Page 70 of Don't Regret Me
“Can we…” He breathed, his chest aching. “Make a stop.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Will it kill me if we put off treatment for a minute?”
“No.” She sighed. “But it’ll hurt a whole lot.”
“Not as much as I’ve already hurt.”
“Fine.” She seemed to know where he wanted to go without asking, so she directed the nurses pushing the bed there. He passed through a doorway, and a few people scrambled out of his way.
“Nick.” Liz sat up, her face twisting in pain. “You’re here.”
He tried to push himself up, but he was too weak, in too much agony. All he could manage was reaching a hand toward her. She took it, and he held on tightly.
“I’m sorry. That’s what I came to the house to say earlier. I should have believed you.”
She kissed his hand, tears falling onto it. “I know what I said sounded insane.”
“But it shouldn’t have. Since the moment I saw you again, it felt like I’d known you my entire life.” He turned his head to see her better. “I can’t believe I ever forgot your face.” He wanted to touch her, to feel every curve and imprint them on his memory, never to be erased again. She was his fading star, the one that hadn’t shone bright enough in his head after the accident when she deserved to be the sun.
“You remember now,” she whispered.
He nodded. He remembered holding her as she left him, returning to her life long before he could. That time after was the loneliest he’d ever felt.
“It was so beautiful.” The house, the dream, them. All of it. So incredibly perfect.
“It was ours.”
“I’ve put you through so much.” Tears blurred his vision. “I’m so sorry.”
“Stop.” She kissed his hand again. “I love you. I have never stopped loving you.”
“We really need to get you to treatment.” Nurse Haes looked sorry she’d interrupted, her face drawn with sadness.
“Go.” Liz released him. “I want you to get help. Once you’re healed, I’m never letting you go again.”
“Never,” he promised, one tear racing down his cheek.
The bed moved, and he was out in the hall. Evelyn and Owen stood up when they saw him. Bentley was there, Stephanie in his arms and his kids by his side. It wasn’t until that moment he realized his brother was right. It was just a house. The people who made it out are what mattered. Four walls, no soul, no beating heart. It wasn’t them.
He wouldn’t mourn the house because it wasn’t all he had. Not anymore.
34
ELIZABETH
TWO MONTHS LATER
“Are you two prepared?” Bea asked, a concerned shine in her eyes.
Nick sat rigidly on the hard metal chairs at the police station.
Liz reached for his hand, prying it off his knee, and nodded. Today, they had interviews at the police station. They finally found Sherrie holed up at a friend’s in Beverly Hills. Once Franklin confessed to causing Nick’s accident, he also revealed information on Sherrie paying someone to start the fire at the lake house. They were charging her on many counts of attempted murder and reckless endangerment.
It wasn’t the only court battle they’d suffered. Since he was on Stephanie’s birth certificate, Nick was able to fight to keep her. Franklin didn’t contest it, and since he wouldn’t take a paternity test, Sherrie had no leg to stand on. Not like she put up any effort at all.
She’d abandoned the kid. She was no mother.
