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Four

I realize I didn't exactly think this through when I have to explain to Lucas where to find my underwear. I should have called Karen.

We park outside my house. Lucas convinced me I should pick up my things before heading out on our impromptu getaway, and as exciting as it would be to break into my cabin, it would be a lot easier if we had the key as well as access to the garage for his car since it's supposed to snow this weekend.

I should have known he wouldn't let me get out of the car once we got here.

"Anything else?" Lucas asks with a chuckle.

I shake my head. I've just finished explaining to him that my panties are in the top drawer on the right, and to not open the one on the left under any circumstance. That's the drawer where I keep my old letters from him, and the prospect of him finding them is even more embarrassing than him going through my panties. He swore on Bruce Lee that he wouldn't, so I had to take his word for it. I mean, no one messes with The Dragon.

"Okay—I'll be quick," he says. "Just please stay in the car."

I nod, and he gets out of the car. It's odd watching him walk into my house freely. My palms get sweaty just thinking about the possibility of either of my parents coming home from work early and finding him. I think neither of them would ever speak to me anymore. Then again, we're not on the best speaking terms anyway.

I sent them a text message last night—separately like I usually do—saying that I was staying over Karen's. I didn't want them knowing I was in the hospital. Now that I'm picking up my stuff, I'll just send them another pair of texts tonight saying I decided to head back to New York early.

I'm hoping they don't find it suspicious. There have been other times that I've packed up and left early, but I've usually had the decency to let them know in person. Oh well. At least it's better than the alternative of having them fight over me for two weeks while I recover.

Lucas emerges out of my house a lot quicker than I expected. He places my bag in the back of the car and doesn't delay in getting us out of there. I suspect he had been just as nervous about Operation Breakaway as I was, but he did a good job in hiding it. He already packed his bag before he picked me up from the hospital, so we bypass his house and continue to Main Street.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" I ask Lucas, in case he might be having second thoughts.

"Definitely, Audi. I didn't go through your panties for nothing."

I burst out laughing and wrap my arms around my waist in pain. "Dammit, Lucas! Don't make me laugh!" I say, but there's a smile on my face.

Lucas glances at me worriedly like he's about to pull over. "Shit, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I say. "You didn't open the left drawer, did you?"

He rolls his eyes mockingly. "Don't you trust me? I already swore on Bruce Lee. What more do you want?"

"Answer the question."

"No, I didn't. Although I may have to kill you once we get to the cabin just so I can go back and open it."

I swat him in the arm. "Lucas!"

He smiles at me as we hit the highway, and I decide that this was a good decision.

We arrive at the cabin an hour and a half later. We would have arrived sooner, but we stopped by a supermarket to stock up on food. Of course, Lucas didn't let me get out of the car or let me pay for anything.

He almost doesn't let me walk on my own when we get out of the car, but once I remind him that the doctor recommended I walk around a little each day, he gets off my case. Still, he doesn't let me lift or carry anything, and he asks me to sit down on the living room sofa while he unloads the car and puts the groceries away. I can't protest at that since the doctor also said not to engage in any strenuous activity for two weeks.