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Miles blinked at his words. “Oh. I only woke up two months ago.”
Logan stared, not sure he’d heard right. “What?”
Miles’s shoulders knotted. He pulled his hand away, his voice turning brittle. “I mean, I was in a coma. For twelve years.”
His words reverberated around the kitchen.
Logan’s head spun.He was in a coma?!
Miles’s face grew shuttered at Logan’s shocked expression. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought this?—”
“Don’t.” Logan shook his head before taking Miles’s hand again, cursing himself for his reaction. “I’m sorry. I just…wasn’t expecting you to say that.” He squeezed Miles’s fingers, his heart aching at everything he had gone through. Though he didn’t know the full details of what had happened in the aftermath of the accident, he could guess how harrowing it must have been for all those involved. Even more so for the man who sat across from him with an agonizing look in his dark eyes. “How are you doing?” Logan said after a pause. “I mean,reallydoing?”
Miles’s face tightened.
For a moment, Logan feared he would stay in the shell he’d just retreated into. Relief loosened his muscles when Miles spoke.
“Physically, I think I’m okay. Mentally?” A self-deprecating chuckle left Miles. He winced at the sound. “Mentally, I’m a mess.” His voice trembled. “I’ve slept through a third of my life. And now I’m awake again. But…everything is different.”
Miles met Logan’s gaze, his own so full of despair it rooted Logan’s legs to the ground.
“My mom,” Miles mumbled. “My friends. This world.” He looked blindly out the window before staring at his fingers as if they belonged to someone else. “Even my body feels strange to me. I—I don’t know what to do!” His breath hitched. “Oh.” Tears bloomed in his eyes. Miles blinked before wiping them hastily with the back of a hand, his face flushing. “I’m sorry, I’m not usually like?—!”
Logan finally unfroze. He leaned over and hugged Miles.
Miles stiffened.
Logan could feel Miles’s heart thundering against his ribs as he held him.
“You’re incredible, Miles,” he said quietly. “I don’t know much about coma patients, but I bet most of them wouldn’t even leave their house at this stage. It’s clear as day you’re trying everything you can to make your life normal again. You’ll be okay, Miles. I’m sure of it.” He squeezed his arms around Miles, hoping to convey the wealth of feelings crowding his chest.
Miles shuddered. He clung to Logan, the wetness of his tears soaking into Logan’s shoulder.
Blue jumped out of his basket and came over. The puppy propped his forepaws on Miles’s leg and whined.
Miles inhaled shakily and chuckled. “I’m alright, Blue.”
A keen sense of loss pierced Logan when Miles pulled away from him and bent to ruffle the dog’s ears. Blue watched Miles worriedly for a moment before returning to his basket.
“That dog already loves you,” Logan said.
Miles sniffed and wiped his cheeks with a napkin. “You think?”
Logan could tell from the way Miles was refusing to meet his eyes that he was embarrassed by what had just happened.
“I’m pretty sure.”
Something in his voice had Miles looking up.
Miles’s breath caught. His pupils dilated and his lips parted, just like they had done that day at the clinic.
This time, Logan made no attempt to hide what he was feeling for him.
Miles’s pulse beat frantically at the base of his throat when Logan gently cradled his chin with his fingers and slowly leaned in.
“Tell me if you don’t want this,” Logan whispered.
Miles blinked and kept still. His gaze dropped to Logan’s mouth.
