Best Dating Rules, Tamie Dearen [literature books to read txt] 📗

mind struggled to retrieve the muddled details. “I’m in the hospital. Was Spencer here?” She gazed around the empty room.

“He was here. Yes, he stayed until you woke up.”

“What happened to me?”

“You remember going to a bar with Asher Denning?”

The painful details of the evening trickled into her head, driving salty tears to pool and drip down her face. “Oh Mom, Spencer was there. It was awful. I knew I shouldn’t have lied to him. I feel terrible.”

Anne’s face was grim. “I wish now I’d tried to talk you out of it.”

“But he was here? Is he mad at me? What am I saying? Of course he’s mad.” She wiped her damp face with the back of her hand.

“He saved your life.”

“What? How did he do that? What happened?”

“Try to remember.”

She forced herself to replay the uncomfortable evening in her mind. “He saw me and left at the very beginning. He was with Grace. She tried to warn me, but it was too late.”

“Then what happened?”

“I stayed with Asher and met a couple of his friends and listened to music.”

“What did you drink?”

“Uhmm, a café mocha. And then Asher bought me a glass of wine. I was so stressed I decided to drink it. But I didn’t feel any better.”

“When did you call Charlie?”

“Oh yeah. I went to the bathroom and called Charlie, but she didn’t answer. How did you know I called her?”

“She called back. She’s on her way here.”

“She’s flying here? And I almost died? Was there a car accident?” She ached all over, but she didn’t feel like anything was broken.

“You drank something with drugs in it.”

“What? Who put drugs in my drink? Asher?”

“We don’t think it was him. What happened after you called Charlie?”

“There was another glass of wine on the table when I came back. I knew I shouldn’t drink more than one, but I was feeling so depressed I drank some anyway. And then I remember feeling sleepy. That’s it. That’s the last thing I remember. What happened?”

“You evidently passed out, and Asher called Grace to come take you home.”

“Why didn’t Asher take me home?”

“He didn’t know where you lived.”

“Oh. That’s right.” She cringed. “And Grace came to get me?”

“Grace and Spencer came to get you. Apparently, Asher was already gone. He left you there, asleep.”

“Wow—great guy. I sure can pick ‘em.”

“You wouldn’t wake up, so Spencer called us when they had you in the taxi. They were taking you to the hospital when you quit breathing.”

“I quit breathing?”

“And your heart stopped, too.” Tears were rolling freely down her mom’s face. “And Spencer did CPR in the back seat of the taxi until they got to the emergency room.”

Emily suppressed a sob, as she clung to her mom. “I really almost died?”

“Yes, we nearly lost you. But Spencer probably saved your life. And then he sat beside you all night, holding your hand. Waiting for you to wake up.”

“I thought I saw him for a minute. I thought I imagined it.”

Anne shook her head, sniffing. “No, you probably saw him when you first woke up. But once he knew you were okay, he left. I... I don’t think he wants to talk to you. He was pretty hurt.”

“That’s okay,” said Emily. “I don’t deserve him anyway.” She turned her head away, tears dropping onto her pillow.

“Emily... Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I don’t. I really don’t. I really want to go to sleep and wake up and find out this was all a bad dream. Talking about it makes it seem too real. I... I almost wish he hadn’t saved me.”

“Emily! Don’t ever say something like that!” Her mom’s voice was angry and frightened.

“I don’t mean it that way. I’m not wishing I were dead, but I don’t feel like facing my life right now.” She turned her tear-streaked face back to her mom and took her hand. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m too much of a chicken to ever actually kill myself.”

“The important thing is you’re alive. You simply need to make better decisions from here on out. And I won’t let you down again.”

Emily opened her mouth to protest, but her mom interrupted. “No. I should have spoken up and read you the riot act when you told me about your lie. I didn’t say anything, but next time, I’m speaking the truth no matter what.”

“I’m a big girl, Mom. I made that choice all on my own. But yes, I hereby give you permission to tell me the next time I’m about to make a huge mistake, even if it makes me angry.”

Anne pushed a curl off Emily’s face and tucked it behind her ear, just like she used to do when she was a little girl. “How do you feel?”

“Pretty much like I’ve been run over by a dump truck.”

“Okay,” said Steven as he swept into the room, “I hate to break up this party, but Emily needs to sleep, and you...” He kissed Anne on the cheek. “You need to go home to sleep. Connie’s already there waiting for you.”

“Connie?” Emily groaned. “Does she know? I guess she does. She probably hates me. I’m sure Grace does. The whole family probably does. That’s good. I deserve it. You should hate me, too.”

Anne and Steven exchanged a meaningful look. Steven said, “I think hate would be too strong a term. No one hates you. Disappointment would be more accurate. But the main thing everyone felt was fear, and now we feel relief. And we feel those things because we love you.”

Emily shook her head, refusing to let herself off that easy. “Have you both been here all night?”

“Yes, you gave us quite a scare.” Steven leaned over to kiss her forehead.

“I’m so sorry. I’m sorry about everything. I can’t believe I was so stupid. I know not to drink something that’s been sitting on the table when I wasn’t there. I’m that stupid girl I always despise in the movies—the one who does stupid stuff and gets herself in