Page 95 of EverGreene
“Don’t put this on me,” Ever said, unamused. “I’m sure there are plenty more people out there who would line up to stab you who have nothing to do with me.”
My mom’s eyes widened, and she turned to look back at Ever.
“Respectfully,” Ever said, clearing her throat.
“She’s not wrong.” I smiled at Mom when she turned her head back to face me. “It’s just my natural charm.”
“Great,” she said, throwing her hands up in the air. “I’m going to have a heart attack one of these days because of you, Loche Greene.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep him in line.”
I looked over at Ever and smiled.
“Well,” Mom said, clapping her hands together, “I think I’ll give you two a minute to talk before the nurse finds out you’re awake.” She looked back at Katy, who remained planted in the chair, and raised an eyebrow.
“Oh,” Katy said, “you mean me, too.” Reluctantly, she stood up, looking between me and Ever before setting her sights on me, motioning at her eyes with two fingers and pointing at me as she followed behind my mom.
“She’s wound up today.”
Ever snorted. “That’s nothing. You should have seen her when your friends were here. I thought she was going to spontaneously combust when Malachi walked in wearing, and I quote, ‘his slutty little glasses’.”
I looked down at Ever’s feet, which had been bandaged, explaining the need for the wheelchair, and frowned. “How bad were you injured?”
Ever followed my eyes down to her feet. “Frostbite.”
“Shit. Are they—can you…”
“I can walk. It wasn’t severe enough to require amputation, but I had some pretty nasty blisters.”
“And your back?”
“Some minor nerve damage. I may have some permanent numbness. I’ll recover, though.” She smiled.
“You look pretty amused for someone sitting in a hospital room.”
“Are you even concerned about what your injuries are?”
“I’m alive, aren’t I? I mean, as long as they didn’t cut off my penis, I’m good.” Ever’s face fell, causing panic to take hold. “Shit!” I lifted the sheet and pulled up my hospital gown, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw my better half still hanging out where I’d left him. “Oh, thank God.”
Tears fell down Ever’s face. She was laughing so hard she’d begun to slide out of her chair.
“Real funny. But I guess I deserved that.”
“You sure did.” She sat back up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Your appendix was removed, by the way. The knife lacerated it. You actually got really lucky.”
“Yeah, I did,” I said, meeting Ever’s eyes. “I’m sorry for everything.”
“You’ve already apologized to me.”
“I know, but I thought I was dying then. Now that I know that I’m not, I feel compelled to reiterate my apology.”
“Are you really sorry about everything?”
I raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who I was, not for being with you. I could never be sorry for the time we spent together.”
“Good. Because I’m not either.”
“Does that mean we’re going steady?”
