Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“He’s in a coma,” I murmured, bringing her attention to me for the first time.
She blinked and stared. “Who are you?” she sneered.
I would’ve laughed at her obvious outrage at seeing me in Rafe’s room—past hours—but I couldn’t even find the strength to pick up my head from my hands.
“I’m Janie,” I answered.
“The daughter of a friend,” she said. “I remember you. The hair.”
She gestured to her head, miming hair in a bun, and I grimaced. “Yes.”
I guess you could consider me a daughter of a friend…technically.
Though, I wouldn’t go as far as to call them ‘friends.’
Acquaintances, maybe. Friends, no.
“Right,” she said, then moved to the bed. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” I asked, sounding as offended as I felt. “What are you doing here?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m here because Rafe is hurt.”
“So am I,” she challenged.
I clenched my teeth.
“I’m a really good friend,” I said. “Rafe’s never even mentioned you.”
The woman in front of me smiled. “Funny,” she drawled. “But he’s never once mentioned you, either. And we’ve spent quite a bit of time together over the last six weeks.”
Then she did something that had the breath leaving my lungs.
She held out her hand. “I’m officially the soon to be Mrs. Rafe.”
My jaw would’ve hit the floor if it wasn’t attached.
“You’re lying,” I whispered, feeling suddenly sick to my stomach.
“I have absolutely no reason to lie,” she crossed her arms. “I can tell you exactly where he’s been for the last six weeks…can you?”
No. No, I fucking couldn’t.
“What the fuck?”
I looked down at a now awake Rafe, seeing his eyes were just barely slitted, but very much aware.
“Oh, honey.”
I winced and backed away when Mrs. Soon-to-be Rafe slammed her purse the size of a small horse into my chest.
Oh, honey, I mimicked, crossing my arms and glaring at the stupid woman’s perfectly coifed hair.
Rafe saw me, and he frowned.
“Who are y’all, and why are y’all here?”
Something cold slithered down my spine.
“Who are we?” I said, confusion lacing my voice. “Rafe, do you not know who I am?”
His jerked his head away from the girl that was petting his beard like one would a dog and growled at her. “Stop touching me.”
The woman stopped, but she didn’t pull away altogether. Instead, she turned so that she could stare at me.
“You’re no longer needed. I’m here.”
I opened my mouth to tell her that under no uncertain terms was I leaving when the door was pushed open.
“Oh, you’re awake!”
I turned to find myself staring at a nurse, who was staring at me and Hooters girl with a frown.
“I’m sorry, but there is only one visitor allowed back here at a time. This floor’s rules. I’m sorry.”
“As his fiancée, I’m staying.”
I opened my mouth to argue that she could kiss my fat ass when the nurse turned to me. “And who are you to him?”
“He can’t remember who we are,” I blurted. “Is that normal?”
The nurse turned to Rafe.
“Do you know who these ladies are?” she questioned.
Rafe shook his head, barely hiding the wince in time.
I saw it, though.
Then again, there wasn’t a single thing about Rafe that I didn’t notice or know…at least I thought there wasn’t, anyway.
“No,” Rafe murmured, sounding like he was getting angry. “Should I?”
And that was when I realized that things were bad. Really, really bad.
“Who do you want to stay?” the nurse asked. “There can only be one.”
Rafe’s eyes bounced from me to the woman at his side, then moved back.
They stayed locked on me, and for a second, I saw recognition there.
Then, it was gone.
“Neither.”
“Okay then,” the nurse said. “Both of you out.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach.
But nonetheless, I walked out, not stopping until I was two doors down from his room.
“Don’t think that just because you knew him before me that you can worm your way in there,” the snotty female voice let me know that I hadn’t left by myself. The she-devil had left, too.
I turned and glared. “I’m sorry. Did I miss the fact that I was talking to you?”
“He’s mine.”
I bared my teeth.
“If he’s yours, he’ll be yours.” I paused. “But, just being honest, the moment that he regains his memory, you’re not going to get rid of me so easily.”
She laughed. “We’ll see about that, now won’t we?
It wasn’t until she left that I lost my battle with the tears.
Moments later, my father rounded the corner of the hallway and looked at me, noting the tears almost immediately.
“Ready?”
I felt betrayed. I felt stupid. And honestly, I felt like I was the world’s dumbest person.
While I was waiting for him to uncomplicate his life, he was out getting engaged.
God, I was so fucking stupid!
“Janie…” my father said. “You ready to go? There’s nothing you can do here to help.”
I would’ve laughed at that had I not just thought the same thing.