Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,50

It’s annoying.”

Jared chuckled as the door opened.

I grabbed the papers from the nurse, said thank you and began to pick up my stuff.

“Katy,” Jared said. “Katy!” He said a bit louder when I wouldn’t listen. “I can get your stuff.”

“I’ve got it, Jared,” I snapped, not wanting to be helpless.

“Katy,” he began taking the bags from my hands. “You were in an accident last night, you’re hurt. You don’t need to be carrying these heavy bags. Let me help you.”

I sighed, you couldn’t argue with Jared.

“At least, let me carry my purse, so that I don’t feel like a complete invalid,” I clutched it closer to me.

He laughed. “You can keep the purse. Come on,” he nodded out the door. “Let’s get you out of here before you wear a hole in the floor.”

I followed Jared down to the main lobby.

“Stay here,” he nodded to a chair. “I’ll go pull the car up.”

“I can walk,” I said, holding my head high.

“Katy,” he groaned. “I had to park pretty far away and I don’t want you to tire yourself. I’ll be right back. You know…” he paused.

“What?” I sighed, the fight going out of me.

“You don’t have to be so tough all the time, Katy. It’s okay to be vulnerable,” he said softly, those brown eyes boring into me and seeing more in me, than anyone else ever had.

My lower lip trembled and I wanted to tell him that, no, I couldn’t be vulnerable.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he assured me. “Don’t run.”

“I won’t,” I whispered, my voice cracking as I took a seat in the hospital lobby.

People bustled around me, going about their business.

I watched through the glass doors for Jared’s Toyota to show up.

When I saw the bright blue of his car, come around the curve and under the awning, I stood and scurried out the doors.

Jared came around to open the passenger door.

I looked at the ginormous vehicle and cringed. Getting inside that thing was going to kill my ribs.

“Do you mind if I lift you?” Jared asked softly, from somewhere behind me.

At this point, I didn’t have much choice.

“Help me,” I said.

“I’m going to lift you up,” he warned. “Okay?”

I nodded.

Slowly, he swept my legs out from under me and lifted me into the passenger seat like a small child.

I reached for the seatbelt and pain lanced through my side. “Ouch!” I exclaimed.

“Hang on a second, let me get it, kitten.” He pulled the seatbelt out and buckled me in. This close, his citrusy smell threatened to overwhelm me.

He pulled away and smiled. “All good?” he tapped my knee.

I nodded, hoping I wasn’t blushing like a fool.

We pulled away from the hospital and a rumbling started in my stomach.

“I’m hungry,” I said.

Jared chuckled. “I’m starving too, that hospital food tastes like ass.”

“You know what ass tastes like?” I laughed.

“Metaphorically speaking, of course,” he shrugged. “There’s a McDonald’s down the road. Would that be okay?”

“At this point, I’d eat just about anything,” I said, trying not to flinch every time he drove over a bump in the road.

He turned into the drive thru and I told him what I wanted.

I pulled out my wallet but he refused to take the money.

“Jared,” I whined. “Please, take it,” I held out the twenty-dollar bill. “You stayed the whole night with me at the hospital and now you’re letting me stay at your house. This is the least I can do.”

“No, Katy,” he glared at me. “Put your money away, and let me take care of my girl.”

My cheeks flamed at his words but I refused to argue with him anymore. I put the money away and dropped my purse onto the floor of his car.

He got the food and pulled into a nearby parking lot.

“Bagel for the lady,” he said, handing me the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. “And two chicken biscuits for myself. This is quite the feast,” he winked at me.

“Tastes good to me,” I said, already taking a huge bite.

He chuckled and unwrapped his sandwich. “You’re easy to please.”

I shrugged. “I’m not some complicated chick that’s going to flip out if you forget my birthday. I don’t care about those kinds of things, so eating somewhere fancy is pretty far down on my list. I’ve learned that it’s the simple things that matter the most.” I turned to face him. “When you’re older, you aren’t going to look back and remember that your boyfriend took you to the coolest restaurant in town. You’re going to remember