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I chuckle, seeing the Cheshire smirk on Nick’s face.
“Coffee?” he asks me.
“Yeah.”
My best friend walks to his father, who’s standing by the coffee machine. I focus my attention back on Martha. “Thank you for the get well soon card. I appreciate it.”
“Oh, sweetheart, when we heard from Nick what happened, my heart stopped.” She gasps. “Oh, damn, wrong word choice.”
I chuckle.
“Let me just say that we’re glad you’re okay and healthy. How is your mother? It must have been hard for her too.”
I smile at the caring question. “Yeah, it was tough, but we made it, and now I’ve got my shock buddy with me,” I say, tapping over the ICD.
Martha sends me a knowing stare, and I swallow when she gives my hand a soft squeeze. “Neither your heart condition nor the device defines who you are. To me, you’re a sweet, hard-working, charming young man, Brian Fox. Who not only has been an amazing friend to my son, but who also makes my precious daughter smile in a way I love to see.”
My eyes flash to Amanda, who is talking and laughing with Emma and Charlotte. Her eyes sparkle, and as if she notices me staring, her gaze darts to me. As usual, the world fades when her warm irises focus on me. I could watch her all day long without getting bored.
“Fox. Coffee,” Nick shouts.
Martha chuckles. “Don’t worry about him. He has to get used to the idea of you and his dear sister. But I like you for my daughter, Brian. The way you helped her with the launch was heartwarming. Some men don’t like a successful woman who can stand on her own two feet.”
I shrug. “Well, their loss. I love every side of her.”
Jesus. Did I just say the word love? I have never said it when talking about another woman, apart from my mom.
My eyes shoot back to Martha, but she smiles, and instead of reacting to my confession, she walks to Charlotte, who is calling her.
“Fox, coffee,” Nick repeats and I wander to him. We talk business, and I enjoy the cozy and laid-back atmosphere. Everyone is simply themselves. John and Martha remind me of my parents. Their love feels strong and warm, just like that of my mom and dad. Only theirs was cut short.
A cry coming from a baby phone makes Nick move. “That’s my boy,” he says before taking off and leaving me with John.
“Do you have a moment to talk?” John asks me.
I nod and he leads the way into the living room. He then peers into the hall to check for eavesdroppers before turning back to me. “How serious are you about Amanda?”
I swallow and lean my back against the sofa, trying hard to mask my unease. I’ve respected John since day one; his success as a business owner, as well as his commitment to his family is unmissable. He’s kind of a role model to me, and I don’t want to disappoint him.
Looking into his eyes, I speak from the heart, “Her happiness is my top priority.”
His lips twitch into a proud smile. “You’re a good man, Brian.”
I give a little shrug, embarrassed by the praise. “Well, I try to be.”
John holds my gaze longer than necessary, like he’s reading all the emotions beneath my façade.
“Your heart condition doesn’t define who you are,” he says softly.
A chuckle escapes my lips. “Martha said something similar,” I say, using an ironic tone.
“She’s wise,” John replies with a smirk.
“When Nick told us about what happened and how you kept it hidden from everyone else... It spoke volumes about who you are as a person,” he says, his voice calm and even.
I shift uncomfortably, feeling exposed under his perceptive gaze. “What do you mean?”
“To me, it shows that you’re someone who prioritizes other people’s needs over your own. Someone who hides their true feelings behind their charming smile. Someone who doesn’t fall in love lightly because they know that when they do love, they love hard and with every fiber of their being.”
