Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“What?”
More tears stain her cheeks. She looks over at me, then back to Makayla. “I think this is all my fault.” She wipes at her face. “I keep thinking about how this could have happened. I feel so guilty for leaving you. If I would have stayed—”
“Jenny, this isn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have sucked and fallen asleep.”
“I know. . . but. . . when I went to get the wine while you were talking outside, I may have bumped into the stove. I didn’t think much of it, but my shirt got stuck. I tugged on it and left the kitchen. What if I turned on the gas and didn’t know?”
Makayla reaches out, then realizes she doesn’t have the means to grab her hand. “Listen, no matter how it happened, it was still an accident. The house is old. I don’t remember ever smelling gas, but if that’s what happened, then it is what it is. No one got hurt—”
“But you did. Look at you.” She lets out another sob.
“Honestly, I’m fine. Well, minus these stupid mittens. I’m going to have to drink out of a straw for a while. Probably not drive. Shit. How am I going to shower?”
I shake my head. This girl. I’m about to tell her I’ll help with the shower part when an officer walks in.
“Evening, folks. Or morning. I’m Officer Polman. Mind if I have a word with Ms. Fischer? I need to collect a statement.”
I don’t want to leave her, but I need to get back to the station. There’s going to be a lot of paperwork after this one.
Jenny is even more hesitant to leave her side. “Do you want me to stay?” she asks, grabbing her claw.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll see you back home—oh, wait.” Tears prick her eyes. “I don’t have a home,”
Jenny and I blurt out simultaneously.
“You can stay with me.”
“You’re coming home with me.”
I glare over at Jenny and fight back my scowl. “I have an extra room, and it’s closer to your work—” I start, but she cuts me off.
“You probably don’t have clothes. You can borrow anything of mine.”
Fuck, she wins that one. “Honestly, you’d be more comfortable at my place. The clothes aren’t an issue. I can get—”
“And I have the means to take care of her. It’s a girl thing, ya know? We’ll be fine. I’ll wait around until you get—”
“And as a skilled firefighter and trained medic, I’m sure she would be in better hands with—”
“If she needs anything, I’ll call. And it would be inappropriate for her to stay with you, wouldn’t you think? She’s just getting over a div—”
“Can we just get a minute?” The officer breaks up the who gets her debate. “Then you three can reconvene this chat.” Jenny peers over at me, smiling as if she won. I don’t even know why I’m fighting this so bad. She would be more equipped to stay with her. But I need her close.
I nod and lean down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I need to get back to the station. I’m gonna figure out how this happened.”
I straighten and walk out when Jenny calls back to me. “I’ll take good care of her. I’ll call with updates so you don’t have to worry.” Her sugary sweet smile infuriates me more. I step out of the room and pull out my phone, dialing my ace in the hole.
“Hello?”
“Hannah. I need a favor. How bad does Levi want my signed football?”
Chapter 20
Makayla
Thirty-six hours later. . .
“That should do it.” I hand the nurse my signed release papers. For the millionth time today, my eyes shift to the door. Where the heck is Jenny? She told me she would come back to pick me up as soon as they were ready to release me. I’m starting to think she forgot.
Once he kicked everyone out, Officer Polman asked me routine questions that all led to one remaining question—whether the fire was deliberately set. I never mentioned what Jenny said. It didn’t matter. It was an accident, but I’m worried they won’t see it that way. After he left, the weight of what I experienced kicked in, along with the heavy pain meds, and I passed out. Aside from the few times I was woken up to check my vitals and administer breathing treatments, I slept until early this morning. Clearly, near-death experiences wear you out.
“See, one night wasn’t so bad.”
I throw my legs off the hospital bed and slowly stand, wincing at the soreness in my thigh. “It is when you hate hospitals.”
I slide my feet into a pair of gym shoes. When I woke up this morning, there was a bag of clothes left for me, which I was thankful for. My eyes squeeze shut for a second, fighting off the memory of the fire. It was a level of fear I’ve never experienced. The air restriction and smoke tearing at my lungs. The scorching flames lapping at my skin. My eyes still burn.