Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
I nearly cry as he gently lowers me to sit on the edge of the bed. “This hospital gown and the pants are scratchy material. Let me find you something else to wear. Be right back.”
I can’t move as I watch him hurry from the room, and I’m still dazed when he returns moments later holding up a T-shirt. It’s obviously one of his, and it’s huge. “This will have to work for now. I’ll order you some things online while you nap.”
“You can’t start buying me things, Theo…”
“Sure I can.” He pulls the hospital blanket free and sets it on a chair before squatting down to put us at eye level. He takes both my hands in his. “Layla, my heart has been racing since I met you.”
“That’s because you were afraid I might die of a skull fracture,” I joke, surprised I’m capable of such a witty comeback.
He chuckles. “Nope. It’s because I had the strongest feeling it was not an accident that we collided.”
“You seem to be confused about what happened. We did not collide. I was rushing down the street self-absorbed, trying not to cry, in the pouring rain, not watching where I was going, and I slammed into your solid wall of manness.”
He chuckles. “Manness?”
“Yes.” I narrow my gaze at him, daring him to argue with me. “So, it was entirely my fault, and you’re being way too kind.”
He strokes my fingers. “I like my version of the story better. Fate put you in front of me, and I’m indebted to Her. It’s okay that you don’t quite believe it yet, but I don’t think it was a coincidence that the prettiest Little girl I’ve ever seen happened to slam into me on the street. Don’t you think it’s weird that we even know the same people? What are the chances you’d be Little and I’d be a Daddy and one of your best friends happens to be in love with one of my best friends?”
That part is pretty strange. He’s right. But still. I refuse to let myself hope something good could happen to me. This would be beyond good. It would be life changing.
“I’m not the sort of person good things happen to, Theo. I’m the sort of person who gets fired for being late to work three times in a month for reasons totally out of my control that don’t sound believable. I’m the sort of person who opens a milk carton to find out it went bad the day before. When I step outside in a blouse, it starts raining. When I get on a city bus, the bus gets a flat tire. When I walk past an alley, I get chased by a dog into a pile of poop.”
“Your city bus had a flat tire?” he asks incredulously.
“See? Even you don’t believe it.”
“I didn’t say that, Little one. I’ve just never heard of such a thing happening to anyone.”
“I’m bad luck, I tell you. You should take me home and wash your hands of me.”
“Well, I think you’re the best luck I’ve ever had, and I’m not taking you home. I’m going to give you some medicine for your headache and then order you some chicken noodle soup from the best restaurant in town. When you wake up, it will be here.”
My tummy growls, and my mouth waters. That sounds so good.
“Did you eat breakfast, Little one?”
I cringe. “No. I didn’t have time. I would have grabbed something at the restaurant when I arrived, but I was late, and then I got fired.” My shoulders droop at the reminder.
“How about if you change into this T-shirt while I go make you a nutritious drink. How does that sound?”
My tummy rumbles again.
Theo chuckles. “I’ll be right back.” When he stands, he kisses the top of my head before he leaves the room. Or have I imagined that part?
It takes me a minute to realize I need to hurry up and change before he gets back. I certainly don’t need him to see me naked. This is all entirely surreal.
I’m shaking as I stand, and I wince as I carefully lower the giant hospital pants down my legs. It’s impossible to see the back of my thighs, but I’m aware they are scraped up.
I drop the gown next and pull the T-shirt over my head seconds later. It nearly reaches my knees. I’ve needed to pee for over an hour, so I’m relieved to see there’s an attached bath in this room. I rush inside, use the potty, wash my hands, and I’m back on the bed, pulling the covers up before Theo returns.
Holy moly, he’s holding a bottle. Like the kind a baby would use with a nipple. It’s filled with a white liquid.
Theo sets the bottle and two smaller bottles of medicine on the nightstand, sits on the edge of the bed, and gently lifts my head forward so he can tuck another pillow behind me, propping me up. “How young is your Little, Layla?”