Tears were flooding my eyes again, but they didn’t fall. I forced a breath to hold them back, squeezing Cameron’s forearms as he let me go. “Okay. Thank you, Cam.”
He smiled, tucking his hands back in his pockets as I took a breath and headed into the hospital.
I rushed through the halls, asking nurses along the way to make sure I was headed in the right direction. All the while, my mind swirled with thoughts of Cameron.
He didn’t even ask where I was.
And, what was worse, was he likely already knew.
After two weeks of barely any conversation, of absolutely no love shared in our bed, I assumed he’d given up. I assumed he was finished, just waiting out the time I’d promised him, knowing what would happen at the end of it.
But he was here, in a time I needed him most. He already had everything handled. He knew exactly what I would need, and he took care of it — before I even got to the hospital.
He was here.
And Reese wasn’t.
But now wasn’t the time to think about any of that.
Dad was the first one I saw once I’d made it to the room, after I’d done as Cameron suggested and made a stop by the restroom. I started in on my story telling him why I was late, but he shook his head and swept me into a bear hug.
“No need for all that. You’re here now.”
“Is Graham inside?”
Dad nodded, and his eyes looked just as tired as Cameron’s had. “They just asked us to leave for the evening so Christina could get some rest. He’s saying his goodbyes to her now, though truth be told, I’m surprised she convinced him to leave, at all. I think the only reason he was okay with it is because he didn’t sleep much last night, either, knowing they’d be flying.”
“Charlie! Oh, Charlie, you made it.”
I heard Mom’s voice before I saw her, and I turned just in time to catch her hug.
“Hey, Mom. You okay?”
She pulled back with a sniffle, but a smile, nonetheless. “I’m better now that you’re here, too. Did Cameron find you?”
“He did,” I answered. “I think he was going to grab some coffee and head back this way.”
“Bless his heart. He’s done so much for all of us tonight.”
My heart squeezed again, and I opened my mouth to respond when the door to Christina’s room opened behind me.
I turned, finding my brother there, and he looked worst of all.
Graham had always been a larger version of myself — same dark hair, same dark eyes, and same knock-off version of our mother’s nose. Where I was petite, he was just over six foot and shaped more like Dad with his broad shoulders.
I hadn’t seen my brother cry since he broke his arm in tenth grade, but his eyes were red and puffy, his expression long and sad as he forced a smile.
“Hey, Sis.”
“Graham,” I whispered, pulling him into a hug and holding him there. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. Both my girls are okay.”
I pulled back then, eyes wide. “Both girls?”
Graham nodded. “They did an ultrasound to make sure she was okay, and they didn’t know we hadn’t had our appointment yet. The doctor said, ‘Her heartbeat is strong and steady.’” Graham choked out a laugh. “I think I blacked out for a second.”
I laughed with him, squeezing his arms. “A baby girl. Congratulations, big bro.”
“Thank you. Do you want to say hi?” He pointed to the door behind him.
“No, no. Let them rest. I’ll see Christina first thing in the morning.”
Mom and Dad were down the hall at the nurses’ station, talking with someone behind the desk. Graham watched them for a moment before walking me away from Christina’s door.
“Where were you tonight?”
I swallowed, avoiding his eyes as I picked a piece of lint off my shirt.
It was from Reese’s blanket.
“I had a meeting at school,” I said. “I turned my phone off so it wouldn’t interrupt.”
“This late?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Well, I mean, it ended a while ago, but we had to clean up and everything. As soon as I turned my phone on, I came straight here.”
Graham watched me closely, one brow raised just a bit. I knew he didn’t believe me, but thankfully, he didn’t push.
“Well, I’m glad you made it. It’s been hell, Charlie.” He shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest as his eyes found Christina’s door behind me. “When I explained her symptoms, they rushed her back here so quick. I couldn’t come at first. And I…” He blew a breath through his lips. “I was a mess. I thought I was going to lose them both. I know that sounds dramatic, but it was all I could think. And I blamed myself, even though I didn’t know what was wrong. It had to be my fault. I had to give myself the blame so I had something to focus on other than the fact that my wife and child were behind closed doors with their care in the hands of complete strangers.”
I offered Graham a sympathetic smile, reaching out to squeeze his arm. “I can’t even imagine. But they’re both okay now, and you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“It’s just crazy, you know? I haven’t even met her, my daughter, and she’s already my entire world.”
That spot inside my chest for Jeremiah and Derrick singed to life, the ache strong and present, and I pressed a cold hand over that spot as I nodded.
“Trust me. I get it.”
Graham’s eyes found mine then, and he frowned, reaching out to pull me into a hug.
“I know you do. I’m sorry, I know turning on your phone to all those messages must have been hard.”
“It was,” I admitted. “But I’m okay. Don’t worry about me. The only thing I want you to worry about is finding a way to get some sleep tonight.”
Graham laughed, letting me go. “Yeah, well, I’m going to try,” he said. “It’ll be a little bit easier, thanks to Cameron. He got us all rooms right here at the hospital hotel, so I won’t be far from Christina.”
“He told me,” I said, and as if on cue, I heard Cameron’s laugh from down the hall.
He was there with Mom and Dad, making everyone laugh over something he’d said — even Mom. Her face was still spotted with mascara, but she was laughing and holding onto Dad’s arm, staring at Cameron like he was the only source of relief in this entire building.
“He just stepped right up and started handling everything when he got here,” Graham said, and my eyes stayed on Cameron down the hall as he spoke. “I mean, Mom was a mess. Dad, all he could do was try to keep Mom from having an all-out anxiety attack. I wasn’t good for anything but hounding the doctors for more information. But Cameron? He made the calls, brought us coffee and water, made us eat dinner.” Graham shrugged. “He took care of us. All of us.”
“It’s because we’re his family,” I whispered, more to myself than to my brother. “We’re the only one he’s got, you know?”
I turned to Graham then and he nodded, his hand finding my shoulder as we both looked down the hall again.
“He’s a good man, Charlie.”
Cameron’s eyes found mine then, like he could sense me watching him, and he smiled, holding up the coffee he’d brought me just enough for me to see. He looked so right, standing there with my family, like it was a picture he’d been painted into long before the sketch was even drawn.
I just smiled back, still rubbing that ache in my chest — one that stung for more than one reason, now.
“Yeah,” I said to Graham. “He really is.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
* * *
Charlie
The next two days flew by and dragged all at once.
Christina was in great spirits, mostly just irritated that she couldn’t eat pizza and chocolate like she wanted to, and Mom and Dad were taking care of fussing over her enough for the entire hospital. Graham was getting rest like he needed to, and my unborn niece was just as happy as she could be — or so the tests said.
“Hey,” Cameron said, his shoulder shaking me from my daze next to Christina’s bed. She and I had turned on a movie when everyone else left to go get lunch, but I’d started daydreaming a quarter way through it.
“Hey, yourself.”
“Brought you coffee,” he said, handing me a steaming cup from my favorite shop in Pittsburgh. “We passed right by on the way home.”
“No, you didn’t.”
I knew where all the shops were in town, and there wasn’t one even close to where they’d eaten lunch or on the way back to the hospital.
“Okay, fine. We didn’t.”
I smiled, taking a sip of the warm, sweet mocha before settling back in my chair. I glanced over at Christina, who’d fallen asleep.
“I bet she’s so ready to get out of here,” I said softly. “Poor girl. Came down here to be with Mom and Dad and take some time off her feet, ended up in the hospital.”
“At least she’s still off her feet here.”
“Yeah, but the food is way worse.”
Cameron squeezed my shoulder, laughing quietly. “That’s very true.”
I looked up at him then, the coffee still warming my hands, and for a moment I just stared at him. He’d stepped up so much at the hospital, being whatever he needed to be for my parents, for Graham, for me. He took care of running any errands we had, phone calls, paperwork — all of it. Whatever he could do to make our lives easier, it was already done before we even knew to ask.
“Have I thanked you yet,” I asked, “for everything you’ve done this week?”
“Many times,” he said, mirroring my smile.
“Well, thank you, again. I know it’s all meant so much to Mom and Dad, and to my brother.” I paused. “And to me.”
Cameron’s cheeks tinged just the slightest shade of red. “I’m not doing anything special. Just trying to make it all a bit easier.” His smile fell a little as he rubbed my shoulder. “Hey, listen… I was thinking, tonight when we get home, maybe we could—”
Cameron’s voice was drowned out under the sound of loud laughter as the door to Christina’s room swung open, and Christina bolted upright, her eyes wild as they landed on her husband.
Mine were just as wild when they landed on Reese.
“Oh, sorry, babe. Did we wake you?”
“I think you woke the whole hospital,” she said, but she was smiling, her black eyes warm at the sight of Graham. “Is this Reese?”
Reese’s eyes flicked to mine before he crossed the room with a wide smile, holding out his hand for Christina. “So nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you over the years.”
“Well, I wish we could have met under better circumstances,” she said, smoothing her hand over her hair once Reese stepped back. “I’m a mess right now.”
“You look beautiful,” Graham argued, leaning in to kiss her forehead before taking the seat next to her.
Reese stood with his hands in his pockets, and his eyes found mine with a crease resting between his brows.
“Hey Charlie,” he said. “Cameron.”
He didn’t even look at Cameron when he said his name, and Cameron barely nodded in response to the greeting. My brother watched the whole exchange curiously, and his eyes locked with mine, more questions there than I had answers for.
I cleared my throat.
“So, are you hanging out here for a while with us, Reese?” Christina asked.
“I don’t want to be in your hair too long,” he said with a smile. “Just wanted to come by and meet you, and give this guy some shit.” He wrapped his forearm around Graham’s neck and knuckled his head.
Graham shoved him off, laughing. “Yeah, trust me, babe. No one wants to put up with Reese Walker longer than a few hours.”
“Sorry,” a voice said through our laughter, and my heart kicked up into my throat at the sight of Blake swinging inside the room. “I didn’t like any of the flowers they had down there at the shop. I mean seriously, not one bouquet with roses? They’re, like, the most universal flower.” She shook her head, leaning up on her toes to kiss Reese’s cheek.
I gritted my teeth.
“Oh! Hi, Christina. I’m Blake, Reese’s girlfriend,” she said, leaning in to hug Christina. The flowers she held smacked against the back of Christina’s bed and tangled up in her IV wire, but Blake was oblivious. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” Christina said, but I could tell by looking at her that she was a bit overwhelmed now, and once Mom and Dad barreled in the room, her anxiety showed even more.
The volume in the room rose exponentially, everyone talking over each other and laughing, but I just stared at where Blake hung on Reese’s arm.
He watched me, our eyes connecting long enough for me to lower my brows in question.
What is she doing here?
But he couldn’t answer, and judging by the way his tail was tucked between his legs, I guessed he wouldn’t have an answer I’d like even if he could.
This was my family, our family — the same one he couldn’t come with me to see the night I got the call. But now, here he was.
With her.
“Oh, Charlie,” Graham said, talking loud so he could be heard over where Mom, Dad, and Blake were laughing by the door. “Reese and I were thinking of taking a drive later out to the old park we used to all play. You know, take a little trip down memory lane. Want to come?”
I just stared at Reese, trying to calm myself down. I knew he wouldn’t have brought Blake if he had a choice, but in that moment, I couldn’t rationalize, and I couldn’t make excuses for him.
I was pissed.
Cameron seemed to pick up on my energy, because he squeezed my shoulder, offering my brother a smile. “Charlie and I were actually just about to head out. We’re going to go home for the night, check on the birds, catch up on a few things.”
“Oh, of course,” Graham said, and yet again, he watched me with curious eyes. “We’ll see you guys Monday for dinner? As long as the doctors still agree to let Christina go that day, that is.”
“Yeah, we’ll see you then,” I answered sharply, jumping up out of my chair. I needed out of the room, away from Blake, away from Reese.
I quickly kissed Christina’s cheek and hugged my brother and parents, carefully maneuvering the room so that I could avoid Blake and Reese. Cameron followed behind me, staying in the room longer than I did to say the more proper goodbyes and accept gratitude from my family for all he’d done that week. I waited outside the door, arms crossed, nose flaring like a dragon.
“Charlie,” Reese said, joining me in the hall. “Please, don’t leave. We can go.”
I just stared at him.
“Come on, don’t be mad. I didn’t mean to…”
“Bring your girlfriend to my sister-in-law’s hospital room?” I finished, my voice low but menacing. “Huh. Wonder how it happened, then.”
Reese’s expression flattened, but he didn’t have time to offer an excuse before Cameron joined us in the hall. He put an arm around my shoulder, turning me toward the exit.
“Ready?” he asked, his eyes hard on Reese.
I just nodded, not leaning into him but not leaning away, either, as he walked us out of the hospital. I didn’t look back at Reese even once.
“You okay?” Cameron asked once we made it to the parking lot. We’d driven separately, since I’d been late on Wednesday, and I dug through my purse for my keys with shaky hands.
“I’m fine. I’ll see you at home?” I said, but I didn’t wait for an answer before I yanked open my door and climbed inside. I couldn’t look at Cameron, and I couldn’t take the way he was looking at me.
I peeled out
of the parking lot before Cameron even got in his car, and I took the long way home.
***
Reese
All I could do was curse under my breath as I watched Charlie go.
Cameron had his arm around her, and though she didn’t exactly lean into his touch, she still looked comforted by the way he held her. And that murdered me.
I blew out a frustrated breath, making my way back inside the crowded hospital room with Blake’s eyes on me like lasers. She smiled a little at my return, though I could see the questions she wasn’t asking me.
She had insisted on coming when I got the call from Graham. I tried everything I could to get her to stay, to let me go on my own, but she was like a bull once her mind was made up. There was no reasoning with her, not without telling her the real reason why I didn’t want her to be here.
“Everything okay?” she asked me, her voice low where we stood off to the side. Graham was by Christina’s bed, the two of them in conversation with his parents.
“Yeah. Thanks for the flowers, that was nice of you.”
She smiled, glancing at the vase, but she found me with questions still spinning behind her big, blue eyes.
“Charlie seemed upset that we were here.”
“She’s not,” I assured her. “They’re just tired, been through a lot in the last two days. I think they both needed rest.”
“Sure,” Blake said, nodding, but I knew she was biting her tongue. “You two are close, huh?”
I didn’t answer. I was smart enough to see that trap before my big foot stepped right into it.
“How come you never mentioned her before? Back in the city?”
I cleared my throat. “We didn’t keep in touch when I left. There was nothing to say.”
“Oh,” she said, forcing a smile. “Well, that’s nice that you were able to pick right back up when you came back to town.”
Best Kept Secrets: The Complete Series Page 41