Taking The Fall(the Complete Series)(26)

“Did he say anything to you?” I ask.

“Nope. I just flipped him the bird so I think he got the message.”

I’m not sure who Jeanette’s trying to convince. We all know Saint hasn’t gotten the message. He hasn’t gotten it for the last month. He’s been trying and failing to get close to Jeanette again. Taking off her jacket and opening her purse, she starts freshening up her make-up and I know I’m more than likely in for a show: the Jeanette and Saint show.

“Your doctor is smoking hot, don’t you think?” she offers while applying some lip gloss.

I know what she’s doing. I actually get it. She’s trying to pretend that she isn’t doing this for him, because she hates him. No one understands that more than I do.

“I wasn’t paying much attention really, but’s he all yours,” I say, wondering if she’ll really make a play for him. For the past month she’s been dressing in the most provocative clothes she can find. She does her hair and make-up and then waits for Saint to show up, and he always shows up. On top of that, she’s been flirting with every guy within reach. Normally it leads to a giant fight that results in both Jeanette and Saint storming off.

“I just want to get out of here. This bed is hurting my ass,” I complain, wanting the nurse to hurry up with my discharge papers. These clinical blue walls are killing my eyes. All I really had was a bump on my head, so I was reluctant to go to the hospital at first but I wanted to make sure the baby was okay. I didn’t want to take the slightest risk so early in my pregnancy. The doctor said both the baby and I were fine. I hit my head on my steering wheel when I ran into a pole. Thank God I wasn’t going any faster when my brakes went out. I just have a bump that will probably turn a pretty purple by tomorrow.

Leaning over me, Jeanette pushes the call button to get someone to come to our room. Instead, a voice comes over the speaker

“Miss Matthews, what can I do for you?”

“She wants out of here is what you can do for her. You said you were doing the papers over an hour ago,” Jeanette says in the same no-bullshit tone she gives kids at library when they’re acting out.

“Just five more minutes and you’ll be on your way,” the nurse soothes before dropping the line.

“Ask and you shall receive, Lays,” Jeanette says graciously and starts to get all my stuff together.

“Do you think it’s weird that my brakes went out and my air bag didn’t go off?” I’ve been thinking this since the cops starting asking questions. I hate being scared. I thought I was passed that now.

“With Saint popping up everywhere like a fucking jack-in-the-box, I think you’re fine,” she responds and I’m not sure if she’s telling me the truth or trying to keep me calm. “Hey, I’ll stay with you if you like. We can have a little slumber party.”

“Nah, I just want to soak in a bath, maybe play the piano a little and then go to bed,” I reply. In truth I would love her to stay. I’ve felt so lonely since Carter left, which is insane because I only had him for one night. I’ve basically been alone my whole life, so I should be used to it. At night I keep dreaming about our time together. I’m pretty sure my pregnancy hormones are making it seem better than it really was. Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Layla. It was incredible.

I can see her studying me and I’m relieved when the nurse and doctor walk in before she can say something.

“Alrighty, Miss. Matthews, it looks like you’re good to go, but I did call and leave a message with your OBGYN and told them you’d be calling to make a follow-up appointment. If you need anything before then, feel free to give me a call.”

“Do you have a card or something?” Jeanette asks the attractive middle-aged doctor. Jeanette said he was hot, and while he’s easy on the eyes, he really isn’t her type. At all. She gravitates towards the dark, dangerous ones that look like they could snap you like a brittle twig. The doctor is handsome in more of a feminine kind of way. He’s got dark-blond hair that looks like it’s been carefully styled. He’s wearing his hospital scrubs and coat, but they are crisply pressed and obsessively neat. He and Jeanette would look like Ken and Barbie beside each other but I don’t think it’s meant to be. He’s too perfectly tailored for her.

“Sure,” he says, pulling a card out of his front pocket and trying to hand it to me. Before I can take it, Jeanette swipes from his hand.

“Mind if I use it?” she purrs coquettishly, giving him a look that has most men eating out of her hand. Between her looks and her boldness, I’ve never seen a man she couldn’t have by the balls.