Eight Days (Love Always #1.5) by D. Nichole King Read Free Book Online Page A

promised her that, and I’m doing a shitty job at keeping my end of our bargain.
    “That all changes right now, baby,” I finish out loud, hoping she can hear me. “This time is for real. From here on out, you won’t even recognize me.
     
    ~*~
     
    Two hours later when Leslie walks in, I smile at her. Marcy peeks up from behind her laptop and nods a hello.
    “Here,” I say, standing up. “You can sit here if you want.”
    I don’t want to give up my seat, especially to the nurse who hates my guts, but it’s what Liam would have done. You know, think of others before yourself and all that shit.
    Leslie’s lips move like she’s going to answer me, but no sound comes out. I’ve made her speechless, which is quite an accomplishment, really. I laugh to myself. Had I known this trick earlier, I would’ve used it more often.
    “Um, thank you, Damian, but I can’t stay long,” she finally says. “Any change?” she asks Marcy.
    “No. Her blood work shows no improvement. I don’t know what else can be done for her,” Kate’s mom says. Her mouth tightens into a line.
    Leslie hugs her, offering words of encouragement I can barely hear. Liam-like, I pull two tissues from the box beside me and hand them to Marcy when Leslie lets go of her.
    Marcy dabs her cheeks. “Thank you, Damian.”
    “You’re welcome. Can I get you anything else? A cup of coffee?”
    “That’s very kind of you. Yes, coffee sounds great.”
    Honestly, I should have been doing these things for Marcy all along. She’s not taken aback by my sudden offer, though. Like me, she’s been absorbed in her own world the last few days.
    Leslie’s expression, however, has me chuckling. Her wide-eyed gaze follows me out of the room, digging into my back. This isn’t the me she’s grown to loathe.
    That Damian has been an asshole to the nursing staff, Leslie especially. Besides my father, Leslie is my go-to person when it comes to what I’m supposed to do around here. I don’t listen to her, though, and the old Damian didn’t give a damn about her working extra hours to make up for what I failed to do.
    As I make my way back to Kate’s room from the cafeteria, I pass Leslie in the hallway.
    “Damian?” she says, stopping me.
    “Yeah?”
    I smile at her again, enjoying how my abrupt change in demeanor is freaking her out.
    “Um…” She blinks. Then twists and points in the direction of Kate’s room, not saying anything comprehensible. “Uh…”
    Damn, she’s flustered. It’s freaking hilarious.
    “Leslie,” I say, “I know that since Kate’s been here, I haven’t been working, which adds to your load, and I’m sorry about that. If you need me for anything, you know where to find me.”
    Leslie’s jaw drops open for a nanosecond before she snaps it closed. I may have overdone that offer. Too much too soon.
    I don’t wait for a reply, but continue down the hall.
    See? I can be a decent human being. Like Kate.
    Like Liam.
     
    ~*~
     
    That evening, I order in pizza for the Browdys, the nursing staff, and myself. The confused expressions on some of the nurses’ faces were golden. This was not the same person who smashed a hospital window last month and showed up drunk on a weekly basis.
    I even gathered up all the empty carry-out boxes and took them to the janitor’s closet. Talk about going the extra mile.
    Now, it’s midnight and Marcy is asleep on the other bed. I’ve had my phone on silent all day, in case Ellie tried to call. How can I be a saint and tend to Liam’s girlfriend at the same time? I haven’t figured that part out yet, but the last thing I want to do is have to apologize to Kate again.
    I stuff the phone in my back pocket without looking at it. Then, two minutes later, I dig it back out and check the messages. There’s only one. From Ellie:
     
    Me too.
     
    This is her response to my floral apology, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out why she’s sorry. I’m the one who took advantage of her,