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“I’m good with the stairs,” I say, pushing forward.
“Sure. I guess if I’m going to risk it, it’ll be with my wife if you know what I mean.” He waggles his eyebrow with a devilish grin.
“Seriously, I don’t want to think about what you and your wife do…anywhere.”
He laughs as we head to the stairs and climb. “You’re just mad your lame ass didn’t take advantage of being stuck in there with a beautiful woman.”
“Why did I invite you?” I grumble.
“Because you know these kids will light up when they see the man who makes Tiger magic happen.”
I can’t help but chuckle as we cross into a brightly colored hallway lined with windows. Behind the doors stands a woman and gentleman in a long white coat waiting for us.
As we near, the man looks mildly familiar. Then, it hits me.Oh, shit.
The young woman beams at us. “Mr. Greyson. Mr. Simmons. Welcome. We’re so excited to have you here today. I’m Susan Waters.” She shakes my hand and then Tyrell’s. “The children will be beside themselves to meet the two of you. We’re so grateful you’re taking the time.” She gestures to the man next to her. “This is Dr. Taninbaugh, our Chief of Staff.”
He sticks out his hand. “It’s very nice to meet the both of you and very generous to spend time with our kids.”
We shake hands, and I search his face for any sense of recognition, and I’m shocked to find none. I quickly wipe the confusion from my face, realizing this man has no idea who I am. To him, I’m just another good samaritan showing up to bring smiles to these kids' faces.
The whole world thinks I’m sleeping with his daughter. Yet, he apparently has no idea. Relief washes over me. If I were him, I’d lay me out in this rainbow-colored hallway.
“We know your time is limited, so we’ll let you get in there and give your attention to the kids. Most of them are already gathered in the common room, so if you head through these doors and down the hall, you’ll pass the nurses' station. They can direct you to the room. If you need anything, they should be able to assist you.” She smiles. “We really appreciate this. Please let me know if you have any questions or are interested in visiting again.”
Dr. Taninbaugh’s phone chimes. “I have to run, but please let us know if there’s anything we can assist with. This is very gracious of you. Nice meeting you both.”
He disappears down the hallway, and I’m left wondering about this man and his relationship with Andie. I already have a pretty good idea that Andie and her mother don’t see eye to eye. Based on the benefit, that’s likely putting it mildly. But her father not remembering me or knowing I’m reportedly involved with her is difficult to understand.
“Hey, you ready?” Tyrell bumps me on the shoulder, pulling me away from the questions rolling around in my head.
“Yeah. Let’s get in there and see what kind of fun we can have.”
We thank Susan, entering another hallway with walls covered in bright cartoon-like pictures that help pull your senses away from the sterile smell and environment. We stop at the nurses' station, and they direct us toward the common area. Halfway down the hall, we hear music and then a voice that I’m pretty sure I’d recognize anywhere.
“Sounds like the party started without us,” Tyrell says as we step up to a wall of glass lining a large room filled with kids seated in a semicircle around Andie. A few parents sit nearby at wooden tables. Some kids are in bright-colored chairs in their pajamas, while others are in wheelchairs and gowns. IVs drip fluids as the sun shines through adjacent windows, illuminating the area and bringing a sense of the outdoors inside.
Andie smiles and laughs at something one of the kids said, her fingers moving delicately over the strings. She looks up, noticing us standing in the doorway. Her head tips to the side just slightly as she listens to the kids, her eyes flicking back to them.
Tyrell makes a humming sound. “Well, look who’s here. What a coincidence?”
If we weren’t standing outside a room filled with children, I’d smack him in the back of the head. “I didn’t know she’d be here.”
“Sure.” His smirk is calculating, and I don’t like it one bit.
Andie leans forward in her chair, whispering, and then points in our direction. Every head turns, and there’s a hushed gasping sound followed by wide smiles that instantly make this worth the time on our day off.
We enter, and Andie introduces us. She puts her guitar to the side as we fold ourselves into the small chairs, the kids sittingquietly, looking at us with big eyes. Everyone is too shy to speak until a little boy asks if we’re the real football players.
Tyrell throws a thumb in my direction. “I’m not sure about this guy, but I’m the one dancing in the end zone.”
They giggle, and it gets us rolling. It’s not long before we’re moving around the room and getting down on our knees to take pictures and sign autographs. Tyrell has them grinning with elaborate stories that have them captivated.
I see Andie packing up her guitar, and I excuse myself, wanting to catch her before she leaves. I ignore Tyrell’s evil eye as he re-enacts his most recent touchdown with a kid throwing him an invisible ball.
I cross the room to the corner where Andie is buckling the clasps on her guitar case. She’s wearing a white thermal shirt and worn jeans that hug her perfectly, and my weak ass hormones recall the feeling of my hand squeezing her thigh. That is not something I should be thinking about right now or at all. Acknowledging that does nothing to prevent my temperature from rising as I approach her.
“Hey.”
