“For taking off at the beach, for not calling as soon as I got back. I was stupid. And mad that you left.”
He sighs. “I shouldn’t have left without giving you a chance to explain. I thought you were upset over Anderson and Sicily because you were still into him.”
“I’m not. At all. I don’t hate him like I did. I sure don’t trust him. But that’s Sicily’s problem to deal with. He’s going to be around since Sicily and I live together. But I swear I don’t want him.”
“I believe you.”
We’re interrupted when the doctor returns. “Good news, Ms. Childers. Nothing is broken. You’re very lucky. We’re going to wrap it up, and you need to stay off of it for a few days until the swelling goes down. Take Ibuprofen three times a day for the pain. The nurse will be in to wrap it and give you the discharge papers in a few minutes.”
I breathe a sigh of relief that I won’t be hobbling around in a cast and thank him.
Simon grins at me. “Good thing. Imagine the disaster you’d be on crutches.”
“What? I’m the epitome of gracefulness.”
“Uh-huh.”
A few moments of silence pass before I get the nerve to say it. “I called you. A woman answered and hung up on me.”
His head jerks, so that he’s looking at me. “What? When?”
“Wednesday morning. I…missed you and wanted to talk. I was excited that I got a new job and you were the first person I wanted to tell.”
He stares at me, stunned. “I’m going to wring her fucking neck.”
Now I’m at a loss. “Who?”
“Gretchen.”
Gretchen. His sister? We’ve exchanged a few words before. Not more than a hello. I wouldn’t recognize her voice. “She answered your phone and told me you were in the shower.”
He curses under his breath. “I don’t know why I’m surprised by any of the shit she pulls. Cruelty is a hobby for her. She was at my house Wednesday morning to bring the rest of Toby’s things before we met with a lawyer. She didn’t say a damn word about you calling.”
“You aren’t seeing anyone else, then?” I ask, holding my breath.
“No, Lydia. I’ve been too busy waiting on a stubborn woman to figure out that she belongs with me.”
Tears overflow, running down my cheeks, and the nurse walks in. “Oh dear, I can get you a stronger painkiller if you’re hurting.” Before I can reply, she answers herself. “I’ll be right back.”
“That’s one way to get the good drugs,” Simon chuckles, perching on the edge of the bed and putting his arm around me.
“I’m not going to argue with her. It does hurt.” I turn and hug him hard. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
The nurse returns with a magical white pill that cuts the pain in half and also makes me super happy. The time that it takes for us to collect Toby, leave the hospital, and pick up a takeout dinner seems to pass in a blur.
“Hey, this is your place,” I exclaim when he parks in his driveway. “I thought you were taking me home.”
“You can’t walk. You’re staying with me for a few days. You can call one of your friends to bring you some clothes or whatever.”
“You can be kind of bossy.”
“You can be kind of stubborn.”
“Are you two arguing?” Toby asks, poking his head over the backseat.
“Nope. Do you want Lydia to stay with us for a few days?”
“Yes! She can sleep in my new bunk bed!”
“We’ll see,” Simon laughs.
A few hours later, just after Toby is asleep, my phone rings with a call from Principal Franklin. He informs me that I won’t be returning to work out my notice.
“What are you smiling about?” Simon asks after I disconnect the call.
“Looks like I have a little vacation before my new job starts. Apparently spouting curse words in a roomful of kids is frowned upon.”
“Good timing. I have a little break between projects.” He brushes the hair off my forehead and looks me in the eye. “There’s something you need to know. Gretchen and I met with a lawyer because I’m adopting Toby. She’s moving out of the country, and I’ll have him full time from now on.”
He is the sweetest man on the planet. “He’s very lucky. I adore Toby. There’s something you need to know.” His gaze stays locked on mine while I speak. “I’m in love with you.”
The surprise on his face is almost comical, but there’s nothing funny about the way he kisses me. His hands delve into my hair, angling my head where he wants it while we devour each other. I could’ve spent the entire night just tasting his lips and exploring his tongue, but a few seconds later he winces and breaks away.
He pulls at the crotch of his pants and shifts around. “I’m still out of service for another few weeks at least,” he says.