Shut Up and Kiss Me by Christie Craig

Author:Christie Craig [Craig, Christie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Suspense, Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9780505527998
Publisher: Lovespell
Published: 2010-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

“Son of a bitch!” Jose muttered, eyeing himself in the hospital bathroom mirror. His forehead sported a gash and a goose egg, and he had two black eyes. His nose still exhibited splinters from the thorn bush and was bruised from the blonde’s Reebok. Now he had a swollen lip. And the vision of his dad humping his neighbor. He splashed some water on his face. “Welcome to fucking Precious.”

After drying off with paper towels, he stepped out of the bathroom and eyed his father’s room down the hall. Not knowing if Ramon’s mother was gone, he decided to shoot back up to surgery to check on Jessie and see if he could find Sky. He sure couldn’t face his old man now. The only positive side to this was that they’d have something to talk about other than his moving back to Precious.

So Dad, how’s sex in a hospital bed with ol’ lady Cloud?

In the surgery waiting room, he didn’t see Sky or Maria, but he got some strange looks. He knew by name most of the people he saw, though others he just recognized. Growing up in the same small town, he’d seen them dozens of times at the grocery store or diner.

Spotting Cheryl, another friend of Maria’s and Jessie’s from high school, he asked about Maria.

“I think she said she was going to the café on the third floor to grab something to eat,” Cheryl said, staring at his face. “What happened to you?”

“Just bumped into something,” he said.

She grinned. “It looks as if you bumped into a lot of somethings.” She motioned at the blood on his shirt.

Ignoring her, he headed for the cafeteria. When he stepped out of the elevator on the third floor, he saw Maria standing in front of a window, her nose pressed to the glass like a kid looking into a candy store.

Wanting to get past the awkwardness, he went and stood beside her. She didn’t even turn to look at him, just stared at the baby sleeping in the bassinet. “Is that the kid of someone we know?” he asked.

She jumped and faced him. He saw the emotion in her eyes. Having already heard that Jessie was okay, he knew something else had made Maria so sad.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Fine.” She swiped at her cheeks. Her gaze shot to the blood on his shirt. “What happened to you?”

He shrugged, not sure he could say it aloud. “You wouldn’t believe it.”

A crease appeared between her eyes. “I don’t know. After what I witnessed last night and this morning, I’m not sure it would take a stretch.”

Okay, he deserved that.

Sighing, he shoved a hand into one of his pockets and started fingering his keys. “I guess I owe you an apology.”

“You think?”

“I’m sorry.”

Her gaze shot back to the nursery window and more tears filled her eyes. “For what, Jose? What are you apologizing for? For last night, or for two years ago?”

He held his breath, not sure he was ready to have this conversation.

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