“I kinda like it.”
“You would.”
“Are you ready to go? We have an appointment.”
“Yeesh! Hold your horses.” She starts to sit.
“Quinn—”
“Just kidding. Let’s go.”
I kiss Bryce’s forehead and rub my cheek along his jaw, enjoying the soft stubble. “Be back soon, baby, and I’ll have a surprise for you.”
We say our goodbyes and leave quickly. Once we get to her car, she looks at me with her face glowing. “Are we really doing this?”
“Yes.”
“Brilliant plan. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it.”
I give her directions and then fill her in on the last two days. When I’m done, her face is hard as stone.
“What a bitch! I wish I could have seen her face when you slapped her.”
“It was fantastic.”
“So what now? What do all the parents think?”
“We didn’t tell them. Nate wants to let Bryce make the decision what to do.”
“Why?”
“In a way, I understand his reasoning. She didn’t cause the accident. A team on
the ship determined the explosion didn’t do too much damage. If Bryce had been even three feet to the left, he probably would have walked away. But it was his proximity to the machine that caused his fall and the injuries.”
“So why are we hiding the fact that she purposely and falsely lured him there?”
“Nate thinks it could destroy her career. Maybe not so much a discharge, but the fact that her reputation will never recover.”
“Who cares?”
“Bryce will care. You know how compassionate he is.”
“He loathes her! And when he wakes up and sees what her actions put you and the family through, he’ll be fucking furious.”
“That’s what I’m counting on, but we’re leaving it up to him.”
“Humph, I’d like to eviscerate her.”
“Studying the adult vocabulary again?” I giggle at my own attempt at a joke.
“Yes, not only adult vocabulary but adult conversation. It’s time you talk to me straight.”
“What do you mean?” I turn to her.
“Devon, it’s been over a week. This is your first time leaving the hospital. It isn’t healthy. How much longer are you going to keep this up?”
“As long as it takes.”