“Oh, fuck. The baller is about to get his ass handed to him,” Sable said snarkily. “All in the name of love.”
“You love me?” Amber choked out, his words circling her foggy head.
A tethered smile curved his lips. “With everything I have and everything I am.”
Tears slipped down Amber’s cheeks. She wanted to profess her love, too, but she couldn’t. She knew what she had to do, and she didn’t have the energy for both. “If you love me, you’ll do this for me.”
“Get with the program, Pennington.” Sable crossed her arms. “You have to sign the damn books or you’ll invalidate all of her hard work. I’ll take good care of her.”
Dash looked unconvinced.
Her mother put her hand on his arm. “I know how hard this is, but she’s right. She knows you’d rather be with her. Sable and I will take care of her. I promise.”
Dash looked at Amber, the muscles in his jaw bunching, tension written in the harsh lines on his forehead and around his mouth, his heart hammering against her body. “You want me to sign books? Shirtless?”
“I’ve got a dress shirt in my bag,” Hawk called over.
Amber managed a smile. “Please say okay so I can go home, get cleaned up, and lie down.”
He touched his forehead to hers, holding her so tight his love seeped beneath her skin. “I hate this with every fiber of my being, but I’ll do it for you.” He breathed heavily. “Damn it, Amber. I’m pampering you tonight, and you’re going to suffer through it.”
God, she loved him. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Chapter Fifteen
DASH THREW THE car into park in Amber’s driveway and cut the engine after the worst fucking test of fortitude he’d ever endured. The signing had lasted for two and a half more hours instead of one because he’d had to go up against Amber’s Angels—Lindsay, Brindle, Morgyn, and Phoenix—who were tougher than any defensive line he’d ever faced. They’d insisted that Amber would never end a signing until all the customers had gotten autographs. When they ran out of his books, he’d signed other items they’d bought from the store, like tote bags and journals. It had been excruciating being away from Amber, made worse because Amber’s fall, and visions of her lying on the floor convulsing, replayed in a loop in his head like a bad movie. Not to mention the guilt hammering him because he was at fault for her exhaustion. How the hell was he supposed to leave her tomorrow knowing that could happen again and he wouldn’t be there for her?
He grabbed the box of food Patty Ann, who ran the Catch Up Diner next door to Amber’s bookstore, had sent home for her and rushed up to the house. He threw open the front door and stalked inside. Marilynn jumped to her feet from the couch, and Sable, standing by the fireplace, casually pocketed her phone.
“How is she?” he asked at the same time Marilynn said, “She’s sleeping.”
“She’s fine, but you look like you need some Xanax.” Sable sauntered over, eyeing Hawk’s mustard-yellow shirt Dash was wearing with amusement as she took the box of food from him. “Gotta love the ladies at the diner.”
“She said those are all of Amber’s favorite comfort foods.” And she’d taken way too fucking long explaining each dish to him before he left. As word of Amber’s seizure had traveled, it seemed like everyone in the whole damn town had come back to check on her. His girl was more than loved by the community. She was revered, and he was learning even more about what the word safe really meant for her. He was also learning just how strong Amber was and how weak love could make a person. Even in her groggy state, she’d been stronger than him, able to leave his side when he’d have clawed people’s eyes out to stay with her.
“She’ll sleep for a while,” Marilynn said. “Come into the kitchen so we can talk.”
“I need to see her” came out as desperate as he felt.
Sable eyed him skeptically. “You can’t wake her up with that look on your face. You look twisted, riddled with pain or guilt.”
“Sable,” Marilynn chided.
“It’s okay. She’s right. I’m all those things. How else should I feel? Amber had a seizure, and it’s all my fault. I read up on epilepsy when I first found out she had it. I knew stress and exhaustion could increase the chance of a seizure, and I still kept her up too late all week.” The words rushed out like rabid animals he’d been holding in since she’d left, their jagged teeth gnawing at him, leaving raw, gaping wounds he knew might never heal. “I was selfish, too wrapped up in how phenomenal it was being with her to think of the ramifications. I should have made sure she got enough rest.”
“Nonsense, sweetheart.” Marilynn took him by the arm, and they followed Sable into the kitchen. “You have brought joy and love into Amber’s life, and those things are too exciting to put away at the end of the day, especially when they’re new.”
“She means it’s okay to hump like bunnies.” Sable began unpacking the food.
“Sable, please,” Marilynn implored her.
“I’m just spelling it out for him.” Sable plucked a french fry out of a container and popped it into her mouth. “Amber won’t want to eat until tomorrow. Have you eaten? Do you want some?”
Dash shook his head, pacing the kitchen.
As Marilynn helped Sable put the food away, she said, “While I would not put it as crudely as my daughter did, Sable is right. Amber has lived with this for a very long time. She knows her limits, and she is perfectly capable of slowing herself down.”
Sable scoffed. “If you say so. These two could put a forest fire to shame.”
Dash felt a smile tugging at his lips. He couldn’t deny it. They couldn’t have pried themselves apart the past several nights if their lives had depended on it.
“Well, good for them.” Marilynn winked at Dash. “It’s about time Amber let her hair down.”
“That’s not all she’s lettin’—”
Marilynn silenced Sable with a glare.
Dash continued pacing. “I need to know a few things.”
“Anything, honey.” Marilynn put the container she was holding on the counter, giving him her full attention.
He had so many questions, but the two that had been plaguing him rolled out. “What if we hadn’t been there? What if she’d fallen against the bookshelves and hurt herself?”
“Phoenix and the other girls know what to do for her,” Marilynn answered. “And if she’d been alone, Reno would have pressed that button and emergency services would have been there for her, as would her father and I.”
He shook his head, his chest constricting. That’s not enough. Would anything be enough? “Should I have done anything differently?”
“No. You were calm, and you handled it perfectly,” Marilynn reassured him. “You kept her from hurting herself, and you remembered to time the seizure. Those are the most important things.”
He glanced at Sable, knowing she wouldn’t cushion a blow.
“You did good, Pennington. But you can’t argue with her.” Sable leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. “I know you want to protect her. We all do. But she’s not defenseless.” Regret rose in her eyes. “Take it from someone who learned that lesson the hard way. If you truly love her—”