Page 4 of Until You Found Me

What the fuck is he doing here? Audrey was right. He’ll only scare her. She doesn’t know him. He needs to leave while he still can before she wakes up and he turns something terrible into something worse by existing in this space.

She’ll be fine. She’s safe here. He’s got his own shit to worry about and an early morning on the boat tomorrow. He only makes it halfway across the room before her groggy gasp stops him in his tracks. When he looks back, she’s got one hand on the bandage, trying to sit up only to fail and try again. Stares at the tubes in her veins with a peculiar look, holding her arm up to inspect it.

Then she tries to yank the needle right out of her skin and he reacts without thinking. “Hey, hey don’t do that. You need it.”

The frantic beep on her heart monitor picks up a more ragged cadence when her attention darts up to him. Her eyes widen as if she hadn’t noticed she wasn’t alone and finding company is unwelcome.

“You’re okay, you’re at the hospital,” he tries. Quiet and calm, just like Audrey said.

He takes a step closer, intending to push the call button on the side table, but she scoots up against the bed frame to escape him.

Logan holds his hands up in surrender, not willing to frighten her any further. “Gonna get the doc. It’s alright, don’t panic.”

Don’t panic. Don’t panic? What kind of nonsense did hejust say? Of course she’s panicking. He rushes out of the room to yell for Audrey, grateful the building is small enough that she could hear him clear across the other side.

He’s foolish to have stayed at all. She’s already been through enough, but it isn’t just him that scares her. She looks ready to jump out the window and take her chances while Audrey takes her vitals and tosses a million questions her way. They all go unanswered while she stares straight at him with the sort of silent accusation that makes him want to disappear, confess, or apologize for something he hasn’t done.

“Can you tell me your name?” Audrey tries again.

“Tessa.”

“Last name?”

She shakes her head.

“Okay, no worries. Do you remember anything that happened before you got here?”

She hesitates, staring down at the dirt under her fingernails and then rubbing the scuffed wedding band around her finger. “I was choking on the dirt. It was in my throat. I can still taste it. In my nose and…I don’t…I can’t…”

“That’s okay, we can come back to that. Do you have anyone you’d like me to call? An emergency contact?”

Tessa’s brows furrow in concentration. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know their number or you can’t remember?”

“Both?” She looks around the room as if something or someone might help, clutching the bed sheet in her fist. “Oh god, I don’t know…I can’t see their faces. I don’t know their names. What’s wrong with me? What happened? Tell me what happened!”

The last few words come out in a panicked half scream like Audrey is keeping something from her and then she lockseyes with him again and her tears flow freely.

“Is it him? Did he? Is this him?” She holds up her wedding banded finger like a guilty verdict.

“You think your husband hurt you?”

“I don’t know.Is it him? Why is he here?”

Somewhere in her swiss cheese memory that ring means something awful if her reaction is any indication, but he sure as hell isn’t about to take the blame.

“No, we just met,” he says quickly. “I found you in the road. We’re not married, I swear.”

“Logan brought you in earlier. You were disoriented and you fainted.”

“Oh.” Regret passes over her delicate features. Her voice turns small when she addresses him. “I’m sorry. I remember you and I didn’t know why. I was on the road?”

“Mhmm. Just glad you’re awake. I’m gonna let you rest.” He taps the doorframe with finality and turns away.

“Wait, you’re leaving?”

Her dismay surprises him, if only because he feared she’d chuck her water pitcher at his head a moment ago. “Only stayed to make sure you were okay before I headed out. Audrey is the best. She’ll take care of you.”

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