“Yeah.” I stand up, pointing to my chair. “Do you want to sit here?”
Theo shakes his head. “No, I wouldn’t want to take your spot.”
“He told you about the kids.”
Theo’s eyes find mine. “And he told you too, it seems.”
My throat aches. “He did. I need to…” Arlo trusted Theo. For some reason, over Luca and Austin, Arlo trusted Theo. I’m not sure why, but right now it feels like a sign. “He’s supposed to be picking them up in—” I glance down at Arlo’s phone. “Fuck. Three hours. I need to figure out how to get ahold of the caseworker. Or maybe even Salem.”
Theo’s eyebrows pull together. “Do you think he can handle hearing about his big brother being hurt?”
I shrug. “I don’t know, really. But I think he’s gonna be more hurt if his big brother doesn’t show up for him.” I incline my head toward Arlo. “Can you sit with him while I make some calls?”
He nods. “Of course.”
“Will you…” I’m not too proud to admit that my eyes burn and my voice cracks as I try to push the next words out. “Would you talk to him? I don’t want him to think I left him alone.”
Theo searches my face for a second, then slowly walks around the hospital bed, sinking into my seat. I watch with tears blurring my vision as he carefully lifts Arlo’s hand. Leaning closer to the hospital bed, he whispers just loud enough for meto barely make out the words, “See, I told you he might surprise you. I can’t wait for you to wake up so I can tell you to your face.”
I take a step backward and then another, watching the two of them as I get closer to the door.
“When you get the kids, you’ll have to bring them to the farm. Hunter can teach them how to ride horses. We don’t want kids, but I think we’d be cool as fuck uncles.”
Fuck. Okay. I gotta get out of here. Can’t deal with that, or I’m gonna break down into hysterics.
“And then we can show them the babies. I surprised Hunter with more goats the day after you came—”
I rush out of the room, barely keeping it together.
When I’m safely tucked away in an empty family room, I unlock Arlo’s phone. Sinking to the floor, I search through his recent calls.
His last one was to Salem.
One hour before we got the call to respond to the fire.
I’m looking through the rest to see if there are any names with Tennessee area codes that I don’t recognize when the phone rings in my hands.
I startle, nearly dropping it.
Salem’s name flashes across the screen, along with a photo of him. He has deep brown eyes, and he looks so much like his big brother that it makes me smile despite everything.
I don’t want him to go ignored, so I swipe to answer the call.
“Arlo! I’m so excited to see you. I can’t wait.”
He sounds so young and so excited. His accent is even deeper than Arlo’s. All twang and adorable as hell. It’s the pure happiness in his tone that gets to me, though.Goddammit.My throat goes so tight I can barely force myself to speak.
“Salem,” I say, cutting off his excited rambling.
“Uh… You’re not Arlo.”
I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “No. I’m not Arlo. I’m Jasper.”
“Jasper… Arlo told me about you. Are you coming with him today? Are you guys on your way?”
Arlo told him about me… Despite everything, that makes my chest warm.
“I—” Fuck, what am I supposed to say?
