Page 62 of Until Waverly

Heat filled my cheeks. “I’m not. You’re right. This place...” I sighed. “I think I was punishing myself.”

Jackson frowned even though understanding filled his emerald eyes. “We can go house hunting today, if you’d like. Bet you Mack is friends with someone in the real estate business.”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Oh, he knows plenty of people.”

“Go shower. Once Alandria is done with her bottle, I’ll make us something to eat, then we’ll start looking.”

I kissed Alandria’s head, then bent to press one to Jackson’s lips. He groaned, holding me there with his free arm, deepening it. His tongue swiped across mine, and I could taste the desperation. When I pulled back, I was panting. My hands trembled as I steadied myself.

“I’ll be right back.”

The knowing smirk tugging at his mouth as I walked away had me mentally shaking my head. He was too smug for his own good.Asshole.

Because it was the first time I showered with nothing on my leg, it took a little longer than I expected. I was overly ginger with where I put my foot or how I stepped. I leaned against the wall of the shower, allowing more weight on my left leg than I did my right to keep from injuring myself again. By the time I wrapped my towel around myself, I was exhausted. I was also shaking from exertion. Guess I was going to need that PT even if I didn’t want it.

“Hey,” Jackson said from the door. “Need a little help?”

I sat on the bed, willing my heart to stop racing and my breathing to even out. “I think I overcompensated too hard.”

He crossed the room to me, determination etched across his face. “Are you in pain?”

“No. Not really. I put all my weight on my left leg and did everything poorly because I was afraid of hurting my ankle. Stupid, right?”

Jackson snorted. “Not even close. You’re trying to take care of yourself while also seizing back a part of yourself you lost because of the incident. You should have called me.”

“I needed to do it for myself.” As Jackson dried me off, I rolled my eyes. “Thanks.”

He grunted as he continued. His touch was gentle as he dried my calves then my thighs and arms. The intimacy of the act had my breath catching in my throat.

“Your ankle looks good, sunshine. The bruising is almost gone. No swelling.”

Relief surged through me. “Great. One day at a time, right?”

Jackson looked up at me. “One day at a time.”

Once I was dressed and Alandria was changed, we were ready to go. The idea of finding a place for us to have as a family excited me and scared me. I wanted it to be perfect. A house we could grow into, so one day we could expand our family. Even that idea sent a thrill through me.

When we stopped for lunch, we’d whittled our choices down to two houses and a large apartment near Flame. All three were big enough we’d never have to move again while also being efficient. I didn’t know where to begin while trying to decide what ones we should put in offers for, nor did I have any clue if I wanted to lock us into a lease for an apartment.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Jackson said. “What’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours?”

“I don’t believe I want the apartment,” I blurted before taking a sip of my drink. “Why pay rent when a mortgage could be the same amount and in twenty years it’s ours?”

“Then the apartment is out of the running,” Jackson said. “Which means there are the two houses we toured left.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind staying in Nashville? What about your sister and brothers?”

“You mean the people I practically see every day?” Jackson chuckled, crumpling up his napkin. “Not at all, sunshine. Besides, this is for us. Our home. Where we’ll be raising our babies. Growing old together. Loving each other. I want to make sure you’re happy too.”

By the time we finished lunch, we’d put an offer in on the house I’d fell in love with the moment I stepped inside. I’d wasted enough time depriving myself of living. Now I was going to grab hold of my life and enjoy the ride with Jackson by my side.

No matter what.

* * *

Four days later, I was back at the hospital, this time in the administration part of the building. Jackson dropped me off, then took Alandria to see Ireland and Mack at Flame. If all went well, I could be slotted back into school and start my clinical training again in a few weeks, while I went to physical therapy. Or at least I hoped that was going to be the outcome today.

For all I knew, they’d be dropping me from the program since I’d already missed half the semester of classes and work.

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