Page 140 of I Shouldn't Love This Way

“I can relate.” He chuckled.

“I’m tired of lying down and getting poked with needles every day—and I hate these horrible hospital gowns!”

“It’ll all be over soon, Aria. Stay positive.” He paused briefly and frowned. “You don’t know what I went through while you were in a coma.”

He was right; I didn’t know. We never talked about it.

“I feel responsible,” Evan said. “It’s my fault. I never should have let either of you leave—not while Noah was so upset.”

“Evan, please don’t blame yourself. We got hit by a car. No one could have predicted the accident.”

“I’m just glad you’re conscious again. I hope you don’t feel like this organ transplant will cripple you in any sort of way.”

“I don’t know,” I sighed. “I feel like my life is ticking on the clock.”

“You’re gonna get a healthy kidney. I promise.”

His effort to cheer me up was working. I spent the next ten minutes gobbling down some freshly baked Cannoli that Evan had brought me; they were bite size, and that delicious cream filling was to die for.

“I’m sure you’re sick of all this hospital food.”

“You have no idea,” I said, chewing with my mouth full.

He took another piece from the pastry box and fed me as I slowly took a bite and savored the delicious taste of ricotta cheese, whipped cream, and semisweet chocolate chips.

“Does she approve?”

“Shedefinitelydoes…mmmm…How did you know this is one of my favorite Sicilian desserts?”

“I didn’t.” Evan smiled and fed me another pastry. His dark eyes were seductive, but I guess that was the effect he had on people.

“Aren’t you gonna have some?” I asked.

“I bought these for you. I don’t have a sweet tooth, anyway. I’m strict about what I put in my body.”

“Are you training forIronmanor something?” I laughed, feeling bashful.

“No, just keeping fit.”

“I’m so jealous. At least you can move around and stay active. I’m not doing so well with this whole bed-rest thing.” I loosened my scrunchy and shook out my hair. “It’s just me, myself, and my mattress, day in and day out…Wow! That sounds like a horrible sitcom. How depressing is that?”

Evan chuckled.

“Sorry,” I said. “Wallowing in self-pity at the moment.”

“Finish your cannoli and stop drowning in misery. You’re not allowed to—not on my watch, at least. I’m not here to throw you a pity party”—he leaned forward—“so suck it up, Aria. You’re a Hunter, remember?”

“And what are we Hunters like, exactly?”

“Well… we can be incredibly stubborn, selfish, bossy, and a downright dick.”

I laughed. “Okay, please tell me you weren’t subliminally describing Noah.”

“That obvious?”

“A little.”

“He hasn’t exactly been the best brother of the year.”

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