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“Mom, will you let it go?” Tenley finally blurted out, and Rosemary grinned. A twinge of lightness filled the air.
“Wait, when did he get there?” Irene gasped, looking between Tenley and me, as Tenley slowly slid her hand away from my arm. She scooted an inch to the right on the bench, putting visible distance between the two of us.
Maddie’s eyes suddenly widened, and she clamped a hand over her lips. Her eyes snapped to Tenley who was twiddling her thumbs in her lap. She lowered her hand and mouthed, “Was he in your bedroom?”
I clenched my jaw, pretending to not notice the silent conversation between Tenley and her sister as Irene began excitedly telling Rosemary to not ask more questions or worry.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tenley mouthed in response.
“Oh, I’m not worried,” Maddie silently replied, a grin spreading across her face, and her gaze flashed to mine. She wiggled her brows before looking back at Tenley.
“Weston did nothing that I didn’t want or ask for or initiate,” she suddenly blurted out, and every pair of eyes snapped to Tenley. “Okay?” she finished, her voice a little quieter and her family began to laugh.
Her entire face was the color of a beet, and I desperately wished I had a hat to hide under at this very moment. Not because I was ashamed of Tenley or what happened, but it had been such a long time since I’d been the center of so much attention, and it was quite overwhelming.
“Well,” Rosemary finally began as the chuckles faded. “It’s good to have you around. Besides, it’s not like that was the first night you’d spent together,” she paused and glanced at Maddie with a smirk on her face. “I recently learned that it wasn’t Cassidy she was with all those weeks ago during that snowstorm.”
The bubbling tension slipped away as I recognized the lighthearted banter that was returning. “I promise there was a pillow wall between us during the night. That I didn’t cross,” I added, and Tenley shot me a glare.
I winked, and she rolled her eyes.
She’d crossed the pillow wall, but I hadn’t.
“Darn it,” Rosemary muttered, and every mouth in our small group fell open, including mine.
“What?” I asked, shocked.
She shrugged her shoulders like she’d said nothing as the sliding glass doors opened, and in walked a man I was confused, but happy, to see.
Chapter 20
“Cassidy?” Tenley said, shocked as my brother pulled his hat from his head and approached our group.
“What are you doing here?” Rosemary asked, shakily beginning to rise from her seat.
Cassidy shook his head, gesturing for her to remain still. His eyes slid to mine, concern etching his features, before returning to Tenley’s mom. “How is he doing? I went looking for Weston and found out what happened.”
She gave him a soft smile. “He’s stable and awake, just getting a few scans done before we can go see him.”
“May I?” Cassidy asked, gesturing to the empty seat beside Tenley.
My girl nodded, and he sat down, wringing the hat between his hands. His eyes once again met mine, and I studied him for a moment. A thousand words crossed the silent barrier between us. At first I couldn’t believe it, but as the doors slid open again and the rest of my family came rushing into the hospital, I realized it was true.
This was Cassidy’s doing.
He leaned back in his chair as I studied him for a moment longer. Obviously, there was still the need for a major conversation between my mom and I, but as she wrapped Rosemary in a hug, I breathed out in relief.
And gave my little brother a single nod. Cassidy let a smirk fill his face, acknowledging me, and then looked away. Man, I was proud of him. Though it felt a little strange having him do for me what I normally did for him. I was the big brother, it was my job to protect him, not the other way around.
But he wasn’t that same kid who always needed my help anymore.
He hadn’t been for a while, but I only now saw that.
“I’m so sorry,” my mom’s voice echoed through the busy, but quiet, hospital waiting room. She was standing with Rosemary, still not acknowledging Tenley or me. Her hands were around Rosemary’s shoulders, holding her tightly.
Rosemary gave her a small smile and then wrapped her back in a hug.
Tenley tipped my way and leaned against my ear. “Are you okay?” She whispered.
