Pieces of Us (Missing Pieces #3) - N.R. Walker Page 0,49
a laugh. “In case you were wondering, Doc, this whole conversation is a very Justin kind of conversation.”
He smiled at me. “I feel good. I feel like me, like I can say the things I want to say. I wondered for a while who I was, and I wondered what version of me Dallas fell in love with. And now I know.”
“The real you,” I answered.
He nodded. “Yep.” He sat back in his seat and sighed, looking right at Doctor Chang. “There is going to be so much sex tonight.”
She smiled at us and closed his file. Our time was up. “I want to see you again next week. I know I said we could move to fortnightly appointments, but after last week, I’d just like to make sure we follow-up properly.”
Justin looked to me. “She wants an update on the sex.”
She put up her hands. “No, I don’t. Unless there’s an issue we need to discuss, or if you have anything you’d like to talk about. But no details,” she said, putting her hands out like Justin had done with the size thing. “And no bragging, cripes.”
That made Justin laugh, and it made me blush. “Sorry about that,” I said. Christ, I could not believe that was a topic of conversation . . .
We left the appointment and made our way home. Justin reached over the console to take my hand while I drove. “There will be bragging. I hope she knows that.”
I snorted. “Pretty sure she does, yeah.”
Chapter Twelve
We got back to the shop and Juss wanted to help Sparra with the ATV he was working on, citing he’d rest after lunch. He and Sparra had always been good mates, and since his accident, Juss had easily fallen back into step with him.
It helped that Sparra was easy going and never batted an eyelid that Juss couldn’t remember him from before. If he had to explain something again, he’d just tell it like it was the first time.
And I shouldn’t have been surprised when Juss had said he and Sparra were going to walk down to the corner takeaway shop and grab us some burgers. Sure, they delivered, but Juss and Sparra wanted to walk and chat, and after all, they’d done it a hundred times. But not since the accident.
“We’ll be fine,” Juss said to me. “I’m using the scooter.”
And what could I say? He was an adult, for crying out loud. I couldn’t tell him no. I wasn’t his keeper.
“Okay then, well, be safe. And if you need me, call me.”
Juss rolled his eyes but he smiled. “Dall, I’ll be fine.”
I nodded, because yeah, sure, I knew he would be. And he was cautious about overdoing it, and I knew he wouldn’t push himself. But damn, I could still worry.
I watched the front gate as they left and I watched it every minute they were gone.
Davo clapped me on the back. “He’ll be fine.”
“Hmm.”
“You gotta let him do stuff.”
“I know. I just . . .”
“You just worry. I get it. And I don’t blame ya. But it’s just down the road, he has his scooter, and Sparra won’t let anything happen to him.”
“Hmm.”
“He needs to be able to go into a shop and order and pay for stuff, Dall. He’s gotta start doing that shit some time.”
“Yeah, I know . . .” And I did know that. “But God, if something were to happen . . . if he falls or gets dizzy, or hears a car screech its tyres and freaks out, or—” I shook my head. “I can’t bear the thought of him having another setback.”
Davo’s tone softened. “I know, mate. And I’m not downplaying anything that he went through or what you went through with him. But you can’t be there every minute of forever. He needs to start doing things on his own again.”
I sighed. “I know.”
“How’re you gonna be when he starts to drive again?”
I shot Davo a look that probably bordered on panicked and wild. “Christ. I dunno. I’m going to not think about that until I have to, is what I’m gonna do.”
He chuckled. “You’ve got a bit of time yet. But you’re gonna have to think about it eventually.”
“Hmm.” Fucking hell. “I don’t want to wrap him up in cotton wool, and I know he’s not made of glass. But he’s not unbreakable either. When you come so close to losing someone, something inside you changes. You’ll do anything to protect them. And when you watch them struggle