“What are you wearing?” Skip asked, as he opened his arms for a hug without moving his lower body.
“It’s a long story.” She came forward and hugged him hesitantly. A waft of her sweet coconut shampoo reached me and I inhaled her deeply. “I was supposed to go to this thing with the SWS and—”
“Are you talking to the girls again?” I cut in.
She shot me a glance, faltering briefly as she took me in but quickly brought her focus back to Skip. “But I left as soon as I heard. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Honestly, it’s nothing. I’m just gonna be off my leg for eight weeks. You didn’t need to come.”
“I’d rather be here with you,” she said with a wave of her hand.
“I’m glad you are.”
They clasped hands and smiled at each other. Two months was a long time. I’d missed so much of my life by falling off the map. For a slight second, hand in hand, I thought the worst. I assumed the worst. Had my absence drove them into each other’s arms? But Skip would never, not if he thought I had feelings … not with—
“Skip?” another voice said from the door.
“Jack?” I asked, automatically looking for Ford who was nowhere to be seen. “What are you doing here?
Once again, the room ignored me. I deserved that.
Jack’s usually dimpled cheeks were tight with tension. “Are you okay?” He walked toward Skip. His hands lifted and then dropped and eventually settled in the pockets of his coat.
Skip scooted up higher in the bed and tucked some stray hairs back. I looked to Jack. I looked to Skip. Jack and Skip looked nowhere but each other.
“I feel ridiculous. It’s just a broken bone. I’m going to be fine.” Color rose in Skip’s cheeks.
What the hell had I missed in two months?
“We’ll just go and see if we can find some coffee.” Roxy dragged me to the exit as she spoke.
We came to a stop in the waiting area and she dropped my hand.
“That’s a look.” Her voice was neutral as she pointed to my beard.
Had she gotten my letters? Had she missed me? I had so many questions but found her so hard to read with this mask up. I kept my hands clasped behind my back.
“It wasn’t on purpose. It just sort of happened.”
My hair was long enough to be tied back. Curly in some patches and straight in other, it was a mess and super hard to manage. I needed to get it cut but hadn’t cared at all until I sat here under her scrutiny.
“You look like you teach yoga on weekends off from your startup company and drink kombucha,” she said without revealing any emotions.
I held back a smile.
“Really?” I looked down to examine my outfit of fitness shorts and sneakers. “I was going more for European-soccer-player exotic.” I flexed my bicep and she smiled before she could catch herself.
“I’ve missed you,” she said on an exhale and then frowned at her shoes.
“I’ve missed you,” I responded immediately. Hope made my voice high and tight. “Can we talk?”
She glanced at her watch and chewed her bottom lip. “I have to go. It’s a whole thing with Kim and her guy Devlin. But let’s chat before you head back to Denver, okay?”
“I’d like that,” I said.
I wanted to hug her. I wanted to scoop her up and handcuff her to me. But I could be patient. I wasn’t going to give up. I was going to fight for her.
“See ya around, Colonel.” She walked away, glancing one last time to flash a grin over her shoulder. As soon as she was out of sight, I clapped my hands and shouted “Woo!” causing a few nearby nurses to stare at me.
