All Good Things (2 page)

I shook the thought from my mind as I moved along the stretch of hall that would lead me to Olivia's room. I felt like a man possessed as I moved one foot in front of the other. I was anxious to be in the room with her. I was anxious to see her again. I had been away from her for the last two hours and that was just too long. I needed to know if her state had changed. I hoped it had improved. I needed her to wake up. If she didn't, I feared I would never get any work done. I had all but forgotten about my company. If my best and only friend hadn't taken my place and the weight of my tasks onto his shoulders, I am positive I would have lost millions by now.

I reached out and twisted the knob before stepping into the silence of the room. She hadn't changed. The coma was holding tight to her. I moved and sat in the chair beside her bed. It faced the door. From this corner of the room, I could see everything.

I pulled my laptop onto my lap and powered it on. It was time I focused my attention on work. I had been neglecting my duties for too long. I opened my email, and sighed in frustration as I began opening the ones I received the day of the accident. This was going to be a long night.

Three hours later, the door handle rattled and the intruder walked in. I grinned, "Caleb, what are you doing here?"

"I took a moment away from
your
office to see for myself the girl who has you all twisted and hormonal." He teased, but behind the humor in his words I could hear raw curiosity and bewilderment.

"It's about time you started carrying your weight around
our
office." I growled. I was not joking. I had taken over Rush Industries when my father killed himself when I was twenty-two. That was six years ago. Caleb had begged and pleaded to partner with me and I saw his potential, so I agreed. Lately, he had been avoiding the office.

"Ah, Jace," Caleb shook his head. He glanced once again at Olivia. His gaze lingered and my heart burned. I didn't want him looking at her. "She's beautiful." He admitted.

"I know." I growled, and his brows rose.

"Right, well," he grinned rubbing his hands together. "I had no idea you were seeing anyone. I didn't think it was your style."

I shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not."

He frowned. "You're not seeing this girl?"

"No."

"Then, why the hell are you here?" He asked in astonishment. I'd been asking myself that very question for four days. I still didn't have an answer.

"I don't know."

"Fuck," he shook his head and chuckled. I wanted to punch him. "This chicks got you bad."

"Why are you here?" I demanded while somehow keeping my cool. I didn't like him talking about Olivia like that, as if she were just some chick. Olivia was different. If Caleb weren't like a brother to me, there was no telling what I would have done.

"I told you, I had to see what was keeping you from the office."

"Now that you've got what you came here for," I growled through clenched teeth. "You can leave."

"No," he shook his head. "You need to come back to work."

I shook my head. "I will be here when she wakes up."

"Look man, I knew you didn't know her before I came here." Caleb admitted and I frowned. "I checked her out."

"You ran a background check on her?" I roared, before reminding myself to keep my anger in check. I glanced at Olivia and she hadn't flinched. If I thought yelling would wake her up, I would do it...but the only thing yelling would accomplish would be getting my ass kicked out.

I couldn't have that. I had to be close to her.

"Of course I did." Caleb shrugged.

That shouldn't have surprised or angered me. Caleb and I were one and the same. We were both completely, and utterly, fucked up. "Get out."

Caleb laughed. If I ever wanted to beat the living shit out of someone, it was now. My knuckles burned as I fisted my hands. I was seeing red and Caleb was standing in the center.

"Look Jace, I get your infatuation with the girl," he glanced at her again. I twitched with the need to pummel him to the ground. "But, she is not the girl for you. Did you even check up on her, if not, I will forward you her information. She is a good girl. You would ruin her."

"I said get out, Caleb." My voice shook as I strained to hold onto my control.

"I'm just saying, if you care at all about her, you will walk away and never look back." With those last words, Caleb walked out of the room.

I didn't know what to do to calm the aching burn in my chest when Caleb walked out, leaving me here to think about his words. I knew damn well what he was referring to and he was wrong. Olivia was nothing like she had been. I wouldn't ruin Olivia.

I rubbed my hand over my forehead, feeling like a crazed lunatic as I compared the lifeless girl in the bed to Lexie. I hadn't destroyed Lexie. She had destroyed me. I had the power to give her everything and she had taken the only thing I ever wanted. The moment I first saw Olivia, I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt as though I had been redeemed for my sins. I knew it was insane and I should probably commit myself to the nearest mental facility for psychiatric evaluation, but damn. I couldn't leave her. She was my angel.

"You trying to walk a hole into the ground?" Trisha asked. She was leaning against the wall closest to the door, clutching a new cup of coffee in a freshly manicured hand. I hadn't even heard her enter the room.

"When did you get here?" I asked, halting my nervous pacing. I didn't feel like entertaining her ridiculous question.

"A few minutes ago." She admitted. "You look like hell."

"Thanks." I moved across the room to sit in the chair I had occupied earlier. Trisha watched me with careful eyes and my skin crawled in response. I rarely, if ever, found myself in the position of being studied as though I were a bomb about to detonate. The fact that I was in this position now, was just another layer of proof I was loosing my cool control. Whatever Olivia had done to me, I needed her to wake up so she could, at least, reverse it. I fully believed once I knew she was awake and well, I would be able to walk away and move on with my life.

Trisha moved slowly to the side of the bed. She reached out and curled her fingers around Olivia's hand. I watched as her breath caught in her throat and her eyes misted over. There was no doubt in my mind Trisha loved Olivia like a sister. I wondered how their bond formed...they were just, so different.

"You know, she's strong." Trisha looked up at me. Her voice quivered as she spoke. "She will wake up." She laughed as she looked down at Olivia's face. "You know, she never admits it...but she really loves making people wait on her."

My interest piqued. Trisha had been reserved with the information she was willing to share with me in regards to Olivia. "She does?"

"Oh yes." She nodded exuberantly. "I definitely learned to master the art of patience because of Olivia. She likes to test."

I looked at the girl in the bed and wondered who she was. I wanted to know so much about her. Hell, I wanted to know everything. "She sounds talented."

Trisha laughed. "Oh God, yes, she is."

"How long have you two been friends?" I asked wearily. I hoped she wouldn't slam the door on me now. It had taken her four days to give me anything more than Olivia's name. I was a man starved for information. If she withheld her words now, I feared I might combust from frustration.

"Since grade seven when Olivia joined my class." Her eyes glazed over with memories that tore at her heart. "She was like a grown up then. The way she walked and talked...she fascinated me, I guess."

"She was like an adult in grade seven?" I asked hoarsely. From the records I read, Olivia seemed to have had the perfect family. She had been born into money and privilege. From what I read, the only tragedy that touched her life was when her grandfather had passed away, and even then, he left her his inheritance.

Trisha looked up at me with cold eyes. Shit, she was not going to say another word. "I have said too much. Olivia doesn't like to share the personal aspects of her life and she would be furious with me if I said anything more."

I nodded despite the fact that I wanted to fall to my knees and beg for just another word. I really was obsessed with her. It was all the more reason why I needed her to wake up so I could walk away and forget about her. Damn, why won't she wake up?

"It's late." Trisha said after a few minutes of silence. "I should be getting back home. Olivia would beat me if I forgot to feed Moo-moo."

My brows shot to the center of my forehead and my eyes widened. Who the hell was Moo-moo? "Who?"

Trisha giggled as she brushed the hair back away from Olivia's face. "Oh, Moo-moo is a kitten Olivia brought home one night. She found him all alone on the street and she couldn't walk away. She can't walk away from an animal in need." She looked at her friend with adoration. "She never could."

I watched Trisha exit the room and blew out a deep breath. Olivia rescued homeless animals and named them...Moo-moo? Of all the names, she chose Moo-moo. Why? My eyes flickered to the girl in the bed and I smiled before the simple act had registered in my brain.

I shook my head and stood. I needed a shower. I needed to take a moment to stop thinking about her. I was beginning to fear for my sanity. I shouldn't want to know anything about her. I never wanted to know all the little intimate details of the women I pursued, but I wanted to know them about her. I wanted to know everything about her and I hoped to God...if there was a God, when he let her open her eyes, my unexplainable desire to know her would dissipate.

I needed my damned life back.

I walked quickly across the room and closed myself in the adjoining bathroom. I was paying a large sum of money for the private suite, so I may as well use its facilities.

***

I moaned, as I shifted in the bed. Good God...how much had I drank last night? My entire body ached as though I had been beat with a baseball bat and my head throbbed. My muscles were stiff and I feared, for a moment, if I was to move, they might even creak like the wheels of a bike with no oil. Oh hell, who was I kidding? I couldn't move. This was the worst hangover I ever had. I couldn't even remember my night. The last thing I remembered was texting Trisha about two bottles of wine. I decided, right then and there, I was done with wine. I would never drink it again! Never ever! God, my head ached.

After a long moment of trying desperately to build up the courage to open my eyes, I did. My lashes felt as though they had been braided together by sleep. It took a few minutes to untangle them enough to open my eyes just enough to see the room was dimly lit. I thanked the heavens it was not too bright. Even still, the dim light that lit the room made my eyes burn with watery tears. I slammed my lids closed and tried to build the courage to try again. I just needed to get used to the light. And, I was never, ever, going to drink another drop of alcohol again for as long as I lived. I didn't think it was possible for a bottle of wine to make you feel as though you had been hit by a bus...but, I guess anything is possible. And who knows, maybe I drank more than just the one bottle. I mean, I couldn't remember my evening...so, I very well could have drank much more than I thought.

I peeled my eyes open again just in time to see the door across the room open. A man stepped into the room...or no...a God, stepped into the room. My eyes popped open and my mouth dropped. Holy moly! He was gorgeous. His black hair was wet and messy and his chest was bared. His naturally tan skin glistened from the residue of water and his muscles rippled with each movement. He ran a towel through his hair, roughly drying the locks as he lifted his eyes to meet mine.

Oh my....

His eyes were the most beautiful, hypnotic shade of blue I had ever seen. They were framed with thick, long, black lashes that made me want to sigh. And, they were focused intensely on me. He froze and his lips parted. An emotion that resembled relived shock passed over his God-like features as he stared at me. I stared back. I believe the correct word was ogled, but I didn't particularly want to admit that...even to myself.

"You're awake." His voice was smooth, like warm honey. It made my skin tingle and my toes curl.

Who was this man?

As my mind asked the question, I realized he was alone with me. We were in a room I didn't recognize and he had just stepped from the shower. Oh holey moly...did I sleep with him? Surely, I would remember something like that...with him! A blush crept into my face as I stared at him without the ability to look away. He held me captive with the intensity of his blue eyes. I had never been so...speechless.

"Olivia, are you all right?" The man moved quickly across the room and my eyes fell to his chest. His shoulders were broad and his arms were thick. I wondered what it would feel like to curl into his chest with his arms wrapped around me.

I shook the thought from my mind and my eyes dropped lower, trailing down his golden abs to his hips. Goodness gracious, he was just divine. Every sculptured curve of this mans body had been carved with exact precision. He was glorious. Magnificent. Seraphic. He was perfect.

I thanked the heavens he was wearing pants. The black slacks hung low on his sculpted hips and I stared at the line where the material hugged his skin. I wanted to trail the tip of my finger along the line of fabric that met with his skin and I thanked small mercies my body was simply too sore to follow through with its instinctual desire. If this man didn't step away from me, surely, I would humiliate myself without chance of redemption.

"How are you feeling?" He asked gruffly, as he leaned over the bed so he could look over my face with close inspection. Had I seriously been so drunk that I warranted his piercing concern? What was he doing? And who was he?

"I'm fine." I finally mustered.

He leaned over the bed and pressed a little button. My eyes followed his movement and that's when I saw it. There was an IV in my arm. I was in a hospital. A man I didn't recognize was with me and I couldn't remember anything. How old was I? Was I missing years of my life? Who was this man to me? I didn't know him...but he knew me. I had heard of things like this happening. I had heard of people waking up from a trauma and being unable to remember a thing about their lives. Was this man my husband? My heart rate spiked and the monitor that sat next to the bed began beeping irregularly.