Read Online Perfection Is Just an Illusion (Swimming Upstream #1) by Rebecca Barber - Free Book Online
Authors: Rebecca Barber
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raced through the door, nearly knocking an old lady off her feet as he flew past. He was moving so fast he crashed straight into the information desk. The perky little receptionist looked up and smiled. She recognised him instantly and got that sly look in her eye that James recognised meant she would do anything to get in his pants. He’d seen it before. But right now he didn’t even have the time or energy to be flattered.
“Can I help you?” she inquired seductively, casually shifting her weight in the chair and thrusting her chest forward.
“I am looking for Anna White. She was in a car accident.” He was in such a hurry that he had absolutely no time for her bullshit.
“She’s in room 3. Ward 16. Third floor.”
He took off. He was in such a hurry that he ran up the stairs instead of waiting the few moments it would have taken for the lift to arrive. Ward 16. He had found it. James had completely forgotten why she had left or what had gone wrong; he just wanted her to be okay. He wanted to sit there beside her, hold her hand, and wait for her to open her eyes.
Anna was sleeping soundly when James slipped into the room. He was startled when he saw her lying there. Something stopped him from going to her. It was like there was a physical force field surrounding her. Instead, he just stood in a state of overwhelming shock, leaning on the door frame for support. Anna’s face was pale, she had a large white patch on her head covering a gash, and she had a drip all hooked up to her delicate little hand. She was lying there, completely motionless. On shaky legs, James wobbled over and sat beside her. He reached out and put his hand carefully on Anna’s. She seemed so cold, but James could see that she was breathing steadily. The constant rise and fall of her chest reassured him. The feeling of relief was unmistakable as it consumed him.
“I’m sorry,” Nancy said, no louder than a whisper. James could tell that she meant it and immediately James found himself trusting Nancy with Anna’s care. Instinctively he knew that she would take the very best care of Anna.
“Thank you,” James replied honestly, looking up at her. Nancy didn’t know it, but by simply doing her job she’d saved Anna’s life and in doing so, saved James as well. “How’s she doing?”
“She’ll be fine. She has a broken leg, a few broken ribs, and a mild concussion. She’ll be glad you’re here. When she woke up before, she was so frantic. No one was here. I think she felt abandoned and alone,” Nancy explained, giving him a pat on the shoulder before leaving them.
Justin wandered in. “How’s our girl doing?” he had stopped at the florist downstairs and bought her the biggest bouquet of bright yellow daffodils he could find.
“She’ll be okay. I’m staying here. Can you call Joel and tell him I won’t be at training for the next few days? Thanks for coming with me. I know I was pretty out of it. Thanks.”
“Anytime,” Justin said and with a handshake and a smile, he was gone.
James sat staring at Anna. Her constant yet peaceful breathing calmed him. He wished she would wake up so he could see for himself that she was all right. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to look after her, but he couldn’t bring himself to wake her. She needed her rest. Exhausted, James soon fell asleep with his fingers laced with hers.
***
Anna
For some reason Anna’s subconscious began to replay the accident, but this time Anna wasn’t driving the car. She was standing on the side of the road watching the car hit the ditch and flip. Anna could see herself walking up to the driver’s side door and looking through the window. She could see herself lying there unable to move, struggling to breathe; broken and bleeding, trying to scream but unable to form the words. Anna was watching it all, then with a jolt she was suddenly wide awake.
The pain was real. Anna tried to take a deep breath but her ribs ached.
“Can I help you?” she inquired seductively, casually shifting her weight in the chair and thrusting her chest forward.
“I am looking for Anna White. She was in a car accident.” He was in such a hurry that he had absolutely no time for her bullshit.
“She’s in room 3. Ward 16. Third floor.”
He took off. He was in such a hurry that he ran up the stairs instead of waiting the few moments it would have taken for the lift to arrive. Ward 16. He had found it. James had completely forgotten why she had left or what had gone wrong; he just wanted her to be okay. He wanted to sit there beside her, hold her hand, and wait for her to open her eyes.
Anna was sleeping soundly when James slipped into the room. He was startled when he saw her lying there. Something stopped him from going to her. It was like there was a physical force field surrounding her. Instead, he just stood in a state of overwhelming shock, leaning on the door frame for support. Anna’s face was pale, she had a large white patch on her head covering a gash, and she had a drip all hooked up to her delicate little hand. She was lying there, completely motionless. On shaky legs, James wobbled over and sat beside her. He reached out and put his hand carefully on Anna’s. She seemed so cold, but James could see that she was breathing steadily. The constant rise and fall of her chest reassured him. The feeling of relief was unmistakable as it consumed him.
“I’m sorry,” Nancy said, no louder than a whisper. James could tell that she meant it and immediately James found himself trusting Nancy with Anna’s care. Instinctively he knew that she would take the very best care of Anna.
“Thank you,” James replied honestly, looking up at her. Nancy didn’t know it, but by simply doing her job she’d saved Anna’s life and in doing so, saved James as well. “How’s she doing?”
“She’ll be fine. She has a broken leg, a few broken ribs, and a mild concussion. She’ll be glad you’re here. When she woke up before, she was so frantic. No one was here. I think she felt abandoned and alone,” Nancy explained, giving him a pat on the shoulder before leaving them.
Justin wandered in. “How’s our girl doing?” he had stopped at the florist downstairs and bought her the biggest bouquet of bright yellow daffodils he could find.
“She’ll be okay. I’m staying here. Can you call Joel and tell him I won’t be at training for the next few days? Thanks for coming with me. I know I was pretty out of it. Thanks.”
“Anytime,” Justin said and with a handshake and a smile, he was gone.
James sat staring at Anna. Her constant yet peaceful breathing calmed him. He wished she would wake up so he could see for himself that she was all right. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to look after her, but he couldn’t bring himself to wake her. She needed her rest. Exhausted, James soon fell asleep with his fingers laced with hers.
***
Anna
For some reason Anna’s subconscious began to replay the accident, but this time Anna wasn’t driving the car. She was standing on the side of the road watching the car hit the ditch and flip. Anna could see herself walking up to the driver’s side door and looking through the window. She could see herself lying there unable to move, struggling to breathe; broken and bleeding, trying to scream but unable to form the words. Anna was watching it all, then with a jolt she was suddenly wide awake.
The pain was real. Anna tried to take a deep breath but her ribs ached.
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