breath through her teeth as pain shot through her head. “I can’t remember very much. Must be the drugs.”
Xan rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “You’re lucky to be alive. We were freaked out for a while there.”
“Thanks, Xan. Thanks for rescuing me.”
“I helped, but really, the huge Arab was the one who saved you.”
“Nasir?” Shelby asked.
“I guess he has some kind of commando training. He knew what to do to stop your bleeding and even did mouth-to-mouth. Who knew such a giant guy could be so gentle?”
Shocked, Shelby didn’t know what to say. The thought of Nasir doing mouth-to-mouth made her stomach clench in embarrassment. “Is Nasir here?”
“Yeah, he and Hakim have been in the waiting room all day.”
Her heart leapt. “Could you get them? I want to thank them.”
“Uh…Yeah, sure,” Xan said. “I’ll see if I can find ’em.”
She thought his voice sounded a little reluctant and squeezed his fingers to show her gratitude. “Thanks, Xan.”
“I’ll be back to check on you, okay?” He laid her hand down on the bed.
While Shelby waited, the hammering in her head grew worse. The pain in her ankle rose to a throbbing ache. She still hadn’t seen a mirror and had no idea what her head injury looked like, and she couldn’t lift her head to see her ankle. She needed to push the morphine button but wanted to act coherently when she saw Hakim again. He is here! Did this mean he wasn’t going to Kentucky? Would he keep in touch? Maybe see her again?
A soft knock drew her gaze to the doorway. Although the room was semi-dark, she recognized Hakim’s silhouette as he came to stand next to the bed.
“Shelby Jo,” he said in a quiet voice.
Her heart rate sped up and the monitor beeps followed suit. “You’re still here. I thought you’d be in Kentucky by now.”
“I could not leave until I was certain that you were all right.”
“Where’s Nasir? Xan told me what he did. I want to thank him.”
“I will give your message to Nasir.” Hakim gave a short nod. “His ways are very traditional. He would not wish to offend you, but he would feel uncomfortable coming into your room to speak with you.”
Shelby realized what she had interpreted as rudeness—his unwillingness to make eye contact or to shake her hand—had really been a form of respect. She grimaced, feeling ashamed for judging him so harshly. “Oh, I understand. Please tell him how grateful I am.”
“I will. I also owe Nasir a debt of gratitude for what he did. If not for his training…”
In the darkness, she felt his fingers brush her hair off her forehead, avoiding the wrappings over her stitches. She reached up and grasped his hand. Even though almost every part of her body pulsed with pain, what she felt from Hakim’s touch caused her skin to tingle.
“Hakim…” Shelby said after a moment. “This is goodbye, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he said. “Shelby Jo…”
“You have to go, I know.” Tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She had only known this guy for a few days. Why am I crying? It has to be the medication.
“I have enjoyed the time we spent together, Shelby Jo Walker.” He paused. “There have been very few opportunities for me to make new acquaintances. Your friendship has been very special.”
“Yeah, bruised, bloody, and doped-up on painkillers is how you’ll remember me.” Shelby wrinkled her nose and grimaced.
“I am confident there are enough pleasant memories of our time together to overshadow the sad ones. My first snowball fight, for example.”
“That reminds me, I owe you some major payback for that little snow shower you gave me.” She let go of his hand and tapped her fingertips together like an evil genius.
He laughed quietly and then took her hand again. “I wish I did not have to leave you like this. Your recovery will be a difficult one, and—”
“My dad will be here soon to take me home to Culver Springs.” Shelby’s words rushed
Xan rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “You’re lucky to be alive. We were freaked out for a while there.”
“Thanks, Xan. Thanks for rescuing me.”
“I helped, but really, the huge Arab was the one who saved you.”
“Nasir?” Shelby asked.
“I guess he has some kind of commando training. He knew what to do to stop your bleeding and even did mouth-to-mouth. Who knew such a giant guy could be so gentle?”
Shocked, Shelby didn’t know what to say. The thought of Nasir doing mouth-to-mouth made her stomach clench in embarrassment. “Is Nasir here?”
“Yeah, he and Hakim have been in the waiting room all day.”
Her heart leapt. “Could you get them? I want to thank them.”
“Uh…Yeah, sure,” Xan said. “I’ll see if I can find ’em.”
She thought his voice sounded a little reluctant and squeezed his fingers to show her gratitude. “Thanks, Xan.”
“I’ll be back to check on you, okay?” He laid her hand down on the bed.
While Shelby waited, the hammering in her head grew worse. The pain in her ankle rose to a throbbing ache. She still hadn’t seen a mirror and had no idea what her head injury looked like, and she couldn’t lift her head to see her ankle. She needed to push the morphine button but wanted to act coherently when she saw Hakim again. He is here! Did this mean he wasn’t going to Kentucky? Would he keep in touch? Maybe see her again?
A soft knock drew her gaze to the doorway. Although the room was semi-dark, she recognized Hakim’s silhouette as he came to stand next to the bed.
“Shelby Jo,” he said in a quiet voice.
Her heart rate sped up and the monitor beeps followed suit. “You’re still here. I thought you’d be in Kentucky by now.”
“I could not leave until I was certain that you were all right.”
“Where’s Nasir? Xan told me what he did. I want to thank him.”
“I will give your message to Nasir.” Hakim gave a short nod. “His ways are very traditional. He would not wish to offend you, but he would feel uncomfortable coming into your room to speak with you.”
Shelby realized what she had interpreted as rudeness—his unwillingness to make eye contact or to shake her hand—had really been a form of respect. She grimaced, feeling ashamed for judging him so harshly. “Oh, I understand. Please tell him how grateful I am.”
“I will. I also owe Nasir a debt of gratitude for what he did. If not for his training…”
In the darkness, she felt his fingers brush her hair off her forehead, avoiding the wrappings over her stitches. She reached up and grasped his hand. Even though almost every part of her body pulsed with pain, what she felt from Hakim’s touch caused her skin to tingle.
“Hakim…” Shelby said after a moment. “This is goodbye, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he said. “Shelby Jo…”
“You have to go, I know.” Tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She had only known this guy for a few days. Why am I crying? It has to be the medication.
“I have enjoyed the time we spent together, Shelby Jo Walker.” He paused. “There have been very few opportunities for me to make new acquaintances. Your friendship has been very special.”
“Yeah, bruised, bloody, and doped-up on painkillers is how you’ll remember me.” Shelby wrinkled her nose and grimaced.
“I am confident there are enough pleasant memories of our time together to overshadow the sad ones. My first snowball fight, for example.”
“That reminds me, I owe you some major payback for that little snow shower you gave me.” She let go of his hand and tapped her fingertips together like an evil genius.
He laughed quietly and then took her hand again. “I wish I did not have to leave you like this. Your recovery will be a difficult one, and—”
“My dad will be here soon to take me home to Culver Springs.” Shelby’s words rushed
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