Page 51 of You Fall First

I can’t imagine how much his mother misses him.

“I’m feeling like hospital food is subpar,” she says, settling back against the pillows. “I’m beyond ready to get out of here.”

“I’m sure you are.” I nod feebly.

“She’s coming soon,” Dutton declares, more to himself than anyone else.

“Ahem.” Paige pulls in her brows. “Excuse me, menfolk?”

Noah puts a hand to his chest. “Are you talking to me?”

“You are the men, yes. I need to talk to Jo for a minute.”

“So it’s a good thing she’s right here.” Noah aims a thumb at me. “Finally back from the bathroom.”

“Finally.” I force a laugh.

“I mean, in private.” Paige jerks her chin toward Dutton. “Take him with you.”

“Where?”

“How about over to that claw machine?” she suggests.

Dutton wiggles with excitement. “The claaaaaaaw,” he says, like the little green aliens from Toy Story.

“Now, Noah.” Paige frowns. “Please.”

He shifts his focus to me. “Is that cool with you?”

“Of course,” I rush to say, even as my heart rate ratchets up. I appreciate Noah looking out for me, but I also don’t want Paige to get the impression that my needs are more important to him than hers are. They shouldn’t be.

They aren’t.

“Fine. Let’s go, bud.”

Noah hands over his phone and extricates his large body from the bench with way more grace than I did. Then he puts a gentle hand on top of Dutton’s head, steering him across the room. His loping gait suggests he’s been caretaking for years, not days. Meanwhile Dutton hops along beside his uncle, happier than any of the times I’ve seen him.

Talking to Paige did this for him.

When I swing my gaze back to the phone screen, her focus is steady on me. She’s been studying my expression. What did she see there? I eke out a chuckle.

“So the hospital food really sucks, huh?”

“You have no idea.” Her mouth slips into a smirk. “I just wanted to say that it’s really good to meet you. Although this is only a half meet, I guess, over the phone. So I hope you’re a hugger, because when we’re in the same zip code, I’m coming for you. Full hug. In person.”

I huff a laugh. “I do, in fact, like hugs.”

“Good.” A smile breaks across her face.

Wow. I really like her.

“Not that a hug is enough to thank you for your help, but I’ll figure something out once I’m not hooked up to an IV.”

“No need to thank me,” I say. “I had fun with Dutton today.”

She quirks a brow. “More fun than the ducks did, anyway.”

“True story.”