Page 100 of Let Me Love You

I squeeze his hand tight. “I’m glad you were with me. If you hadn’t been there, I might’ve…” I stop myself from finishing. “I don’t wanna think about it.”

“I don’t either.” He leans over and brushes his lips across mine again. Just as he pulls away, the door to my room swings open. When I see Lexie’s bright smile, my face lights up.

She rushes forward, so Archer steps back to give her space. “Thank God! Do you know how worried I’ve been?”

I chuckle as she gives me a gentle hug. “I can only imagine. How have things been at work?”

“I’m holding down the fort. Dana and Heidi have been a big help. You don’t need to worry.”

I let out a relieved breath. “Thank you so much. I really owe you.”

She waggles her brows. “I’ll send you my wish list.”

“Don’t make me laugh,” I say, holding my stomach.

“Sorry. But seriously, I’m happy to help in any way I can. How’re you feeling after surgery?”

“Like I need to track this woman down and return the favor,” I remark.

Lexie looks intrigued. “Oh, so you know it was a woman? Any other pieces to the puzzle?”

“Not really. I can’t remember shit, which is very frustrating.”

“I wonder if it’s someone who’s been lusting over Archer’s pictures and his six-pack.” She glances at him, then back at me with a raised brow. “Considering there have been some crazy women coming in and asking way too many personal questions about him. It’s gotten around town that you two are roommates, so perhaps, this was an act of jealousy.” She uses air quotes because she knows more than she should about our situation.

I think about it. “It’s actually not out of the realm of possibilities. A lot of women left comments, sent messages, called the store, and even came in and asked about it, so maybe?” Though I’m still leaning toward Natasha, I can’t help but wonder. “I wish I could remember. From what Archer said, it sounds like I knew her. So if that’s the case, it could’ve been a customer I’m familiar with.”

“Whoever it is, I have an ass to beat for nearly killing my favorite boss ever,” Lexie says.

I chuckle, appreciating her protectiveness. Next, she updates me with sales numbers. I inform her about the shipments arriving soon and anything else that comes to mind.

About ten minutes later, Tyler returns with a pitcher of water and a doctor.

“Glad to see you’re awake. I’m Dr. Landon.” She holds out her hand, and I take it before she continues. “Your brother said you were awake and had some questions.” She smiles, showing off her pearly white teeth.

“Yes,” I say, sitting up straighter. “A rundown of events would be great.”

“Of course. You had lost a lot of blood, so we took you into surgery to stop the bleeding. You were at risk for a hematoma, which means there was blood in places it shouldn’t be. Because of the location of the wound and the sutures, you’ll be sore and need to rest. That means no work and no heavy lifting. Taking it easy is the key to a full recovery.”

I make a face, and she notices. “Your brother already warned me that you don’t tend to take breaks, but it's the doctor's orders. If you push yourself too hard, you could end up with complications, which would extend your healing time even further,” she informs me in a stern motherly tone.

Tyler stands beside her with his arms crossed over his chest and nods in agreement.

“Fine. I’m just not sure how I’m gonna survive being down for weeks.”

Her eyes soften. “I understand, but it’s necessary. You’re very lucky, Everleigh. Just a few inches to the left and it could’ve been a lot worse. Luckily, your roommate was home, and you were able to get to the hospital quickly. I’ve seen people with stab wounds come in too late and not make it out of surgery because of severe blood loss.”

The room grows quiet, and I think about the what-ifs. When I meet Archer’s gaze, I know he is too.

“Welp, glad that didn’t happen.” I didn’t realize how serious it was. Maybe it’s a good thing I can’t remember because it sounds like it was painful.

“I think everyone can agree. Once you’re released, you’ll be on restrictions for at least two weeks. The first ten days are crucial. But it could take months for you to get back to normal.”

“Months?” My eyes widen.

“Yes. Your body went through something very traumatic, and strenuous activities need to be avoided.”

She says strenuous as if to imply something else. “Well, that sucks. What about wound care?”