Page 149 of Cougar

“Give him a break. I think he really wanted things to work out with Vanessa, but he didn’t know how to balance his career and his marriage. They were young. We all were. When Vanessa left, she didn’t just break his heart, she broke him.”

“I know. I was there when all hell broke loose, remember?”

“I do.” I run my hands up her thighs, over her hips and squeeze her ass. “Can I take you to my bed now?”

“I’d rather you take me to your shower. I need to get back to the hospital soon.”

Emerson

It’s been three days now, and Jay is still unconscious. Her latest CT scans showed that the medicine used to reduce the swelling in her brain is working, but it’s up to her body to decide when she’ll wake up. My father is still concerned about the damage to her throat, mainly her vocal cords, but that determination can’t be made until after she wakes up.

Hopefully it’ll be soon.

I miss her.

“Emerson.” I look up to see Elizabeth walking into the room carrying two Starbucks coffees.

Sitting down beside me on the love seat, she passes me a cup. “It’s a vanilla latte.”

“Thank you.”

Her gaze moves over to the bed and she frowns. “Any news.”

I shake my head. “It could be any day now.”

She reaches over and squeezes my free hand. “I’m so sorry, Emerson. For everything. I’m sorry I ever doubted you as my best friend. I’m sorry you lost your husband. I’m sorry for what happened to Jay. I’m just so sorry. Let me be your friend again.” Her voice cracks. “Let me help you through this.”

I nod. “Thank you, Elizabeth. That would mean a lot to me.”

* * *

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

The alarm on the machines blare as Jayla begins bucking her hips and kicking her legs. Her hand moves to the breathing tube and she begins tugging at it.

“Jayla—shit!” I grab one of her hands while Bass grabs the other. The door swings open and Alex and Lucas walk in. “Go get the nurse. She’s trying to pull out her breathing tube.”

“Princess, hold still,” Bass urges.

The blonde nurse named Holly, who’s been taking care of Jay since day one, comes rushing into the room. I step out of the way.

“Jayla, sweetie, it’s okay,” she coos, wrapping her hand around Jay’s. “You have a tube in your throat to help you breathe. You have to calm down if you want me to take it out. Squeeze my hand if you understand.”

“Did she squeeze it?” I ask.

Holly smiles at me over her shoulder. “Yes. It was weak, but I felt it.”

My father charges into the room with my mother right behind him. “Daddy, she’s waking up,” I tell him.

He pulls out a mini-flashlight and checks her pupils. “Jayla, can you open your eyes for me?”

“Come on, baby girl, open your eyes for Mac Daddy,” my mother prompts.

“Is she awake?” Eva asks as she steps in the room behind Alex.

“Kind of,” I tell her. “She was trying to pull out her breathing tube.”

Chris rushes into the room and over to the bed. “Okay. I need everyone to clear the room for a few minutes so I can remove her breathing tube and check her over.”

---