“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.
Chapter13
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.
My brother was excited. I then spent the next hour packing my bags and carrying them to the helicopter.
Once everything is locked up, I head into town and land at Cannon Industries. My father is the first person I go see, and he’s shocked when I walk in. I ignore the room full of people and ask him if he’s got a second. He sends everyone away and pulls me into a big bear hug.
“I’m so fucking happy to see you.”
I laugh. “You just saw me two weeks ago.”
He wipes at a tear on his cheek. “You know what I mean.”
I nod. “I do. So I came to ask for my job back.”
He doesn’t hesitate. “It’s yours.”
“Great. So I know it’s bad to ask for my job back and then leave, but... can I borrow a car?”
He laughs. “Are you going to get Nikki?”
He’s never lost faith in the fact that I would eventually come to my senses.