“She’s with the triage nurse right now.” Guilt ebbs at me. Maybe I shouldn’t have worried her father, at least until after we knew what was going on.
“I’m glad you called. She will probably need I.V. fluids. In the past, that seems to have helped.”
The door to the triage nurse’s office opens. “Bristol is coming back, I should go.”
“Yes, please text and keep me updated,” Kyler says.
I stand, helping wheel Bristol back to the waiting area with me. “Who were you on the phone with?” Bristol asks.
I ignore her question and bring her to sit in front of my chair. “You might want to fill out the last of these questions.” I hand her the clipboard and pen.
“Brother?” She glances up at me, glaring, and inhales sharply. “What kind of brother takes his sister on a date to the emergency room?”
Thankfully, the emergency room is empty, or there might be some questionable eyes shooting my way right now.
“The kind who cares about her?” My voice raises an octave. “I can wait here when you go back.”
Bristol shakes her head and winces. “No. If I’m going to be dragged back there, you’re coming with me.”
She glances down at the forms, jots the information necessary and shoves it back at me to hold on to.
“Worst date ever,” she mutters under her breath.
“The worst date would be if I’m the reason that you’re in the ER.”
“You are the reason I’m here!”
Exhaling, I stare at her, not the least afraid of Bristol. I don’t back down, not with her, not ever. “That’s not fair.” I pin her with my stare, and she finally glances away. “I only suggested this to help you. Do you think this is what I wanted for our first date?”
“We’re not going on a date, Liam.” She folds her arms across her chest.
“And why not?” I ask, pushing her for an answer. I half-expect her to tell me that this is the date and I have to suck it up.
“You hate me for starters. Why would you want to date someone you hate?” She raises an eyebrow, waiting for my answer.
“I don’t hate you?—”
Bristol doesn’t look the least bit convinced, and I’m not about to pour my feelings out to her. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what I feel for her. The girl knows how to leave a man conflicted.
“Well, I hate you. You stress me out. You make everything a million times worse because?—”
Her words sting, but I don’t so much as flinch. “Because what?” I ask, waiting for her to elaborate.
“Because you’re … you!”
Fifteen
Luca
Dante surprisingly gave me quite a bit of time off on the weekends after the mishap where I got my ass kicked.
In fact, I’ve had the entire summer when I’m not being forced to do as he commands.
We’ve agreed to have dinner with them twice a month while I’m recovering.
Thankfully, dinner was last weekend, which gave me this weekend to focus entirely on Harper and Zeke.
I love having summers off, not worrying about attending classes and studying for exams. It’s given Harper and me more time to find our footing in our new marriage.