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“No, but you will have your grandmothers to take care of you. Plus, if you really needed him, Jeff would come to you.” Even as I say the words, I can feel the tension that swamps the room.
“Jeff’s not here,” Lennon sniffles.
“No, but you don’t need him, honey. You have Jake. He’s taking care of both of us and if you need him, I know for a fact Jake would move heaven and earth to get to you.”
“He would?” My son turns his head to look at Jake. I somehow drum up the courage to do the same. He’s staring at me so intently that I’m almost afraid I pissed him off so much he won’t reassure Lennon.
“Yeah, he would, Lennon. He’ll always be here for you,” I murmur.
I see a flash of something in Jake’s eyes. I don’t know what it is, but the tension lessens in the room, so I figure it’s okay.
“Would you, Jake?” Lennon asks.
“Anytime, little man. I told you, I love you.”
Lennon launches his body into the air. Jake catches him, holding him close. He hugs Lennon tight and stares at me.“Thank you,”he mouths.
I rub my lips together, feeling as if I’m way in over my head. Everything feels very complicated and I have no idea what I’m doing.
Or how I’m feeling…
CHAPTER 27
Jake
Two Weeks Later
“Someone told me there was a pretty blonde ready to bust out of this joint,” I joke as I walk into Katie’s room.
She’s sitting in a chair by the window looking outside. Her hair is pulled up in a sexy, messy heap on her head. She has a little make-up on and an orange Longhorn tee on with faded blue jeans. Katie has always been beautiful, that has never changed over the years. Right now, though, she takes my breath away and she’s not even trying.
“I’m definitely ready, I’m just not sure my body is,” she jokes.
I keep rolling the wheelchair I grabbed from the nurse’s station, then latch the brakes on it when I get in front of her.
“Your body looks pretty good to me,” I respond with a grin, reaching out my hand. Katie rolls her eyes but puts her hand in mine.
“You’re such a natural born flirt it’s scary,” she grumbles. I shift my body around so that I can help her stand and move her more smoothly over to the wheelchair. “You’re getting to be a pro at this,” she mutters as she settles into the chair.
“I’ve had a few weeks to practice.”
I’ve been here all but two days since Katie was hospitalized. I didn’t want to leave then. I just didn’t have a choice. I needed to go home for clothes and spend time with Lennon who missed school because of strep throat.
I had to take him to the doctor because Miss Hazel was sick with the same stuff. While I was there, I found out Katie had given my name as a consenting adult over Lennon’s care if she was unavailable. Finding that out felt so damn good that I didn’t really have words. I’m not going to wait much longer to tell Lennon the truth. I want to shout from the rooftops that Lennon is mine. I just need to figure out how to convince Katie it’s time.
“Don’t remind me. I know you have to be sick of dealing with me.”
“That’s not how I would describe it,” I murmur.
“It will be better when I get home. I’ll be able to care for myself better in my own surroundings.”
“I know,” I respond. I’m not about to argue with her. There’s no way she can take care of herself. That’s why I’ve already moved into Miss Hazel’s. She’s probably going to fight me on it, but she’ll learn that it won’t do her any good.
I grab the small bag of belongings and the stuff the hospital gave her and gently put them in her lap.
“I’m serious, Jake. I can take care of myself.”
I kiss her forehead.
