Read Online I'll Be Seeing You by Lurlene McDaniel - Free Book Online Page B

nice—the most wonderful guy she’d ever known. And that having him for a boyfriend would be the greatest thing that ever happened to her. But of course she couldn’t. She could never let him know how she truly felt. “I think we should not talk about this stuff,” she said quietly. “Ithink we should have fun right now and not talk about tomorrow.”
    “But—”
    “Please,” she begged. “Let’s just be friends as long as we’re here.”
    “If that’s what you want.…” He tried to keep the hurt out of his voice.
    “It’s what I want.”

Eleven

    “Y ou’re going home? Lucky you.” Reba gave Carley a wistful look. “I sure am going to miss you.”
    “I’ll call you,” Carley said, feeling sorry for Reba, who was still recovering from her abdominal surgery. “And before you know it, you’ll be headed home too.” Home for Reba was a small town in middle Tennessee, at least four hours from Knoxville and the hospital.
    “When are you leaving?”
    “My mom’s packing my stuff and filling out the paperwork right now.”
    “I’m glad you stopped by to tell me. Have you told Kyle?”
    Carley shook her head. “He’s my next stop.” She didn’t let on how much she was dreading it.
    “What have you decided to do about him?”
    “Nothing. I figure that once he goes home, he’ll get on with his life.”
    Reba dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “I think you’re dreaming. I think he’s going to want to see you.”
    “Don’t say that. You and I both know it’s impossible.”
    “Wrong. You
think
it’s impossible, so you won’t change your mind about telling him the truth.”
    Carley squealed, “Will you stop it already! I know what I’m doing.”
    Reba shook her head in exasperation. “Never mind. It’s like talking to a brick wall.” She grinned. “Anyway, keep your promise and call me. I know we haven’t been friends for long, but you’re my best friend ever and I want things to work out foryou. You know, Carley, in spite of the way your face looks, you really do have a shot at being normal.”
    “Just how do you figure that?”
    Reba’s gaze led to the wheelchair parked near her bed. “I wish my face was the only thing messed up about me.”
    Impulsively Carley leaned down and hugged her. “I’ll be in touch.” She positioned her crutches under her arms and retreated from the room.
    She stopped at Kyle’s door, took a deep breath, and knocked. When he called, “Come in,” she did.
    “I got my walking papers,” she told him without preamble.
    His bandages couldn’t hide his disappointment. “I’ll miss you.”
    “That’s what Reba said. Maybe I should start a fan club. Charge a fee.” Carley kept her voice light and breezy.
    “You said you’d be back for PT. Will you come up and visit with me?” he asked.
    “You bet. I’ll even bring you some new Books on Tape.”
    He held out his hand and she reached out and grasped it. His grip felt warm and strong and she wished she didn’t ever have to let go. “You take care of yourself,” he said.
    “You too.”
    “You did mean what you said the other night about staying friends, didn’t you?”
    “I meant it.” She was telling him what he wanted to hear and only hoped he wouldn’t hate her when he figured out the truth—that she had no intention of ever seeing him again.
    Without warning, Kyle reached up and caught the side of her face with his hand. She gasped, but then realized he was cupping the right side, the normal side. “Don’t be mad,” he said softly. “I’ve wanted to touch you for the longest time.”
    Just so long as his fingers didn’t venture to the left side of her face, she didn’t mind. “It’s all right,” she said, glad she had crutches for support because her knees had gone weak with anxiety and emotion.
    He smoothed his thumb along her cheek, brushing the fringe of her eyelashes and thebridge of her nose.
Too close!
her mind warned. Carley pulled back. “Please