“We’re almost finished,” Dallas said. As I turned to head through the door to the front, I noticed him placing two cupcakes in a box, setting it off to the side.
About thirty minutes later, Cash brought up the remaining cupcakes and placed them in the display case. “Dal and Derek are cleaning up. Here’s the last of them. They don’t look half bad, if I do say so myself. ”
“Captain America to the rescue again,” I said as he slipped his arms around me. I allowed myself to sink into the comfort of his embrace, inhaling notes of mint and musk in his cologne.
“You still up for ordering in some dinner?” he asked, his breath warm on my neck.
“Absolutely,” I answered. “There’s nothing I want more than to be curled up on the couch with you and Bradley Cooper.”
“I hope we’re still talking about the dog,” he joked.
I smirked. “Either would be fine, really.” My phone rang from the back pocket of my jeans, and I reluctantly withdrew myself from Cash’s arms to extract it. My face creased with worry when I saw where the call was coming from. “It’s my mom’s nursing home. They rarely call unless there’s something wrong.” Cash’s brow furrowed as I answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Ella, it’s Nicole.” Her voice sounded tense.
My stomach twisted. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s your mom…” Nicole began. “She’s lucid. More lucid than I’ve seen her in a long time. I have no way of knowing how long it’ll last, but I thought you’d want to know.” My mouth hung open, and I must have stayed that way for a moment because I heard Nicole’s voice again. “Ella? Are you there?”
“Yes,” I said. “Sorry. I’m just… I’ll be right there.”
Sixteen
Cash
“You’ve gotto be kidding me,” Ella shouted, slamming the door to her SUV and then kicking it for good measure. “My fucking car won’t start.”
“It’s okay,” I assured her. “I can take you. Come on.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Ella asked as I steered her toward the passenger side of my Range Rover that was parked behind the bakery.
“I won’t go in,” I said. “I can wait for you in the car.”
Ella sighed and pressed her palms to her forehead. “You already helped me so much at work. You didn’t sign up for all of this.”
I placed my hands on her shoulders. “Ella, I’m signing up for anything that has to do with being there for you… if you’ll let me. Let me help you.”
She chewed her lip for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”
I opened the door for her, and once she was safely inside, I sprinted to the driver’s side. We drove in silence other than Ella’s directions to the nursing home. I reached over and threaded my fingers through hers, giving her hand a squeeze.
When we arrived fifteen minutes later, I pulled up to the door. “I’ll park right over there.” I pointed to a spot near the front shaded by a dogwood tree. I started to pull my hand out of hers, but she tightened her grip.
She took a deep breath before looking over at me. “Would you... come up with me? Look, I know this is a bit unconventional and probably crazy soon. But with my mom, I never know when or evenifshe’ll be lucid again. And regardless of what happens between us, you’re someone special to me, and you’re special to Grace. My mom would want to meet you, and Iwanther to meet you. If it’s too much too soon, I understand. I’ll—”
“I’d love to meet your mom.” I brought her fingers to my lips and kissed them. I quickly parked the car, and we started toward the building. Once inside, the lady behind the front desk waved to Ella as I followed her through the lobby. There was a cozy sitting area with big, poofy couches, but even the extravagant flower arrangement on the coffee table couldn’t cover up the scent of rubbing alcohol and cafeteria food.
Ella tapped in a code on a keypad to the side of the elevator, and the doors popped open. “I don’t mean to brag, but I’m kind of a VIP here,” she joked.
I grinned. “You’ve got the special door code and everything.”
“Actually, the elevators are password protected to avoid any of the patients sneaking out.” Once inside, she hit the button for the third floor, and the doors closed. The elevator gave a loud groan before lurching upward, and Ella reached for my hand.
We could hear the sound of metal grinding as the elevator screeched to a halt, releasing us on the third floor. She turned right, and we walked down a long hallway beyond the nurse’s station and didn’t stop until we reached room 3012. She exhaled sharply before knocking softly on the door and turning the handle.
“Hey, Mama,” Ella called out as we entered the room. A thin figure with white hair that grazed her shoulders looked up at us from her blue armchair. “Nicole called, and I got here as quick as I could.” The woman had eyes like Ella’s that lit up when her daughter reached down to kiss the top of her head.
“Hello, dear.” She reached for Ella’s hands, holding them.
