by Heather Lyn
Her voice is wobbly with emotion and I clench my jaw, pain lancing through me at even the thought. “Jesus.”
“And then I woke up. I looked over and you were still asleep, so I got out of bed and called my mom. I wanted her to come pick me up. I needed to get away from here. But she talked me down after flipping her shit. First, she was mad that she hasn’t met you yet, so we’re going there for dinner next week. Write it down.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I chuckle, Lindsey laughing at my tone.
“Then she was mad at me for not telling her about this whole shit show. So that was pretty much the conversation. But then we talked about some other things.”
“Well, I want to hear all about it, Linds. But first, why would you leave in the middle of the night? Do you know how worried I’d have been if I woke up and couldn’t find you?”
“I thought you deserved better than me.”
What the hell?
“Lindsey, no.”
“Brody, let me finish, okay?”
Nodding, I pull her closer and rest my chin on top of her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo, eyes closed.
“From almost the beginning, there’s been this… dark cloud hanging over me. Something’s going on, and after tonight we know it’s escalated. To a level that I never imagined, and I’m scared, Brody. So much more than I’ve been able to admit to myself. But I am. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t been in your bar? What if nobody noticed what happened?”
“What does that have to do with me, babe?”
“You’re this successful, amazing person, Brody. I may have fought you a little at the beginning, but you really are. You’re this enigma, and I constantly find myself in awe of you. I’m always trying to figure out how I’m lucky enough to have you, even for this short time.”
My heart swells with her words. I had no idea she ever felt this way about me.
But I feel exactly the same way.
“And then I started to think, ‘He doesn’t deserve this madness. He deserves a girlfriend he doesn’t have to worry about, or deal with her constant crying or terror. It’s not fair for him. He didn’t ask for this.’”
I keep quiet, hating her words but understanding them at the same time.
“And then my mom asked me one simple question that changed everything.”
“And what was that, Linds?”
“She asked me if I left you right now, how would I feel? Knowing one day you’d be with someone else. That maybe you’d marry another woman and have babies and move on. How would I feel.”
Lindsey turns and straddles my lap. Even in the dark, I can see the shining in her eyes, and I gently place a chaste kiss to her lips, cupping her face.
“And how would you feel?”
Sighing, her face drops for a second, and then she looks in my eyes.
“I’d feel like I made the biggest mistake of my life. It’s only been a month, Brody, but I care for you so much. I’d hate myself for the rest of my life if I pushed you away, knowing we could’ve had the entire world if only I hadn’t fucked up.”
I release the breath I didn’t even know I was holding and kiss her, pouring every ounce of emotion I can into it. Pulling away, we’re both trying to catch our breath as I smile against her lips.
“Sounds like calling your mom was a good idea.”
“Yeah, it was. I’m also ready to fight for us. I have no idea who this creep is, but I’m done being scared and timid. I control my life, not him. He’s not taking anything from me.”
Grinning, I pull her to my chest and squeeze tight. “How’d you get so smart, Lindsey Taylor?”
“I don’t know. I have this boyfriend who’s taught me what it’s like to be strong.”
“He sounds pretty fucking perfect,” I joke, resting my cheek on her head.
We sit in silence for a few moments, but I don’t miss her whispered words.
“Yeah, he’s everything to me.”
Same, baby.
§
“Hey, Linds. How’s work going today?”
Holding my phone against my shoulder, I pull a few plastic bags filled with groceries out of the bed of my truck, a six-pack of beer in the other hand.
“Good, actually. It feels good to get back in my routine. So, what time should we come over tonight?”
“How’s five thirty sound?” Setting the beer down, I unlock my front door and carry everything inside. Tossing the bags on the counter, I lean against the counter.
“Perfect. We’ll see you tonight, Brody.”
“See you then, baby.”
Ending the call, I start putting stuff away. It’s been about two weeks since the night in my bar. We were supposed to get together with her parents last week for dinner, but something came up, so I invited them over here tonight. I’ll grill something and we can all just hang out. I know her parents have been itching to meet me, and I’m looking forward to it.
Life is slowly starting to get back to normal, or as normal as it can. The police are still waiting on some results, but for the most part, they’re at a dead end. They pulled security footage from Walker’s, but the dark hoodie and hat combined with the dim light of the bar left them with nothing. And from what Garret said, there were no hits in the system for the fingerprints they lifted. It’s pathetic, but I almost wish the fucker was a criminal of some kind. At least then they would catch him faster.
Lindsey took some emergency leave after that night, but she went back to work almost a week ago, and every day I see pieces of the woman I met almost two months ago coming back. Thank heaven. I missed her, and it’s becoming very obvious how serious we’re beginning to get. Every day with her, I can see our future and I know it’s going to be incredible.
Now if only we could put this mess behind us we could start on that future.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Lindsey
“Just make sure you keep the wound clean, and in a couple days you’ll be able to remove the bandage to let it breathe.” Double-checking the patient’s chart, I head out of the room to start his discharge paperwork. Seven stiches in the forehead and he’s good to go.
Plopping down into the chair behind the nurse’s station, I start pulling the screen up when a hand bangs the desk in front of me.
“Hey, boo.” Ryan Woods is standing in front of me with the biggest smile on his face, chart in hand.
“Hey, Ry. Did you just come in?”
“Yeah. Sara called out sick, so I came in early to help out. Might as well cash in some OT, right?” Winking at me, he strolls down to exam room two.
Smiling after him, I turn to the task at hand. I met Ryan a little over two years ago when I started here. One of the first people I came across, he helped me get where I am today. Ryan’s incredibly smart and could’ve become a doctor, but he turned down med school to be a nurse. Said he gets more out of the job.
Plus he’s always believed that being gay, he’d struggle with other doctors. I have no idea why, but I’ve always suspected that it has something to do with his parents. He’s hot incredibly close to his dad, and his mom passed away years ago. He took me under his wing almost immediately, said I reminded him of her.
Halfway through the paperwork, my phone starts vibrating from my scrubs pocket. Without taking my eyes off the computer screen, I reach down to silence it. But when it starts again only a moment later, I force myself to stop what I’m doing and check it.
Garret.
Exhaling slowly, I answer his call.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Lindsey. It’s Garret Walker. How are you doing?”
Leaning back in my chair, I get comfortable and cross my legs.
“Doing all right. Work is keeping me busy.”
“Glad to hear it. So listen, we have a break. We got a hit off the fingerprints. We decided to run them through a few additional databases and we found a Jeffrey Lake. Does that name mean anything to you?”
“I don’t think so. Who is he?”
“Well, he did a long stint in the psych ward at Thompson’s before they transferred him to a low-security facility just outside of Nashville. Lake was involved in a car accident a couple months ago, and he started acting erratically, so they planned to transfer him back to Thompson’s, but when they came to get him, he was already gone.”
Car accident?
“Did it say where he was treated after the accident?” I ask, biting my nails while I wait. Leaning forward in the chair, my leg starts bouncing up and down nervously.
“Shit, hold on.” After a long pause, he continues. “Yeah, he was treated for lacerations at… fucking Christ.”
“Memorial General Hospital. I was his nurse, Garret.”
“Fuck. Okay, I know you have plans with Brody tonight, but you’re gonna need to answer some questions. Do you have a lunch break we could meet during? I can come to you.”
Glancing at the clock on the wall, I see I have two hours before my hour-long break. I tell him to meet me here then and we’ll find an empty room to talk in when he gets here.
Ending the call, I toss my cell onto the table in front of me, hands shaking. Tears fill my eyes, but I brush them away. With a shake of my head, I stand up so I can go to the bathroom. Closing the door behind me, I splash some cold water on my face and take a deep breath.
I fucking knew something was off with Jeffrey, but did I listen to my gut? Of course not. I assumed he was high as a kite and I didn’t do anything beyond basic needs. As a nurse, I failed him.
I need to call Brody.
Drying my face off, I head back out to the station, deciding to finish this patient and then deal with my boyfriend. Ten minutes later, I head into the exam room. The man seems ready to get out of here, so with my instructions and doctor’s note in hand, he leaves a moment later.
Strolling around the desk, I find my cell phone and unlock it to call Brody when I see I already have two missed calls from him. Garret must’ve called him already. Letting Andie know I’ll be right back, I head down the hallway to the waiting room set up for patients. Brody answers after only half a ring, and I have to smile at his promptness.
“Linds, thank God. You okay, baby?”
“Hi. Yeah, I am actually. Garret called me a little bit ago.” Dropping into a chair, I lean forward on my elbows and drag a hand through my hair.
“Good. I can’t believe they found him. Garret said he was a patient of yours once. What happened?”
“He came in the night I met you, actually. Multicar accident. He wasn’t that bad off, some cuts and bruises, but he was crazy, Brody. Called me a bitch and screamed at me. I had to help the doctors sedate him right before I left. It was so weird. But I haven’t seen him since.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. But is it weird that I feel relieved?”
“No, of course not, Linds. They found the guy who’s been harassing you. You should be relieved. Hell, I am.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.” I lean back in the chair.
“What do you mean?”
“Is it awful that I’m relieved that he’s clearly got issues? Like, somehow knowing he wasn’t really a danger to me, more that he was possibly having a psychotic break and didn’t know what he was doing.”
“Baby, he slashed your tires. He assaulted you that night. He was a danger. I just hope they find him and get him off the streets quickly. Throw his ass in jail.”
“Brody—”
“No, Linds. I’m sorry he has his problems, and normally I would be understanding to that, but not this time. He hurt you. He’s been fucking with you for almost two months. He doesn’t get away with that, period. He’s put us through enough.”
The rational side of me understands completely where Brody’s coming from, but the part of me who takes care of people every day, who saw this man when he was most vulnerable? Well, that’s the part of me right now that wants to get Jeffrey the help he needs.
“Well, with all due respect, Brody, he didn’t do anything to you. He only came after me, and I think it should be up to me to try and help him.”
“Fuck that, Linds. I may not have been physically hurt, no, but I’m the one who’s been by your side every moment. I’ve held you, I’ve calmed you, I’ve dried your tears. Do me a favor, stop trying to cast aside what I’ve gone through for that piece of shit.”
“He’s not a piece of shit, Brody. He’s somebody who needs help. If this had been some random psycho, then yes, I’d agree with you. Tell them to lock him up and throw away the key. But he was my patient. I brushed off his behavior and blamed it on drugs or something. Maybe if I had actually tried to help him, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
“But we don’t know that, Linds. And we never will. I’m telling you, I won’t let him get away with what he did. It’s not right.”
“Well it’s not up to you, Brody. And when Garret gets here to question me, I’m going to make sure he knows that it’s important to take care of this in the best possible way. A person with a mental disorder shouldn’t just be thrown in a jail cell without proper care.”
Brody breathes heavy for a moment, and I can imagine he’s pacing like he always does when frustrated. “I get it, darlin’, I really do, but you need to see where I’m coming from. If he’s just a sick man who needs help, why was he going to these measures, huh? Why not tell you right away who he was on the phone? Why threaten you? Why slash your tires? And answer me something else, Linds. If he’s someone who wasn’t really a danger to you, then why the fuck did he hurt you in my bar? Why have you spent the last six weeks crying and scared and fucking needing me to take care of you if he’s not a danger? No, fuck that. You do not get to feel bad. You did nothing wrong, he did. And he needs to pay for that.”
Clenching my free hand in my lap, I close my eyes against the emotions swirling inside and count to three in my head. Opening them again, I focus hard to not lose control.
“Don’t talk to me like that, Brody Walker. I understand you’re upset, but you do not get to yell at me. And you do not get to tell me what to do. Do you understand? You will have more respect or it will be the last conversation we ever have.”
“Linds—”
“No, Brody. No. I’m not dealing with this right now. I have work to do, and I need to have a clear head when Garret gets here. I need to go.”
Ending the call, I turn my ringer off when Brody instantly starts trying to call me back. Brushing a few stray tears away that managed to escape during the call, I straighten my shoulders and walk back out to the station. Sitting back down in my spot, I take a sip from my bottle of water and exhale loudly.
“You okay?” Ryan asks. He strolls to the desk, leaning his hip against it.
“No,” I mumble.
“Wanna talk about it?”
“They found him, Ry. They know who’s been calling me and harassing me. And they’re positive it was the guy who came after me in the bar.”
“Thank fuck,” he breathes, coming around the desk to pull me out of my chair, wrapping me tight in his arms. I rest my head on his shoulder and sigh.
“It was Jeffrey Lake, that guy from the pileup?”
“Holy shit. The one who was legit off his rocker?” Ryan pulls away and reaches for an extra chair, sitting down across from me.
“Yeah. His fingerprints were found on my door.”
“Shit. Did they arrest him yet?”
“No, they’re looking for him. But he shouldn’t be arrested, he needs help.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Ryan narrows his eyes at me and crosses his arms.
“What?”
“Lindsey, the man attacked you. His ass needs to be in jail.”
“You sound just like Brody. But you’re both wrong. He doesn’t need a cold cell, he needs help.”
“Lindsey, can I be honest with you?”
“Always, Ry. You know that.”
Leaning forward, Ryan takes both of my hands in his and looks me right in the eyes.
“I know you feel badly that you didn’t predict any of this, see it coming. But Lindsey, whatever is wrong with him, it doesn’t mean he’s not responsible for what he’s done. Sick or not, he knew what he was doing. Period.”
“It’s just not fair, Ryan. He’s terrorized my life, and yet I can’t stop wondering if I could have done something different, you know? In the thirty minutes since Garret called me, it’s thrown me for a loop.”
“I get that, Lindsey. I do. But you need to listen to that boyfriend of yours. He’s right, and so am I. None of this is on you. It’s not your fault, boo. I promise you that.”
Nodding, I close my eyes and sigh. “That’s what Brody kept saying, and I just yelled at him and told him he had no right to his opinion. I’m such a bitch.”
“No you aren’t. You’re hurting because you’re a good person. It’s why you’re such an amazing nurse, Lindsey. Call him, I’m sure he’ll understand.” Squeezing my shoulder, Ryan picks up his clipboard and, with his infamous wink, leaves me alone to my thoughts.
All of three seconds later, I realize he’s right. I couldn’t have predicted what Jeffrey was capable of, and now he needs to be held responsible for what he did. But I’m gonna make sure he gets the help he needs to.
No matter what.
§
“Okay, so that’s all? He cursed at you, but you were able to calm him down?”
Sitting across from Garret, we’re in one of the empty conference rooms where I figured we’d have the most privacy. He came without Jace and I’m actually surprised; those two are generally joined at the hip.
“Well, he didn’t just curse. He was incredibly agitated. I mean, it’s hard to describe. He calmed down when I tried soothing him, and it was as if speaking to him in a softer voice was the only thing that kept him from fully losing it. I calmed him down enough to get his blood to send to the lab. Just before I left for the night, I did my final rounds and two doctors were trying to restrain him. I administered a sedative and he went to sleep. I left twenty minutes later and never saw him again. I had two days off and he was discharged sometime during that time.”