I get up and move out of the way as he swings his long legs off the bed and attempts to stand up on his own. His muscular thighs and calves flex and his strong feet tense – and why am I looking at his feet?
Oh right, to avoid looking higher, where the short hospital gown ends, dying to know if he’s wearing anything
underneath.
Probably not.
Dear God. Why is my face so hot? He’s not even naked.
And then he pushes to his feet and sways, and I make a grab for him, snagging his arm to steady him.
“I’m okay,” he wheezes, but doesn’t push me away. His face is super pale. From the corner of my eye, I can see Matt and Octavia stepping forward, ready to catch him if he falls, and some of the worry leaves me.
His brother cares for Kaden.
He will be okay when I go. At least his family loves him, unlike mine. He won’t be alone.
Although I have Mags. And…
Kaden takes a hesitant step forward, then another. My arm is still looped around his, but nobody says anything. You could hear a pin drop in the room.
One more step, and another, and Kaden leans into me, breathing heavily. “Okay?” he rasps. “Did I pass your test?”
He sways again, and this time Matt grabs his other arm before he can fall.
“Yeah, you made your point, bro. Now let’s get you back to bed until your discharge papers come through, okay?”
Kaden says nothing, his face white, and his eyes close when we drag him back to bed and lay him down on it. “I’m getting out,” he wheezes.
“Yeah, yeah,” Matt grumbles. “Now be a good boy and eat your Jell-O when the nurse comes in, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“You’re a good brother,” Kaden whispers, and Matt freezes on his way to the door.
He turns slowly and stares at his brother. “I’ll be damned. You had to fall on your head to be less of an asshole.”
“Fuck you,” Kaden says, and cracks a wobbly grin. He even finds the energy to give Matt the finger. “Get out.”
Matt laughs and leaves, dragging his girl with him. “I’ll send mom in.”
“Asshole.” And he smiles.
This is it. It’s official.
I’ll never understand men.
Matt is as good as his word. Kaden’s mom comes in and says goodbye, making him promise to take it easy and let me drive.
We’re taking a cab but she shoots me a look when I open my mouth, so I close it again.
Then she pulls me out of the room and grips my hands, her eyes anxious. “He shouldn’t be let out. He still can’t remember that you split up. The doctors say it’s not normal.”
“It will come back to him,” I reassure her.
“He still loves you, you know,” she stage-whispers, and I swear that the two nurses passing by are staring at us. “He never loved a girl before you.”
I look away, not letting her see my stupid eyes fill up again. “Yeah, well. Sometimes things don’t work out.”
“But you’re here. Maybe it’s a sign.”