Callie rolled her eyes. “Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying, and I’m not going to let you stay in this room until you’re healed to your perfect standards.”
“That day will never come,” she muttered.
Noah came to his feet and took the hand on her good side. “Come with me.”
Callie hesitated until she realized Noah was relentless and he wouldn’t back down. The sooner she played his little charade, the sooner he’d leave and she could go back to her self-imposed solitary confinement.
He led her to the adjoining bath and stood her in front of the mirror that spread across the entire wall behind the double sinks. Yeah, as if she wanted to be shoved in front of a mirror.
“Noah, I don’t think—”
“Look,” he demanded. “Turn and look at your uninjured side.”
She moved her head so she could see her smooth, perfectly intact face void of any makeup, marks, scars.
“Now turn and look at the other side.”
With a sigh, she turned until she saw that hideous bandage that mocked her and the dreams she’d lost.
“Does this exercise have a point?” she asked.
His eyes met hers in the mirror. “You’re the same person, Callie, from the left or the right. Whether you have a bandage, a scar or flawless skin. What you have going on here on the outside doesn’t make a difference to who you are on the inside.”
Callie laughed because the only other option was to puddle to the floor and cry. “Do you hear yourself? You make your living off making people beautiful and perfect and you’re lecturing me on what’s on the inside?”
He turned her to face him, but he didn’t back up. His strong, hard body held hers against the counter of the vanity. How many times had she wished for a moment like this? How many fantasies had she conjured up after that heated kiss in his car? If only she’d acted on that kiss and taken what he’d been obviously willing to give. But now she’d never know. She’d never have that intimacy with Noah because she wasn’t the beautiful woman she used to be. Plain and simple.
“I know you, Callie,” he said, holding her gaze only inches away. “I know what you have inside. You’re capable of so much more than giving up.”
“I’m not giving up,” she defended. “I’m taking a break. Of all the times I looked ahead to see my dreams and the obstacles that could get in my way, this was never, ever a thought in my mind.”
“Okay, so you’ve been blindsided.” He pushed away that annoying strand of hair that kept sliding from behind her ear. “Don’t let this define you. Don’t let your insecurities take over and alter your direction in life.”
That overweight teen from Kansas started to rear her ugly head. And at this point in time, Callie would almost rather turn back into the chubby, insecure girl she once was as opposed to the woman who might never reach the one goal she’d had her whole life all because of one marred cheek.
“You have no idea what insecurities I hold, Noah. The person who worked for you isn’t the same person I used to be.”
“The person who worked for me is the real you,” he told her. “I don’t care who you were before or who you think you are now. I can tell you’re a fighter, Callie. I wouldn’t admire you so much if you weren’t.”
Callie’s breath hitched. Noah’s face was so, so close to hers. Two days ago she would’ve taken this opportunity and kissed him, not caring about the possible rejection because she would’ve been confident in his participation.
But now she wasn’t even going there. Besides the fact that her whole face was still very sore, she didn’t think kissing a mummy was on Noah’s Bucket List.
“I agree this is a major speed bump on your path to getting what you want,” he went on as if he had no clue where her thoughts were going. “But I’m not going anywhere and we’ll get through this. When you’re ready for surgery, we’ll explore our options on how to make this as quick and efficient as possible.”
Callie shook her head. “I don’t have that kind of money, Noah. Reconstruction is very expensive. I work on the statements, remember?”
“I’m my own boss. Remember?” he asked with a slight grin. “I meant it when I said I’d stand by you, Callie. I will make sure you have the best reconstruction—and that means me. I won’t trust another surgeon to your needs.”
“Do I have a say in the matter?”
He shrugged. “Did you want another doctor?”
“Of course not, but don’t steamroll me.” She sighed, looked up into his eyes and continued, “Why are you taking me on as a charity case? I couldn’t possibly repay you.”
He took her good hand and held it between his two warm ones. “I’m not looking for payment of any kind. I just want to see you happy. I want to see you reach that dream you so deserve, and I want to make sure you know that I’m here for you and that someone cares enough to look after you.”