Page 80 of Sloane

Maybe my scars and missing limb were poetic justice.

I hoped Callahan would be able to make good on giving O’Brien’s girl the engagement ring. How fucking sad the kid didn’t get a chance to give it to her himself.

My thoughts turned to Ashley, and the future we almost had.

Almost.

There was no way I was going to saddle her with half the man she’d fallen in love with. Besides, I didn’t deserve a happily ever after. Not when O’Brien wasn’t going to get his, and I shouldered that blame.

I heard Lina, my German nurse’s, voice.

“Captain Davidson?”

I didn’t look away from the ceiling when I responded, “Yeah?”

“Dr. Warneke just got off the phone with your friend, Ryan, and he’s on hold to speak to you.”

Glancing at where she stood in the doorway, I noticed she was holding a phone.

I didn’t want to talk to anyone, but I knew I owed that to my buddy. I’m sure he and everyone else back home had been worried sick.

My thoughts immediately went to Ashley.

I’m such a fucking asshole.

I should have broken things off before I shipped out. I knew what happened to me had been a real possibility, and yet I still kept her on the hook.

Hopefully she’d move on and never look back.

With my right hand, I reached for the phone, but she put my bedside tray in front of me, pulled out the phone’s kickstand, and set it down.

“You’re on speaker,” she said loudly, then in a quieter voice directed at me, said, “I’ll close the door behind me.”

“Sloane?”

“Hey, Ry.”

“Oh my god, buddy! It’s so good to hear your voice!”

I couldn’t muster my enthusiasm to match his, but I tried to sound happy to hear from him.

“Good to hear yours, too.”

“You gave us quite a scare.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be sorry, dude. We’re just so damn glad you’re still with us.”

“How is everyone?”

“Better now that you’re out of your coma. Ashley is chomping at the bit to get on a plane to come see you. Me, too.”

My response was instant. “Absolutely not.”

Ryan was so quiet on his end, I thought the call had been disconnected until he said, “What do you mean, absolutely not?”

“I don’t want anyone to see me like this. Especially her.”

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