Page 91 of Staying for You

“It’s me.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

I never listened to any of the voice mails he left me. Didn’t read through his texts. I have no idea if he said those words earlier, but it’s the first time I hear them and they break my heart. “Me, too.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for. I said things I didn’t mean. Your letter, everything you said was right.” He coughs lightly then continues. “I was protecting myself from nothing because I was acting as if I had a right to be nervous or scared. I didn’t, though. And I’m so sorry you received what you did from me. You’re none of what I said. You were everything. Still are.”

I let his words settle in.You were everything. Still are.

“Are you okay?”

“I will be.”

“Can I come see you?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Owen

“Yes,”I answer immediately. Just hearing her voice makes some of the pain go away. I haven’t heard her voice aside from the message on her voice mail since we got into a fight and I acted like a royal dick to her.

She giggles. “You sure?”

“Positive. If I could drive down to you instead, I would.”

“You’d leave the resort for me?” she asks. Her voice is full of vulnerability but also teasing. I missed it. So damn much some of the pain comes back. This time in my heart. I lay my head back on the hospital pillow and hold my sister’s phone to my ear with my right arm, the one not injured. As soon as I grabbed the phone from her, Ethan led her out of the room. She also fought him a bit because she’s nosey and worried about me.

“Yeah, sweetheart. I’d come to Tennessee for you. I need you.”

She sucks in a breath and I wonder if she’s biting her lower lip or fidgeting the way she does so often when she’s nervous or worried about something.

“Your sister said she’d let me know where you are.”

“I know I said I want you here but I feel bad making you buy a plane ticket and fly back up here, especially since you just got home, right?”

“And I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it.”

I grin and feel my breath come in a little easier than it had been.

“I’ll check some flights, see when I can get there and let you know. Are you going to be in the hospital long?”

“A couple more days for sure. They’re keeping me under watch because of the concussion,” I grumble. I hate being here. I hate that it took me being injured and laid up in a hospital bed to realize the extent of the mistake I had made. And I really hate the way we ended things — especially the part of it ending. She’s quiet for a few seconds before I hear her sniffling. “Sweetheart,” I murmur. Hearing her cry is harder especially when I can’t be there to hold her.

“I’m fine. I’m fine. You just scared me.”

“Cami.”

“Yes?”

There’s so much I want to say but not when I’m lying in bed in a hospital room and not able to see her face.

“I really am so very sorry. Please, please know that. The last week that you’ve been gone? It was hell. And before that?”

“Before that?” she prompts when I don’t continue.

“It was damn near perfect. The time we spent together, I didn’t want it to end.”

“Now you’re just showing off. I’m supposed to be the writer here,” she whispers and it makes me grin. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

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