She buried her attention in the yellow yarn as her fingers worked diligently and efficiently.
I didn’t know what else to say to her, so I quietly left the room, the sounds of someone winning a game show and the cheers of the crowd filtering to my ears.
I didn’t return to the nurses’ station right away. Instead, I took a detour to the stairwell and went down a floor and found the janitor’s closet.
Among the cleaning supplies, I let out all my feelings, crying as I wished I could save them.
Save them all.
* * *
It was late afternoon when my shift ended. Though the autumn sun was warm on my back as I made my way across the parking lot, my heart and head were heavy. Imparting bad news to patients was part of the job, but it got inside me, infected my soul. Watching the truth wash over Alice’s expression had gutted me.
My phone buzzed, and when I saw that it was Boxer, a reluctant smile spread across my lips and a deep exhale left my lungs.
Boxer: Do you want to know where I’m taking you tomorrow?
I stopped walking to text a reply.
Me:Surprise me.
Boxer: You trust me that much?
Me: No sex dungeons. That’s all I ask.
Boxer: Damn. You read my mind. I guess it’ll have to be plan b.
The drive home was long and slow. Traffic was a bitch. Finally, I turned into the underground garage of the condo building and found a spot near the elevator. I gathered my belongings and climbed out of the car. The carriage came almost immediately. I trudged across the floor to my apartment and then accidentally dropped my keys. Leaning over, I scooped them up, and for a moment, I pressed my forehead to the wood.
Once inside, I released my stuff where I stood, shut the door, and locked up for the night. I sank to the floor, and didn’t move for a long, long while.
Chapter 7
The intercom buzzed.I went to answer it, my heart pounding in my ears. I pressed a button. “Hello?”
“Linden, it’s Jerry. I have a…Boxer here to see you.”
I swallowed my nerves. “Yes, I’ve been expecting him. Send him up. Thanks.”
I released the button and then rushed to the bedroom. I quickly slid into a pair of tight dark jeans and a loose weave emerald–green sweater. I’d fishtail braided my hair, letting it fall across my shoulder and then added dainty diamond studs to my ears.
When there was a knock on my front door, I went to let Boxer in.
He was leaning against the door jamb, dressed casually in jeans, a flannel shirt rolled up to the elbows, and his leather vest. Ink snaked up his arms to disappear beneath his shirt, and he wore a devastating grin.
My heart surged into my throat, and I was suddenly aware that I had no idea what I was doing with a man like him. A man like him couldn’t be contained or brushed off. He was nothing like Jeff or any other man I’d dated.
It was intimidating as hell.
He marched through the door and crowded my space as he forced me to take a few steps back. Boxer reached up to gently cradle my face in his hands, tilting my head back so I stared him in the eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded.
“Nothing’s wrong,” I lied.
“Something changed.”
I glared at him and wrenched out of his grasp. “Nothing has changed.”