XOXO, Winter

by Bloom, Nikki

“I ordered us some dinner. And it’s just about nine o’clock.”

  “I’ve been out for that long?”

  “Mhm,” I answered. “I’m not surprised. You’ve had a very trying day.”

  “And the police are still outside?”

  “Yes, ma’am, so rest assured, Monroe and Victor can’t do anything to hurt you. And if they tried, they’re even bigger idiots than I thought they were.”

  She seemed relieved. “Good.”

  “Now, let’s eat.” I turned my back and opened up the fridge to get us something to drink. Once I had the water bottles in my hand, I returned to the table.

  “Winter!” I exclaimed, eyes wide with realization. “What are you doing? That’s…” A half-eaten coconut shrimp fell out of her mouth. With everything that had happened, I had forgotten about her allergy to shrimp and had simply ordered my all-time favorite dish.

  “Fuck…”

  She ran for the trash can and stuck her finger down her throat in an attempt to make herself throw up whatever morsel she had swallowed. I don’t know how many she had managed to eat in the time I had looked away, but remembering our conversation at the diner and restaurant, I feared that even one bite would do her harm.

  Timber barked, thinking that she was playing some kind of game. He got up on his hind legs and looked into the trash can, head cocked.

  “Where’s your EpiPen?” I demanded, because right now, time was of the essence.

  “In my bag. Upstairs. In the bedroom,” she answered in a wheeze. By the sound of it, the constricting of her throat was already taking effect.

  I didn’t waste a single second before bounding up the stairs. I grabbed her bag and emptied out its contents onto the bed. I rummaged through the mess until finally, I came across the EpiPen. I didn’t really look at it. I simply clutched it in my hand and went running back into the kitchen.

  There, Winter was clutching the counter for support.

  “Did you find it?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

  “Yes.” I tried to give her a dose but nothing happened. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was empty. “Winter… there’s nothing here. Please, tell me that you have another.”

  Her eyes threatened to bug right out of her skull. “I never got around to getting myself a refill…”

  “Alright, I need you to focus on breathing. That’s all you need to do.” It was subtle but hives had begun to break out along her neck. “We’re going to need to call an ambulance, okay?”

  “Please, don’t leave me.”

  “I won’t, I promise.” I dialed the number and told them what was happening. “Stay here for a minute so I can tell the officers what’s going on.”

  “Reed…” She choked on my name and I could tell that it was becoming difficult for her to breathe. If we didn’t do something about this and quick, I feared I would lose her.

  Thinking on my feet, I picked her up and carried her straight out the front door. I didn’t even ask for permission before I yanked on the door handle to the closest cruiser.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” The officer got out of the car with his hand hovering over his baton like he meant to use it.

  “My girlfriend is going into anaphylactic shock. If we don’t get her to the hospital quick, she is going to die.”

  Winter whimpered at the sound of my words.

  He looked at the suffering girl and nodded. “Alright, get in.”

  I eased her onto the back seat and kept her head on my lap. A second later, we were zooming down my driveway and through the still open front gates.

  “It’ll be okay, just keep breathing for me,” I told her over and over again. “Just keep breathing.”

  27

  Winter

  I don’t ever remember reaching the hospital. And yet, I was all alone in a room covered in white. Everything from the walls to the artwork was masked in that blanket of nothingness.

  Was this really a hospital room or something else?

  My stomach tied itself into a knot as I considered the fact that maybe I hadn’t made it after all.

  Reed’s words echoed inside my mind.

  Just keep breathing.

  As far as I could tell, my chest rose and fell in the familiar motions. Maybe I wasn’t dead after all.

  Blinking, I tried to focus my vision, but the obnoxiously bright light hanging overhead was making it difficult.

  Slowly, my sense of hearing returned like I had just surfaced from a dive. There was buzzing and mumbled words. I tried to figure out if any of the noises were ones that I recognized.

  No. Everything was foreign and growing louder by the minute.

  I tried to set myself up, but my body was leaden, anchored to the bed. So, I was forced to lie there and the longer I did so, the more uncomfortable it became. Metal springs stabbed into my back as if probing me to find the strength to sit upright.

  It took every ounce of strength I had but somehow, I managed it. My breath came as a ragged pant as I tried to regain my composure.

  What the hell happened? It feels like someone took a tire iron to my body and then ran over my chest with a semi.

  Now that I could see my surroundings properly, it was just as I had predicted – a hospital room. I turned my head to the side, half expecting Reed to be sitting there with a smile on his face but all I saw was the emptiness of a chair. My shoulders sagged. Where was he? Hadn’t he promised he wouldn’t leave me? I tried to assure myself that he had just stepped out for a bite to eat or something but with everything that had happened, my thoughts turned to darker explanations. Victor had cornered him, or worse, Monroe had decided to take matters into his own hands. And as much as I liked to think of Reed as a man’s man, I didn’t think he was much of a threat to a drug lord.

  It was the perfect time to strike, too. Reed would have been distracted by my visit to the hospital. Oh, why had I eaten that shrimp? I should have asked what had been ordered before stuffing my face.

  All of this could have been avoided if I had just been a little bit more careful…

  And if you had just refilled the prescription for your EpiPen, came that nagging voice that sounded a lot like my mother.

  I know, I know.

  My throat felt like it had been stung by a thousand hornets. I needed some water and I needed it now. As I searched around for a call button, I heard a soft knock on the door. I looked up and it was Iris holding a giant teddy bear, oversized limbs dragging on the floor, making it difficult for her to walk.

  “Good,” she smiled. “You’re awake.”

  “Mind telling me what it is that you’re carrying there?”

  “What does it look like, dummy? A get-well bear.” She plopped the bear down on the bedside chair and pointed to its stomach. “See? ‘Get well,’ it’s right there in plain ol’ English.”

  “I can see it, Miss Smartass.”

  “Glad to hear that this little near-death experience hasn’t thrown you off your game. You’re just as spunky as ever.” She leaned down and gave me a hug. To my surprise, it wasn’t her iconic bear hug. If I had to guess, she was holding back in fear that she would end up hurting me. “So, how are you feeling?” she asked.

  “Honestly? I feel like crap.”

  “I can imagine. The doctors had to pump your stomach. That little sucker of a shrimp was really down in there by the time you got here.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  “Yeah, it was pretty bad. What were you thinking? You know how allergic you are.”

  “That’s the thing. I wasn’t thinking. I was just hungry.”

  She shook her head and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Who knew that stuffing your face could be so dangerous?” She placed the teddy bear down at the foot of the bed before looking at me with this serious expression that didn’t suit her one bit. “Thankfully, Reed was there, or I don’t even know what would have happened…”

  “Speaking of which, where is he?”

  “He’s here. Sinc
e you were still asleep, we went down to the cafeteria together. He told me everything, Winter.” She clasped her hands against mine. “And if you need me to testify against that bastard, I will.”

  “I know you will.”

  “And trust me, I’m not letting him get away with harassing my best friend. I don’t care if the godfather gets involved; he’s getting what he deserves or my name isn’t Iris.”

  I was touched by my friend’s loyalty. She was the kind of person who would go through hell and high water for my sake. She truly was irreplaceable.

  “And about Reed–”

  “Yes?” I interjected before she could really finish.

  “I think maybe I was wrong.”

  “Hmm?”

  “I think maybe this guy is better than I thought.”

  “What makes you say that?” I asked.

  “The way he talks about you – it's like you’re the only thing in his life worth living for. Then there’s this sparkle in his eye and it’s enough to tell me that–”

  Knock. Knock.

  I looked up and my heart skipped a beat when I saw Reed standing in the doorway. He was quick to cross over to my bed and wrap me up in a much-needed hug.

  “I’ll give you two some privacy then.” Iris excused herself before I could stop her from doing so.

  The door gave a soft thud as it closed behind her.

  When it was just the two of us, Reed pulled away from the kiss and looked into my eyes, his own full of worry. “I’m sorry, I never should have ordered that shrimp. I honestly have no idea what I was thinking. I guess I just went into auto-pilot and coconut shrimp is one of my favorite foods–”

  “Reed. Reed.” I had to say his name a couple of times to get him to stop ranting. “I don’t want you to blame yourself. I’m the one at fault here. I should have asked about the food before eating it and I should have had an EpiPen on hand.”

  He pressed his forehead against mine. I didn’t know whether his skin was on fire or if I was burning up. That heat only intensified once I felt the brush of his breath against my lips. I yearned to kiss him –to feel the safety of our intimacy– but he kept his hand on my cheek like he wanted to keep a bit of distance. Why was he holding back?

  “Reed?”

  “I was so scared. At one point, you stopped breathing and I thought I had lost you. They managed to resuscitate you, but it was definitely a close call.” Tears rimmed his lower lash line. I was surprised to see them. Reed was the strongest man I knew and yet his defenses had broken down by the thought of losing me. Did I really mean that much to this man?

  With a shaky hand, I wiped them away.

  He offered a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  “And I learned that it was foolish of me to keep certain things locked away for fear that you might not like them. Life is short and if I don’t seize the moment then it’s bound to slip away from me.”

  I wanted to say something, but the intensity of his words kept me quiet. The air was stiff with whatever he planned to say next.

  “Winter… I love you.”

  What?

  I blinked thinking this was some hospital-induced dream.

  He loves me?

  Reed was holding his breath, waiting for my response. Those few seconds that ticked by felt like an eternity as I tried to figure out whether this was reality, or an optimistic dream meant to tease me with what could never be.

  Does he actually love me?

  I choked and fell forward, hugging him tightly.

  He ran his hands up and down my back. “I’m sorry, maybe I shouldn’t–”

  I shook my head. “No,” I said. “Don’t apologize because…I love you, too.”

  28

  Winter

  That afternoon, I was released from the hospital with a warning to be careful about what I ate.

  Iris was waiting for Reed and I in the parking lot.

  “You got a new car?” I asked.

  “Mhm. The lease on my other car came to an end so I traded it in for this baby.” She tapped the trunk affectionally like someone might tap the back of a lover. “She drives like a dream.”

  “It’s a good car. They’re pretty reliable. It should serve you well.”

  Iris nodded. “I certainly hope so. The lease payment is a little higher than I’m used to, but it’s making up for the cost in fuel efficiency.”

  “I don’t mean to break up the car convention, but can we go home now? I definitely need a comfortable bed after laying on that torture device in there. You’d think that they’d make it more comfortable for patients–”

  “Hey, if they can get you to return on back pain then they make even more money,” Iris pointed out. “Like it or not, hospitals are still considered a business.”

  “It’s true,” Reed agreed. “Sad but true.” As he spoke, he stepped forward and opened the passenger door.

  I nodded my head in thanks and sat down in the passenger seat.

  “You’re going to have to tell me how to get to this fancy house of yours. I’m not accustomed to driving to the Rafters from here.”

  “Just take Route 2, you’ll get there.”

  “Got it.” She pulled out of the parking space and that’s when the chaos began. I was instantly reminded of the reason why I often opted for the bus instead of asking my best friend for a ride home. She was a crazy driver and that was an understatement.

  If her tires weren’t squealing against the asphalt, then her clutch was burning through the gears.

  Through the rearview mirror, I saw terror written all over Reed’s face and I knew that my own face probably reflected his. My knuckles were white from clutching the seat. Trying to keep from slamming into the door or sliding into Iris’ lap was just as good as any workout routine. My midsection ached just from holding my breath.

  “Here, take a left.”

  Screech!

  Reed and I held on for dear life, but Reed was still thrown to the other side of the car. He gasped, winded.

  “Wow…” Iris came to a halting stop in front of the gilded gates. “I can’t believe you two actually live here. I have to say that I’m pretty jealous.”

  “It’s nice, isn’t it?” I said with a voice ragged from all the nervous adrenaline that was running through my system.

  “Nice? This place is epic.” She crawled up the driveway, mesmerized by the view. “Think you have room for one more roommate?”

  Reed glanced over at me like he had no idea how he was supposed to answer her.

  “Uh… we’ll think about it,” I said.

  “I would ask for a grand tour, but I’m expected at the diner. I’ll catch you later, okay?”

  “Absolutely. We’re due for some lunch together.” I started to get out of the car, but she grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me back a bit. “What’s up?”

  “And stay safe. There’s no telling what those monsters are up to.”

  “I will. So long as I’m here, with Reed, I’ll be okay.”

  She nodded. “You’d need an army to infiltrate this place.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Alright, have fun with your Prince Charming,” she said with a wink.

  “Oh, I will, don’t you worry.”

  “Don’t have too much fun,” she warned. “You might want to rest a little bit first.”

  “We’ll see.” I finally closed the door and watched as she reversed out of the doorway like there was a pack of demons trailing after her.

  “Well, that was quite the experience,” Reed commented. “I saw my life flash before my eyes more times than I could count.”

  “Yeah, Iris is a bit of an erratic driver, but surprisingly enough, she has never gotten herself in an accident. Isn’t that wild?”

  “No, that’s a miracle,” he said with a laugh before he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Why don’t we call it a night? I know it’s still early, but we both need the rest.”

  “Do you think we’ll be okay on our
own?” I motioned to the fact that we no longer had officers to protect us.

  “I think so. My security system is state of the art and as long as you’re with me–”

  “I’m safe and sound,” I finished. “I know.”

  Hand in hand, we walked into the house and made straight for the bedroom. Reed helped me into some of my most comfortable pajamas and even tucked the covers around me.

  “Aren’t you going to join me?” I asked.

  “Of course,” he answered. “But I just wanted to make sure that you were comfortable first.”

  “I can’t quite get comfortable without you by my side. I think that was the real problem at the hospital – the bed was painfully empty.”

  “Luckily, that’s an easy enough remedy.” He stripped down to his boxer briefs and jumped under the covers with me.

  “Hey, how come I’m confined to pajamas and you get to be half naked? That hardly seems fair.”

  “We can fix that too.” He rolled over so that he was on top of me, but he didn’t stay there for very long. He propped himself up by the arms and looked down at me, his eyes as bright as stars. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

  “More than once,” I said as my cheeks started to burn.

  “Well, I hope you never get tired of hearing it.”

  “You do a lot of talking for a guy who’s supposed to be taking off my clothes.”

  “You’re rather demanding when it comes to the bedroom,” he returned as he slowly unbuttoned the flannel top I wore. As soon as he had my breasts exposed, he took one into his hand and kneaded it with his fingers.

  “What can I say? I know what I want.”

  “And I love that about you?” His voice had become husky as he brushed his lips against the side of my neck. A second later, the first half of my pajamas rolled off my body and onto the floor. Next came my bottoms. He was quick with those. “There,” he said. “The deed is done.”

  “And we’re just going to leave it at this?” I asked.

  “You need rest.”

  “I’ve heard people say that love is the best medicine.”

  “You’re thinking of laughter.” A mischievous grin deepened into his face as he curled his fingers. I noticed them a second too late because I no longer had the time to get away.