Adios Pantalones (Fisher Brothers 3)

The woman gave us a curious look, probably thinking our reunion seemed over the top.

“I missed you too. Mama said you were someplace far away, and that’s why I couldn’t give you your drawing yet. You liked the cape best, though, right? I told her you would.”

I propped him on my hip as he talked a mile a minute, filling me in on what had happened in his life lately. My heart swelled with so much emotion, I was afraid it would fucking burst.

“Matson, who’s your friend?” The woman who looked way too much like my Sofia focused her gaze on me.

“This is Ryan. Mama’s boyfriend. You know.” Matson shrugged, completely unaware of why he was here at the hospital.

I placed Matson on his feet and extended a hand to Sofia’s mom. “It’s nice to meet you. Is she okay?”

“You too, Ryan. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Mira,” she said before glancing over her shoulder. “And that’s my husband, Craig.” She pointed at the burly man hovering around the check-in desk, looking as anxious and worried as I felt. “We’re waiting to find out. They said she’s still being examined. Do you know what happened?”

I glanced down at Matson, who watched me with rapt attention. “I do, but—” I stopped myself from saying anything, not wanting Matson to hear this.

“Is Mama okay?” He looked up at his grandmother with big eyes.

She gave him a reassuring smile and kissed the top of his head. “We’ll know soon.”

The kid was smart, I’d give him that. He saw right through her. Within seconds, his eyes welled with tears.

“Hey, hey,” I said, crouching in front of him to focus his attention on me. “The guys in the ambulance told me she’d be okay. She just didn’t feel good, so they gave her something to help her sleep.”

“Okay,” he said before leaning his head against my shoulder and yawning.

Sofia’s mom stared at me. “You two kind of look alike,” she said with a grin, and Matson’s head shot up.

“It’s the eyes. Mine are blue just like Ryan’s.”

“You’re right. They are.” She smiled at him before looking back at me. “I need to know what happened,” she whispered, and I nodded.

“Not here.” I nodded toward Matson, and she understood.

The hospital doors slid open, and a bunch of people walked in all at once. It took me a minute before I realized that it was my brothers, their girlfriends, and Grant.

“Ryan!” Nick called out as I pushed up from the chair and hugged my younger brother. “Are you okay?” he asked, and I nodded.

Frank grabbed me next, pulling me into a tight hug. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Who’s watching the bar?” I asked, suddenly realizing that if they were all here, then no one was there.

“I closed it,” Frank said, and when I asked him how, Nick laughed.

“He went old school. Just wrote a note and taped it on the door. It probably blew off the second you walked away.”

Frank shrugged. “I don’t care.”

“Glad you’re okay.” Grant stepped forward and patted me on the back. “Is our angel all right?”

“They said she would be, but we haven’t heard anything yet.”

A look passed between us, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. The last time we were in a hospital together, it was for him. Who would have thought we’d be back so soon, and for Sofia this time?

“Oh my gosh, is this Matson? Are you Matson?”

Claudia bypassed me and headed straight for the cutest boy in the room. He clung shyly to his grandmother for only a second before putting out his hand for her to shake.

She took it and said, “I’m Claudia. I’m, um . . . Frank’s girlfriend.”