Page 40 of The Heart Shot
“Whoa, you okay?”
I couldn’t stop coughing, couldn’t get air into my lungs.
You know that sayingmy life flashed before my eyes? Yeah, no. It didn’t. The only thing flashing before me was Jameson’s face, though I couldn’t tell if it was real or a figment of my air-starved brain.
My head grew dizzy from the lack of oxygen, and I barely noticed someone’s arms winding around me, shoving their fist into my abdomen until the piece of chicken launched itself from my throat and across the table, bonking Maya on her forehead. She squealed, but all my attention went to the warm hand sliding across my back, patting a few times. A low voice spoke in my ears.
“Breathe in through your nose, relax your muscles. Breathe.” My body responded automatically, and precious air streamed into my lungs. Tears streamed down my cheeks. “Breathe,” the voice repeated, and my coughing finally slowed.
I avoided looking around at all the people whose gazes pierced into me like little needles, and kept my eyes squeezed shut as the room, ever so slowly, returned to a normal volume.
“Better?” the voice said, and it was only then that I realized I recognized it—recognized the warmth of the hand resting between my shoulder blades.
I turned to my savior with watery eyes. “Jameson?” I croaked.
So maybe my brainhadn’timagined him appearing while I was trying not to die.
“Hey, Elsie.” He smiled. “Are you all right?”
I managed a nod, hoarsely saying, “Other than the almost death by spicy chicken sandwich, and the mortifying fact that you witnessed it, I’m just great.”
Jameson let out a low chuckle that had my insides curling tighter before he slid into the booth next to me.“Who would’ve saved you if I wasn’t here?”
I spared a glance at Maya, who watched us through wide eyes with her chin propped on a hand, hanging on every word. When she noticed me looking, she grabbed her purse and tray with inhuman speed and yelled, “Well, look at the time!” She flaunted a watchless wrist. “I’m glad you’re not dead from that sandwich, Els. I have to go now. Hi Jam-Jam! Bye Jam-Jam!”
Jam-Jam?
“Talk to you later!”
“What?” I whisper-yelled, watching her scramble out of the booth. “You’re leavingagain?”
You and your ridiculous meddling, Maya.
“Byeeee!”
Then she was gone, leaving me alone with the man I had almost kissed the night before. The man who saved me from a killer chicken sandwich.
And he was sittingveryclose to me.
“W-what are you doing here?” I asked, trying to nonchalantly scoot further away.
“Same as you,” he chuckled. “Getting lunch.”
“But why here?” I narrowed my eyes. “Did you know I’d be here?”
Jameson lifted his arms in surrender. “My work isn’t far from here. Besides, this is the best place to eat. I swear I did not know you’d be here, nor did Maya tell me, but I would havedefinitelycome sooner had I known.”
I fervently tried to ignore the flip flop of my stomach as I avoided his gaze and stared at my half-eaten food.
“Do you want me to leave?” Jameson asked, his fingers twiddling on the table.
Did I? Did I want this guy, who made me both squirm and melt, to leave? Who saved me from evil chicken sandwiches and helped me escape corn mazes? A guy who apparently shared my love for Chick-Fil-A?
Ishould. To protect my heart, that would be the smart thing. But the thought of finishing my lunch alone was almost too much to bear. Nothing could ever happen between me and Jameson, but there was nothing saying we couldn’t be friends and spend time together. Right?
“No, you can stay,” I finally said, hoping I didn’t regret that decision.
The light of his answering smile gave the sun a run for its money.
