Page 93 of What Should Have Been Ours

Maya rolls her eyes. “You were probably just as weird, though, huh?”

I snort from my seat, watching the two of them go back and forth.

Maya is one of Cam’s favorite patients who’s still across the hospital in the children’s oncology unit. She’s been fighting her own battle for the last couple of years. When Cam stopped coming to take care of her, she asked where he was, and they told her that he was sick like her now too. They told her that he was across the hospital in his own room. She insisted they take her over to visit with him when she found all of this out. She apparently had to do a lot of convincing, but she somehow made her parents and the nurses give in. She’s been coming by to check on him every chance they give her now, and every time, Cam lights up just a little bit more.

“Are you getting better?” she asks, swinging her legs. “Like me?”

Cam hesitates, but he nods. “I will be. It’s just gonna take a little longer than I want it to.”

Maya tilts her head, studying him like she can see straight through him. “But you’re the best doctor I’ve ever had,” she says. “So you can fix yourself, right?”

The words hit me hard, and I see them hit Cam too. His expression softens, and he reaches out to squeeze her hand.

“I’ll be back to work soon,” he promises her. “But I’m hoping you’re out of here before I get back. That can be our goal, yeah?”

Maya grins. “Deal.”

She stays a little longer before her nurse comes in to wheel her back to her own room, and when she’s gone, I turn back to Cam, watching him in awe. Even now, in the middle of his own hell, he’s still trying to make things easier for everyone else.

“I hope you know how amazing you are,” I say softly, reaching for his hand.

He shakes his head, but his fingers tighten around mine. “I don’t feel very amazing, Gab.”

“You are,” I insist. “You’ve been so strong through everything, and I know you don’t feel it, but I see it, and I love you so much for it.”

His gaze locks onto mine, and I see something raw and vulnerable deep down in those beautiful brown eyes.

He exhales, his fingers rubbing slow circles against my palm. “I love you, too.” He pauses for a long beat before continuing. “I’ve actually been thinking and…I don’t want to waste any more time with you once I’m out of here, Gabrielle.”

I blink. “What?”

“When I get out of here…when we get back to a normal life,” he says, holding my gaze like he needs me to hear this and believe it. “I want to marry you.”

My heart fully stops beating in my chest for a moment. “Cam—”

“I’m serious.” His grip tightens. “I don’t want to spend another day without you. Not for the rest of my life. You’re it for me, you’ve always been it.”

I stare at him, my chest tight, my mind spinning. “You sure this isn’t just the pain meds talking?”

He laughs, shaking his head. “I’m beyond sure. The only thing the meds are doing is keeping me from getting out of this bed and properly proposing to you.”

I let out a breathless laugh, overwhelmed and completely in awe by how perfect this man is, even at his weakest.

Then he smirks. “Just give me time to grow my hair back first, okay? I gotta look hot in our wedding pictures.”

I roll my eyes, leaning into him. “Cam, you looked good as a bald kid, as a bald teenager, and you still look good now.”

He raises an eyebrow. “So, what I’m hearing is, you’re into bald men.”

“I’m into you. I’ve never been able to resist you. You know this. Hair or no hair…nothing could stop that.”

His smirk turns into something more dangerous, more teasing. He shifts slightly, his free hand sliding to my hip. “I might not have a lot of energy right now, but if you keep talking to me like that, I’m gonna take you and this IV pole into that closet over there for a little physical therapy session.”

A sharp wave of heat rolls through me, and I bite my lip, tilting my head. “Is that the doctor’s orders?”

“Absolutely,” he murmurs, tugging me a little closer. “It’s part of my pain management plan.”

I let out a quiet laugh, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I don’t know if it’s the most medically sound idea, but I like the way you think, Dr. Hayes.”