Page 202 of Surprisingly Us

“Let’s go.” Hannah doesn’t wait for my response, probably because I’m unable to form words.

She says something to James, then grabs my arm. I follow her blindly through the party and out the front entrance.

Lettie was in an accident.

There’s a black car waiting at the curb and Hannah ushers me inside.

“Which hospital?” she asks.

“Um,” I blink trying to recall what Meredith had said. “Mount Sinai on Madison Avenue.”

As we move down the street, this is one moment where I’d rather be behind the wheel. It would give me something to do other than imagine the worst.

She’s okay.That’s what Meredith had said.

Lettie’s okay.My brain is trying to convince my body, but it’s no use.

I look down at my hands. They’re there, but I can’t feel them. I ball them into fists and squeeze but there’s no pressure. No sensation.

“Meredith said she’s okay, right?” Hannah’s voice is shaking. “Rhys?”

Hannah looks down at my hands, then back up to my face.

I see the worry there, but she must see something in my eyes that tells her I need her to be the strong one right now.

“She’s going to be fine.” She nods her head. “I’m sure of it.”

I need to see Lettie. Then all this madness can stop. If I see her, everything will be fine.

At the hospital, we check in at the nurses’ station, where we’re sent upstairs to Lettie’s room.

As we make our way down the hall, the sound of my shoes hitting the tile floor is thunderous to my ears.

The moment I see her there, sitting up in the hospital bed, relief washes over me and my heart starts to beat in a natural rhythm again. To the rhythm of us.

Lettie looks at me with a wobbly smile. She waves to Hannah, who’s still at my side.

“Hi.”

“Hey, baby.” I rush to her, taking her hand between both of mine and rubbing my lips over her knuckles. “What happened?”

I know Meredith told me on the phone, but I wasn’t listening. I couldn’t focus, I just needed to get here. To see with my own eyes that she was okay.

“I tripped and fell backwards, hitting my head on a curb. I was pretty woozy so there was concern I had a concussion, but everything seems to be checking out okay. Just a few bumps and bruises.”

Hannah goes to the other side of Lettie’s bed to give her friend’s hand a squeeze. “Holy shit. I was so scared and thinking the worst.” She wraps her arms around Lettie, careful not to hug her too tight. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“We’ll give you two a minute.” Meredith guides Hannah out the door to give us privacy.

My eyes scan her from head to toe. I can’t see any of her injuries. “Can I hold you? Where does it hurt?”

She nods slowly. “The back of my head has a huge goose egg. I have a few scrapes on my arms and legs from the concrete.”

I press a kiss to her forehead. Her familiar scent, floral, sweet, and feminine, washes over me and my knees go weak. Reaching for the chair beside her bed, I keep hold of her hand as I pull the plastic seat close and drop into it.

I could have lost her today. I could have never felt her soft, warm skin or heard her soft snore as she fell asleep beside me. The thought has me spiraling. And knowing that I’d decided towait to tell her how I feel, to say the words that are etched on my heart, only makes this moment feel more desperate.

Her eyes drop to my hand. It’s shaking.

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