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“Yes, but not for long.”
My father rises and I turn to Amelia and Xander as my family moves into the room leaving us alone. Amelia doesn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around me and offer the comfort she knows I need.
“She’ll be okay.”
I nod, but we both know there could be damage caused by the clot on her brain.
A heavy hand lands on the back of my neck and I glance at Xander who holds my gaze captive. God, I love this man. The realization is like having my chest cave in on itself.
“What do you need?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. Just you, both of you.”
His blond hair falls over his brow and it takes all of me not to brush it away and sink into his hold. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him how I feel, but I know he’ll mistake it for my emotions being overstimulated.
“Then that’s what you’ll get. We won’t leave you to handle this alone, Beck. We’re here for you.”
Amelia squeezes my abs lightly, bringing my attention to her. The look she gives me causes hope to sink into my skin. Warmth, compassion, love, this woman who has been by my side for most of my life.
“Lincoln, Ryker, Audrey, and Harrison are on their way too.”
“They don’t need to.”
“They want to, Beck.”
They say in times of trouble you learn who your friends are, and I’m a lucky bastard because mine are the best a man could ask for.
“Maybe you could grab some coffee or something for everyone then. While I go in and see my mom?”
“Of course.”
Amelia kisses my cheek and Xander squeezes my nape translating everything I need in that one action. I watch them walk down the hallway to the elevator hand in hand and vow I’ll find a way to keep them because I don’t think I’d survive losing either of them.
Pushing back into the room, I really take in my mother for the first time. When I spoke with Dr. Stanley, I was blocking out who she was so I could focus, but now I see how small she looks.
My father is holding her hand and stroking her cheek and I get a jolt from how tenderly he’s touching her, how much love is clear in his blue eyes.
Sitting beside Giles, I sigh and rub my hands over my face.
“How you doing, baby bro?”
God, I can’t remember the last time he called me that. I glance at him and see the exhaustion on his face and it’s not just from today. The bags under his eyes are so big you could go on holiday for a month with them. “I’m fine. How about you? How come you didn’t tell me about you and Sara?”
Giles shrugs and his suit looks looser like the custom fit doesn’t quite work now. “Embarrassed.”
“Why?”
“Oh, come on, Beck.” He throws his hands up in defeat as if it should be obvious but it’s not. I glance at my father, but he’s so focused on my mom, I’m not even sure he’s aware we’re here.
“You’re you. The great Beckham Goldsmith, world-renowned heart surgeon, the man with the magic hands. Mom and Dad worship you and I can’t even get my wife to stay faithful to me.”
“I…. what? Mom and Dad hated that I became a doctor. You were the golden boy who followed Dad into the family company.”
“Are you kidding? They told anyone who’d listen about how proud they were of you. God, so did I. You’re a prodigy, Beck. You carved your own path and you made it. No, you fucking owned it.”
I shake my head as I look at my brother and wonder if I’ve been wrong all this time. “Wow, I was sure that was you. You went and followed Dad, you married the girl they approved of, and were the perfect son.”
“Yeah, look how that turned out.”
