Page 62 of Skate the Line

Then they open again.

Fuck it.

My hand slips into hers.

I can’t remember the last time I held a woman’s hand, but I know for absolute certain that it didn’t feel likethis.

Surprisingly, Sunny lets me guide her inside.

I walk us up to the window and do all the talking without unclasping our hands.

“Do you have insurance?” I ask in a low tone.

That bottom lip plops out from her teeth, and she shakes her head.

“Just bill me,” I say to the woman. “I’ll take care of the cost.”

Sunny attempts to jerk her hand out of mine with a shake of her head, but I refuse to let it go. Otherwise, she may jolt right out the door.

“If you just go ahead and take a seat over there and fill out the paperwork, someone will call you back shortly.”

I thank the woman and guide us to a secluded part of the waiting room. A few people side-eye us, but I put my back to them, hopeful they don’t come up and ask for an autograph. This isn’t the time.

After sitting down, I finally release Sunny’s hand so I can fill out her paperwork. She doesn’t argue or ask to do it herself. Her leg bounces up and down, shaking both of our seats.

“Will you calm down?” I ask. “You’re worse than Ellie.”

She snickers and glances away.

I finish most of the paperwork, putting my info down for who is the responsible party for payment, but then I get to the medical history part.

“Are you allergic to anything?” I ask.

She shakes her head but doesn’t look at me.

“Have you been out of the country in the last six months?”

She shakes her head again.

“Have you been hospitalized or seen at a hospital in the last year?”

The pen hovers over thenocheckbox, but no answer comes. I turn toward her and focus on her facial expression. Her thick dark eyelashes flutter. That same lip slips into her mouth again, and she angles her body to the side, like she’s shielding herself from me.

Well, this is intriguing.

“So that’s why you’re nervous,” I note.

Sunny turns to me, but before she can say anything, her name is called. She tightens with fear, and I don’t like the way it makes me feel.

“I’m going back with you.”

It’s not a question, and I don’t give her a chance to refuse. I grab her gently by the elbow and usher us both toward the nurse.

It takes no more than a few minutes to get her vitals done. The nurse and I make eye contact with one another when the heart monitor beeps loudly from the racing of Sunny’s heart.

She pats Sunny’s shoulder but quickly releases her hand when Sunny jerks away.

“Do you need me to give you something to calm you down, sweetheart?”

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