LIB

Chapter 23

            “You said he has a sweet side. Tell me about that.”

            I smiled. “Well, the first time I had a really bad day after I met him, I was stuck in my wheelchair. I tend to get depressed when that happens and there was never anything I could do to get out of it. But Blake came over that day; I guess Jared had called him. He came to my room and we talked for a bit before he decided it would be fun to try and steer my wheelchair. He kept on crashing me into walls because he doesn’t follow directions very well, though he says it’s because I suck at giving directions. It made me laugh, which is something I normally don’t do when I’m in my wheelchair.

            “And then there was this weekend. He planned out this whole romantic outing for us. On Friday night, he had a limo pick me up and take me to a fancy restaurant where he had reserved a private dining room for us. Then he booked a beautiful suite for us at a hotel, which was amazing. Yesterday he had massages and spa treatments booked for the day and then we went to a comedy act last night. It was so much fun,” I said dreamily.

            “And what exactly were you doing in a hotel alone with him?”

            I snapped out of my dreamlike state and gave Jake a cheeky smile. “Listening to music?” I offered.

            He sighed. “Please tell me you’re at least being careful.”

            I blushed and ducked my head a little. “Yeah, I’ve been on birth control for the past two years.”

            Jake frowned. “Why have you been on it for so long?” When I just looked at him, a horrified expression crept over his features. “You slept with Marcus? Jesus Hailey, you were barely sixteen!”

            I glared at him. “And just how old were you when you lost it?”

            He averted his gaze. “That’s different,” he mumbled. “I’m a guy.”

            I poked his shoulder. “It is not! What is with you and Jared having double standards when it comes to my sex life?”

            He grimaced. “Ugh, please don’t refer to it as that. It gives me the willies.”

            “Don’t bug me about it then, or I’ll give you all of the juicy details.”

            He shuddered. “Okay, okay, I won’t mention it again. Hopefully this amnesia will erase this conversation from my mind because I have pictures in my head now that no brother should ever have.”

            I started laughing, and he soon joined in. “You’re such a dork sometimes,” I informed him.

            “You’re one to talk,” he retorted.

            I smiled at him. “I’ve really missed you Jake.”

            “Remember that the next time I piss you off, okay?”

            “Maybe. Hey, I almost forgot to tell you something. Blake and I are performing in a talent show in a couple of weeks. Think you might be able to come see it?”

            He frowned a little. “I’d like to, but I don’t know when they’ll let me out of here. I may have full use of my body, but I’m really weak and slow because of the fact that I haven’t moved in so long.”

            “Jared did physical therapy with you while you were in the coma though. Didn’t that help at all?”

            “It helped a lot. If he hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be able to move at all. My muscles would have wasted away. But as it is, I’m able to move them, although not very much. It’ll take me awhile to regain my strength.”