Heartbreaker Read Free Page A

them to stay open and turn my head to the side.
    My dad’s tired eyes come into view, he looks grayer. He usually has that healthy suntanned glow. But not today, or tonight, or whenever this is. I have no idea how long I’ve been out of it.
    I try to ask, but my voice is an incoherent rasp.
    “It’s okay, honey, you’re okay. The doctor's coming.”
    Oh no. I hate doctors. Doctors tell me bad things.
    “Hey there, pretty girl.” It’s Bennett. And even he, for all his perfection, looks worn and wasted, like he's had a big night out.
    I blink and give him a small smile.
    Then the dreaded white cloak and clipboard appears and I frown. “Hi there, Bailey, I’m Doctor Richards.”
    Good for you , I wish I could say. Now go away and let me be. I’m fine, really.
    Except I know he won’t, he’ll want to stay and chat. I really hope he doesn’t. But I guess I’ve been prodded and poked and he’ll have stuff to chat about, questions to ask.
    Questions I don’t want Dad and Bennett to hear. Please, please, please, don’t say anything, I plead with my eyes.
    The good doctor clears his throat. “Um, Bailey you're in Forest’s district hospital. You’ve been here for the past twenty four hours. You passed out and an ambulance brought you here.”
    I nod as best I can, and my eyes widen. That’ll do. Enough. That’s all I need to know. Don’t say anything more. Please.
    He gives me a long lingering look with his knowing brown eyes, like he can read my mind and see the panic written like a bad song across my face.
    “I’m glad you’re awake, all your vitals seem good.” He gestures to a machine I hadn’t taken in yet, but one that I’m obviously hooked up to. Now the beeping makes sense.
    Doctor Richards gives a small nod. “I’ll leave you for a bit, then come back after my rounds.”
    I’m not completely off the hook, but I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, and the good doctor turns and leaves.
    Dad grabs my hand and Bennett moves to the end of my bed. I guess they’ve been introduced. I wonder for a moment who did that and how that went.
    Bennett as though reading my thoughts, gives me a wry grin. “Your dad and I met. I filled him in.”
    Filled him in, could mean a few things wi th Bennett, but I know he won’t share any of the gory details of my life from the past two years. He’s heard enough about my dad to know better.
    “This is going to kill you not being able to talk.” Bennett chuckles, but I can see the relief in his eyes.
    I want to throw back a snide comment, but all I could manage right now is to stick out my tongue. I lick around my mouth, my tongue feels furry and disgusting and I have no idea what it might look like, so I decide against it and scowl at him instead.
    Dad gives a small smile and squeezes my hand. “You a talker. When did that happen?”
    I can’t give an answer, but I roll my eyes. I’ve always been a talker, just not to my dad. He’s the quiet type, doesn’t like unnecessary noise, so I’ve learnt to keep our chats to a minimum since mom died. It was easier, just like not talking about mom was easier, so we settled for silence and if worked for the most part.
    And right now, that silence suits me just fine.

FouR
    ______________________________________
    I’m going home today. Apparently the IV drugs have run their course and all should be well.
    At least that’s what Doctor Richards said. He’s really nice. Much nicer than any other doctor I’ve met, and way nice than the last doctor I saw. He was just plain nasty. I mean, I got it at the time. But looking back he should have dug deeper, but he really didn’t care all that much. Just thought I was some stupid girl on a bender.
    I wish. Huh! Never thought I’d ever be wishing to be one of those girls. The carefree kind, who drank and slept their way through college. I used to despise those girls. It was easy then though. Easy when I had Cam and he had me. We didn’t do the dating