“Why would you spell it out? We’re not surrounded by a bunch of two-year-olds, Brando.” I giggled. “But, yes, that’s part of it.” Then I explained my outburst in the hospital cafeteria and how I knew I would have to deal with that sooner rather than later.
“Pretty soon you’re not going to have a choice, T. Peanut will grow big enough to tell everyone for you.” He winked and lifted his cup. “This coffee is delicious,” he mumbled after taking a long gulp.
“Are you ever going to ask her out?” I asked, in a hurry to change the subject.
“Ask who out?”
“You know. C.A.R.I.N.A.” Then I gestured with my thumb over my shoulder toward the kitchen.
Brando glared at me, clearly not amused.
“See what I did there?” I wiggled my eyebrows, feeling proud of myself.
“Yeah, I got it.” He frowned.
“So, when are you going to put yourself out of your own misery and ask her?”
“Who says I haven’t already?” His eyes were lowered as he lifted a spoonful of soup to his mouth.
“Brando!” I gasped. “You asked her out? What did she say? I mean, of course she would say yes, right? When are y’all going out?” I rambled on excitedly.
His expression didn’t hold the same cheerfulness.
“She said she’s got some things going on right now.”
“Things? What sort of things?”
“I guess the kind that don’t involve dating.” He shrugged, a weak attempt at indifference.
After that, I couldn’t stop myself from casting Carina the side-eye every time she walked past our table. Brando had fast become one of my closest friends. He was an amazing guy, and anyone who didn’t see that was on my shit list.
“Your phone,” Brando said, catching my attention. I turned my focus to the tabletop and saw that my phone was flashing an old picture of my dad and me from Christmas years ago.
“Hello?”
“Doll?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s awake.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brando and I raced to the hospital. I had to see it with my own eyes. He was awake, and for the first time, I allowed myself to feel optimism. Blake had been moved from Critical Care to another unit that allowed more visitors. I ran down the corridor to the room number the nurse at the front desk had given, and when I arrived, Dad, Maggie, Neil, Harley, and Fox were all crowding the tiny space.
When I stepped through the entryway, Blake turned his head slowly and fixed his deep blue eyes on me. That dimple I adored made a faint appearance, and I was overcome with so many feelings. Relief. Joy. Love. I knew in that one look that he was still my Blake and nothing else mattered. Not even the confused stares as I ran forward, put my hands on either side of his face, and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
“Oh, Blakey. You’re back,” I whispered. “Thank God.”
I gently rubbed the scruff on his cheeks as his eyes grew wide with shock. Then his lids closed briefly before he opened them again. There was acceptance and undeniable love glowing there for all to see. Our relationship transformed in that moment. There was no going back.
“Tay,” Blake said hoarsely.
“Shh, everything will be fine,” I soothed before reluctantly taking my eyes from his and looking around the room. Harley and Fox were grinning, Neil looked like he’d been whacked in the face with a dirty sock, Maggie’s jaw was hanging wide open, and my dad’s face held no expression at all.
“We’re gonna . . . er . . . take off,” Fox said and stepped to Blake’s bedside. “Good to see you, man.”
“Get better soon,” Harley added with a small smile then, hand in hand, they exited the room. A second later, Neil followed, still looking perplexed. I stared after them for a moment before shifting my eyes to Maggie. Her lips were trembling and tears were welling in her already bloodshot eyes from days of sleeplessness and worry. I knew she was expecting something in the way of an explanation from me, but I just didn’t know what to say.