“I’m sorry, Holly. I promise I won’t do it again. I’ll tell you everything.”

When I move to step toward her, she holds up a staying hand.

“We should probably take some time.”

The shards of glass are back, cutting up my insides as I try to stifle the panic. “What do you mean?”

She talks while keeping her face tilted upward, “This whole situation is stressful. There’s a lot of pressure. Let’s just put things on hold for now.”

My first urge is to shout, No!

I have to breathe in deep a few times before I can respond without yelling, “I disagree.”

There’s steel in my voice, and it gets her to finally look at me.

Holly frowns, obviously frustrated that I won’t just follow along with her dictate. “We can talk after the surgery.”

I shake my head.

“I made a mistake. I was stupid. But I’m not your mom. And it doesn’t matter if it’s before or after the surgery; I’m still going to want you.” This time, I ignore her staying gesture, moving to stand in her personal space so that she has to crane her neck to glower at me.

Her palms press flat on my chest to push me away, but I capture them in my hands and hold her close.

“I need time,” she growls at me.

If the words didn’t hurt so much, I’d find her fierce scowl adorable. All I want is to kiss her plump mouth, so she’ll stop saying things that tear up my insides.

“More time to what? Convince yourself that I’ll screw up again? Well, I’ve already got an answer for you. I will.” Through my desperate anger, I still find a way to smirk down at her. “I’m an idiot a good portion of the time. But no one’s perfect.”

“I didn’t say you had to be perfect.” The hint of uncertainty in her declaration lights a spark of hope under my rib cage.

“Good to know.” Watching the tangle of emotions on her face, I take a risk. Her hands slide from mine as I step back. “You want time? Fine. Take it. I’ll leave you alone until the surgery, if you promise me one thing.”

Holly gives me a wary look that almost melts my own irritation. “What?”

“I get to drive you to the hospital the day of the transplant.”

Her lips purse, and she glares. “I need to drive the car.”

I glare right back. “Deal.”

Then, I storm out of her house before she can change her mind.

HOLLY

He tricked me. I never actually agreed to ride with him, but he left before I thought to point that out.

My head hurts, a pounding pressing against the backs of my eyes. Probably from the tears I held back. I can’t believe he lied to me. That he withheld something so important.

What if it had been more than just a cold? What if he had died, and I hadn’t gotten a chance to say good-bye?