Page 137 of Last First Date

“Babe!” I heard him call out.

“In here!” I shouted back from my bedroom. “I’m almost ready.”

He walked into my room where I was just finishing tying my shoes. “Damn, I was hoping to find you half-dressed.”

I laughed and got to my feet, going directly into his arms. “And then we would be late.”

“I can be fast,” he said, reaching around to grab my ass. “I only need five minute, seven tops.”

I playfully pushed him away. “Let’s go. I’m anxious to see him.”

As we walked hand in hand into the hospital, the anticipation of Richard’s release had me practically skipping down the hall. I was so glad he was getting to go home to finish his recovery. The man was strong as an ox and had beat his doctors’ expectations. I felt very fortunate I got to be a part of his homecoming. Although he didn’t know I was a part of it.

Today, we were going to tell Richard that we were officially together. We had held off, not wanting to give him anything extra to think about.

We walked into the room holding hands. He was sitting up in the chair with the sunlight pouring in. His color was back and he looked like the old Richard, minus a few pounds. His room was adorned with cards, flowers, and balloons, a testament to the support he had received during his time in the hospital.

A smile broke across his face when he saw us. “Well, what do we have here?”

Knox squeezed my hand, a shared acknowledgment of the significance of this moment before releasing it and going to hug his grandfather. “Hey, Grandpa. Ready to get out of here?”

Richard nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely. Can’t wait to get back home. I didn’t know you were coming by, Waverly. It’s a pleasant surprise.”

“I practically begged to be here,” I said, smiling. “You look really good.”

He chuckled. “I need real sunshine. I can’t wait to get home and into my backyard.”

“I’ll go check in with the nurse and see what we need to do to spring you from this place,” Knox said. “Watch him. Don’t let him jump out a window.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” I said.

Richard looked at me with a knowing twinkle in his eyes. “Waverly, can I have a word with you?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

Richard patted the bed, inviting me to sit on the edge. “What’s up?” I asked.

“I have to say, I’m thrilled to see you and Knox together,” Richard began, a warmth in his voice.

I smiled. “I’m thrilled too, Richard. Knox means a lot to me. He’s a very special man.”

He nodded, his eyes filled with a grandfatherly affection. “I knew you two would hit it off eventually. Didn’t exactly plan it, but I really hoped for it. My grandson needed a kind influence in his life, and it seems like it paid off more than I could have dreamed.”

I felt a surge of emotion, grateful for the acceptance and support Richard had shown us. “I care about Knox a lot. He’s an amazing person. He’s rough around the edges, but once I got to know him, I was lost.”

Richard chuckled, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. “You’re not so bad yourself, you know. You’ve been a steady presence, especially when things got tough. I appreciate your steadfastness, your loyalty, and your ability to continue believing in the good in people—even when they give you reason to turn your back on them.”

“The Benjamin thing,” I said, nodding.

“Yes, that man.” He shook his head. “I’m glad Knox was able to clean that mess up.”

“You knew?”

“He talked with me about it,” he said, sighing. “I was disappointed he let it get so far, but it was his mess to clean up. He had to learn from it. I think he has.”

“He has. We both have. I made mistakes, too. I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge.”

“You were hurt and protecting yourself,” he said, shrugging. “That’s what we do.”