He looked at me and then burst into laughter. “Oh God, don’t make me laugh. My guts hurt like crazy.”
“Well, they should. Your brother had his fingers in there for at least an hour.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
Me and my big mouth. “I think it’s best if you hear it from him.”
His head swiveled one way and then the other. “Give it up, Lexi.”
My breath gushed out. I’d have to tell Pearce about this. “Well, you were bleeding. It was bad, spurting out of your wound. I held a light while Pearce stuck his fingers inside of you and figured out where it was coming from. He held it closed until they got you here.”
“Jesus, why didn’t he tell me?”
I shrugged because I didn’t have an answer. “Maybe because he’s Pearce and that’s the kind of stuff he deals with every day?”
Justin rubbed his face and shook his head.
“Thanks for telling me, Lexi.”
I made a fist and held it out to him. “Can I just say Pearce was amazing that night? I never knew what he did, you know, when he went to work every day. But he went into overdrive. You and Terri were in the best hands.”
“Yeah, I know. He is the best.”
We shared a look, a very meaningful one.
“Hey, Lexi?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you’re going to be my sister.” He grinned.
“Me too!” I laughed.
I left the hospital late that afternoon and went home to the carriage house. When I got there, two Range Rovers sat in the driveway. One was black and the other was silver. I wondered whose they were. I walked inside and Pearce was sitting on the couch watching TV. He got up and greeted me, smiling.
“Hi, babe.”
“Hi,” I said as I kissed him.
“Here, this is for you. Or this, you take your pick.” He held out two key fobs.
“What’s this?”
“Keys to the Range Rovers.”
“But, Pearce, I don’t need a new car,” I protested.
“Yeah, you do. And so did I. You’re precious cargo and there’s no way I want you driving back and forth to work in nothing less than that. After going over that accident in my mind, I realize that if we’d have been the car in front, if that deer had hit us, we wouldn’t have survived, Alexia. My 911 wouldn’t have been able to handle that wreck. Justin’s Range Rover came out of that intact. And because of that, they’re alive. I’m selling the Porsche. Give Lisbeth the Highlander back because I want you to have solid protection. And no arguments, please. Do this for my peace of mind. Okay?”
I nodded. “Okay.” I wouldn’t make him anxious over this. Never would I do that to him.
“So?” he asked.
“So what?”