Escape (Harper Security Ops Book 16), page 13
“That makes me happy to hear, and I’m sure he’ll be relieved to know it, too. Now, all of that said, how are you feeling this morning?”
Until she asked, I hadn’t considered it much. I’d woken up and been so taken aback that I didn’t give myself the chance to evaluate my injuries. I attempted to take a deep breath and winced. “Well, the ribs are definitely still very sore,” I told her. “But I am able to open both eyes now, so that’s a step in the right direction. I can only defer to the doctor when it comes to the concussion, but I’m not feeling anywhere near as tired as I had when I first arrived.”
“That’s good news. It sounds like you’re healing nicely. How about your shoulder? Any problems there?” she pressed.
I shook my head, wondering if Huck had given her the full rundown of my injuries or she just knew because she worked here. Either way, I didn’t mind that she knew. “No. But if I’m honest about it, it’s not as though I’ve been doing anything too strenuous to be sure. Check back with me once I’ve managed to take a shower or wash some dishes.”
The smile was back on her face. “I think it’s a good sign that you can have a sense of humor in all of this.”
“Yeah, well, you weren’t here last night,” I muttered. “It was awful.”
Her brows pulled together. “What happened?”
Maybe that was my answer. If Huck hadn’t shared with his mom what happened last night, it was unlikely he told her about my specific injuries. I’d always liked Mrs. Davidson, so it didn’t bother me to share the truth with her, even if it was unpleasant. I took a deep swallow. “I had a nightmare.”
“Oh, Josie. I’m so sorry. No wonder Huck was giving me such a difficult time when I got here this morning.”
After giving her a nod in return, I said, “It’s okay. I suspect that’ll improve over time. Or, at least, I hope it does. I’m just grateful Huck was here.”
“I can only assume he helped you through it,” she guessed.
“Yes, he did,” I confirmed. “Honestly, he’s been wonderful with me, Mrs. Davidson. You should be proud of him. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank him for what he’s done for me.”
Her eyes roamed over my face, something softening in her features. A smile settled on her expression before she asserted, “I am very proud of my son. Even after losing his father at such a young age, he turned out to be a wonderful man.”
“He had you,” I reasoned. “I’m sure he misses his father tremendously. It couldn’t have been easy for him to lose him. But coming from someone who didn’t have anyone, I can promise you that him having you more than made up for what he lost.”
“That’s very sweet of you to say, Josie, but I think the more important thing to focus on here is that you seem to believe you owe Huck a debt of gratitude.”
“Because I do,” I insisted.
Shaking her head, she said, “Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with feeling thankful and wanting to tell someone you appreciate what they’ve done for you. I’m sure my son already knows how you feel. I just want you to understand that this isn’t something that should ever make someone, especially you, feel like you need to do anything. Huck is the one who’s grateful. Trust me.”
Once again, I didn’t want to accuse Huck’s mom of being a liar, but I couldn’t comprehend why she thought her son was the one who was grateful. “I’m not sure I understand. Why would he be grateful?”
It was at that moment when Mrs. Davidson grew quiet. She seemed to be wrestling with something, but I couldn’t work out whether it was her being worried she’d said more than she thought she should have because Huck would have been upset about it, or if she was unsure whether she wanted to elaborate on her statement for fear it could upset me.
The seconds ticked by without a word, and I was convinced she wasn’t going to give me an answer. But just as I was about to tell her she didn’t have to respond, she shared, “I’ve never seen him so distraught as I did when he was in the waiting room anticipating the news he’d get about you. Not even when his father died was he that troubled.”
“What?”
Surely, I must have heard her wrong. She couldn’t have said what I thought she just said.
“If I didn’t already know it back when he first met you in high school, what I witnessed a few days ago would have made it crystal clear,” she said. “There’s something about you that my son absolutely adores, Josie. It’s been that way since he was a teenager. And the thought that something worse than what he already knew had happened to you nearly destroyed him. That’s why he’s grateful now.”
My heart.
My poor heart couldn’t handle this.
Now I understood why she’d been hesitant to respond initially. She knew I wasn’t going to be able to handle hearing this without breaking down into tears, which was precisely what happened the moment she shared all of that.
As the tears leaked from my eyes, Huck’s mom moved close and wrapped her arms around me in a comforting embrace.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured after I’d managed to pull myself together. “I just… I wasn’t expecting you to say all of that.”
“It’s okay. I figured it could go one of two ways if I shared that, and it seems I wasn’t wrong,” she returned. “I’m the one who should be apologizing for upsetting you. This isn’t what you need to be dealing with right now.”
With a slight shake of my head, I insisted, “No. No, I’m glad you did. It means everything to me. And I think you should know that Huck is just as important to me. He’s been a dream come true, if I’m honest.”
Maybe I should have been sharing words like that with Huck directly, but the last thing I wanted was for his mom to think the adoration was one-sided.
Her expression warmed, her features softening. “It makes me so happy to know he can be that to you.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“So, I do have one more question,” she declared.
“Sure. What’s going on?”
Her lips twitched slightly. “What do I have to do to get you to call me by my first name?”
Though I didn’t know how much she’d be able to see with the bruising I was certain was still present on my face, I didn’t doubt my cheeks were flushed. “I’m just trying to be respectful.”
“I can understand that, especially when you were still a kid. But I’d like to think we’re past that stage now. I mean, after I learned you were here, I was with you. They’d never allow Huck back while they were getting you checked out, especially considering the circumstances, but he begged me to find out what was happening. I would have done it anyway, even without his pleading. And I think you should know that I couldn’t leave you until I knew you were going to be okay,” she shared. “I think it’s time you start calling me Bonnie.”
I didn’t know what it was like to have a mom, but I always thought Huck’s mom could set the standard for what it was to be a parent. I hadn’t had many encounters or interactions with her, but the few that I’d had always left an impression on me, this one being no different.
Of course, I got all emotional again, and the tears poured down my face. “I’ve always wanted to thank you,” I confessed.
“Me? For what?”
“I’ve always been grateful to you for what you did for me when I was in high school,” I explained.
“Josie, I didn’t do anything. It was all Huck.”
Nodding, I said, “I know. I know he was the one who pushed for everything good that came my way, but if you hadn’t been supportive of him doing that, it wouldn’t have happened. I mean, I’m well aware he wasn’t packing his own lunch or making those breakfast sandwiches while he was in high school. Even if he asked, you were the one who did it. You made it possible for your son to look after me the way he did. I’ll never forget that for the rest of my life.”
Her shoulders fell as a sympathetic look washed over her face. Then she wrapped her arms around me and held me as more tears leaked from my eyes.
Somewhere in the midst of it, Huck returned. And when he did, it was safe to say he was disappointed with himself. “What happened? Are you okay? Why are you crying?”
Huck’s mom loosened her hold on me, allowing me to pull my face back and seek out Huck. He was striding toward me on the opposite side of the bed.
Completely ignoring his mom, he reached for my hand and asked, “Does something hurt you?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“What’s going on?”
“Your mom and I were just catching up,” I said.
Huck’s eyes narrowed on me for a moment before they shifted to his mom. She stood up from the bed, held her hands up in surrender, and declared, “I think I need to get going. My shift is about to start.” She rounded the bed, moved toward her son, and gave him a hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek. “You look refreshed. Do you feel better now?”
He sighed. “Yes, Mom.”
She grinned at him, and my heart melted. I loved their relationship.
When she looked back at me, she said, “I’ll stop in to see you before I leave today. It was so nice to finally have the chance to catch up with you, Josie. We’ll have to do it again once you’re out of here and feeling up to it.”
Smiling at her, I replied, “I’d love that… Bonnie.”
Her laughter filled the room. My eyes shifted to Huck, who was no longer scowling like he wanted to hurt someone for making me cry. He seemed amused, and I liked the way that looked on him a whole lot more.
After gathering up her things, Bonnie moved to the door and said, “I’ll see the both of you later.”
We said goodbye to her, and a moment later, it was just the two of us.
When I returned my attention to Huck, I said, “You went home and got to take a shower.”
“I didn’t want to leave you, but my mom wasn’t hearing it,” he returned. “And I thought after you being awake for so long last night that you’d need the extra rest. I foolishly believed I could run home and be back before you woke up. I’m sorry I wasn’t.”
I smiled at him, my hand giving his a squeeze. “It’s okay. I enjoyed getting some time to talk to your mom.”
“Are you sure nothing bad happened? I certainly didn’t think I’d wind up walking in and see you in tears.”
“I promise I’m okay. Things were just a bit emotional for us, but there was nothing bad. They were all good tears,” I insisted.
He nodded his understanding. “Well, I won’t have to worry about coming back to see that again, because I’m here to stay until I can take you home with me. Has the doctor come to see you yet?”
“No, but I hope he still plans to let me leave tomorrow. I want to get out of here.”
“I’ll be here with you until that happens, but I can’t say I disagree. I think we’ll both be happier at my place.”
His place.
I couldn’t wait to see his place.
“While we wait, will you tell me about it? Where do you live?”
Huck smiled at me, sat down, and didn’t hesitate to tell me about his home. Suffice it to say, when he finished, I was even more excited to get out of the hospital.
THIRTEEN
Josie
“This is the most excited I’ve felt in such a long time.”
No sooner had I made my declaration, I felt Huck’s gaze on me. Twisting my neck, I looked over to where he was sitting behind the wheel of his truck. When my eyes landed on his, he offered a genuine smile in return. Though I knew he was a great guy, I wondered how it was possible for him to look at me with my face being as beat up as it was and still have it in him to smile at me. I guess it was just a testament to who he was.
“I can only assume this excitement is about finally being able to get out of the hospital,” he said.
That was exactly the reason.
Fortunately, I hadn’t been required to stay any longer than the doctor had initially guessed I’d need to stay. All the results of the testing he’d done with regard to the concussion I’d suffered had been what he wanted to see. The progress was all in the right direction. Obviously, my ribs still ached—would for quite some time—and my shoulder was still slightly tender, so I’d need to take things easy for a while.
But the moment I’d stepped outside of the hospital with Huck, it felt like taking a breath of fresh air.
Returning his smile, I gave him a nod. “I’m finally free.”
“In more ways than one,” he countered.
The moment he said it, I realized he wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t just free from the confines of the hospital, but I was no longer under Kurt’s thumb. This was my chance to start over, and I was beyond ready for it.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Ready?” he asked.
A wave of enthusiasm moved through me. “I am.”
With my confirmation in hand, Huck focused his attention forward again and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. And every mile he drove away from the hospital toward his home felt like I was getting closer and closer to a new life.
Granted, I understood this was only a temporary solution—I couldn’t expect Huck to keep me at his place forever—but I was grateful I even had this option. For far too long, I’d been living in such a state of despair and hopelessness that it was nice to feel like I finally had the chance to start over. I didn’t doubt Huck’s willingness to be by my side as I made that happen.
I was so lost in my thoughts about what the future held for me that before I knew it, we’d arrived at Huck’s home. We’d only just turned into his driveway, and it already felt like the best thing I’d ever experienced in my life.
Huck pulled into the garage, turned off his truck, and said, “Hang tight while I come around to help you out.”
“Okay,” I replied.
The last thing I wanted to do was feel entirely helpless, but the reality was that certain movements were painful, and I didn’t want to risk falling or injuring myself worse than I already was. If any of my plans for my future stood a chance of becoming reality, I had to be smart.
For the sake of my pride, I’d tried doing it another way before, and it hadn’t gotten me anywhere good. It was time to accept the help of someone I trusted, even if it meant waiting inside the truck, so he could come around and open my door for me.
Holding on to his hand, I eased myself out of the truck before Huck led me inside. As soon as my foot stepped over the threshold, something came over me.
I was here.
I was with Huck.
And I was in a safe place.
Sure, I’d be happy to get the grand tour and see his house, but the truth was that none of the details mattered. I didn’t care how he decorated, if he was messy, or whether he had huge flat-screen televisions. The only thing that mattered was that I knew I was in a place where I’d no longer have to be fearful. I’d never have to worry that someone was going to come home from work feeling angry and find a way to take it out on me.
The realization hit me hard, like a blow to my body, forcing me to stumble back into Huck.
“Whoa. Are you okay?” he asked, his hands coming to rest gently on the caps of each of my shoulders.
I twisted my neck slightly, looked back at him, and whispered, “I’m safe.”
Understanding dawned on his features. “Yes, honey, you’re safe.”
“You’re not going to come home from work feeling frustrated about your day and take it out on me,” I declared.
His jaw clenched. Evidently, my need to share wasn’t doing all that much to help Huck, even if getting it all out was helping me. “No, Josie. That is never going to happen. And as long as you’re here, you’re always going to be safe. I would never lay my hands on you in anger.”
“Do you know how that feels? I don’t know what to do, Huck. I’ve felt so unsafe for so long,” I rasped, my throat painfully tight.
Huck turned me in his arms, lifted one hand to the side of my face, and threaded his fingers through my hair. His eyes watched his fingers until they made it to the end of my strands before he returned his attention to my face and said, “I’d be lying if I said I understood precisely how you were feeling. I don’t know. But I can imagine it’s a lot to digest. On the bright side, as new as the feeling is for you, at least it’s a good thing.”
Nodding slowly, I advised, “I might need some time to come to grips with this.”
“Take all the time you need,” he urged me. “You’re going to heal here, Josie. That’s the most important thing to me right now. I don’t care how long it takes or how often you need reminders about it. You’ll always be safe with me.”
I closed my eyes, and the air rushed forward with the sigh of relief that swept through me. My head dropped forward, landing in Huck’s chest, and as I took in several deep settling breaths, the scent of him wrapped around me like a soft, cozy blanket.
Eventually, I pulled my head back and looked up at him.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“Do you want me to show you around so you can have the lay of the land?”
I nodded. “That’s probably not a bad idea.”
For the next few minutes, Huck gave me the tour of his home. We started on the first floor, where I was introduced to his kitchen, living room, dining room, study, and half bathroom. Then we climbed the stairs, Huck staying a step behind me and keeping his hand at the small of my back.
Every time he took me by the hand, drove his fingers through my hair, hugged me, or touched me tenderly to make sure I was steady as I walked, my belly trembled. But it didn’t happen in the way my belly used to tremble with the fear I felt. This was a different type of nervous tension. This was something enjoyable.
We made it to the top of the stairs, where Huck pointed to a door that was partially opened and said, “That’s one of the spare bedrooms.” He turned back to the right, took a few steps down the hallway in that direction, and pointed to a door on the left-hand side. “This is a bathroom. And right across the hall here, just a few feet up on the right side, is another guest bedroom.”
