I should have let him assume he was my husband. Now I just look like a slut.
“Oh. I didn’t know Tag had been here.”
“He hasn’t left,” Wren says as he walks in carrying a gallant bouquet with Billy on his heels bringing one of his own. ?
?He’s downstairs with your parents right now, explaining what happened.”
I didn’t want them to meet him. Damn it.
“Oh,” I mumble uncomfortably.
He hasn’t left?
“Well, I’ll see you in a while, Ms. Branderwood. Until then, you need to eat.”
“That’s what everyone keeps saying,” I grumble. “I got stabbed the last time I tried to eat.”
My morbid joke doesn’t make anyone laugh. They all cringe instead.
“Too soon?” I muse, making Billy and Wren crack a grin.
“Well, it’s good to see you’re feeling well enough to make jokes. We do have a psychologist on hand, and she’ll be coming by to speak to you, per the request of your hus… er… your son’s father.”
Awkward. At least he didn’t say my baby’s daddy.
“Thanks, but I don’t need my head shrunk. I can deal just fine.”
He frowns.
“You’ve been through a lot. I think it would do some good to speak to a professional.”
“I’ve got friends, Doc. I don’t need a stranger to listen to my problems. Thank you though. The gesture is kind.”
He nods, and then walks out, still obviously disagreeing, but too professional to debate it further.
“So, you’ve been shot and stabbed, but you don’t think you need to see a shrink?” Billy gripes, his tone slightly scolding.
“No. I think I need to get a prison tat and join a gang.”
Again, crickets. Crap.
“You guys have to loosen up,” I mumble.
“Who’s loosening up?” Tag asks as he walks in, his eyes finding me immediately.
“Ash is refusing therapy, but she’s talking about prison tats and gang initiations,” Billy grouses.
“Ah, well, in that case, no therapy necessary,” he lightly jokes while joining me at my bedside. “Your parents are here. They still haven’t met Trip. I thought you’d want to be the one to do introductions.”
“Sounds good. Thanks. It’ll take the edge off the whole stabbing debacle. Distract them with a cute baby, and I’ll cease to exist.”
His face stays serious, so I decide not to take my comedy act on the road. Apparently I’ve lost my ability to be funny.
“I’ll send them up.”
***
Tag