Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Hadley

Elijah: Out back?

Hadley: Yes. Out back.

Elijah: Wtf woman? This is a hospital. there are like 100 back parking areas.

I laughed as I slid my ID card through the machine, clocking out. As Elijah promised, he was there somewhere. I just didn’t know where.

Hadley: If you’re getting mad, go home. I didn’t ask you to pick me up. I’ll get my dad to come.

Elijah: get the fuck out here already or else.

hadley: Or else…?

Elijah… I’ll still be waiting : (

Did Elijah Parker, giant-tattooed-next-door neighbor just send a sad-faced emoji to me? And why was it so adorable?

hadley: Just drive to the front entrance.

He was outside waiting, ball cap on, and tattooed arm hanging out the window as I approached. I couldn’t help but stare as he glanced at me.

Friend… Friend… Friend… We were only friends. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate how handsome Elijah was. He should wear a ball cap more often. It suited him, hiding his usual glower, and made him appear friendlier from a distance. If you could look past his bulging biceps, massive chest, tattoos, and towering height.

“There you are,” he called out.

I had to practically jump into his truck. It was a good two feet off the ground. Once I was buckled up, I looked over and saw Elijah grinning. “What?”

“You look good sitting there, pink scrubs and all.”

I tilted my head, observed him a moment, then looked ahead. Glad someone was happy about my car being gone. “I’ll let that slide since I could use the compliment. I’ve had a crappy morning.”

“You got a problem with me smiling?”

“Why are you so chipper about this? I lost my car and now I’m stuck having my parents drive me—”

“I already said I would do it.”

“You can’t do it all the time. Besides, why would someone unrelated trouble themselves?” Everyone knew family had to help.

“Watch me.” His dark eyes gleamed with a promise that he planned to prove me wrong.

I gave up, letting him drive us to Walmart where I had to practically beat him with a broom because he tried to pay for the seats. I didn’t actually hit him or anything, but I might have if a broom had been close by. He relented after he saw how upset I got about it. He’d done enough already, especially if he was offering to help me with transportation.

Was befriending people that easy? Did it always make you feel good? In a matter of months, a rude jerk became a part of our lives. It kind of amazed me, in a good way, how different our lives shifted. I liked our friendship.

I was nervous by the time we arrived at my parents’ house. I told Elijah to stay inside the truck while I got Eli and Lucy, but he didn’t. Shutting the driver’s door, he grabbed the car seats from the back and started opening the boxes. I kept glancing over toward the house, worried Dad would come to the porch. He’d take one look at Elijah and that would be the end. I feared he’d say something about his tattoos. He was a good-hearted person, but Dad was old and set in his ways.

“Are these already set up?” Forgetting my dad for a second, I watched Elijah with a bewildered expression as he tried to master the seats.

I smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll put them in the truck in a second.”

“No, I want to figure this shit out,” he grumbled.

“Elijah!” Too late. My nerves prickled as Lucy came barreling from the house and of course, it was Dad that came with her, holding Eli in his arms.

Dad’s eyes did that squinty thing when he took in Elijah. Elijah stood when he saw Lucy and Dad coming. “Lucy.” Elijah smiled and scooped her up the moment she jumped into his arms.

Dad said, “I think Eli’s cutting some teeth already. Been a bit grumpy today. See Mommy? Is that who you want?” he cooed at Eli who was fussing worse since he saw me. He immediately calmed when Dad placed him in my arms. He was looking for his milk supply.

“Did you miss me?” I asked him, tapping his nose. I remembered Elijah and Dad and turned my attention to them. “Dad, this is my neighbor Elijah.”

Elijah extended his hand, and Dad took it, studying his arm but otherwise saying nothing. Thank fudge! “Nice to meet you.”

“That was kind of you to pick up Hadley,” Dad told him. I could tell he was fishing for information.

I made a noise in my throat. “It was.”

“What time do I need to pick you guys up in the morning?” Dad asked.

“There’s no need. I told Hadley I’d take them wherever they needed to go.”

Dad’s eyes widened as he watched Elijah bend down and study the car seat again, with a determined grimace on his face. “Now how does this thing go…”