Into My Heart

By: Izabel

Chapter 13: By Your Side

*~*~*~*

Max slowly forced her eyes open and drew in a ragged breath. She moaned softly and looked around, blinking rapidly. White walls with a light blue flowered border. Hospital walls, she realized. She tried to sit up, but crashed back down as her head pounded.

The door opened and a doctor walked in, her brown hair pulled back into a tight bun. "Max? I'm Doctor Sanisha. How are you feeling?"

"Like my head is going to explode," she replied quietly. "Where are my friends?"

"A few are waiting outside. Jason, JD, and Kekoa? Seem very nice, very concerned, too," she responded, shinning a light in Max's eyes.

"Is Kekoa OK?" Max demanded, wincing as the light hit her eyes.

"Sprained ankle, she'll be fine," the doctor assured her.

"What happened to me?" she asked, putting a hand on her head.

"You were on a boat, remember?"

"Got that much," she replied.

"One of the beams came loose and hit you in the back of the head. You were lucky, it wasn't that bad a hit, no stitches required. The beam could have killed you, but the boat tilted and you slid out of the way. Just a concussion," Doctor Sanisha explained slowly.

"Who found me?" Max asked.

"Your friend, Jason, got to you first. Probably saved your life."

"Can I see him?" Max asked anxiously.

The doctor nodded and walked out the door. A minute later, Jason walked in. He walked over to Max's side and kissed her forehead. He sat on the edge of her bed and smoothed her hair back.

"How ya doing?" he asked.

Max smiled. "Better now that you're here."

"You almost gave me a heart attack. When I saw the beam hit you…" he shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the scene. "I'm just glad you're OK."

"Me, too," Max whispered. She closed her eyes as Jason leaned down and kissed her. She smiled against his lips. "Thank you for saving my life."

Jason glanced down at her hand and laced his fingers through hers. He raised her hand to his lips. "Thank you for saving mine," he replied gently.

Max was released the following day, but was given strict orders to remain calm and no work for at least a week. Max was walking across the hot sand in her bare feet towards Jason's tower when she saw the two girls with him.

Jason said something to make them laugh and Max felt a knife of jealousy twist in her stomach. She paused, realizing Jason couldn't see her, but she had a clear view of him.

"He's a player," a voice behind her said. Max whirled around and saw a brunette smirking at her. "Max, right? I've seen you around. I'm Jenna Avid," she said, holding out a manicured hand.

Max tentatively touched it. "Nice to meet you."

Jenna leaned against a palm tree and eyed Jason. "He's a cutie, but I don't think I've ever seen him go on with a relationship past one night." Jenna looked over Max. "You must have something that held him this long. I'm surprised you haven't caught him in bed with another woman yet."

Max remained silent. She felt sick. Was this the real Jason Ioane? A player? Someone who would sleep with a woman and then forget her?

But as Jason's deep laughter and the girls' flirtatious giggles were carried over by the ocean breeze, she had a hard time denying it. Max shook her head and stared at Jenna.

"You're wrong," she said evenly.

"Sure, sweetie," Jenna said and spun around, her long brown hair floating around her shoulders as she sashayed away.

Max sighed and leaned against the tree, trying to fight off the tears threatening to take over her body. She shook her head. Jenna was wrong, Jason wasn't like that.

Max groaned inwardly. What was she doing? Spying on him?

Clenching her towel tighter, she walked over to Jason, eyeing the two girls.

"Hey, Jase," she said.

Jason spun around and grinned. He came over and kissed her. "Max, I want you to meet some people." He turned back to the two girls, both with flawless, tanned skin. He pointed to one in a flowered bikini. "This is Rachel Crawford, and—" he pointed to the other, "Kelsey Morris. They were on the yacht that sunk last week."

Rachel extended her hand. "Jason was just telling us about how you got hurt saving that baby and your friend. The baby is my nephew."

Max smiled, she could have collapsed from relief. "Really, it's cool. Is he OK?"

Rachel nodded. Someone down the beach called her and she waved. "I better go, that's my boyfriend. Thanks again, guys!" She and Kelsey ran off.

Max sighed and laughed inwardly.

"What?" Jason asked.

Max gave him a half smile and stared into his eyes. "I can't believe I was jealous of those two girls."

"Jealous?" Jason repeated. "Of them?"

"It didn't help that Jenna Avid was telling me what a player you are—were," Max replied.

Jason's eyes darkened. "Jenna Avid has created so much trouble, nearly got Sean fired several times. She'll do anything to create problems on the team. We thought she was in LA, but I guess she's back. I wonder if Sean knows." He ran a hand through his hair.

Max smiled up at him. "It'll be OK."

Jason nodded and kissed her forehead. "I know."