Page 115 of My Fault

“Hey,” she said in that soft, pleasant tone she’d been using with me for exactly one day.

“Have I told you how incredibly sexy you are?” I asked, getting on top of her, happy to see her awake. I’d been wanting to kiss her for at least an hour.

She kissed me back as only she knew how and hugged me close.

“You all right?” I asked. I’d been as careful as possible; I’d never worried so much about hurting someone, but after what I’d heard about Noah’s past, I didn’t want her to feel even a scratch.

“I’m hungry,” she said, laughing.

Her cheeks were pink, almost feverish-looking, but that was normal, since I hadn’t let go of her all night while she slept next to me.

“Me, too,” I said, kissing her cheek and her throat on that special spot that drove her wild.

She laughed and tugged at my hair so she could look in my eyes.

“Hungry for food,” she clarified. Why could that smile of hers drive me so crazy?

“Fine, let’s eat,” I said, pulling her toward the shower. We got in together, and after we were done, I gave her a T-shirt and put on a pair of track pants. I couldn’t be more thankful my father and her mother were out of town for the weekend.

“What are you in the mood for?” I asked as we went downstairs and she sat at the island.

“You know how to cook?” she asked incredulously.

“Of course I do. What do you think?” I said, smiling and grabbing her hair into a bunch to pull her head back and kiss her.

“I meant something edible,” she said. That was the best sound in the world: the perfect tone for a perfect morning.

“I’ll make pancakes so you won’t complain,” I said, letting her go.

“I’ll help you,” she said, jumping up and walking to the fridge. We cooked together: I made the batter, and she made a strawberry smoothie for both of us. Then we sat at the island and ate side by side. It was exquisite when I poured syrup on her and then licked it off. I’d never done anything like that with anyone, and it made my breakfast much more appetizing. Things were finally the way they should be: Noah was mine, she was happy, and I was, too. After years without trusting a woman, I had chosen one who was complex but perfect, one who could give me back all the love and trust that I had lost at such an early age. I started to see that Noah and I had a lot in common. She’d lost her father at eleven, and I’d lost my mother at twelve. We’d both suffered at an early age, and now we’d met to help each other get over it.

“We need to do something,” she said as she ate her last bite of pancakes. “Give me your phone.”

I didn’t know what she wanted, but I didn’t hesitate a second in handing it to her.

“Since you’re my boyfriend now,” she said, observing me warily, and I smiled. I liked that term. Yeah, I was her boyfriendand she was my girlfriend:mine.“I’m going to erase all the girls in your phone except for me and Jenna.”

When I started laughing, she said, “I’m serious,” unlocking my phone and entering my contacts.

“Do what you like. I don’t care,” I said, “but don’t erase Anne or Madison. I’ve got permission to keep talking to my sister, right?” I asked, getting up and taking the dishes to the sink.

“Who’s Anne?” she asked, wrinkling her nose. It sounded too much like Anna. I hurried to explain:

“Anne is the social worker who brings Madison when I go to visit her. She keeps me informed about what’s going on with her, and she calls if anything comes up.”

“You’ve got a missed call from her, from an hour ago,” she said. And then, as if she knew we were talking about her, the screen lit up and Anne’s name appeared. “Here she is again.” I grabbed the phone from her hand, worried. It was too early for Anne to be calling.

“Nicholas?” she said when I picked up.

“What’s going on?” I asked, feeling the terror in my stomach.

“It’s Madison.” Her voice was calm, but I could sense the alarm in her voice. “She’s in the hospital. It looks like they forgot her insulin over the past twenty-four hours, and she’s had an attack… I think you should come.”

I was squeezing the phone so tightly it almost shattered in my hand.

“Is she all right?” I’d never been so scared in my entire life.

“I don’t know anything about her condition,” she said. I nodded and hung up.