In a rush, I ask, “What do you mean even Jason knew?”
He laughs like he’s got some kind of secret, and it takes everything in me not to push him to answer me. I hold my breath until I hear his mumbled reply. “He knew you liked his sister.”
“He never said anything. If he knew, he would have said something. He was protective of her; he wouldn’t have let it just go and not say anything.”
“He knew how you felt. Fuck man, we all did. I wish I could have recorded your face when she sent you those fuckin’ care packages. Everyone saw what that meant to you. And the way you worked your way into getting leave for her graduation. Fuck, man, you had to have had pulled all kinds of strings to do that.”
“That doesn’t mean that Jason knew.”
“He knew. Why do you think he made you promise to keep an eye on her? Jeremy and I were with him when the shit went down. He could have told either of us. He didn’t. He knew how you felt about her, and he knew you would take care of her. He wanted you with her. I believe that.”
“He wouldn’t...”
“Jason would want you to be happy. Stop looking for reasons to cheat yourself out of a good life. It wasn’t your fault. You deserve happiness. Go after her, man,” Cole tells me.
I end the call shortly after I make Cole promise to call me soon. I definitely won’t want to miss when Cole Jr is born. I appreciate the encouragement he gave me about Cora, but I don’t think I have a chance in hell of that working out. Still, I think about what Cole said as I continue to miss Cora, wondering if I’ll get to see her today.
My whole day brightens when I look up and she’s standing at my office door, watching me. “Hey, you,” I say. “How long have you been standing there?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “You were right, you know, about Mr. Nelson. Having his wife join in on therapy has made all the difference. She pushes him more than anyone else has been able to.”
I nod. “I figured. The way he talks about her, I don’t think there’s anything he wouldn’t do for her.”
She pecks on the door. “Well, I’m heading home. I just wanted to drop in and let you know.”
I laugh. “You can drop in anytime... especially if you’re going to tell me I’m right about something.”
“Har, har. Funny.”
I get up from my desk and watch Cora as her eyes move up and down my body. We may have not talked about that kiss, but I swear both of us are still feeling the remnants of it. Cora is smart and passionate about what she does, and it’s getting harder and harder to fight my feelings for her.
Being such a beautiful woman, I worry about her working with the veterans in her office, let alone out in the street, but she’s managed to keep it very professional and yet somehow very caring all at once. I find myself using some of the same phrases I’ve heard her use with patients and can’t deny that I’m learning from her. “C’mon, I’ll walk you to your car.”
She looks at me hesitantly and then smiles up at me. I wait for her to disagree, but instead she just nods and walks next to me. Our arms are hanging to the side, and I want to reach out to her and wrap my hand around hers. I want everyone in this hospital to know she’s mine and off limits. But I know I can’t because I don’t have the right. There are so many things I want to say to her, but I don’t. Maybe when we’re alone and outside of the hospital, I’ll tell her everything then.
We get on the elevator, and I stand as close to her side as I can. My hand is itching to reach for her, but I don’t. The elevator makes another stop on our descent, and another doctor gets on. His whole face lights up when he sees Cora. “Cora, how was your day today? I was looking for you earlier.”
Cora smiles, and my fists clench at my sides. “Oh yeah, I’m sorry. I was in and out with patients today. Did you need something?”
The young doctor looks at me, and the scowl on my face doesn’t deter him. He clears his throat before looking back at Cora. “Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner sometime?”
I cross my arms over my chest and stare the asshole down. It makes me want to shove the doctor right out of the elevator, but it isn’t Dr. Jones or Underwood, nor is it my right. It’s taking everything I have not to reach out and grab Cora, drag her to my side, and tell the young doctor to go straight to hell. I want to claim her as my own.