“No, I just needed some time to think.”
“Think about what?”
“You.” I was still across the room. "I had one rule. It was non-negotiable. You knew that, and you still agreed to follow it. You promised.”
“I’m not walking out on you, Conor. I’m just not having an operation that might make me blind or unable to speak.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you not having a surgery that would save your life”—I argued—“is the same as walking out on me.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“I want you to say that you’ll have the surgery.” I stepped over to the edge of her bed and took her hand in mind. “I want you to say you’re not going to let this take you away from me.”
“I wish I could say those things to you. I really do”—her eyes dropped to her lap—“but I just don’t know if I can do it.”
“You’ve been running from this for two years, babe. You’ve jumped off buildings and faced speeding trains just trying to get away from it, but the time has come for you to face this thing head-on.”
“You sound like my parents.” Rae leaned her head back on the pillow. “They’ve been upset with me all day.”
“As they should be. Your choices affect them, just like they affect me.”
“But none of you are seeing this the way I do. If I have this operation, it could change everything.” Tears filled her eyes as she explained, “I might end up being someone totally different... someone you don’t want.”
“That’s not going to happen, Rae.” I sat down on the bed next to her as I said, “Vanderbilt has the best neurological surgeons in the South, and from what I read, Dr. Grant is one of the best in the country.”
“You read about him?”
“Well, yeah. I had to make sure this guy wasn’t some fucking quack.” I gave her a playful wink. “I want only the best for my girl.”
“So, you really think he can pull this off?”
“I really do.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes, I’ll have the surgery.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. After listening to everything my parents had to say, and now you, I think it’s the right thing to do. Or at least, I hope it is. I guess we will see soon enough.” She reached over and pressed the nurse call button as she said, “I have to let the nurse on duty know, so she can notify Dr. Grant.”
I couldn’t believe it.
She was actually going through with it.
Unable to resist, I pulled Rae into my arms, hugging her close to my chest as I whispered, “My day just got made.”
I was still holding her tight when the nurse came in and asked, “Did you need something?”
“Yes.” I released Rae from our embrace as she told her, “I’ve decided to have the surgery.”
“Oh, that’s great. I’ll call Dr. Grant and get things set up.” She stood there for a moment, then frowned. “Umm, I’m sorry, but visiting hours are over.”
“I’ve gotta go?”
“Afraid so, but you’re welcome to come back first thing tomorrow.”
“Well, damn.”
I’d hoped that the nurse would leave and give me a minute alone to say goodbye, but she didn’t. Instead, she stood and waited with a feigned smile plastered across her face. Rae patted me on the shoulder and whispered, “I think you better go. Besides, I need to call my parents and let them know I decided to have the surgery.”
“Okay, but I don’t like it.” I leaned over and kissed her, then stood up. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’ll be here.”
It didn’t feel right leaving her there alone, but unfortunately, I didn’t have a choice.
With the mindset of returning first thing in the morning, I left the room and headed downstairs to my bike. I considered going by the clubhouse to check in with Viper and the brothers, but I’d had a hell of a day and just wanted to go home.
I got to the house, took a hot shower, and got ready to call it a night. I was just about to crawl into bed when I heard a knock at my door. I walked into the living room, and when I looked out the window, I spotted Rae standing on my front step.
I immediately opened the door. “Rae? What the hell are you doing here? Is something wrong?”
“No, everything’s fine. I wanted to see you, so I got Haleigh to come and break me out.”
“And she agreed to this?”
“It took a little convincing, but in the end, she came through.” She stepped inside and watched as I closed the door. “The sweet girl even brought me some clean clothes and helped me take a shower.”
“Sounds like she went all out.” I gazed into her beautiful doe eyes. “So, are you going to tell me why you had to see me so bad?”
Without saying anything more, she took my hand in hers and led me into the bedroom. As soon as we reached the foot of the bed, she reached for the hem of my shirt, and I bent forward as she eased it over my head. Her eyes were locked on mine as she said, “I wanted us to have one more night together before—”