Page 69 of Escape

“You’re fine.”

“I’m a mess.”

“You’re healing. It’s going to take time.”

Josie turned her head slightly so that her forehead was pressed against my neck. “You’re going to hate me soon, if I keep waking you up. I’m so sorry, Huck.”

I stroked my hand up and down her back. If she only knew how much I worried about her, how much I preferred being awake and exhausted with her over sleeping soundly and alone in my bed. “Please don’t apologize. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. And there’s not a chance of me ever hating you.”

Josie’s grip on me tightened, but she remained silent, attempting to settle herself down. I gave her the time to do that, partly because I knew she needed it, but also because I was trying to come to grips with the way I felt about how this was affecting her. All I wanted to do was snap my fingers and fix it for her.

“I don’t want to be alone, Huck,” Josie eventually whispered.

Someone would have to physically drag me out of here to get me to leave her, and even then, I didn’t think they’d be successful. “I’m not leaving you, honey. Let me climb under with you, and we’ll turn out the lights, okay?”

Josie loosened her hold on me, scooted herself back slightly, and made room for me to slide in beside her. Once I shut off the light and took her hand in mine, I asked, “Are you tired, or do you want more stories about my coworkers tonight?”

“I feel tired, but I think my mind needs a distraction,” she said softly as she linked her fingers with mine.

I tried not to read too much into it, even though I wanted to believe it meant something more than it did. The reality was that Josie just needed to have the connection and comfort she got out of being able to touch me following the horrific nightmares she had.

“Alright, I’ll tell you about Leo and Magnus tonight.”

Josie didn’t put up a fight, so I dove in and gave her the details, putting most of my focus on the best parts of those stories. After telling her all about Leo and Hanna, as well as Magnus and Maren, I couldn’t miss the way her breathing had evened out and how her voice no longer held that fear.

So, I turned to my side, facing her, lifted our clasped hands in front of my face, and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. It was the first time I’d kissed her like that, but I thought it was appropriate. “Goodnight, Josie.”

“Goodnight, Huck.”

I didn’t immediately fall asleep. For some reason, I couldn’t get myself to let go and drift until I knew that she was sleeping soundly beside me.

Josie

After the way things had gone the last couple of nights, I woke up the next morning prepared to feel miserable.

But that became an impossibility almost immediately.

The first thing I’d noticed was that it was morning, judging by the light filtering in through the window. The second—and far more important—thing my eyes landed on was Huck. He was still in the bed beside me, his eyes closed.

I didn’t move.

I stayed exactly like I was, having only turned my head in his direction.

Then I watched as he slept, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over me. Huck was the best thing that had happened to me. Granted, I realized we weren’t anything beyond being just friends, but his friendship alone was the best thing I had in my life.

It had been days since he brought me home from the hospital, and he hadn’t left me alone beyond going into his bedroom to sleep every night. But when I had a nightmare and unintentionally woke him up as a result, he was right there to see me through.

I didn’t deserve him.

But even if that much was true, I was too selfish to walk away and let him go forever. I just couldn’t do it—he was the only good thing I had left in my life, the only good thing I’d ever had.

There was one thing I needed to do, though, to be fair to him. And it absolutely terrified me.

Whether he was genuinely ready to wake up, could sense I was watching him, or there had been some divine intervention, I’d never know, but Huck’s eyes opened and met mine.

He smiled at me. “Good morning, Josie.”

“Good morning, Huck.”