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Maia
“Stop that,” I holler, as I push open the door to Braden’s room. “Harper.”
“You okay?” he asks.
I get around the curtain and sigh. He stifles a laugh as he takes in Harper’s sweaty little hand tangled in my hair.
“Set the bags down and come here,” he says.
I set the bags of food down on the nearby tray table and walk over to the bed. Wincing as he lifts his arm, he carefully untangles Harper’s hand from my hair.
“Thank you,” I breathe. “I hate when she does that. I’m going to start wearing my hair up all the time now.”
I grab one of the chairs and pull it over, then slide the collapsible high chair seat I brought with me onto it and set it up, one-handed. Once I finally get it secure, I plop Harper into it, grab the fruit, yogurt, and string cheese I brought for her, and drop it on her tray. Letting out a long sigh, I finally turn back to Braden. “Hi.”
“Hi,” he says with an amused smile. I lean down and kiss his cheek, wanting to smack his shoulder also, but I guess I still can’t do that.
“I come bearing food. How’s your day been?”
“Heh. I mean, there’s just so much excitement being tethered to a hospital bed. I heard you had some excitement this morning.”
I look up from opening our takeout containers and see his troublemaking smile.
“What?”
“Miller and Ashley.”
My eyes widen. “Oh. Yeah. It’s been a long day, and I kinda forgot that happened.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Just… supporting Vince. Everything that happened made him question the car accident that—”
“Oh. Shit. Right.”
“Yeah. Anyway, I guess he and Nick didn’t know the details of what actually happened. Vince asked his dad about it today. It was not an easy conversation.”
Braden’s eyes drop. “Yeah, I’d imagine not.”
Sliding the tray table loaded with food in front of him, I smile. “But now Vin is spending some much needed time with his parents, and I think it’s good that he knows. And I’m glad to spend an evening just you, me, and Harper. Even if she is a feisty little britches these days.”
I glance over at her and she gives me a yogurt-coveredwho me?smile.
“This is nice. Thank you. And it explains the phone call Nick got earlier. Oh, you want excitement? Pretty sure they’re telling Abuelita tonight.”
My eyebrows shoot up and I lunge for my phone, first checking for texts, then putting the ringer on loud. “Don’t want to miss a call from Leigh in that case.” He smirks at me, but I shake my head. “Even though she’s got the person she needs by her side. It’s been a wild ride for them, but they’re perfect together.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You do?”
“Nick and I spent most of last night texting. We’re trying to rebuild our friendship.” He grabs a fry and slowly swirls it through some ketchup before putting it in his mouth. Then he clears his throat and looks at me. “To that end… I want to figure out how to rebuild our… friendship or whatever this is. I don’t know. Friendship seems like the wrong word, but relationship implies something romantic.”
“We’re just us, Brade. And I want to rebuild that, too.”
“We have a lot to work through and…” He looks around and shakes his head, laughing lightly. “I was thinking maybe we should go to family counseling.”
I blink a couple times, a smile cracking through. Then we both start laughing.
