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“I wouldn’t care if you were. You’re beautiful inside and out, angel.”
My heart beats faster. I don’t know what it is about the way he calls me angel, but fuck, I find it sexy. I shouldn’t, the guy’s young enough for me to be his fucking mother. On so many levels, it’s wrong for me to be physically attracted to him. But goddamn, there’s something about the way he carries himself, the way he looks at me, and don’t even get me started on the way he smells—so fricking good.
Thoughts are rampaging through my mind as I clear my throat. “In any case, no, we don’t know what it is yet. That’s what the biopsy is for. To determine the next move.”
He hums under his breath, picking up a curly fry, dunking it in ranch dressing, and taking a bite with a loud crunch. He continues, “All right! We return tomorrow, we get this biopsy done, and they tell us what this is. Then what? We get a treatment plan?”
A light smile touches my lips at his continual use of the term ‘we.’ “I guess it depends on what they find. They threw a lot of information at me today, and I got so overwhelmed.”
South slides a little closer. “Whatever happens, you’re not in this alone. You have me, no matter what. Everyone will rally around when we go back and tell—”
“We’re not telling anyone,” I interrupt firmly.
South’s eyes bug out, his head jerking back. “I’m sorry. I thought you said you’renottelling them? Surely you’re joking?”
I shrug. “My kids have enough on their plates. I won’t tell them until thereissomething dire to worry about.”
South shakes his head, reaching out for my hand. “Ingrid, no. Hurricane is gonna want a full report when I get back, and you want me tolieto my new president on my first day at the club?”
Iamputting him in a tough spot.
I know that.
“I get it, I do. But telling Hurricane, Bayou, Novah, and hell… even Nash right now will put the four of them into a tailspin. They have their own lives. Idon’twant them focusing on me, especially if there is nothing to be concerned about.” Ingrid smiles, but there is no way she’s happy. “I have you. You can be the person I talk to about this. Everyone else can wait until we have good news to tell them.”
South picks up another fry but doesn’t place it in his mouth. “You’ve just signed my death certificate. You know that, right?”
I snort out a laugh. “Don’t be so dramatic.”
“When they find out I helped hide this, they’re gonna put me in the soundproof shed and torture me to death. I have no doubt.”
I can’t help rolling my eyes. “They won’t torture you to death.”
South picks up his coffee, raising it in the air. “I’m gonna enjoy my coffee and fries because it may be my last meal.”
“South, I’m not telling them… I can’t.” I sigh and place my hands on the table in front of me.
He drops his shoulders and nods, his hand coming out to grip mine. “Okay. We don’t tell them. It’s your choice, and I’m honestly not gonna force you to do anything you don’t feel ready to do. But, theywillhave to know at some point.”
Nodding, I fight back the tears that are threatening to fall. I know he’s right. But at the moment, I need them out of this. “I’m sorry to put you in this position. To be the only person who knows.”
“I want to be here, by your side, helping you through this. No matter what you need, Ingrid, I’m here for you. Don’t ever doubt that.”
I glance down to the napkin his coffee is sitting on. The waitress scribbled her phone number across it in black ink, and I can’t help but smirk. “I think Server Sally wants you to be there for her too,” I tease, pointing to the number.
He follows my movement, his eyes landing on the digits, and he snorts a laugh. “As I said, angel, Sally’s not my type. I appreciate her balls, though, and I’ll be sure to give her a good tip.”
I let out a small laugh. I don’t know how, but in some way, South has made what should be a momentous occasion feel not so daunting. Knowing he will be here by my side as my support through this, making me laugh, is exactly what I need.
Not Novah’s hovering.
Not Hurricane’s overprotectiveness.
Not Nash’s bold decision-making.
And not Bayou’s—
Well, Bayou is probably the only one I could tolerate right now. He wouldn’t treat me differently or try to handle the situation like the other three would. He would be there for me. But if I told him, there is no doubt he would tell Novah, and she’d tell Nash and Hurricane—so, none of them get told.
