Read Online How Do I Love Thee by Lurlene McDaniel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lurlene McDaniel
Ads: Link
past couple of days.”
“Nothing's wrong. I've just got a big test this week I need to study for.”
Bobby looked hurt. “You're not getting tired of us, are you?”
“Why would you ask me that? Why are you so insecure? I have a test. Can't I be thinking about something else besides
us
all the time?”
“Low blow,” he said, throwing up his hands like a shield. “I guess because I think about you all the time, I want you to think about me all the time toa But you've got a point. It's not fair and I'm a jerk and f m sorry. Forgive me?”
He looked so appealingly pathetic that shehad to smile. “I didn't mean to sound angry,” Dana said. “Terry would kill to have her boyfriend think of her instead of soccer season, so I'm not complaining.”
“And I didn't mean to come across like some kind of desperate dope. This thing with Steve's got me down. His headaches are scary, Dana. I heard him moaning through my bedroom wall last night because his head hurt so much.”
She shuddered. What she really wanted was to be with Steve. But she'd forfeited that privilege. “Why don't you come over after Steve checks in? We'll sit on the porch swing and talk.”
“Will you hold my hand?” Bobby looked winsomely optimistic.
“Maybe.” Her irritation melted. She just couldn't stay mad at him.
“Will you let me kiss you?”
“Don't push your luck.”
He dipped his head, kissed her quickly on the mouth, then bounded off the porch. “Too late,” he called. “The kissing
bandito
strikes again.” He got into his car. “See you tomorrow.”
She watched him drive off, her thoughts returning to Steve. She wasn't sure how she was going to get through the next few days, but she would. And she would do everything in her power not to hurt Bobby, unwittingly caught between two people who loved him and who, because of him, could never be together again.
Four
“should be at the hospital with Mom and Dad.” Bobby caught Dana in the hall between classes Monday morning.
“Why aren't you?”
“Dad made me come to school. Said I'd just be in the way. Like lean concentrate on classes when my brother's going through all that.”
Hank Harrod's insensitlvity toward Bobby irked Dana, but she didn't want to worsen Bobby's already glum mood, so she kept her thoughts about him to herself. “How long will Steve be in the hospital? You can visit him after school, you know.”
“I know, but I'd wanted to spend the day with him. What's so hard about my dad understanding that?” Just as the tardy bell sounded, he said, “Come with me today.”
“To the hospital?” Dana froze.
He gave her a puzzled look. “Well, yeah, to the hospital.”
“I don't think—”
“I'll pick you up at the south entrance at three. I'm out of here!”
With a sinking feeling, Dana watched him sprint down the hall. He hadn't even heard her begging off. She realized that she'd have to go with him, and she both wanted it and dreaded it. She reminded herself that in a few
days
, Steve would be back at FSU, and she wouldn't have to think about seeing him again until the holidays. Maybe by then she could get him out of her system once and for all.
“Hey, bro.” Bobby sauntered into Steve's room that afternoon, Dana by his side.
Steve's face lit up. “Hey yourself.” He was sitting up on the side of his bed, flipping through TV channels with the remote. He wore jeans, the usual hospital gown that tied behind his neck, and a blue plastic bracelet thatidentified him as a patient. He looked tanned, fit, and healthy, “Pull up some chairs.”
“Where're the folks?”
“Cruising the cafeteria.”
“You remember Dana, don't you?”
Steve swept her with his clear blue eyes. “How could I forget her?”
Bobby slid two chairs alongside the bed and sat in one. Dana nervously took the other. “Do you know anything yet?” Bobby asked.
“The neurosurgeon Mom wants on my case had an emergency today but he's supposed to stop by in the morning
“Nothing's wrong. I've just got a big test this week I need to study for.”
Bobby looked hurt. “You're not getting tired of us, are you?”
“Why would you ask me that? Why are you so insecure? I have a test. Can't I be thinking about something else besides
us
all the time?”
“Low blow,” he said, throwing up his hands like a shield. “I guess because I think about you all the time, I want you to think about me all the time toa But you've got a point. It's not fair and I'm a jerk and f m sorry. Forgive me?”
He looked so appealingly pathetic that shehad to smile. “I didn't mean to sound angry,” Dana said. “Terry would kill to have her boyfriend think of her instead of soccer season, so I'm not complaining.”
“And I didn't mean to come across like some kind of desperate dope. This thing with Steve's got me down. His headaches are scary, Dana. I heard him moaning through my bedroom wall last night because his head hurt so much.”
She shuddered. What she really wanted was to be with Steve. But she'd forfeited that privilege. “Why don't you come over after Steve checks in? We'll sit on the porch swing and talk.”
“Will you hold my hand?” Bobby looked winsomely optimistic.
“Maybe.” Her irritation melted. She just couldn't stay mad at him.
“Will you let me kiss you?”
“Don't push your luck.”
He dipped his head, kissed her quickly on the mouth, then bounded off the porch. “Too late,” he called. “The kissing
bandito
strikes again.” He got into his car. “See you tomorrow.”
She watched him drive off, her thoughts returning to Steve. She wasn't sure how she was going to get through the next few days, but she would. And she would do everything in her power not to hurt Bobby, unwittingly caught between two people who loved him and who, because of him, could never be together again.
Four
“should be at the hospital with Mom and Dad.” Bobby caught Dana in the hall between classes Monday morning.
“Why aren't you?”
“Dad made me come to school. Said I'd just be in the way. Like lean concentrate on classes when my brother's going through all that.”
Hank Harrod's insensitlvity toward Bobby irked Dana, but she didn't want to worsen Bobby's already glum mood, so she kept her thoughts about him to herself. “How long will Steve be in the hospital? You can visit him after school, you know.”
“I know, but I'd wanted to spend the day with him. What's so hard about my dad understanding that?” Just as the tardy bell sounded, he said, “Come with me today.”
“To the hospital?” Dana froze.
He gave her a puzzled look. “Well, yeah, to the hospital.”
“I don't think—”
“I'll pick you up at the south entrance at three. I'm out of here!”
With a sinking feeling, Dana watched him sprint down the hall. He hadn't even heard her begging off. She realized that she'd have to go with him, and she both wanted it and dreaded it. She reminded herself that in a few
days
, Steve would be back at FSU, and she wouldn't have to think about seeing him again until the holidays. Maybe by then she could get him out of her system once and for all.
“Hey, bro.” Bobby sauntered into Steve's room that afternoon, Dana by his side.
Steve's face lit up. “Hey yourself.” He was sitting up on the side of his bed, flipping through TV channels with the remote. He wore jeans, the usual hospital gown that tied behind his neck, and a blue plastic bracelet thatidentified him as a patient. He looked tanned, fit, and healthy, “Pull up some chairs.”
“Where're the folks?”
“Cruising the cafeteria.”
“You remember Dana, don't you?”
Steve swept her with his clear blue eyes. “How could I forget her?”
Bobby slid two chairs alongside the bed and sat in one. Dana nervously took the other. “Do you know anything yet?” Bobby asked.
“The neurosurgeon Mom wants on my case had an emergency today but he's supposed to stop by in the morning
Similar Books
