She laughs at my suggestion and slaps my arm. “Yeah, I can just see that now. His family would flip out and think I’d gone crazy and try to commit me.”
We sit for a few minutes in silence, the laughter leaving the room. I finally ask the question I’m dreading the answer to, but praying the news is good.
“How is she? Any changes?”
The look Becky sends my way has my heart plummeting down to my stomach. Not good news. The sadness I see in her eyes nearly has me losing my shit. I get up from my seat and pull her into my arms. She wraps her arms around my waist, buries her face into my chest, and I hear her muffled sobs. It takes iron-will to keep my own eyes dry.
We comfort each other for a few minutes before Becky pulls back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She takes a steadying breath before releasing me and taking her seat. I take my seat as well and wait for her to tell me the bad news.
“The doctors say her white cells are still too high, not as high as they were, but still higher than what they hoped it would be at this point. The treatment’s working, but not fast enough. They want to up the dosage, which will kill any remaining marrow in her bones. Since they’ve already tested you, they know you’re a candidate to give bone marrow. They said to stand by and be available at a moment’s notice.”
I nod, ready to be where I’m needed. I would give my life for Ally. If giving my bone marrow can help her in any way, I’ll do it in a heartbeat. Becky knows this. From the very beginning, when Ally was first diagnosed with leukemia, the doctors had mentioned the possibility of a bone marrow transplant. They tested Ally’s closest relatives to find the match that was needed. Mine was the closest, and there was never any doubt I would do it.
“How has she been feeling?” I ask Becky.
“Tired, mostly. She’s been sick to her stomach a few times. The doctors gave her some medicine to try to help. It’s working some. She also complains of aches and pains. I’m sure you’ve noticed she’s lost weight. The doctors say it’s normal with the treatment.” She looks down at her hands, clasped tightly together on the table, before looking up at me again with watery eyes and whispering, “She started losing her hair a couple nights ago.”
Fuck! Her words hit me hard. I saw for myself that her hair was thinner than normal, but to see Becky break down again and confirm it tears me up. Why in the fuck would God deem it his plan to put such a sweet and innocent girl through something like this? I want to rip my hair out and howl in agony.
I scoot my chair back from the table and move it closer to Becky. I spread my legs wide enough to put them on either side of hers. Prying her hands away from each other, I take them into my own. I know there is nothing I can do to help make this easier on her, on either of us. The only thing I can do is be here for her when Brent can’t. And I know Becky will be there for me as well.
“I’m so scared, Andrew.” She continues to whisper. “What if the chemo doesn’t work? What if—”
I don’t let her finish, not wanting to even think of that possibility. It’s not the end yet, and I refuse to think Ally won’t make it through this. If I do, I’ll break, and I’m not sure if I could ever be put back together again.
“Hey. Look at me.” My voice is soft but firm, and it gets her attention. She brings her tortured gaze back to mine. “You can’t think like that, okay? Ally is strong, and we have to be strong with her. She’s going to get through this. We’re all going to.”
I lean forward and rest my lips on her forehead. I feel her tears dripping down onto our combined hands. I squeeze my own eyes shut, forcing the tears away.
We pull away a few minutes later. When I look into Becky’s eyes, I see a new determination in them. She’s pulled her shit together, for now at least. A mother can only handle so much when it comes to the health of her child before she breaks down. This isn’t the first one Becky’s had, and I know it won’t be the last. She never has them in front of Ally though, which is good.
“Has Mom been by?” I ask her, and scoot my chair back.
Becky gets up from the table, grabs a tissue from the counter, and blows her nose before replying. “Yeah, she was here yesterday. She’s going with me to Ally’s chemo appointment tomorrow.”
“That’s good. It’s been hard on her as well. I know she wants to be here for you both as much as she can. How’s Brent doing?”
“Better than me.” Her laugh is strained. “He’s been a godsend. I don’t know what I would do without him. Without all of you. I just wish he was here more.”
Brent’s an engineer for a big company that makes textile machines. His position often requires him to leave town when there’s an issue with one of his designs. I know it’s difficult on him, being away so much. He loves his daughter just as much as we do.
The pitter-patter of little feet running across the floor interrupts our conversation. It’s amazing that Ally has so much energy still left in her body after all the poison that’s being pumped into it. Once again, she’s out of breath when she skids to a stop in front of me.
“Ally, sweetie, you need to stop running so much. You’re going to wear yourself out,” Becky tells her.
“Okay, Momma,” she says, breathing rapidly. She then turns to me. “Look at the picture I drew in art class, Uncle Andy!”
I take the white construction paper from her hand and flip it around. The scene on the paper breaks my heart. It’s simple, but so much more. It’s a picture of five people standing out in a field. There are trees in the background and flowers on the ground at the people’s feet. Each person is holding the next person’s hand. The last person in line, the smallest, has one hand up toward the sky, like she’s trying to grab the sun, or reaching for heaven.
My eyes fly toward Becky and see she has her back to us, her shoulders shaking slightly. I bring my gaze back to Ally’s, looking for any signs of sadness or resolve. She’s only six years old, but she knows she’s sick. Her parents decided to not hide it from her, which would be hard to do because of all the tests. They haven’t told her there’s a possibility she may not make it though. That would be too much for a child to handle.
Looking down at the picture again, I wonder if she senses something. Of course, this could just be a child and her imagination. Maybe the little girl, which I know is Ally, really is just reaching for the sun.
“Do you like it?” she asks in a soft voice.
I gather her in my arms and pull her onto my lap, turning the chair away from Becky to give her time to compose herself. Holding the picture in front of us, I tell her, “Of course I like it, skittles. It’s beautiful. Now, tell me who these people are.”
I already know who they are, but I like hearing her sweet voice and excitement. It’s something I may not hear in the future. I wipe the thought away before it has a chance to take hold of me.
“That’s Mom and Dad,” she points to the first two people, “that’s Grandma and you, and then there’s me.” She finishes by pointing to the last three people.
“You did a really good job, Ally. I’m proud of you.” I lean down and kiss her temple.
“Alright, little lady, it’s time for you to get washed up for lunch. I’m making your favorite,” Becky says, spinning around and clapping her hands twice. She has a bright smile on her face for Ally’s benefit, but it’s plain to see to adult eyes that it’s forced.
Ally jumps down from my lap and yells, “Yeah! Tuna fish sandwiches! Is Uncle Andy staying for lunch?”
Becky looks to me for the answer, and in turn, I look at Ally. “Tuna fish sandwiches? Even huge spiders with gnarly teeth and hairy bodies couldn’t keep me away.” I mentally shudder at the thought. Spiders are one thing I do not do.
Ally giggles and skips off to do as her mother said. A few minutes later, she comes back down and we all sit and chitchat while we eat our tuna fish sandwiches, which also happens to be my favorite as well. After, Ally ropes me into playing Barbies with her in the living room while Becky does laundry.
> See? Told you she had me wrapped around her finger.
After Ken and Barbie get married and live happily ever after, I help Ally clean up the mess we made. I grab her hand and off we go to look for her mom. We find her in her and Brent’s room, hanging up clothes.
“Hey, I have to hit the road. I’m on shift tonight at work.” A mixture of emotions runs through me at the thought of leaving. I hate every time I drive away and leave Ally and Becky. But the thought of seeing Jase again has me reaching for my keys in my pocket.
“Okay. Will we see you next week?” Becky asks, walking out of the closet.
“Yeah, if not before then. Let me know if you need me.” Becky catches my meaning and nods. As soon as the doctors say they need me, I’ll be on the road.
Becky comes to me, and I gather her in my arms. At her ear, I whisper, “Everything is going to be okay, Becs. Stay positive. Love you.”
She pulls her head back and places a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you, Andrew, for everything.” There’s more to her words than just thanking me for being here. I acknowledge her gratitude, knowing I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I squat down and then Ally is right there in my face. She grabs my cheeks and plants a big kiss on my lips. “Love you, Uncle Andy.”
“Love you, too, skittles. You be good for your mom, okay? And have fun at your sleepover,” I tell her, before wrapping my arms around her. I squeeze her tight, not wanting to let go.
She nods solemnly and says, “I will.”
“I’ll see you in a few days.” I get up, and they both walk me out to my car.
After a couple more hugs, I get in my restored Dodge Challenger and wave another good-bye to them as I pull away. My heart feels heavy as I watch them in my rearview mirror, waving. But then it lifts slightly when I think about the man and the future I’m driving toward.
Andrew
When I pull up to Jaxon’s Pub, the parking lot is half-full. It’s only five o’clock, so that’s to be expected. More people will show up the later it gets. Pulling around to the back, I park my car next to Jaxon’s motorcycle and climb out. I unlock the back door and make my way down the dark hall that leads to the front. As I pass by the kitchen, I knock the door open with my fist and yell a hello to Hoot, our cook. He hollers his own hello, and I keep walking.
As soon as I reach the mouth of the hallway, my eyes scan the room in search of Jase. At first I don’t see him, and it irritates me. My emotions are raw after hearing the news about Ally. I need a distraction and Jase is the perfect one. I finally spot him when he steps out from behind a wall over by the pool tables. He has a pool stick in his hand, getting ready to take his shot, and laughs at something Mac said. Chris and Bailey are both sitting on stools against the wall, watching them play.
A groan nearly rips from my throat when he bends over the pool table. His ass, in those sexy jeans, almost has me stalking over to him and rubbing myself against it.
“Get your ass behind the bar and help me, Andrew, and stop drooling over Chris’s brother,” Mia says, throwing a towel at me.
Forcing my eyes away from the irresistible sight across the room, I turn narrowed eyes on Mia. “You’re just jealous it’s not your ass I’m fantasizing about fucking.”
“Yes, you’re exactly right,” Mia says dryly. “I’d much prefer you over the man over there who I’ve been in love with most of my life. Gosh, Andrew, you’ve found me out. However did you guess?”
I bend down to grab the towel she threw at me, and walk behind the bar. I tell her with dancing eyebrows, “Because everyone secretly wants a piece of me.”
“Whatever,” she mutters with an eye roll, and turns to walk away, flipping me her middle finger as she does so. I chuckle at her retreating back.
I grab a clean rag from under the counter and throw it over my shoulder. In an effort to keep my eyes off Jase, I decide to take inventory to see if we need anything from the basement. After seeing that everything is already stocked, I turn to the drying rack and start unloading it.
My eyes unconsciously make their way over to the pool tables. Jase has his arm lazily draped over Chris’s shoulder, and his head bent, talking to her. She laughs at something he says and shoves him away. He winks before walking over to the pool table for his next shot. Once again, my dick jerks in my jeans as he bends over the table. After lining up his shot, he smoothly pulls the stick back and shoots it forward, sinking a ball in the corner pocket. The girls clap and cheer him on.
As if sensing my eyes on him, Jase turns and looks my way. I hold his gaze and let him see the heat I know is radiating from them. I may not want to scare him off by coming on too strong, but I also want him to know I do want him. He needs to figure that shit out now, because I won’t give him long before I make it blatantly clear.
I would swear I see a flash of desire blaze in his crystal-clear blue eyes, but before I get a good look, it’s gone and he looks away. I feel a rush of excitement at the thought of him thinking about me the way I’m thinking about him.
I turn away from him when someone comes up to the bar with an order. I spend the next thirty minutes going from one person to another. The place is starting to fill up and it takes my mind off the man across the room that I want to do dirty things to.
Just as I turn to place some shots in front of a couple of guys, I see Mac and Jase walking my way. My eyes stay glued to Jase.
“Hey, Andrew, can we get a couple beers?” Mac asks, taking a seat at the bar. Jase claims the stool next to him. Prying my eyes off Jase, I turn to Mac.
“Sure. Anything in particular?” I ask.
“Nope, just whatever,” Mac says.
I look to Jase for his answer. “Sam Adams, if you have it.”
“You got it,” I tell them, and turn to get their beer.
After placing their drinks in front of then, I lean my elbows on the bar close to Jase.
“Please tell me you’re kicking Mac’s ass over there. Ever since he finally won against Jaxon a few weeks ago, he thinks he’s unbeatable.” I flick my eyes over to Mac and smirk.
“No, he’s not. And fuck you, Andrew. No one’s ever beat Jaxon before. I think that’s a damn good reason to feel a bit cocky.”
“Sheriff Weston,” I say in mock surprise. “Shame on you. Mia was just saying that she’s loved you most of her life, and now you’re telling me you want me to fuck you?”
I hear Jase laugh and glance over at him. His stunning blue eyes sparkle, and fuck, he has a sexy-ass dimple in his left cheek.
“And what’re you laughing at, baby? You want me to fuck you, too? All you’ve got to do is say the word, and I promise, I’m all yours,” I tell him boldly. His lips tip up at the corners, eyes crinkling, like he thinks I’m joking.
Oh, honey, if you only knew how serious I am.
“Think I’ll pass on that, as tempting as it is,” he says, laughter still in his eyes.
Mac groans at Jase’s side, but we both ignore him.
“What a fucking shame. I’m not worried though. I’ll change your mind.”
My body trembles as I think about reaching across the space between us, yanking him to me, and planting my lips against his. Would he let me or push me away? The way he’s licking his lips while looking at mine makes me think he’s not as indifferent to me as he lets on.
Oh yeah, baby. It’s only a matter of time before you’re mine.
Mia walks up to us and bumps me with her hip. “What are you guys over here talking about?”
I throw my arm across her shoulders. “Mac wants me to fuck him, but I told him I was at work and was busy later. I don’t think he liked my answer too much. See, Mia? Told you everyone secretly wants me.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Mac mutters, causing both me and Jase to laugh.
Mia looks over at Mac with mischief in her eyes, and asks, “Uh, Sheriff, is there something you need to tell me?”
Mac leans over the bar and crooks his finger at Mia. “Yeah, Pix. Why don’t you
come over here, and I’ll tell you.”
I watch as Mia’s small frame leans over the bar toward Mac, knowing what’s about to happen. Ever since these two made it official that they were back together, they haven’t been able to keep their hands off each other. I can’t say I blame them. The shit they went through at the hands of Shady and Tessa would make anyone cherish the moments they have with their loved ones.
Just as predicted, the moment Mia gets as far as her small body would allow over the bar, Mac reaches over, hooks his hands under her arms, and hauls her the rest of the way into his arms. She laughs loudly as she latches her arms around his shoulders and wraps her legs around his waist. Once there, they devour each other’s mouths.
It’s still strange seeing them like this. Before the truth finally came out and Mia found out Mac didn’t cheat on her, her attitude toward him was volatile. Mac always had a sad, longing look on his face every time he looked at her. Now though, all you see on both faces is pure happiness and love.
I turn to see Jase watching me. I can’t quite decipher the look in his eye, but it looks like curiosity. I wonder what he’s thinking and feeling when he looks at me. Is he just as curious to know me, as I am to know him? Does he feel even a smidgeon of the desire I feel every time my eyes land on him?
We stand there and stare at each other until Mac and Mia pull away, breaking our connection. Jase looks away first and turns to face the two lovebirds beside him.
Mia releases her hold on Mac, and after another brief kiss, hops up onto the bar, swings her legs around, and jumps down beside me again. She has a cute flush to her face and it makes me smile, glad that one of my best friends is finally happy, like she should have been all along.
“Where did you head off to today, Andrew?” Mia asks casually.
I stiffen at her question, just as I do every time she asks me this. No one knows where I go when I leave town and visit Ally. They know about Becky and Brent, but have only met them a few times. However, they know nothing about Ally. I don’t know why I haven’t told them. Maybe because I’ve shared every other aspect of my life, and I feel I need to keep this part separate. It’s certainly not that I’m ashamed of her. It’s just the opposite, in fact. I’m very proud of the small family I’m part of. I just have this need to keep Ally to myself and not share her yet. Eventually I’ll have to tell everyone, but I want to wait until after Ally is better and can handle the stampede that will enter her life. Because I know, once my friends in Jaded Hollow find out, they’ll swarm her, and not let her up for air.
Unveil Me (The Jaded Series Book 3) Page 3