He dropped his head to rest on their joined hands.“Because you didn’t die.”
“Did you think I would?”
“It was possible.You lost a lot of blood.Took forever to get you out of there, or so it seemed.”
“I’m sorry.”
When his head whipped up, she was shocked to see tears in his eyes.“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“I made you worry.”
“You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’ll try not to do that again.”
“That’d be good.I didn’t enjoy this experience one bit.”
“Are you being funny, Jesse?”
“No, I’m not being funny.Today was one of the worst days I’ve ever had, thinking I was going to lose… well… you.”
“And that would’ve been bad?”
“Yeah.Woulda been a ton of paperwork.”
Her mouth fell open in the second before he laughed.Jesse Bestlaughed.
“Are you drunk or something?”
“No, but I’d like to be.Anything to forget how close we came to disaster.”
“I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not, but you will be.Your mom and grandmother are on the way.”
“What?You called them?Why?”
“It’s what we do when someone gets hurt on the job.We notify the next of kin.”
“Did you call them yourself?”
“Yes, I called them myself.What kind of jerk do you take me for?”
“Am I allowed to answer that question honestly?”
Scowling, he said, “No, you’re not.”
“More water, please.”
He held the cup and the straw while she took greedy sips of the best-tasting thing she’d ever had.
“When are they coming?”
“They land at DCA at nine.”
“What time is it now?”
“Seven thirty.”
