In My Dreams (First Tracks Book 2) by Kristen James Read Free Book Online Page A

silent. The light
was on, and I wondered if they could see my face. I slowly opened my eyes and
saw Marcus. He was sitting in a chair facing the bed, and I was lying in the
bed still. Tom must have been standing behind me. Footsteps sounded as he left.
    Marcus sighed and ran a hand over his head. His gaze landed
on me and he said, “Don’t worry about him.”
    “You keep saying that, but I think I should be.”
    “He worries about people because he cares.”
    I tried to keep a blank expression. It doesn’t seem possible
that Tom was worried about me for my own sake. I leaned up to look at Marcus
and beckon him to come back to bed.
    “Help me?”
    “Oh, of course!” I jumped up and helped him slide back up. The
nurses must have come in and helped him get up this morning. I glanced at the
window and realized it was later than I thought.
    He laughed softly. “I know you must be exhausted, so I tried
to let you sleep.”
    “And your family thinks I kicked you out of your bed.”
    “Doesn’t matter,” he said, and his mouth curved up in a sly
smile. For a minute, I couldn’t move, not with the way he watched me. Funny
that he can make me blush still. I waved a hand toward the bathroom before
disappearing inside.
    Was I ready for this? I had to leave him here. Every fiber
in my body screamed at the idea. I’ve fought so hard for him, and now… now I
just go back to my old life?
    When I came out, he motioned for me lay beside him. We held
onto each other in silence until he reached over to the stand by his bed for
his phone.
    “Isn’t it funny that we don’t have each other’s numbers
yet?”
    I laughed. “That is a bit unusual.” We exchanged numbers,
and then he handed me a wad of money.
    “What’s this?” I asked, staring at it. He shook it and I
reluctantly took it.
    “I don’t want you worrying about gas money, okay?”
    I nodded. This was starting to feel more and more like a big
goodbye, like it’d be a long time before I saw him again.  Marcus saw my
expression turn sad and opened his mouth to say something.
    I spoke first.
    “It just feels… it feels like I’m losing you again, and now I
can’t hear what you’re thinking anymore. We’ll just be a part.”
    “Ave, baby, look at me,” he said and pulled my chin toward
him. “We’re connected. Fate decided that. We have something special where we
got to know each other from the inside out. Even if we can’t hear each other’s
thoughts anymore, even if we’re a part, you’re always on my mind.” He touched
his chest, over his heart. “You’re always right here,” he said, his voice
choked with emotion.
    I wrapped my arms around his neck, wanting to hang onto him
for the rest of the day.
    Then Tom cleared his throat behind us. He was probably
counting the minutes until I left. I pulled back from Marcus and searched his
eyes, hoping he’d remember our connection even after I left, even when his dad
was trying to talk him out of being with me.
    We kissed one last time, a soft kiss on the lips, before I
stood up. He looked like I felt—I couldn’t talk. So we nodded and I squeezed
his hand and left the room, glancing back when I reached the door. He watched
me leave.
    As I stepped out of his room, I remembered how his voice
sounded when he said, It’ll be okay.
    Jen waited in the hallway. I thought Tom might come out and
talk to me but he didn’t, and I didn’t see Elaina anyway. 
    “So, you’re heading back?” Jen tried for a perky tone.
    “Yeah.”
    “I’ll walk with you. I could stretch my legs.”
    We started off together, and she added, “In a way, you’re
lucky you have something to go do to keep busy.”
    “I wish I didn’t.”
    She scoffed. “You might be glad later. It gets so old just
staying here. But now that Marcus is doing better, I might go home.”
    “Home? And leave him here with Tom and Elaina?” Ouch. That
wasn’t the nicest tone, and I was talking about her parents. I glanced over. 
    “I know