Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
We ate chili cheese fries with extra crispy bacon on top, which was incredibly delicious, and a horrible, bad, no good decision on my part because minutes later, heartburn made me feel like I was going to die. “Oh, shit.” I put a fist to my chest as if that alone would stop the impending death feeling.
“Toni?”
“I’m fine,” I assured the little girl. “It’s just indigestion. Probably from the spicy chili.” I smiled to make sure Layla wasn’t worried about me because it wasn’t her job to worry, but a second later I knew it was inevitable. My vision started to blur and not even a glass of fresh milk from a dairy stand helped.
“Toni,” Layla shouted as my legs crumbled underneath me.
She was at my side, screaming and crying while I could do nothing but lay there and hope like hell that me and my baby survived whatever fresh hell this was. “Okay,” I moaned weakly and patted her hair, hoping she understood that I would be fine.
At least I hoped I would.
When I wake up later, I knew I was in the hospital before I opened my eyes. The telltale sound of medical equipment, the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the steady hum of soft conversation surrounded me. How in the hell did I end up here? Where is Layla? That question made me bolt upright, where a wave of nausea sent me falling back against the bed. “Layla?”
“I’m here, Toni.” Layla draped her body across my lap and hugged me tight. “I thought you were dead.”
My heart squeezed at her words. “I’m sorry for scaring you but look at me, not dead am I?”
“No,” she groaned as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. “I’m glad.”
“Me too and I’m sorry that I scared you, kiddo.” I hugged her closer and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “Sorry our carnival day got ruined.”
Layla’s laugh was watery but she shook it off. “It’s okay. We can do it again when you get better.”
“Definitely,” I agreed as the door opened and a nurse in colorful scrubs walked in and sighed. “What’s up,” I asked with a hesitant smile.
“You’re fine,” she assured me before she launched into a whole spiel about needing new vitamins and more hydration. “The doctor has prescribed you a different combination so we’ll see if that works.”
“Thank you. Everything is, um, all right?” I slid a gaze to Layla to silently warn the nurse not to speak too bluntly.
“Yep. Everything looks good. Perfect, in fact.”
“Excellent.” I sighed and nodded towards Layla. “Is there anyone who can take her to get a snack after all the excitement?”
The nice nurse nodded and corralled Layla out of the room, giving me a few blessed moments to myself to think. To worry. To figure out what the hell I would say to Brady when he showed up, which happened far sooner than I wanted it to.
The door flew open and Brady strolled in looking handsome and worried and angry, a nurse right on his heels.
“What in the hell is going on?” His eyes were wide and his nostrils flared like an angry bull as he looked at me and then scanned the room. “Layla?” His gaze bounced around the room again, wide and worried. “Where is she?”
“Grabbing something to eat with one of the nurses,” I sighed, more annoyed than I should be by his perfectly normal fear response. “She’s fine. Safe and healthy, just a little scared from seeing me pass out.”
His gaze finally settled on me as if he just now realized that I was lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to half a dozen monitors. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing that you need to be worried about.”
“Bullshit,” he spat angrily. “As your employer I have a right to know.”
“No, you don’t. I can perform my duties effectively and if you doubt that, well you can just fire me.”
His nostrils flared faster and harder. His gaze narrowed. “You’re in the hospital.”
I shrugged. “Medical emergencies happen.”
“Why are you being like this, Toni?”
I shrugged and looked away. “I don’t know what you mean. My health concerns aren’t anything I’d normally share with my employer. It’s not necessary and since I’m contractually obligated to stay here, it doesn’t matter. Does it?”
He growled, chest heaving with pure, unadulterated frustration. And then without a word, he stormed out of the hospital room.
I couldn’t help it, I smiled.
Payback was a bitch but sometimes she was a funny bitch.
Chapter 31
Brady
“None of your concern, she says as if that’s an acceptable answer.” I grumbled to myself as I paced the hallway outside Toni’s room. Her hospital room because Toni was in the hospital. And she wouldn’t tell me why. “Dammit.” Up and down the hall, I paced and scrubbed a hand over my face, grumbling to myself like a crazy person.