With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men 4)

She sighed and lifted her arm to expose the flat inside part she’d so carefully covered with concealer yesterday before the car wash. “It’s this tube thing they implanted in here to access my blood and flush it through the dialysis machine to clean it.”

With a gulp, I stared at her arm, not realizing there’d been anything surgically implanted under the skin. She’d had to go through a lot more than I was aware of for her dialysis treatments. But as soon as she had the transplant, she’d never have to worry about them again.

The sooner I handed over my kidney, the better. I didn’t like knowing she had to spend so much time in this place. It smelled like antiseptic and sickness.

“Food police,” a cheerful voice jerked me from my thoughts. When a small, spritely woman bounded toward us, she glanced at Cora before turning her attention to me.

“Melissa,” she greeted, holding out a hand. “And you are?”

“Uh...Zoey.” I shook hands with her. “I’m Cora’s friend.”

“Great.” Melissa pulled up a rolling seat and propped herself next to Cora on the other side of the bed as me. “I’m the dietitian, and it’s my job to make sure Cora here is getting a healthy diet and taking care of herself. And now you can help me keep an eye on her when she’s away from here.”

A sick smile lifted the corners of my lips as I glanced at Cora. I already knew there was no way I was going to be able to help her eat right. She sent me a passive smile that felt more threatening than reassuring, then she turned back to Melissa and lied through her teeth. The only thing she’d been honest about was the strawberries she’d had with her pancakes this morning. She even took credit for the egg whites I’d gagged down for her the day before.

I probably should’ve called her out and told Melissa what she’d really been digesting, but I didn’t want to get Cora into trouble, especially when Melissa warned her that abusing alcohol could make her ineligible for a transplant.

I don’t think I was able to breathe again until Melissa left and another technician returned, this one named Claire.

Claire was a lot more laid-back, and a lot less intimidating, so I was able to relax around her.

As she sprayed something on Cora’s arm, right where Cora had showed me her fistula was, I leaned in to watch. “What’s that?”

“It’s an anesthetic to numb the skin,” Claire answered easily, grinning at me. “Our Cora here doesn’t like the needle pricks.”

I smiled weakly, feeling even worse for my best friend. Cora hated needles, and yet she had to endure them three times a week. “Who would?” I said, studying Cora’s face as she turned away as if bored. But I saw her flinch as the first needle was inserted.

I flinched with her.

Claire chuckled. “Oh, you’ll get your turn to be stuck plenty if you’re going to be her donor.”

Great. Unease swirled through my stomach, but after four hours of sitting there watching Cora’s kidneys get flushed out through her arm, I was more certain than ever that I wanted to be her donor. No one should have to go through this.

I was also more convinced she should tell people about her condition. Especially her boyfriend.

Quinn seemed like the caring type. He’d made sure I was okay in the warehouse at the car wash, but then he’d given me privacy. He’d even let Caroline talk out some of her problems to me at the pizza parlor without interfering. And that didn’t even get into the things he did for Cora, like cooking her breakfast every Saturday and changing the menu in deference to her wishes, or carrying her up to her apartment after she’d drank too much, making sure she was comfortable in bed before leaving her, or knowing how to handle her hangovers. He’d definitely be the type to stand by her and pamper her through a difficult time. And I knew Cora loved to be pampered.

That’s why I didn’t understand her. But every time I broached the subject, she just hissed at me. So I shut up and focused on the reasons why I was here: to give up a kidney and start my own life. Nothing else really mattered.

Two days after I got to watch Cora’s dialysis, I started college.

ESU was bigger than I thought it would be. I wished I’d been able to attend some of the orientation classes, but hopefully Freshman Experience would help me adjust.

Using the trusty map I’d printed off, I hunted up my first class—Art Appreciation, a general requirement that was easy to get out of the way.

The room was huge and tall, with steps in the seating area that lifted up with each row of chairs so everyone could stare down at the professor while he taught. I felt like a complete mess. My bag was packed with all the supplies I hoped I needed as I entered the lecture hall, but I was so nervous I worried I might give myself indigestion.

I was early, because I hated being late, but surprisingly I wasn’t the first person in the room; a couple more individuals sat scattered throughout. I ducked my head and started for a place at the end of a row, somewhere strategically in the middle section, when a voice called, “Zoey? Over here.”

Surprised to hear my name, I automatically looked over, even though I was sure there had to be another Zoey around. But I was even more startled to find a familiar blonde waving at me. She grinned and patted the chair next to her.

Relieved to see a friendly face, I changed directions and hurried to Caroline, who’d taken up a front row seat, directly in the center of the room. I’d feel overly exposed there, but it’d be worth it to sit next to her.

“Hi. What a coincidence. I had no idea we’d share a class.”

She grinned. “I know. I’m so glad we do. I looked over Noel’s schedule last night. But being a senior, he’s already taken all his basic requirements. We didn’t share anything together. I was so sure I wouldn’t know anyone in any of my classes.”

“Ditto,” I admitted.