Page 10 of This Time I'm Keeping You
“To my way of thinking, that settles it, then.”
She sighed, and he watched as she slumped onto the bed, losing the stiffness and angst.
“You win.”
“I usually do,” Nick said, knowing it would annoy the hell out of her.
He was subjected to a long look out of her red-rimmed eyes.
“I’m not going to say anything about that comment because without you today I would not have coped, but tomorrow that will change.”
“Fair enough.”
The nurse came back with the wheelchair, which Poppy said she didn’t need.Nick simply nudged her down into it.
“So, I’ll see you, and thanks, Nick.Really,” she said to his chin as the nurse wheeled her away.
“After everything we’ve been through, you’re just dismissing me?”
Her eyes shot to his.“What?”
“It really hurts, Poppy.I thought I meant more to you than that.”
“What?”She blinked.
“Us.”He pointed to her, then his chest.“It hurts you don’t take us seriously.”
The nurse made a tsking sound and glared at Poppy.
Poppy rolled her eyes.“Ignore him.This is a game we used to play in college.”
“I wondered if you’d remember that,” he said.
“What game?”the nurse asked.
“To see who could make the other look bad in front of people by inventing some silly story.Nick was always the best at it because he was popular.”
“Or I was a good liar,” he added.
“Go home, Nick.I release you from your duties.”She didn’t look at him but the nurse.“Can I go to my room now, please?”
“What floor are you taking her to?”
The nurse told him that and the room number.
“Bye,” Poppy said to his left ear.“Thanks again, and have a good life, Nick.”
She was wheeled away, and clearly thought he would leave, and they’d never see each other again.Nick had other ideas.
He went to the cafeteria, where tired staff sat about inhaling coffee, and ordered Poppy a drink and some food.Is she allowed coffee?Then he picked up a magazine from the gift shop.When he walked into her room, her cool forest-green eyes locked on him as he moved to her side.
“I thought you were going home.”
“You’re such good company, I stayed.Nice dress.”He studied her hospital gown.
“The nurse had to wrap the ties around twice.Seems they didn’t have my size.”
“Still, that prison-wall pale gray really works for you.Brings out the red in your eyes.”
