Fall With Me (Sugarland Creek, #3) (80)
“We've never seen you happier, sweetie,” Mom smiles gently.
“It's true,” Aunt Phoebe speaks up for the first time and squeezes in between my parents. “You went from a depressed workaholic to a vibrant young twenty-something-year-old. Like how you should be.”
“Gee…thanks?” I laugh.
“Sweetheart, Noah and Landen are in the waitin' room,” Mom tells me.
“He's here?” I beam, though I’m not surprised.
“Yes, and he's a nervous wreck,” Dad says.
Mom pats my hand. “Put that man out of his misery, will ya?”
I choke out a laugh, nodding. “Tell him to come in.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
LANDEN
Sitting in this waiting room brings back conflicting feelings from the last time Ellie was here. I would've camped out all night to stay close to her, but I'm glad I didn't have to because the seats were not built for bigger guys. And now, I'm not even bothering to sit. All I can do is pace and wait.
I watch as Noah talks to Ellie's parents and Aunt Phoebe. When I introduced myself to her, she looked me up and down a few times and then gave me a discreet smile.
So I think I passed whatever test she gave me.
“We're gonna check in on her and be right back,” Mrs. Donovan tells me after the doctor walks away. “I'll let you know when you can go in.”
Mr. Donovan claps my shoulder. “I'm rootin' for you, don't worry.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Fisher waits with Noah. He's not much of a talker but sometimes I wish he was so I'd have someone else to listen to besides my own thoughts.
When Angela storms down the hallway with her arms swinging and a scowl on her face, I can't tell if it's directed at me or the situation.
I had no idea what to expect coming here but seeing my ex after eleven years wasn't one I was expecting and now I have more questions than answers.
“Let's go…” She directs to someone behind me.
When I look over my shoulder, I see…Gage?
What the fuck?
He takes her hand and they exit the waiting room.
Okay, well now I have even more questions than answers.
“Stop fidgetin', you're making me anxious,” Noah scolds. “Sit down at least.”
“I'm fine…” I crack my neck and each one of my knuckles, and once I'm out of things to crack, I pace the waiting room.
“Landen? Noah?”
My attention draws to Mrs. Donovan. “She's awake and ready to see y'all.”
Noah jumps out of her chair. “Finally!”
I side-eye her as she runs past me.
Following behind, I blow out a tense breath and enter the hospital room.
“What have I told you about dying on me?” Noah scolds, wrapping her arms around Ellie.
“Hey, at least I'm three for three on not dying.”
She's making jokes, that's a good sign.
Ellie looks at me and smiles. “Hi.”
“Hi,” I respond.
Noah glances between us. “Uh…I'll give y'all a moment.”
When she walks past me, she pats my chest. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” I murmur.
I go to Ellie's bedside and roam my eyes over her body. “You're okay?”
She nods. “Yeah.”
“I—” My words are cut off by her trying to speak at the same time. “Go ahead,” I tell her.
“I'm sorry, Landen.”
I gulp because this is it. She's breaking it off.
“Can I at least get the opportunity to fight for you first?” I ask, pushing back the emotions threatening to surface. “Even if it's just five minutes.”
Her expression shifts and she nods once. “Okay. Go.”
“Oh, um…alright.” I hadn't expected her to agree but I'm going to give it my all regardless.
Inching closer, I stand taller. “I understand that someone you trusted, looked up to, and idolized told you a version of the truth, but I hope you'll give me a chance to prove how this person lied and exploited you. Angela and I dated on and off through high school and—”
“You can stop.”
My mouth clamps shut.
“I don't need to hear about Angela.”
“Oh. Okay…well. Then allow me to tell you about Talia and Tucker,” I plead, feeling the sweat across my forehead.
She nods once again, and I spend a solid three minutes speaking as fast and eloquently as I can about how amazing my friends were and how bright of a future they had with each other.
“They sound really lovely.”
“Yeah…” I lift my cab and scrub a hand through my hair. “It's why I fought so hard to get justice for Talia.”
“Good. Angela got what she deserved.”
“Yeah, and…wait, what?”
She smiles for the first time since I've walked in and a huge weight falls off my shoulders.
“I was tryin' to tell you how sorry I am not because I got my memory back and was taking Angela's side, but because I remembered how I acted toward you before my accident. I'm embarrassed and humiliated that I treated you so horribly when you were nothing but nice to me. Hell, you even saved my life after I tore you a new one.”