Charlotte shook her head and blinked back the tears. “I don’t know. He was so angry and hurt when we spoke. I don’t even know if he’ll ever speak to me again.”
Savannah frowned. “He’ll come to his senses; he has to. And if he doesn’t, then it’s his loss anyway, and you’re better off.”
Except she knew she wasn’t.
After years of waiting for her chance to be with Patrick, she’d blown it, and she had no one to blame but herself.
Still, knowing that she’d at least tried softened the blow somewhat and made her realize that she was going to be okay, no matter what Patrick decided to do.
A loud cacophony of voices rose, and the two sisters exchanged a quick look. Hastily, Savannah stood up and held her hands behind her back. When the curtain was yanked open, revealing Patrick in wrinkled clothing and with a bouquet, Charlotte’s stomach dipped.
“It’s nice to see you again, Patrick.” Savannah held her hand out and waited for him to shake it. “I was just headed to the cafeteria. You want anything?”
Patrick cleared his throat. “No, thank you, Savannah.”
Savannah nodded and gave Charlotte a quick look over her shoulder. Then Charlotte was alone with Patrick, save for a disgruntled nurse who was studying the monitor and muttering under her breath. She typed something into the chart and shot Patrick a withering look before she left.
“She really doesn’t like me, huh?”
“It’s not you,” Charlotte replied with a grimace. “She’s just had to kick people out all day. I barely got my mom to agree not to tell anyone else; otherwise, the nurse would’ve had to deal with a whole army of Wilsons.”
Patrick sat down on the edge of the bed. “I would’ve liked to have seen that.”
“Me too.”
She couldn’t believe Patrick was there in the flesh.
What would happen if she reached out to pinch him?
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. I need to take it easy for a few days. We’re just waiting for the discharge papers.”
Had he come to let her down easy?
Or was he just feeling guilty because of how their interaction ended?
Patrick blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “I know I said some things about how you didn’t trust me as a friend… I shouldn’t have said those things.”
“You were hurt.”
“I still shouldn’t have said those things,” Patrick repeated in a clear voice. “I was just hurt and scared. It’s all happening so quickly.”
“I know.”
And she hadn’t meant to scare him away or make him feel like he didn’t have a choice in the matter.
He meant more to her than he knew, more than she wanted to admit, and she hated how things had unfolded.
She didn’t know how to go back in time or make things better.
All she could do was offer her friendship and a promise to do better.
Charlotte knew she had no right to hope for anything else.
Patrick reached for one of her hands and squeezed. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. It just threw me; that’s all.”
Charlotte looked down at their intertwined fingers and then back up at his face. “You know, you don’t have to deal with any of this. I wouldn’t hold it against you.”
