I stare at Penny, trying to figure out her angle. She’s a successful doctor working for the wealthiest family in Chicago. What could she possibly gain from this?
“Why?” I finally ask.
She purses her lips. “I don’t know if June told you about my kids?”
I nod. “Jamie and Jackie. One likes to paint; the other is good with computers.”
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17:13 Wed, Oct 8
Chapter 114
Penny nods, a fond smile pulling at her lips.
“What I didn’t mention is that they’re adopted.”
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I raise a brow as she continues, “Their birth mother was a meth addict who had been in and out of rehab. She OD’d when the twins were three. By the time CPS did a welfare check, they were half–starved to death.”
My hands tighten into a fist. It’s too uncanny; the story hits too close to home.
“So…” I inhale sharply. “You have a savior complex. What, your life’s goal is to go around saving children of drug addicts?”
1 expect Penny to get offended, maybe indignant, but she only shrugs. “If you want to call it that, sure. All I see are two sisters who haven’t had many breaks in their lives. I see a chance to give June a steady home so you can breathe, even for a little while.”
“And after?” My lips tremble. “You’ll give me my sister back?”
That’s the scary part. What if Penny decides she wants to adopt June? If I, a broke college student, go up against an accomplished doctor in a custody battle… Well, there’s only one guess on how that would go.
“Of course,” Penny says. “I would never try to take June away from you.”
My voice sounds small and weak when I say, “You promise?”
She comes to me and takes both my hands in hers. “April, listen to me,” she says softly. “You’re not a moron. You and I know that, except for the insulin pump, every other time June has been in this infirmary has not been an accident.”
My heart skips a beat as I nod.
“Do you know why I work for the Ashfords?”
I shake my head.
“The first time I met Nathan, he was six. He had a ruptured spleen.” Penny’s grip tightens hard enough to hurt. “That bastard kicked his six–year–old son in his gut hard enough to rupture his spleen. Since then, I’ve lost count of the amount of cuts and bruises I’ve treated on that poor boy’s body.”
A gasp hooks in my throat, and a tear slides down my face. Penny reaches out to wipe it away.
“So yeah, call it a savior complex, call it whatever you want. All I know is I can’t sit aside while children hurt. Let me do this for you, April. I want you and Nathan to have a chance at love without someone using your sister to manipulate you. And I promise I’m not taking June away from you.”
I stare into her warm brown eyes, and she holds my gaze, daring me to trust her, daring me to pass the weight I’ve carried for so long onto someone else. Even just for a little while.
As I make my decision, I feel the weight lift ever so slightly.
“Okay.”
