I stood back for their reunion, Keegan easing off of Embry's bed so he could hug his mom and let the nurse examine him. Keegan wandered back in my direction, seemingly relieved I hadn't left her. "We should go soon," I told her gently, holding her damaged face in my hands. "You need to rest."

Keegan opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it. I guided her toward the door, pausing at Embry's bed so we could say goodbye. When Keegan leaned down to hug him, he peered over her shoulder at me. "She's okay?"

I nodded. "Doc said she'll be sore tomorrow but yes, she's fine."

"Thanks to you," she whimpered as she pulled back. "Embry...what you did for me…"

Embry bit back a smile, his cheeks tinging pink. "I didn't even think, Keegan. I just reacted."

"Still…" she paused, her face still near his. "You saved me."

There was no way for Embry to hide how proud he was or how much he appreciated her gratitude. "Just take care of you," he insisted before playfully shooing her away. 

I reached for his hand to shake it, taking in his bandaged head and broken leg suspended from above his bed. "You get some rest. I'm sure we'll be back tomorrow."

Embry glanced at Keegan as she tucked herself into my side and wrapped an arm around my waist. "Don't do that," he shook his head vigorously. "No sense in sitting here all day watching me sleep."

"Embry…" Keegan argued gently.

I could read the pain on his face and I knew it wasn't just from getting hit by a car. "Just keep working on your recovery, man." I glanced at Tiffany, sharing our cell numbers with her so she could call us for anything she may need. Keegan was lingering and I could feel her hesitation. But I could also see that Embry was trying to hold it all together for her and be brave.

We said our quiet goodbyes and I could feel Keegan's sadness as we crept down the hospital halls. When we stepped outside and moved through the parking lot, Keegan began to sag against me.

It was all starting to hit her now. I gathered her into my arms and carried her to my truck, thankful that my dad had dropped it off to me earlier. "It's okay, baby," I soothed as she sobbed into my neck. "He's gonna be fine."

When we reached the truck, I placed her in the passenger seat and reached for her face when she tried to turn her back on me. "Don't cry," I pleaded. "Embry woke up. The doctor said his leg will heal and he'll be better."

"He doesn't want me there," she sniffled. "I could see it in his face. And hate it. He's still angry with me."

"He's still working through things. Is that why you guys were fighting?"

I hated to ask but it was bugging me. Ever since I caught them talking in her room this morning, I felt something was off. She hadn't been forthcoming about it. "Just tell me, please."

I climbed over her to get into the driver's seat, ultimately deciding it was better to have this conversation on the way home. Keegan was fighting sleep and I just wanted answers. "What's going on with you two?" I finally spat, tired of her silent treatment. 

Keegan sighed deeply before turning to face me. "Embry was just.. different this morning."

"Different how?"

"He told me didn't wanna be friends with me anymore. I said I'd set him up with someone at school, find him someone amazing and we could double date, but he wasn't having it."

"What else?" I demanded skeptically, sensing there was more.

Keegan fiddled with her fingers in her lap and then admitted, "He wanted to kiss me."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Did you?"

Keegan scoffed. "No...but I'm glad to know what you think of me."

Guilt was crushing me. Since Embry had come into our lives, I was no longer confident. I knew he was a good guy… better than me for sure. The boyfriend type that girls loved. He wasn't a fuckboy or the type who would play with her heart. And I constantly wondered if it was just our past that drew her to me.

Wouldn't Embry be the better choice? 

During the next red light, I pulled Keegan closer, tucking her under my arm so I could hold her tight. "Sorry for doubting you."

She shrugged. "I was tempted…"

Anger curled in my belly and I was ready to lash out. 

"But there was no way I would risk what we have, Paul. We've worked too hard to get here and…" Her speech was choked off by her sudden cries. 

"Okay, okay," I soothed. "Anything else?"

She sniffled a little but didn't pull away from my hold. "It was confusing. He was acting like...an asshole. So I told him I thought he was scared, acting like that in order to push me away."

"And he also doesn't think you want to be seen with me in school," she added quietly. 

"What the hell?" I grumbled, pulling into her driveway and shutting my truck off. "You think that? That what? I'm ashamed of you? Seriously, Keegan?"

Keegan peered up at me with unshed tears in her eyes. "I don't know what to think."

"Fuck," I hissed, dragging both hands through my hair.

"Can you come inside for a while?" 

"Not tonight," I breathed, still reeling from this whole conversation. 

"Oh," she whispered in disappointment. "I guess I'll see you around."

I slammed my hands repeatedly on the steering wheel when she slipped out of my truck and ran toward her front door. I didn't want to fight. I shouldn't have pushed the conversation. It wasn't Keegan's fault I felt insecure.

It was mine.

I drove back home and sat in my quiet house for only ten minutes before I realized I'd never be able to sleep with Keegan on my mind. I went to my room to shower and change for bed before returning to Keegan's house. I tapped on her window and hoped I wasn't too late.

"Paul?" she sighed as she opened her window and allowed me space to crawl through.

As soon as I was upright, I swept her up into my arms and held her tightly to my chest. "I'm so sorry," I murmured over and over until she pulled me back and urged me to get under the covers with her. 

We snuggled closely together and for the first time in 24 hours, everything felt right again. 

…..

The next few weeks were tense. Keegan and I returned to school and there were no more doubts about whether I wanted to be seen in the halls with her.

We walked into school together hand in hand that first Monday after Spring Break. I kept Keegan close to me, walking her to classes and waiting for her in the cafeteria. Pretty soon everyone knew we were a thing. Especially when I kissed her in the halls.

"One more kiss?" I would beg when she told me she was gonna be late to class.

Her growling was cute, always pretending the PDA was such a chore. She secretly loved it. I tried to keep her in my lap at lunch and we still rode together in my truck everyday. 

It had been a couple weeks since the accident and Keegan hadn't been back to see Embry. But that wasn't her choice. I had been bringing his assignments by and asking each time if Keegan could visit, but Embry was never ready.

Keegan was getting more and more despondent each time I told her she couldn't go see him. I was caught in the middle of trying to respect his wishes and keep my girl happy. 

"Just stay here and I'll be right back," I told her when we park in the hospital lot.

Embry was getting released in a few days and his therapy was going great. He still didn't want Keegan to visit but I was hoping to change his mind today. 

I leaned over and got right in Keegan's face, tugging on her chin to make her face me. "Can I have a kiss?"

"No," she pouted, her lower lip jutting out adorably. 

"Please?"

"No."

I was frustrated beyond belief. In the past two weeks, Keegan had become more distant as the days went by. I tried to be understanding about her injuries, about Embry keeping her away, but this was too much to take. I needed my girl.

I gathered up the folders containing Embry's assignments and stomped toward the hospital. Keegan called for me as I rounded the truck. "Baby," she sighed.

I stepped up onto the running board and leaned in through the open window. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

Before I could say anything else, she curled her hand around the back of my neck and dragged my face down to meet hers. In a moment, her lips were slanted over mine and my hard on was threatening to punch a hole in the side of my truck. 

"Fuck, babe," I panted when she released me. 

"Hurry back," Keegan smiled coyly, pretending like that kiss wasn't the hottest thing ever. 

I pushed a hand through my hair and blew out a deep breath before jogging into the front of the hospital and making my way to Embry's room. I pushed the door open slowly, not finding anything but an empty bed. I peeked around the corner, double checking he wasn't in the bathroom. 

I placed his assignments on the tray table and turned to leave, running smack dab into Keegan. "What the hell, babe?"

Keegan looked guilty as she glanced around. "Where's Embry?"

"Not here, thank goodness."

"Why thank goodness?"

"He hasn't told you that you can visit him yet. Or are you just trying to piss him off at this point?"

Keegan's shoulders visibly sagged. "I just thought maybe if I surprised him…"

"Bad idea, honey. No. You need to wait for him to ask first."

I sighed when Keegan's pouty lip popped  back out. "We should go before he finds you here."

"Fine," Keegan conceded, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

"Stop!" Embry shouted playfully from down the hall. 

Keegan's brows shot up and I wasted no time dragging her into the bathroom so we could hide. "Shh," I whispered into her hair as I tucked us behind the partially open bathroom door.

The clicking sound of his crutches grew nearer as the minutes passed. I stood behind Keegan, pressing us tightly into the space between the open door and the wall. We could hear the voices and if I peeked, I could see into his room.

I slid my hand around Keegan's waist, pulling her body snugly against mine. I lowered my mouth to her ear, brushing my lips along the shell. "Be quiet."

She nodded her head slowly, her ponytail bouncing and skimming my neck. I tucked myself in tighter to her when we heard the voices coming closer. Her hair and skin smelled amazing. Keegan had kept her distance from me since the accident and I was all pent up from the anticipation of finally being together. 

"Slow down!" a female voice called.

Keegan glanced back at me from over her shoulder, but all I could do was shrug. I assumed the unknown voice was a nurse.

They were definitely both in the room now, laughing as it sounded like Embry had fallen back to the bed. "Are you okay?" the female voice gasped.

"I will be when you come here," Embry replied in a low growl.

Keegan twisted in my arms, her eyebrows shooting up when we heard the female giggling and kissed noises galore. "They're making out," she mouthed up to me.

I nodded and gripped the doorknob, peeking around to see for myself. I could make out a girl with long, dark hair hanging like a curtain over Embry's face as she straddled him. His hands were running over her hips and backside as they made out noisily. 

"I think we should try and sneak out," I whispered to Keegan. I felt weird being here and watching a private moment. And Keegan wasn't even welcome to visit, so getting her out of here fast was the only option.

I tugged on her hand, tucking her body behind mine as I guided us around the restroom door. We were nearly out the door when Embry called, "Keegan? What the hell?"

.....

A/N: for the few people still reading this, THANK YOU! Just a few more chapters left to finish up this story ❤