Chapter 23

23

Aster had left a few hours ago. Her sisters decided to leave about twenty minutes ago. She’d had more visitors than she cared to have throughout the day. But now that the room was empty and she was alone, she wanted someone else to arrive. The quiet plucked her nerves and she couldn’t say why.

A nurse had given her more pain medication right before her sisters left. It had kicked in and now she felt a dull throb instead of the pulsating ache. She’d be spending a few more days in the hospital to monitor for infection and to heal. She had lost a lot of blood. Her body felt so weak. It had taken a nurse and one of her sisters to help her to the bathroom the first two times. By the third trip, she managed with the help of one person. Tomorrow she hoped she could do it on her own.

Which was insane. She hadn’t hurt her legs in the fight for survival. Except her entire body felt like it had been beaten with a mallet and needed recovery from head to toe.

The TV was on low, though she didn’t pay any attention to it. Her phone had been busted and Poppy said she’d get her a new one tomorrow. Even if she would’ve had the device to play on, she didn’t think she would.

She was tired, yet wide awake.

A light knock sounded on the door. A quick peek at the clock on the wall said it was past visiting hours. Which she figured was why her sisters had left.

“Come in.”

The words came out quieter than she had meant it, but the door opened anyway.

Bryce walked in.

He smiled at her, though his steps were tentative as he approached her bed.

“Hi. I hope it’s okay I’m here so late.”

“Of course.” She gestured with her hand toward the chair on that same side since the wound on her left made it hurt to move that arm. She tried not to use it as much.

He took a seat. The chair wasn’t as close to the bed as it had been in the morning when he sat in it. She wished he would’ve moved it closer.

All day she’d hoped he’d return. His abrupt departure had made a tiny hole in her heart. As the day drew on, the hole got larger and larger.

“How are you feeling?”

She wanted to shrug but stopped herself at the last moment. Simple movements like that were a no-no for the time being. Not until the injury healed a lot more.

“It hurts. I mean, it’s dull right now because they gave me something for the pain, but it hurts like a son of a bitch.”

He had lost his smile, and she understood why. It didn’t make her happy about the situation she was in either.

But she wanted to see his brilliant smile. The one that lit up his beautiful brown eyes.

“You look better.” His eyes enlarged, the panic clear as day. “Not that you looked horrible earlier. You have more color in your cheeks. I’m only trying to say—”

“Bryce,” she said, cutting off his rambling, “I know what you meant. And I do feel better than this morning. It was jarring remembering the ambulance ride and nothing else until I woke up in this room. I’m feeling much better.”

As better as she could be, but she kept that part to herself. He was already looking like he was ready to bolt again.

She patted her right thigh. “Come closer.”

He eyed the spot, frowning, then obeyed. She clasped his hand as soon as it was in reach, sliding her fingers within his. That hole that had formed in her heart started to close.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again today. You were gone all day.”

He looked down at their intertwined hands. “Not intentionally. I made a visit to the cemetery and then went home, showered, and crashed. I didn’t wake up until a little bit ago.”

She had no idea he had gone to the cemetery. She wondered if anyone else knew and decided not to inform her of it. Not that it was any of her business.

But since he brought it up…

“And how did your visit go?”

He met her gaze, another beautiful smile emerging. “I made that peace you told me I should do with Denise. It felt good to get everything off my chest.”

She squeezed his hand, happy to hear that. His eyes did look less troubled in that sense. Though she still saw despair deep in the depths.

“I also ran into Melody.”

“I heard she turned herself in. Griffin asked if I wanted to press charges, and I told him no. I want to move on with my life. I don’t fear her. Those threats don’t feel as dangerous now that I know who the culprit was.”

“I’m sorry she did that to you. That all of this happened to you. You’re hurt and in a hospital bed because of me.”

She pulled on his hand—not too hard, but enough where he leaned in closer. “None of this is your fault. You do not control the actions of others.”

She could tell by his wary expression he didn’t believe that. At least not yet.

“I hated how you left this morning. And I try not to use the word hate.”

He winced. “I thought it was best I leave.”

“After you stayed all night long and rarely left my side?”

“I never want to hurt you. This morning, I handled the entire situation in the wrong way. I conducted myself in a very idiotic manner and I apologize profusely for it. You were in pain—still are—and I want you to get better. Not add more turmoil on your plate.”

“Bryce,” she pulled on his hand, her lips thinning and her brows lowering into a glare, “if you keep talking to me like you’re giving one of your smarmy speeches, I will break your hand.” She squeezed it hard to get her point across.

He frowned, silent for the longest time as if repeating his own words in his head. Laughter released. “Wow. Yeah, that was the smarmy politician emerging there.”

She giggled, then snorted. Thank heavens for such damn good pain meds because it barely made her ache from the laughing movement.

“Lila, I—”

“If you’re not about to tell me you love me, don’t keep speaking.”

He looked like a deer in headlights.

“If anyone was idiotic this morning, it was me. You opened yourself up to me, and all I did was question you. Then you walked away, and rightly so. I can’t ask you to move away from Sleighville.”

“You didn’t ask. I offered. It’s not the same thing.” He lifted her hand, pressing a light kiss to the back of it. “I love you, Lila. Marriage doesn’t have to be on the table. I rushed things. But I want you in my life. I need you in it. And I don’t care where that happens to be.”

“Well, I happen to like it here. Sleighville is growing on me. How will you turn the town around in California? How will I get my ideas and plans running and succeeding if I’m not here either?”

His grip on her hand tightened. “Are you saying you want to stay here?”

“I’m saying I love you too. And marriage isn’t too soon for me if it isn’t for you.”

The town might have something to say about it, but she didn’t care any longer. Life was too short. Becca had shown her that close-up. She wasn’t going to waste a moment of her happiness because of what others might think.

Bryce dug in his pocket, producing the ring that belonged on her finger. “Will you marry me, Lilac Hansley?”

“Yes.” Unshed tears appeared as he slid the ring on her finger. “And you better show me the speech you wrote for the town hall meeting. I want to hear every word you were going to tell the town.”

“Does that mean we aren’t having a special town meeting for the engagement any longer?”

“I don’t care what anyone thinks at this point. So no. That speech is for my eyes only.”

He smiled, then lowered until his lips brushed hers. “It’s honest and real…and a bit of smarminess embedded in it.”

A light giggle erupted along with a snort to go with it. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“You know we have our work cut out for us. Sex scandal rumors, a vicious murder, a horrendous attack, and a—”

“And a partridge in a pear tree,” she finished for him, grinning. “We got this. If anything, we’ll play on the town’s name. I mean, Sleighville.” She cocked a brow. “The first thing that entered my mind when I drove through town was horror-esque. I didn’t tell you my real thoughts on it.”

“We are not turning this holly, jolly town into a horror show. Nope.”

“We’ll talk more about it later, Mr. Mayor.”

He chuckled. “Ms. Hansley, in light of the recent events, we will have to renegotiate your terms working for the city.”

“Okay, fine.” More laughter filled the air. It felt so good to laugh. She hoped the pain meds worked for a long period of time because all she wanted to do was laugh and tease and have fun with Bryce. “We won’t change the slogan for the town from Welcome to Sleighville, where you’ll have a holly, jolly time . Not if you don’t want to. But hear me out. Welcome to Sleighville…where mayhem meets murder. It has a good ring to it.”

He looked aghast at even the mere suggestion. A deep ruckus of laughter spilled from his lips. She couldn’t help but join in.

“I love you.”

His lips drowned out her echo of love in return.