Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“You wanna exchange information?” he casually asks, his words breaking through my panic. My eyes snap to him, without moving my head to look at the attractive man who hit my car, tended to my daughter and is now taking us to the hospital, despite what it’s doing to his car in its condition.
“Sure…” I finally respond.
He gives me his cell number and insurance information, and when I begin to tell him mine, he holds the wheel with one hand and swipes along his screen to enter it. Panicked, my hands rise, as if they’ll protect me from the dash if he wrecks or the car gives out.
“Whoa.” My heart begins to race as cars pass us with not much room to spare. “Umm, maybe you should wait until we get there?”
“Nah, I got it.” He clearly doesn’t sense my discomfort. We just got into a horrible wreck and with the condition his car is currently in, you would think he would be a little more attentive.
Closing my eyes, I focus on breathing and hope he’ll hurry the hell up and get off the phone.
He laughs, and I open my eyes to see what’s so funny.
“Why you got your eyes closed?” A boyish grin on his face shows off two dimples.
“I guess I’m a little gun shy about wrecking again.”
“I’m actually a good driver…well, except for earlier.” He rests one hand on the wheel, looking at me with endless blue eyes. An electric charge fills the air causing me to stir uncomfortably. Glancing over my shoulder at Paige, I say, “Are you okay back there?”
“Sure,” she groans, holding the rag on her face.
“We’ll be there soon.” I give a reassuring smile before hastily looking out the window wanting to avoid Heston’s cobalt blue eyes. The magnetic pull between us is confusing, and I don’t know how to dissect it right now. He’s so nice and calm compared to my ex-husband. If it where Cam he’d be yelling and kicking the bumper in a fit-of-rage. Sighing, I focus on what’s outside my window. The sun sits high in the sky, touching everything in its sight with warmth, and whispers the promise of a beautiful summer. Something Paige and me really need after the last two weeks.
We finally make it to the hospital. It’s huge, and on the far-left side, a construction company is adding on to increase its massiveness. The accident happened closer to our new place so I haven’t been to this particular hospital.
“Well, thanks for taking us.” I paste on an appreciative smile, nervously tucking a brown strand of my hair behind my ear. Getting out, I open Paige’s door and take her hand to help her down.
“Sure you don’t want me to wait? I don’t mind.”
“No, thanks, I have someone who can take us home. But thanks,” I lie, I don’t have anyone now that my mother is dead and that realization hits me in the gut a little too hard. I guess I can have Cam come get us, even though I’d rather walk in the desert without water or shade.
Closing the car door, I give one last friendly wave and take Paige inside. The emergency room smells like latex and citrus cleaner that’s almost as strong at the florescent lighting that’s beaming down on us as we walk over to the desk to get checked in. A robust woman, with breasts bigger than I’ve ever seen rest on the desk, smacks her gum as she types in Paige’s information. Raising her left hand, she scratches at her over-volumized black hair, still looking at her computer screen.
“Alright, if you can take a seat the doctor will be with you shortly.” Sighing, we turn away from the receptionist desk, only to find there’s no place to sit. Every dark blue chair is taken. It’s packed, but there doesn’t seem to be anything visibly wrong with the people sitting in them. Paige, who just got into a wreck, has a blood-soaked rag on her face, and they’re making us wait. I hate fucking places like this, instead of seeing patients by their level of injury, it’s first come, first serve. Meaning the woman across from us, who is on her phone laughing, will be seen for something as silly as elbow pain before Paige.
After two hours, we’re finally called back to be seen and Paige has to get twelve stitches.
Twenty minutes later, she’s all stitched up, we head back out to the waiting room and pray that, Cam, Paige’s dad, comes quickly. We’re standing outside, Paige leaning against a rock wall, when my phone dings.
How is Paige? Is she okay? Would it be alright if I come by and see her, bring a stuffed bear. I feel real bad about what happened.. – Heston
What the hell? I can’t decide if he’s charming or unsettling. He doesn’t even know us to care this much.