SECRETS & LIES 7 (Secrets & Lies #7) - H.M. Ward Page 0,29

and when the cool water rushes down my throat, I realize how badly it was burning. When I stop, Nate pulls the cup away and puts it back in its place.

I blink at him slowly. “Are you mad?” The words are garbled and sound like they came from an old hag.

He’s there, holding his hand to my forehead, pushing my hair gently off my face, smiling down at me like I’m the most beautiful perfect woman he’s ever seen. His eyes are glassy as he shakes his head, “No, not at all. I didn’t think you were going to wake up. You hit your head really hard. God, Kerry…” His voice trails off as he lowers his face toward mine and sucks in a shaky breath.

I glance past him and see people in the hallway, nurses and doctors, my mother, and Beth. I startle and try to sit up, but instantly regret it. My side feels like it split open. I press my fingers to it and feel stitches. “What’s this?”

“He stabbed you. I don’t know if you didn’t feel it, but you kept fighting. When I found you, there was blood everywhere. I thought you were dead. I thought I'd lost you forever.” He touches my face gently and bites his lips together to keep from saying more.

“You saved me?”

He nods slowly.

I glance at the people standing worried in the hallway, heads down and arms folded close to their bodies. One person is missing. “Where’s Josh?”

“He’s okay,” Nate speaks slowly. “They got to him just in time. He’s recovering. Let me call the doctors in to look you over, okay. You’ve been asleep for a few days.”

“Days?” I question. As Nate walks away, I realize there’s something I need to say before I lose the chance. “I love you. I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

Nate stops and turns to me. His eyes are puffy, lined with dark circles. He’s not shaved for days, so dark scruff lines his cheeks making his eyes seem bright blue. His shirt collar is unbuttoned, and the fabric is wrinkled. When he walks back toward me, he stoops over and gets close to my face, close enough to kiss me. “No, I’m sorry. For everything. Beth told me about Ferro and everything you did for me. Kerry, I’m such an asshole. I had no idea you—”

“Beth told you?” When I squeak out her name, it’s like a summons because she suddenly appears.

“She’s awake!” Beth rushes to the side of the bed and throws her arms around me in a huge hug.

Nate slips away, while doctors, friends, and family surround me. They fill me in, explaining what happened after I blacked out. Josh will be okay. He lost a lot of blood, but they were able to save him. He’s down the hall from me. Jace lingers in the window and inclines his head when my eyes meet his, before heading back down the hall. He’ll tell his brother. They’ll be all right.

I ask Beth, “Did Josh tell you? He didn’t hurt anyone. He didn’t do it, Beth.”

She smiles softly at me with true happiness in her eyes. “I know.” Her voice is tight, filled with liquid emotion threatening to spill everywhere. “I’ve never felt so unbalanced in my life. Too much really great news with too much really bad news nearly made me lose it. But you’re safe now. Josh gets a chance to start over, and so do you.”

The nurses clear the room, and I’m alone for a moment. There’s one person who remains, lingering in the hallway. She has yet to say anything to me. “Mom.” I croak out her name, and her eyes meet mine through the windowpane.

I wave her over. Mom looks as bad as I feel. Her emotions are barely in check, and she’s shaking. Her lower lip quivers and she breaks down. “I’m so sorry, baby.” She's standing there ready to leave, expecting me to throw her out.

If I’ve learned anything from this it’s that life is too short and I won’t always get a chance to make amends. This time, I do. This time is up to me. “Me too, Mom.” I hold my arms up to her like I did when I was a little girl, and she breaks down, rushing to me and wrapping me in a classic mom hug. She kisses my forehead and strokes my hair. She mutters apologies and worries, twisting them together until they’re the same thing.

She says, “I thought we