Page 76 of Sloane

That made me pause. I hadn’t thought about that.

Finally, I spit out, “I guess we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.”

God, I hoped that wasn’t the case. I had no idea what I’d do if he didn’t even remember me.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ashley

Every day seemed like Groundhog Day: wake up, worry about Sloane, go to work, worry about Sloane, eat dinner then write Sloane a letter—all while worrying about him but trying to sound upbeat, go to bed exhausted and fall asleep dreaming about Sloane.

Repeat.

The first week in January, patients who’d taken time off for the holidays were back, and the clinic was busier than ever. Which meant I came home exhausted every night and after writing Sloane, I’d head straight to bed. On my days off, it took every ounce of energy to get out of bed, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to lie down in the afternoon and not get up until the next morning.

I’d put my phone on the pillow next to me, so I’d hear it when Craig or Ryan called, then once I hung up with them, I’d cry myself back to sleep.

I’d heard of sympathy pains, maybe I was having sympathy sleep for Sloane. I probably needed to see my doctor about taking an anti-depressant.

Dan hadn’t taken time off for the holidays, so he knew what had happened to Sloane. When I arrived for work Monday morning to begin the second week of January, I saw the grouch on the day’s schedule and couldn’t help but smile. The army master sergeant was fast becoming one of my favorite patients, even though he called me out on everything.

“You’re becoming skin and bones, Ash,” he said when I walked into the physical therapy room where he was already stretching.

I knew he was right. I hadn’t been able to eat much and had lost ten pounds.

“I don’t really have an appetite these days.”

“I take it nothing’s changed with the boyfriend.”

“He’s still in a coma, so I still can’t go see him.”

Craig and Ryan continued to update me daily, but by update, I meant, they’d just call to say his condition hadn’t changed.

“Classes begin next week, don’t they? How many are you signed up for this semester?”

Dan’s abrupt change of subject threw me off guard, but I answered honestly.

“I think I’m going to take this semester off. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Sloane when he returns stateside, and I don’t want to have to worry about him and school.”

He shook his head and grumbled, “That’s a mistake.”

“Why do you say that?”

I thought he of all people would understand why I wanted to skip a semester.

“It’s a slippery slope, kid. Once you stop your classes, it’ll be easy to have a reason not to start back up again. And every semester that goes by, it will only get easier.”

I was scared he was right. But I needed to be there for Sloane if he came home. Not to mention, I was so damn tired all the time.

Not wanting to argue with Dan, I murmured, “Maybe I’ll keep the online classes I signed up for and drop the in-person one.”

“I think you should keep all of them, but at the very least, keep the online ones. Sloane wouldn’t want you to give up on your dream because he got hurt. He’s going to have enough to feel guilty about—he won’t need that, too.”

“Guilty? He’s the one who got hurt.”

“Ash, he’s going to have survivor’s guilt, not to mention, he was in charge when one of his men died and the others got hurt, so he’ll have that guilt to deal with, too. Trust me on this. You won’t be doing him any favors by taking the semester off.”

That was the first Dan had ever used Sloane’s name. He usually called him “that jarhead,” or “the boyfriend,” so I knew he was serious.

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