Page 11 of The Risks of Reuniting (Love Connections #1)

I fill her in on my accident and she's sympathetic in all the right ways.

If I was home she'd make me chocolate chip cookies, because they have healing properties, and she'd hum in the kitchen while she baked.

Before I moved to North Carolina last year, I'd lived at home while I went to school.

As an only child there wasn't much motivation to leave.

I've missed my parents this past year. Thinking about people I miss has me think of Chloe again.

"Mom, Chloe is here," I say in a near whisper, still somewhat unable to believe it.

I can feel her surprise over the phone line. "What? Chloe is there? In Peru?" She pauses. "She got on a plane?"

My mom loves Chloe and knows all about her fear of flying.

"Yeah. She did."

"Wow. I'm . . . how on earth did the two of you end up at the same place?" she says, still processing this news .

"What, no talk about fate and destiny?" I tease.

She laughs. "How is she? How are you?"

"She's . . . distant and cool," I reply. "I'm not distant or cool."

She laughs again. "Of course she's distant, Holt. She was hurt." She pauses. "Have you talked to her? Does she know how you feel?"

My mom knows I never got over Chloe. She's the topic we never discuss, but when I never reported back on dates, or any interest in girls at all, she put the puzzle pieces together. Frankly, I'm not sure my mom has gotten over her either.

"I don't know what to say," I admit.

She huffs. "Well, I find that it always works for your papa to start with 'I'm an idiot' and go from there."

"I am an idiot," I mutter.

"I know, sweetheart, but you're the best idiot I know."

The conversation ends soon after that, and I fall into a deep sleep that makes it hard to remember why I didn't want to follow the doctors orders.

CHLOE

I bite at my thumbnail as I sit at breakfast on Friday morning.

If Holt doesn't come through that door today I'm going to be forced to go check on him.

He was hurt on Wednesday afternoon and I haven't seen him since.

I've been unwilling to ask around about him because I don't want word getting back to him, but at this point I'm losing my marbles a little bit.

I mean, it was obvious he had a concussion, but was it severe enough that they had to send him back to the States?

No. I would have heard through the very active grapevine if Holt had left.

Rachelle has her finger in all of it. True to her description of herself, she gathers friends wherever she goes.

Although, now that I think about it, Holt seems to be the only person she doesn't talk about.

I glance to where she's sitting two tables over, her still-wet blonde hair dangling around her shoulders as she chats animatedly with Emilia, the nurse from the medical side.

It's been fun getting to know her. She's in her twenties, from Argentina, and she speaks English well.

Emilia seems happy to have found a kindred, chatty, spirit in Rachelle – and for my part I love Emilia's obvious love for nursing.

We're all in the business of helping people, which is a great unifier.

Maybe I should just ask them.

I bite my lip and suck in a deep breath.

Of course I should ask, I was there when he was hurt, and they know that we were friends in Utah.

In fact, maybe it's more suspicious that I haven't asked.

Maybe that's what's going through the rumor mill this week.

What kind of friend is Chloe if she doesn't even ask how Holt is doing ? '

Determined, I scoot my chair back and move to where Rachelle and Emilia are leaning close to each other. Rachelle sees me first and smiles up at me. She's in her unicorn scrubs again and I watch as a white unicorn horn points up at me.

"Hey Chloe," Rachelle chirps. "I'm sorry we didn't save you a seat."

I smile. It's not an issue. The tables fill up quickly and I was late to breakfast this morning, after having to find some fresh water to brush my teeth with, and realizing I'd lost a sock somewhere.

Socks disappear all the time, but here where I have a limited amount, I need them to keep it together.

"No problem," I return with a smile for them both. "Hey, I was just realizing I haven't seen Holt for a bit. Have you heard if he's recovering alright?" I turn this question mostly to Emilia.

She nods, causing her gorgeous dark braided hair to shift around. "He's much better. He has been cleared to return to full work Monday, but I think he will do light work today maybe. He is hard to keep down."

He always was. Holt is determined and willing to put in the work. It's something we have in common.

I push out the breath I'd been holding. "That's good news."

"It is." Emilia smiles.

I give them a little wave and toss my empty yogurt cup in the trash bin as I make my way to the doorway, ready to head in to work.

I like to get there a little early to help Dr. Joseph set up and get my mind in gear for the day ahead.

I don't want time to analyze why I'm so relieved that Holt hasn't left.

With my head down, thinking through what this day might hold, I don't see him until we nearly collide.

Holt's hands wrap around my upper arms to keep me from plowing him down, and my head shoots up to find him smiling down at me.

My world tilts and then rights itself as I take him in.

White T-shirt, dark work jeans, heavy work boots, and a missing chunk of dark hair.

He smells clean and fresh, but his eyes still look a little off.

I know Emilia said he was cleared, but should he really be out of bed ?

"Buenos dias, Chloe," he says, squeezing my arms lightly before releasing me. "You seem like a woman on a mission."

I smile and shake my head. "Something about the early bird getting the worm." It takes me a few beats to realize how close we are and that we're both staring. I step back and look away as my face heats, clearing my throat. "How are you feeling? Emilia says you're back to light duty today?"

He presses a hand to his chest. "Did you ask after me?"

I roll my eyes as I meet his gaze once more and tug at the top of my forest green scrubs. "I'm not a monster. Of course I asked about an injured acquaintance."

His smile only grows and I shake my head, pressing my lips together as he says, "I am feeling better. Thank you."

"Good."

"It is good."

Cesar comes up behind Holt and stops because we're blocking the doorway. I'm grateful he's there to interrupt whatever foolishness is happening here.

"Hola, Chloe," he smiles, and I step to the side, anxious to move on, but he's still talking to me. "Good morning. Do you have fun to come this weekend?"

I offer him a smile. "No plans."

"Good. You come with us to the Parque de la Reserva, okay?"

"What is that?" I ask.

"Easiest explanation – it's a park full of water fountains and features. It's beautiful," Holt answers with a nostalgic smile that tells me it's somewhere he loves.

I hesitate. I don't want to spend free time with him.

It's hard enough running into him daily at the canteen, and occasionally as we're passing through the yard of the Center, but it feels like going sight-seeing with him would be taking down a wall that's barely holding up, and behind that wall is heartbreak that I have no desire to revisit.

I've worked so hard to put the hurt away, and make peace with being over, but my natural inclination toward him is a battle that's hard to win.

If only he had a terrible personality, this whole thing would be easier.

"No thanks," I respond, dying a little inside over my self-preservation winning.

I want to be stronger than this, able to go do whatever I want without Holt affecting my choices. Allie had made me swear I wouldn't be a party pooper and work myself to death. I promised her I'd do some tourist things, and yet here I am, turning down a chance. If Holt wasn't here, I'd go.

"Ah, Rachelle, buenos dias," Cesar says over my shoulder.

Rachelle beams at him. I'm a little jealous that she can be so open and friendly because there aren't any handsome skeletons in her closet who suddenly reappeared and are standing next to her in the dirt yard.

"Good morning Cesar. Holt, I'm glad to see you up and about again," she gushes happily.

"You will come with us tomorrow to Parque de la Reserva?" Cesar asks her. "Chloe says no."

Rachelle gasps and playfully slaps at my arm. "Chloe says yes. We wouldn't miss it."

Cesar beams, and I look to Holt to see an amused look on his face. "I don't . . ." I start to say, but Rachelle loops her arm around my back and tugs me away.

"See you tomorrow, amigos," she calls over her shoulder. When we're a few steps away she looks at me and shakes her head. "We are in Peru with locals who know all the good stuff. We're going. You can be a stick in the mud in Utah. In Peru, we have some fun. Agreed?"

I can't help but smile. "Fine. But stick close to me."

"Deal," she says. "Now, let's go clean some teeth and make some people smile."