I forced a smile to my lips. I was getting really good at that lately. “I’m fine. It’s good to see you.” I wrapped my arms around her, and she gingerly held me back. It was obvious she didn’t want to hurt me.
“Denny told me what happened,” she whispered. Her eyes were quickly watering as she examined my face. “That son of a bitch. I can’t believe he did this to you.”
Holding her shoulders, I looked her in the eye. “Don’t be mad at him. I did this. I betrayed him, I pushed him over the edge. It’s not his fault.”
Her jaw tightened, and I knew she didn’t really care whose fault it was. “He could have killed her. He could have killed you. I don’t care what you did to him, neither one of you deserved…this.” Her hand indicated my body.
“Kiera would want you to play nice with him.” I gave her a pointed look, then released her. She made some sort of noise that kind of sounded like “Whatever,” and I figured that was the best I was going to get from her. Changing subjects, I said, “Kiera will be happy to see you, and she could probably use a dose of happiness right now.”
A playful grin on her lips, she poked me in the shoulder. “She could probably use a dose of you right now. Coming?” She tilted her head, and her long, dark ponytail danced around her shoulders.
“No…I can’t go back in there.” Her mouth dropped open as surprise filled her. Her resemblance to Kiera was so striking, my heart constricted. Breathing hurt. Moving hurt. Everything hurt. “I broke things off with her…and…I asked her to move out. It’s over. We’re over.” A knot formed in my throat, and I had to swallow three times to loosen it.
Anna’s expression changed to one of sympathy. “Oh…I’m sorry.”
I shifted my gaze to the floor so I wouldn’t have to see Kiera in her eyes. “Yeah…so, I’m staying away from her. It’s just…too hard. I need space.” I peeked up at her face. “I need a minute.”
She seemed confused by that phrase, and I almost smiled. That was Kiera’s and my inside joke. Only, it wasn’t funny. Not funny at all. “When you see her…don’t let her know I’m here. It’s better if she thinks I left.”
Her brows bunched as she looked over my clothes. “How long have you been here?”
I kept my expression as even as possible. “Since the accident. I’m not leaving until I know she’s okay. As long as she’s here…I’m here. But…she doesn’t need to know that, okay?” She frowned and I made my gaze as stern as I could with my swollen eye. “I’m serious, Anna. I don’t want her to know I’m here.”
Anna slowly shook her head, a sad smile on her face. “Okay, Kellan…if that’s the way you want it, I won’t tell her.”
I nodded. “If anything changes with her…please let me know.”
It was a couple of hours later when Anna came back down. I perked up when she walked over to where I was sitting in the cafeteria. “How is she?” I asked, hoping I didn’t sound desperate for information but knowing I did.
Anna eyed me thoughtfully before she answered. I wasn’t sure what that meant. “She’s all right. Tired and teary-eyed, but all right.” Changing her expression to an exuberant smile, she added, “I’m gonna stay in Seattle with her. Find a job, and a place for us to live.” Her features softened into compassion. “I’m going to take care of her, Kellan, so you don’t need to worry.”
I exhaled in relief. Good. She’ll be taken care of. “Did you tell her I was here?” I asked, watching her carefully for signs of guilt.
She averted her eyes. Bingo. She’d told on me. “It…may have come up.” I was about to scold her for her lack of promise-keeping when she suddenly reached out and poked a finger into my chest. “But you can’t complain about that, because you, sir, are on my shit list. The second you’re healed, I’m smacking your ass. And not in a good way.”
I frowned, confused. “What did I…?”
Anna raised an eyebrow. “You told her we slept together? Really?”
I snapped my mouth closed. Oh yeah…that. “It was more…I didn’t deny it when she made the assumption that we had.”
Anna leaned over me. “I don’t like guys taking credit for shit they didn’t do. And trust me, if you and I had screwed that night, you wouldn’t have been able to deny it if you wanted to. You’d still be telling your friends about us…” She leaned in even closer, giving me a pretty decent shot of her cleavage. “…All the damn time.”