Page 74 of Pucked Together

"It's completely normal for this kind of injury for patients to sometimes lose even years of memories. But the brain is a muscle, Isabella. And it just needs time and therapy to recover properly."

She pulls out some images from a folder under her tablet.

"The swelling has gone down significantly. It looks like you're on the right track toward healing. But I'll need to follow up with you pretty regularly. We'll keep you overnight for further observation.” The doctor then looks over to my family. "But she should be good to go home as early as tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh, thank heavens," Ginny says at the same time Keelan says, "About fucking time."

Aunt Ginny gives him a disapproving look. "What?" he shrugs.

Dr. Tanaka turns her attention back to me. "Do you have any questions for me, Isabella—Izzy?"

I scrunch my brows together, trying to recall my most recent memories, but nothing comes up.

“Just one," I begin. "So I'm already of legal drinking age?"

Chapter 23

Ryker

Islam the trunk shut even though there's a button for that. I need to hear the satisfying sound of slamming something.

"Don't think that's how those work," Hicks says, standing up from the front steps to meet me at my car. "You sure you don't want to stick around?"

I look over at Keelan's house—the house where I've fallen in love with his little sister. I shake my head. "I have some things I need to take care of."

"So you're just going to give up? Just like that?" Fergie says, taking a sip of his root beer in front of the giant double doors of the mansion.

"She needs time," I remind him.

"No, you're being a fucking coward," Fergie accuses.

Hicks turns to him in shock. "Wow. I never thought I'd get to say this. Jar, man."

Fergie shakes his head, "Those are house rules, and I'm," he hooks his thumb at the mansion behind him, "not in the fucking house."

Idiots. But what Fergie says stings.

Am I being a coward for leaving? For choosing to give the woman I love space to heal and time to remember without the sight of me sulking around?

I mean, she asked for her ex? The same one I nearly pummeled to a pulp just a few weeks ago.

What if she never remembers? Then I'll have to be around to watch her be head over heels for some sorry excuse for a man while I can't do anything about it because, to her... I am nothing.

"I gotta go," I tell the guys, making my way to the driver’s side.

Wednesday shuffles out the door to sit next to Fergie, both of them glaring at me.

"Don't look at me like that," I say mostly to the stupid dog who's been sleeping with me every night since Izzy was flown in from the hospital in Virginia.

"You're choosing to abandon us," Fergie answers for her.

But that's the furthest thing from the truth.

Izzy has her Aunt Ginny. She has Keelan. And even Wednesday. She doesn't need me around too.

Anyway, I won't be too far if, for some reason, she does regain all her memories. But I haven't told the guys anything about my new digs yet.

I get in the car without saying another word and peel out of the driveway. Dust kicks up behind me, and I watch from the rearview mirror as Fergie shoots me the bird and turns to go inside. Hicks is still standing in the driveway. His arms crossed and his head shaking.