Teacher's Pet Complete Series (40 page)

“Well, you wanted to be talked to like an adult,” my dad grumbled.

“Yeah, but I’m still not adult enough for that stuff. In the future, let’s just all remember I’m still your daughter, so you can keep the icky details to yourself. But I’m confused. You two were miserable together. What’s changed?”

“I have,” my mother said matter-of-factly. “And your father has. We’ve both made significant changes in the way we deal with each other and…”

“Your mother had a scare,” my dad interjected.

I scrunched my face in confusion. “What kind of scare? Mom, are you okay?”

“Yes, sweetie, I’m fine. It was just a little thing. The doctors were concerned there was a lump in my chest, but the biopsy showed that it was benign. Your dad was very supportive during that time, even though he had no reason to be. I was a very inconsiderate wife in the past, and I know he never wanted to separate, but I prioritized my wants over his. Coming face to face with your mortality tends to lend perspective on what’s really important in life. For me, the most important things were you and your dad.”

“You were sick? Mom, why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve come home!”

My mother explained, “That’s exactly what we didn’t want. There was no reason to worry you unless we were absolutely sure there was serious need for concern, and it turned out there wasn’t. We decided to wait until after graduation so you could focus on school. Most importantly, we felt this was something that needed to be discussed face to face, considering the nature of the conversation.”

“Wow.” I put my hand on my forehead. “This is a lot to take in all at once.”

My dad said, “We know it is, sweetheart, but we had to tell you now, because when you move back home we didn’t want you to be shocked to see the both of us living there again. You won’t have to hop from my apartment to your mother’s house to visit. We’ll be one big family again, as it should’ve been all along.”

“And we’re sorry we put you through that, the trauma of our separation,” Mom said. “Regardless of our differences, your dad and I felt really terrible we couldn’t make it work before, but we promise you we’ll try harder this time.”

My dad sat down next to my mom with his arms around her. She sank into his chest like she used to do when I was little. My eyes began to tear, and I got choked up at the sight. They’d said things I’d been longing to hear for years. Now I knew for certain I wouldn’t have to worry about either of their wellbeing, and I had good news for them too.

“I know we all planned for me to move back in with you guys, but I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you you’ll actually have to house to yourselves.”

“Why?” my mother asked with confusion on her face.

My dad cocked an eyebrow, like he already knew.

“Because I plan on moving to New York.”

My parents and I talked for hours. They told me their concerns and I told them my wants and needs, that there wasn’t much left for me here. Now that they had each other for sure, there was even less of a concern on my part that they’d be lonely. The way they looked together, I hadn’t seen them so happy in years. I left their room feeling a buzz of excitement that all of us were embarking on a new and interesting phase of life.

By the time I got back to the room, it was afternoon and Dane had already left for the office. He was due to be in meetings most of the day, from what he’d told me, which was great for me because I had business to attend to myself.

I lied down on the bed; feeling exhausted from the marathon sex we’d had the night before and my morning efforts in the shower. Plus, the emotional conversation with my parents had been somewhat of an energy drain. My muscles were tired and sore, and my eyes were itchy. In no time at all, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

After a couple of hours I woke up feeling refreshed. I wasted no time getting dressed, and hurried downstairs to have the concierge call me a cab to take me to the hospital. I had to get there at exactly seven o’clock. I then called Bobbi to make arrangements for her to get there by seven thirty to pick me up. She didn’t comment on the fact that I hadn’t slept there the night before, and I didn’t feel like explaining to her I had spent the night with Dane.

Thoughts passed through my mind, like what the hell was I doing. I’d made a commitment to Dane. I planned to keep my commitment with Dane, but I wasn’t about to miss out on the chance to see Simon. A worrying feeling of doubt gnawed at my conscience. There was a clash between who I considered myself to be and how I was behaving. I was the girl who was sure of everything, was decisive and stuck to a plan. I kept my head down and powered through obstacles with tunnel vision, set on what I wanted to accomplish. Now everything had gone haywire. I was acting like a fickle brat who wanted to have my cake and eat it too.

It was like my mind changed from day to day, and I had no direction, from nearly rumbling with Katelyn over Simon in a waiting room, to telling Dane I would go with him to New York. I was flying by the seat of my pants at every minute. The truth couldn’t be avoided or ignored any longer. I was in love with two men, who were brothers. My life was becoming nothing like I had once envisioned. It was starting to look more like something for reality TV. I had to admit, thanks to the Fosters, my life was more exciting than ever before.

The driver pulled up to the front of the hospital, and I looked up to see if I could pick out Simon’s room from the many lighted windows, but of course I couldn’t. I had never even actually been inside his room. I paid the driver with what little cash I had on me and headed through the doors, still feeling a little tense. I could run into Caroline at any given moment, though Selene had promised none of them would be there. As I rose in the elevator, I noticed my fists were balled, my forearms were tightened, and my nails were digging into my palms.

I could hear the machines before I got to the room, before I stepped into the doorway. I hadn’t noticed that before. I waited for a nurse to exit the room. I kept my head down and walked past her so she wouldn’t recognize me. I was hoping to decrease the possibility of Caroline somehow finding out. But other than the lone nurse, there was no one around. I finally walked into the room, and there he was.

Simon looked like he was sleeping, comfortably, peacefully. He didn’t look as bad as I had imagined. His head was wrapped tight with gauze and his lips were dry and chapped. I reached up and, like Caroline, brushed an unruly lock of hair away from his forehead. I expected him to stir in his sleep or groan or start to blink, something to prove he was in there and conscious, but there was nothing but the heart monitor beeping and the slow rise and fall of his chest.

My hand found his, and I stroked his palm with the pad of my thumb. As I watched his unnatural stillness, my chaotic thoughts tried to put things into perspective. I wished I could speak with him, face to face. So I could look him in the eyes, and we could settle things once and for all.

Did I love Simon? I knew the answer was yes, but I also loved Dane…two different men for two different reasons, each pulling at a certain side of me. Dane was virile and masculine, tough and defensive. He was fiercely protective and unfailingly faithful. Even though expressing his feelings didn’t come easily, he was a man of actions rather than words, and he constantly showed me how he felt for me.

But Simon was intellectually stimulating, challenging and demanding, outside and inside the bedroom. He made me hunger in more ways than one— for more of his interesting conversations and his voracious, aggressive lovemaking, but I also loved his integrity and sensitivity. Our chemistry was incredible whenever we were together. He had shown me things about myself I didn’t even know existed.

I leaned in to whisper in Simon’s ear, “Is it strange that I don’t know what to do? It should be clear to me that I need to go with Dane, right? That I should start a new life somewhere else and see if it fits. Then why is it I’m feeling so scared? Why can’t I stop thinking about you? I couldn’t shake you if I wanted.” My words started catching in my throat. My cords were tensing up as I felt that familiar feeling. I didn’t want to start crying again. “You can be a real pain in the ass, you know that? I had plans before I met you. Graduate, get a job, get married one day, maybe. I think you have a knack for messing things up with me. Just looking at you makes me second-guess.”

I slipped my hand into his while the other one wiped at my face. I looked at the tears that rested on my fingers, a sign that I need to go before I really started to lose it. I kissed Simon gently on the cheek. His skin was soft and a little cool, so I warmed the sides of his face with my hands. “I don’t know if I’ll be gone before you wake up, but you will wake up. And when you do, no matter what Caroline or anyone else tells you, know that I love you to the very core of my being, Simon Foster. I may not be the right woman for you, and maybe you aren’t the right man for me. Regardless of all that, I can say that I love you now, and the only reason I’m saying it now is so you’ll know. Somewhere in there, you’ll know, whenever someone mentions my name to you, the thought of this moment and me telling you how I feel will linger in the back of your mind, and you’ll smile without knowing why. But it’s because for the first time in my life I’m telling a man that I love him, and that man is you. It will always be you. I can’t deny that…I’ve tried. If I could change how I treated you before, change all the fear I had, the angst, the anger, the childish mistakes that I made, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

Now my tears were coming like a stream, making their way down my face, dropping onto Simon’s bed and soaking wet spots into his blanket. I wiped my face once again and thought of heading for the door, but something kept me planted in my seat. The last thing I needed was to get busted by the nurse or Caroline, which would make it ten times worse.

I crawled onto his bed and laid my head on his chest with my arms wrapped around him, not knowing if I’d ever see him again or if I’d ever hear the deep tones of his voice. I would miss the sexy way he whispered in my ear and made me give my body over to him, because the truth was, whether he woke up or not, there was a chance he wouldn’t want to have anything else to do with me.

He could blame me for the problems he had with his brother; blame me for breaking his heart; blame me for being too angry that night and the accident that put him here in this hospital. So many things he could blame me for, if he wanted. All those many things I would take, if it meant he woke up right now, today. I would consider all I had coming to me a fair and even trade, if he could just wake up.

“I love you, Simon, I do. With all my heart, but it’s time for me to go.” I got up and headed for the door, and as I got to the entrance I thought I heard a sound, a rustle of the blankets. I looked over my shoulder. It was nothing. Simon was still. But as I turned back toward the hallway, I heard…

“I…I lov…I love you too, Lynn.”

I felt unsteady on my feet. I couldn’t believe it.

“Simon?” My heart was beating rapidly in my chest; my words seemed to hollow in my ears. I ran to his bedside. “Simon? Are you awake?”

He licked his lips, having a hard time pulling them apart. I poured a cup of water from the pitcher on the table and helped him sip slowly from the cup. “If I’m not awake…I’m having one hell of a dream. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.” He tried to smile, but the skin of his lips was too tight, brittle and chapped. I tipped the cup to his lips and gave him more water.

“Thank you.” He looked me over. His blue-green eyes were weak—tired, surrounded by veins of red, and half-lidded.

“You’re welcome. You don’t know how glad I am to see you awake,” I whispered, tears flowing freely. “Okay, stay right here. I’m going to get the nurse.”

As I got up, he grabbed my wrist. “No, no, don’t…please.”

“What do you mean? You’re awake I need to call the nurse…Selene…your mom.”

He shook his head and looked at me. “No, sit down. please.”

“But—”

“Please, Lynn.” He nodded toward the seat. “Sit down.”

I sat down, as he wished. His eyes explored mine.

“I heard everything you said.”

“What?” I was confused. “What do you mean you heard everything? When?”

“I don’t know for how long. I didn’t hear you come in, but I think I heard all the important parts.”

“Like?”

“Like you’re planning on leaving…moving to New York with Dane.”

“Oh, those important parts.” I sat back in the chair.

“Is there more to tell?”

“No, I think that covers the basics,” I said sadly.

“Good, because in my fragile state, I don’t believe I can take any more.” He grinned, a smile not unlike Dane’s. I found it ironic. “You told me you loved me.” I turned my head. My face began to flush. He would wake up just in time to hear my confession. “Did you mean it?”

I nodded. Reluctantly, but I didn’t want to lie. “Did you mean what you said? When you told me you loved me?”

“What? When did I say that?”

“Simon.”

“I’m kidding. Of course I meant what I said. How could I not love the woman that brought me back to life?”

“Like Sleeping Beauty kissing the prince?”

“It seems that way, doesn’t it?”

“I guess fairy tales can come true.”

“Depends on who’s telling the story.”

Simon tried to sit up, and I stopped him in alarm. “Hey! What are you doing? Lie back down.” I placed my hand on his chest and slightly pushed. He resisted for all of two seconds.

“Ugh, I hate hospitals.” He tried to sit up again. “I need to get out of here.”

“I don’t think that’s the best idea, Simon. The doctors need to examine you, now that you’re out of the coma.”