Page 51 of Escape

Huck’s mom loosened her hold on me, allowing me to pull my face back and seek out Huck. He was striding toward me on the opposite side of the bed.

Completely ignoring his mom, he reached for my hand and asked, “Does something hurt you?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“What’s going on?”

“Your mom and I were just catching up,” I said.

Huck’s eyes narrowed on me for a moment before they shifted to his mom. She stood up from the bed, held her hands up in surrender, and declared, “I think I need to get going. My shift is about to start.” She rounded the bed, moved toward her son, and gave him a hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek. “You look refreshed. Do you feel better now?”

He sighed. “Yes, Mom.”

She grinned at him, and my heart melted. I loved their relationship.

When she looked back at me, she said, “I’ll stop in to see you before I leave today. It was so nice to finally have the chance to catch up with you, Josie. We’ll have to do it again once you’re out of here and feeling up to it.”

Smiling at her, I replied, “I’d love that… Bonnie.”

Her laughter filled the room. My eyes shifted to Huck, who was no longer scowling like he wanted to hurt someone for making me cry. He seemed amused, and I liked the way that looked on him a whole lot more.

After gathering up her things, Bonnie moved to the door and said, “I’ll see the both of you later.”

We said goodbye to her, and a moment later, it was just the two of us.

When I returned my attention to Huck, I said, “You went home and got to take a shower.”

“I didn’t want to leave you, but my mom wasn’t hearing it,” he returned. “And I thought after you being awake for so long last night that you’d need the extra rest. I foolishly believed I could run home and be back before you woke up. I’m sorry I wasn’t.”

I smiled at him, my hand giving his a squeeze. “It’s okay. I enjoyed getting some time to talk to your mom.”

“Are you sure nothing bad happened? I certainly didn’t think I’d wind up walking in and see you in tears.”

“I promise I’m okay. Things were just a bit emotional for us, but there was nothing bad. They were all good tears,” I insisted.

He nodded his understanding. “Well, I won’t have to worry about coming back to see that again, because I’m here to stay until I can take you home with me. Has the doctor come to see you yet?”

“No, but I hope he still plans to let me leave tomorrow. I want to get out of here.”

“I’ll be here with you until that happens, but I can’t say I disagree. I think we’ll both be happier at my place.”

His place.

I couldn’t wait to see his place.

“While we wait, will you tell me about it? Where do you live?”

Huck smiled at me, sat down, and didn’t hesitate to tell me about his home. Suffice it to say, when he finished, I was even more excited to get out of the hospital.

THIRTEEN

Josie

“This is the most excited I’ve felt in such a long time.”

No sooner had I made my declaration, I felt Huck’s gaze on me. Twisting my neck, I looked over to where he was sitting behind the wheel of his truck. When my eyes landed on his, he offered a genuine smile in return. Though I knew he was a great guy, I wondered how it was possible for him to look at me with my face being as beat up as it was and still have it in him to smile at me. I guess it was just a testament to who he was.

“I can only assume this excitement is about finally being able to get out of the hospital,” he said.