Duke-ing It Out by Jami Albright
Queen of Hart’s Preview
After the Christmas Festival at the Hospital
Shane
“Stupid, brave boy.” My mom’s voice cuts through the haze of sleep. “I’m going to kick his butt for scaring me like this when we get out of this hospital.” She doesn’t mean it. I can hear the tears and concern in her voice.
A deep chuckle rumbles from the opposite side of the bed. Hartly McKay. “No, you’re not, but I’d lay money on you covering him in bubble wrap before he leaves the house for the next few months.”
She laughs. “That would be a good bet.”
I keep my eye closed tight and my breathing even because this is the first civil conversation they’ve ever had, or I should say, that my mom has ever had with Hartly.
They’re trying to be quiet because they think I’m asleep. The doctors wanted to keep me overnight for observation because I fainted after hitting my head, but I’m fine. They even said I’m fine, but they want to be safe. But it’s stupid for them to keep me, people faint all the time. Also, this is a bill my mom doesn’t need.
Her warm hand slides down my arm. “Do you really think he’ll be alright?”
“I do. The doctor is just being thorough.” My blanket is pulled tighter and tucked under my back. “We just need to keep an eye on him over the next couple of days.”
“We?” There’s a challenge in the question.
“I’m sorry, I just meant …”
“It’s fine, Hart. I’m the one who should be apologizing.” A heavy sigh fills the room. “I’m sorry I jumped you like that at the Christmas Festival. I was way out of line. You were being kind by giving him a ride, and I acted like a crazy person.” The scent of roses and vanilla fills my head as she smooths the hair from my forehead. “I’m not sure you’ve noticed, but I’m not always rational when it comes to him.”
“No, I hadn’t noticed at all.”
I have to bite my cheek to keep from blowing my cover and cracking up at Hart’s dry tone.
“Ha. Ha, funny guy.”
“Listen, Quennie. You never have to apologize for loving your kid and wanting to be there for him. It’s one of the things I admire most about you.”
“Thank you. And, um … one more thing. It was … a …” Another gigantic sigh. “It was ridiculous of me to insinuate that you’d use Shane to get to me.” There’s an unmistakable tremor in her voice. I rarely hear my mom sound like anything but a badass, but she’s definitely uncomfortable right now. “I’m sure you have the pick of any number of young, beautiful women. I mean, what would you want with the likes of me? It was stupid, and I’m sorry that I implied that.”
“Apology accepted. And you’re crazy if you think any other woman, young or old, is in any way more appealing than you.”
“Hartly …”
“You’re not interested. I got the message, and I’m cool. Really. But I would like us to be friends. Shane and I have kind of hit it off, and I’d like to be there for him if that’s okay with you?”
She picks up my hand and kisses my knuckles, then holds it against her cheek. “I’d like to be friends too. And I think it’s great that Shane has someone like you to mentor him.”
Hart squeezes my arm. “Thank you.”
“Friends.”
“Friends.”
My lids peek open, ever so slightly, and I see them shaking hands over my body. They’re both wearing the same smile that I have when Becca Baum walks int a room I’m in. I doubt they even now they’re looking at each other that way.
I lie as still as I can, hoping they’ll continue the conversation because I’ve learned a lot in the last few minutes.
The biggest thing is, my mom and Hartly McKay belong together.
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