Chapter 3: Confessions and Collisions

“Oh, okay...” I tried to hide my smile, as if I wasn’t the one who’d just had a brush with death. Marcus leaned in, waving his hand in front of my face. “Did you get knocked silly?”

His concern was real, but I could tell he was teasing, trying to lighten the mood. I gave him my best deadpan glare, but my heart felt lighter.

“No.”

“Then why are you grinning like a goofball?”

“Uh... just... relief, I guess.”

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. The truth was, I was thinking about a certain officer’s blue eyes. And maybe, just maybe, about what might happen next.

A soft knock at the door, and the person I’d been waiting for walked in. Ben Maddox, holding two breakfast bags, his smile brighter than the sun outside. My stomach did a somersault.

He looked impossibly put together for someone who’d probably been up all night. His uniform was gone, replaced by jeans and a faded gray t-shirt. He smiled, and I felt my heart skip. I tried to act casual, but my hands fidgeted.

“Long time no see, Officer Maddox.”

Suddenly, the hospital bed felt like a bed of nails—I was all nerves. My pulse raced, and I wondered if he could hear it from across the room.

I tried to sit up straighter, smoothing my hair. My hands shook a little, but I hoped he didn’t notice. I probably looked like I’d wrestled a tornado.

Ben set the food down and sat beside me. “It’s only been two days, Dr. Callahan. You sure know how to keep us busy.”

He winked, and I blushed, wishing the blankets would swallow me whole. He opened one of the bags, the smell of bacon and coffee filling the room. I tried not to drool.

“That just means it’s fate.”

I blurted it out, embarrassed, but Ben just smiled. “Not sure it’s a good thing when doctors and cops keep crossing paths.” I laughed, nerves fizzing.

He laughed softly, eyes twinkling. I felt the tension in my chest ease. Maybe fate wasn’t so bad after all.

“Thank you for saving me.”

“No need. It’s my job.”

He said it so simply, like it was nothing. But I could see the worry in his eyes, the way his hand hovered near mine. My heart fluttered.

Marcus, who’d been ignored, finally caught on and looked surprised. “You two know each other already, Autumn?”

His eyebrows shot up, and I could tell he was already plotting to tease me later. I shot him a warning look, but it was too late.

“Yeah, I ran into a creep after a night shift. Officer Maddox handled it.”

“Wow, that really is fate.”

Marcus wanted to say more, but a nurse called him away. “Dr. Lee, time for rounds.”

He gave me a wink and a thumbs up as he left. I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t stop smiling. The room felt lighter.

“Coming.”

“Marcus, my—”

“Just rest. The hospital gave you leave, and I’ll cover your patients. Don’t come back until you’re good as new.”

His strict reminder was comforting. I grinned and saluted. “Promise to complete the mission!”

He saluted back, then disappeared down the hall, whistling. I felt a little lighter, knowing he had my back.

After Marcus left, the room went quiet. Ben awkwardly poked a straw into a carton of chocolate milk and handed it to me. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I just grabbed a bunch of stuff from the cafeteria.”

His ears turned pink, and he wouldn’t meet my eyes. I took the milk, grinning. He really was too cute for his own good.

Looking at the tray full of food—bagels, eggs, hash browns—I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You didn’t have to buy the whole cafeteria. Are you trying to feed the entire floor?”

He shrugged, looking sheepish. “You’re a patient now. You need to eat.”

“But I’m a doctor.”

Maybe amused by my childish tone, Ben peeled a hard-boiled egg and handed it over. My heart skipped.

He pressed it into my hand, his fingers lingering for a second longer than necessary. My stomach fluttered. I tried to look cool, but I was melting inside.

“Don’t you have to work? I can manage. You don’t have to babysit me.”

He tossed the shell, wiped his hands. “It’s the weekend, someone else is on call. I’m free.”

So, he wanted to stay. Ha, my charm is unstoppable. I hid my grin behind the milk carton.

I bit back a smirk, pretending not to notice how he kept glancing at me. Maybe I wasn’t the only one falling fast.

Just as I was feeling smug, he spoke again. “But you still need to cooperate and give a statement. When you’re better, just come down to the station—no rush.”

His tone was all business, but his eyes were soft. I nodded, trying to look responsible. I wanted to impress him, even if I looked like a mess.

“Of course. Cooperating with the police is every citizen’s duty.”

“Yeah, Dr. Callahan is a model citizen.”

He grinned, and I felt my cheeks heat up again. I wondered if he could hear how loud my heart was pounding. I ducked my head, hiding a smile.

I have to admit, youth is a blessing. The cut on my neck wasn’t shallow, but it healed fast—though the scar was ugly. I checked it every time I passed a mirror, trying not to care.

Every time I caught my reflection, my hand drifted to the wound. I tried to tell myself it was just skin, but it felt like a brand. I hated that it made me self-conscious.

“Don’t worry, the scab will fall off soon. It won’t leave a mark.”

Marcus quickly finished my discharge paperwork, smiling as he tried to cheer up this almost-disfigured doctor. His optimism was contagious, even if I rolled my eyes.

He made a show of checking my chart, pretending to be all official. “Dr. Callahan, you’re cleared for duty!” I snorted, but it helped.

“Marcus, if I’m scarred and can’t get married, what’ll I do...?”

I pouted. What girl doesn’t care about her looks? This scar was hard to miss. I tried to look pathetic for extra sympathy.

I let my bottom lip tremble, hoping for a little extra sympathy. Marcus just shook his head, trying not to laugh. His eyes were soft, though.

“Guess I’ll just have to settle for you.”

He gasped in mock horror, clutching his chest. “The horror! The horror!”

“Marcus! I’m telling the chief you’re bullying me!”

Even as I left, I could hear Marcus’s laughter echoing down the hall. It made me smile, even with everything else.

His laugh was big and booming, bouncing off the walls. I couldn’t help but smile, even as I rolled my eyes. Some things never change.

I walked out of the hospital, head down, sure everyone was staring at my neck. I tried to shrink into my jacket, wishing I could disappear.

I tugged my jacket higher, wishing I had a scarf. Every reflection in the glass doors felt like a spotlight. I kept my eyes on the sidewalk, counting the cracks, wishing I could vanish.

Would people think I did it because of some breakup or something? My imagination ran wild with rumors.