Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
“I’m fine,” I tell him with my rigid posture. I just need to know at this point. I don’t care how uncomfortable I am.
“I’ll be back,” he says, and then the door closes. I’m left in silence trying to calm my nerves. The longer I sit here, the more nervous I get. I have no idea how much time passes. It seems like hours when the door opens. I freeze and wait for someone to say something.
“Hey, Jason.”
I suck in a breath. Dr. Beem called in Walker, and that can’t be a good sign.
“Hey, Walker. It’s not good, is it?”
His silence is telling.
Dr. Beem walks in and closes the door behind him. “So, Jason, sorry that took a little longer than I thought it would. I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss—”
I cut him off. “Just tell it to me straight, Dr. Beem. I’m not getting my sight back, am I?”
He sighs, and the chair creaks when he sits down. “Okay. I get it. You guys always want it straight and not sugar-coated. So no, you won’t get your sight back. Well, to be completely clear, there is a one percent chance you may regain your sight if you do nothing. If we do surgery, that is quite invasive and is considered high risk, but it would raise the rate to 25 percent.”
I lean back in my chair. I had a feeling this is what I would find out today, but the shock is real. I wasn’t ready.
Walker is gruff. “Jason, I know it sucks.”
“Yeah, it sucks.”
“You have a place here. Chris said he told you about the job. As long as you finish your therapy and keep talking it out, you’ll have a job here.”
I nod. “Thanks, Walker.” I stand up and hold my hand out. “Thank you, Dr. Beem. And thank you, Walker, for setting this all up. It’s not the answer I wanted, but at least now I know.”
They both start to talk, and then Dr. Beam asks, “Do you have any questions, Jason?”
I shake my head and move toward the door. “No, the only question I had was if I would see again. You answered that.”
I try to soften it with a smile. I raise my hand. “Thank you. See you later, Walker.”
I get out the door and am walking down the hallway when I hear the footsteps behind me. “You going to be all right with this?”
Walker’s right in asking me this. I know he’s worried about me. That’s just who he is. “Yeah, well I will be, anyway. I’m going to give myself a day to pull myself together. Tomorrow, I’ll be good.”
We walk in silence, side by side. We go through the commons area, and many of the guys talk to Walker, but he sticks by my side. We get outside and on the path to the apartments. “You walking me all the way home?”
He laughs. “I thought about it.”
“Look, I’m not going to do anything stupid, Walker.”
He pats me on the shoulder. “I know that. I just want you to know I’m here if you want to talk about it.”
We get to my apartment building, and I stop. “This is me.”
He laughs. “You want me to come in?”
I shake my head. “Nope. I promise. I’m going to be all right, Walker. Thank you for the job offer.”
He asks me timidly, “Are you going to take it?”
“Yes, I’m not stupid. I understand the opportunity you’re giving me, and I won’t fuck it up. Plus, I want to stay in Whiskey Run.”
He puts his hand on my shoulder again. “Does this have anything to do with the woman you’re seeing?”
I don’t even question how he knows. “Yeah, I mean, I told her my sight would be coming back, so I’m not sure how she’s going to take this news, but yeah, I like Whiskey Run, and I want to stay close to Olivia.”
After talking for a few minutes, I convince him I’m okay. I make my way inside to my apartment. I had a feeling this would be the outcome, and I’m upset about it. But I’m more concerned about how Olivia is going to feel about it. I already know she doesn’t want forever… but is she even going to want right now?
CHAPTER 24
OLIVIA
The party is in full swing, and Jason is nowhere to be found. Of all the places, Abby and Davis chose to have their bachelor/bachelorette parties at The Whiskey Whistler in downtown Whiskey Run. The place is packed, and at first, I thought I missed him. But after making two rounds around the whole perimeter of the bar and not finding him, I knew something was up.
Everyone is having a great time, and the two parties have merged into one. Abby is having a blast. She usually doesn’t like being the center of attention, but having Davis here, she’s absolutely glowing. I hate to bother her with this, but after so many unreturned phone calls and texts to Jason, I have to know something.