Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
She pauses, and for a second I wonder if she’s going to just let me change the subject. “Well, uh, nothing happened. I worked all week, but I do have plans for this weekend.”
By the smirk on her face, I have to ask, “Oooh, with who?”
“No one. I’m going to the rodeo.”
I slap my hand on the table and sing-song to her, “To see you know who?”
She rolls her eyes and jumps up from the table. “He’s retiring, and it’s his last ride. I want to go watch.”
I stand up and cross my arms over my chest, all the while smiling at her. “Oh, I bet you want to see him.”
“Stop. It’s not like that. My dad mentored him. He’s a friend of the family. Trust me, there’s nothing going on there. I think the buckle bunnies are more his type.”
She gestures to her plus size figure and rolls her eyes, but I don’t know what she’s talking about because she’s stunning.
The truth is, Lila’s always talked about her dad’s friend the rodeo star. It’s obvious that she likes him, but I can never get her to admit it. “Whatever you say.”
She opens her mouth, but I hold up my finger when my phone rings. “It’s Ethan. Can we talk at lunch?”
“I’ll see you then.” She hugs me quickly and walks out of the breakroom.
“Hey, you,” I say into the phone. We talked for hours last night, but I’m just as excited to hear his voice again.
“How are you?” he asks me gruffly.
I pull the phone away from my ear and look at it as if I can see his expression or something. “Uh, hey, I’m just fine. How are you?”
He’s quiet before he asks, “So you’re not going to tell me about the flat tire?”
I start to laugh. “Oh yeah, I had a flat tire this morning, but it’s no big deal. Bobby came and picked me up. He brought me to work and said he’d take care of the tire and get my car here to me. Why would he call you about that?”
He’s quick to ask, “Why wouldn’t you tell me about it?”
“Uh...” I start, but I don’t finish because I’m not sure what to say to him. This past year, Bobby really helped me out and didn’t hesitate calling him.
Ethan’s voice is deep when he asks me. “You didn’t think I could handle it?”
I shake my head with a look at my watch. I need to get to the imaging unit before I’m late. I shut the door of the breakroom and walk down the hall. I pass a few nurses and paste a smile on my face and wave at them. “No, it’s not that. I didn’t want to stress you out or feel bad for not coming with me. I mean, I would have told you, but I hadn’t talked to you yet.”
His next words shock me. “You didn’t want me to come with you.”
I almost stumble on my feet. “What are you talking about? I want to be with you all the time. Of course, I wanted you to come with me.”
His voice drops. “You didn’t ask me to...”
I know I shouldn’t get mad, but even I can hear the hurt and anger in my voice. “Ethan, you pushed ME away. I chased you for a year and practically forced you to marry me. I’ve tried to prove my love to you at every turn—”
“You didn’t force me to marry you.”
I laugh, and it sounds bitter. “I didn’t? Are you sure about that? Because from where I’m standing, you were perfectly content with your life without me. I backed you in a corner, and in true Ethan Cannon nature, you had to save me.”
“I want to be with you, Nikki.”
I get to the imaging unit, and my boss is pointing at her watch. I know I’m late, and that’s not who I am, but instead of just hanging up, I challenge Ethan, “Then prove it.”
I barely get the words out and I hang up the phone, putting it on silent. “Sorry about that. It won’t happen again,” I tell my boss.
She looks at me worriedly. “Everything okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m good.”
I walk in to my first patient of the day and focus on them. I already regret my harsh words to Ethan, but I know they needed to be said. I guess I’ll just wait to see what he does with them.
Chapter 13
Ethan
I’m a fuckin’ fool.
There’s no other way to say it. Nikki is right, and I know I need to fix it.
First, I call my brother and tell him not to touch her car. I explain to him that I appreciate everything he’s done for me and her this past year, but that I’m taking over. Anything Nikki needs, I’ll be the one there for her.