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Mom brought a plate with a huge sandwich and handed it to me. “He’s not mad.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“You scared him.”
“Interesting response to fear.” I took a big bite.
She sat down next to me. “He doesn’t know how to deal with big feelings. You two have that in common.”
I met her eyes, my forehead tightening with confusion. “I’m not the one who walked out.”
“True, but you both hide in your own way. He’s gruff. You use humor.” She raised her eyebrows. “And sarcasm.”
“I do not.” That was a lie. I totally did.
She just shook her head. “So I heard you’re in love.”
I almost dropped my sandwich in my lap. “What?”
She smiled. “You told the nurse in the ER you loved her.”
I groaned. I’d been trying to tell Marigold, but clearly my timing had been awful. Now it was a joke, like one of those viral videos of someone proposing to their nurse when they came out of anesthesia.
“How’d you hear about that already? Were you there?”
“No, it was before I got there, but I talked to Aunt Louise.” She shrugged, as if that explained it.
Who knew how Aunt Louise had heard. Tilikum gossip line strikes again.
I grinned. “From what I remember, the nurse was pretty hot for her age. And the drugs she was giving me were awesome.”
“What’s not to love? By the way, I saw Gavin Bailey at the store this morning. He asked if you were all right.”
“Gavin? How’d he know?”
“He was one of the responders.”
How did I not remember that? Gavin Bailey had been one of my sworn enemies from the time we were born. The Haven and Bailey families had been feuding for generations, until my sister had gone and married Levi Bailey. I was still getting used to not hating them. Old habits die hard.
“I must have been really out of it. Did I try to punch him or anything?”
“I don’t think so. I’m not sure if you were conscious when they got there.”
“That’s probably good. You shouldn’t punch the guy trying to save your life. Even if he’s a Bailey.”
She patted my leg. “Can I get you anything else?”
A date with Marigold? “No. When are you going to let me go home?”
“Maybe tomorrow.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Mom, you don’t have to do that.”
“Give me this. I don’t get to take care of you boys very often anymore. It reminds me of when you were little.”
“If you want to be reminded of when we were little, just go in the spare bedroom. Why do you still have those old bunk beds?”
“We have grandkids.” She paused and cracked a smile. “And hopefully we’ll have more someday.”
