Read Reaching Hearts (Hearts Series) Online
Authors: Sabrina Lacey
Reaching Hearts (Hearts Series) (8 page)
Brendan
Waiting
for an answer.
________
Rebecca’s
eyes flicker. “The owner of the bar?”
“Yes,
Annie. Is she okay?”
“She’s
fine. She looked fine. She was here an hour ago and I sent her home. I assured
her I would take care of you.”
I
blink, anxiety sparked, but it’s so hard to speak. “You did what? What’d she
say?”
She
pauses, barely moving, surprised. She stutters when she answers, “She said
‘okay.’ And she left.” Rebecca stares at me as I close my eyes shut tight. “I
asked how she knew you and she said you just met, so I thought she wasn’t
important, Brendan! I’m sorry, I…”
The
look in my eyes stops her from saying more.
Struggling
against the drugs, it dawns on me that I have no way to get in touch with her.
I could call the bar, I guess. Will it still be open? Will it be closed after
the burglary? Is she okay? I have no way of knowing.
“Did
you get her phone number?”
“I
didn’t. I’m sorry.”
I
close my eyes again. “I want to make sure she’s okay.”
Holding
my hand, caressing it like a mother would, Rebecca says, “She’s okay. She
didn’t get hurt.”
I
pull my hand away and lay it on my ribcage, a mistake. I yell out from the agony,
moving it lower until I find someplace tolerable. “Where’s my phone?”
Rebecca
stands and goes to the drawer where my clothes are. I hear cloth moving and
figure she must be searching pockets. “
There’s
only
your jeans here and your socks. They must have your shoes. Your shirt was
probably torn up, right?”
I
refrain from telling her I wasn’t wearing one, and she won’t find my shoes
unless she goes back to the bar. Suddenly I remember. “Oh no.”
“What?”
She turns around fast.
“I
left my jacket at the bar. My phone was in it. I can’t call Mark. Fuck.”
She
walks closer, standing above me. “I can call him. What’s the number?”
I
stare at her and we both realize it at the same time. “Who knows phone numbers
anymore? You just hit the button and dial.”
She
bites her lips and shakes her head. “Right.
Of course.
A modern problem, isn’t it?”
“Who
did you tell her you were?”
“What?”
I
shoot her a look. “Annie. C’mon. I know you had to tell her something.”
Struggling
to admit it, she straightens. “She asked if my last name was Wells. I told her
yes. Then she asked if I was your mother.”
I
stare at her, knowing the answer before I ask the question. “What did you say
to that?”
She
sighs. “I told her no, that I was your girlfriend.”
I
turn my head away. “Fuck.”
“I’m
sorry. I thought you just met her and she insulted me by thinking I could be
your…”
“I
understand what happened. It’s just pretty much the worst thing you could have
said.” I close my eyes.
Getting
all huffy, she takes a step toward the door. “You know what Brendan? Why don’t
you get some
sleep.
I’ll come back later when you’re
not so ungrateful.”
“Fine.
Whatever.” I hear the sound of her heels as she walks out, and the door closes
behind her. I’ve got an image of Annie’s stricken face when Rebecca told her that.
How she would have put it together that I made her promise she wasn’t lying to
me about breaking up with her boyfriend. How I told her I hate cheating. And
now here Rebecca goes and plants it in her skull that she’s my girlfriend. I
know Annie’s no dummy. I bet when she suggested Rebecca might be my mother it
was because she was hoping she was, because she knew there was no way she could
be.
Rebecca’s
a woman of beauty, presence and grace. And while Annie’s beautiful, too, I know
she doesn’t know it. It’s all over her face with how humble and easily
surprised she is. How grateful for a compliment. There’s
a
freshness
to her that I really, really like.
But
Rebecca?
She can intimidate
most people just by walking into a room. I’m sure Annie saw her and was knocked
over. Especially when she wouldn’t have expected anyone to be here.
Dammit.
I push the button for the nurse. Within seconds one arrives, the benefits of
being a gunshot victim and nearly dying. They keep extra close tabs on you, I
would imagine.
“Did
you need something?”
“Yeah.
But instead I’ll have more drugs.”
She
pauses, unsure. “Are you hurting?”
I
close my eyes. “More than you can imagine.”
“I’ll
check your chart and be right back.”
“Thank
you.” I think again of what Annie’s face must have looked like when she left,
how stunned she must have been. And how I have no way of telling her I’m not
the shittiest guy on the planet. Turning my head toward the window, with my
eyes still shut tight against the pain, I mutter, “Unbelievable.”
The
End of Part 2
If you’d like to discover what happened that
weekend in Mendocino (to find out more who Rebecca is and why she’s not evil) it’s
available in the multi-author box-set “
It’s
In His
Kiss” – only $.99 on Amazon. The story is titled “The Fall” – taking
place right after Brendan left college, Sara left Brendan, and Rebecca left her
husband.
Happy
Reading!
BY SABRINA LACEY
(Clickable links)
I Love My…Series
Completed Series of Three Loyal Best Friends
I LOVE MY
HEALED HEART
(box set -
JESSICA)
I LOVE MY
SIDE OF THE STORY
(
AMBER)
I LOVE MY
FIRE
(box set -
NICOLE)
Hearts
Series
The
Fall
-
Part 0.5
–
(Available exclusively in the multi-author box
set titled “It’s In His Kiss”)
Throbbing Hearts -
Part 1
Reaching Hearts - Part 2
Crushing Hearts – Part 3
To become a member of the
tribe and know when new releases come out –
join
the mailing
list by clicking here.
Social Fun
http://www.
Sabrinalacey.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sabrina Lacey is just
like many women in modern times - she's been a lot of things to a lot of
people: wife, ex-wife, girlfriend, daughter, teacher, stand-up comedienne,
wackadoo
, loyal friend, spontaneous nutcase, fed-up
bartender, wide-eyed fashion photographer, lazy bones, bitch, and sweetheart
(though less often than bitch).
Her stories are best
enjoyed with a glass of wine and some alone time… ;)
Always happy to hear from you! Cheers!
