Page 98 of Designed for Disaster

I gave him a wry grin. “She’s definitely warming to the idea.”

31

TRENT

Hospitals were all the same—dull, grey spaces that smelled of bleach and vomit. Even looking around Dee’s private room, dressed up with flowers and cards, I couldn’t shake the unease that settled over me. I’d spent far too much time in hospitals with Papa Davis, crowding around a bed with scratchy white sheets and machines that were constantly beeping and whirring.

“You look nervous.”

Surgery day. Of course I was damn nervous! But I glanced over at Dee, forcing a smile. “You seem weirdly calm.”

“I am,” she said thoughtfully, flipping through the briefing package I’d brought to distract her. The new sustainable line was in full swing, and with the final furniture designs approved, marketing had put together a spread for Dee to enjoy. “I’m ready.”

I didn’t want to think about what that meant. What itcouldmean. She was ready for surgery. Ready to take the leap. To facerecovery head on. But also…was she ready for what happened if this surgery went sideways? If she didn’t survive the procedure?

She reached out her hand, and I took it. It felt worryingly frail. Dee had always been this larger-than-life persona. I’d always looked up to her. Now, looking down at her, she seemed so tiny and vulnerable. I wanted to sweep her away from here. To find a cure that didn’t involve a risky surgery to prolong her life. I’d been so caught up in getting Dee to agree to the treatment, I’d hardly taken a moment to consider what would happen if the thing that was supposed to save her failed. Had I pushed her into making the wrong decision?

Dee squeezed my hand. “I’m only going to say this once, and then we’re not going to talk about it again. I’ve made my peace with the decision.Iwant this surgery, Trent. And whatever happens, it’s going to be okay.You’regoing to be okay.”

A bout of emotion caught me, swelling uncomfortably in my chest. I managed a nod as someone knocked on the door. I turned to see Natasha and Jimmy waltz through the door, shoulders snow-dusted, coffees in hand.

Jimmy flitted to Dee’s side, and she made a show of shivering as he hugged her.

“Hello, you,” Natasha said, stretching up on her toes to peck me on the cheek. I inhaled her familiar scent, letting the cold from her skin leach into mine, stifling some of the red-hot worry that coursed through me. She handed me a steaming cup of coffee.

“Where’s mine?” Dee asked jokingly.

“No coffee for the patient,” Natasha apologized. She bent over and kissed Dee’s cheek in greeting. It warmed the spacesbetween my ribs. “Nurse’s orders. And I never mess with the nurses.”

“Good thing too,” a voice said. “Because we know where they keep the good pudding.” Rhonda, a middle-aged woman with enough bite to make even my mother tremble in her designer boots, walked in, hands in the pockets of her scrubs. She caught my eye, then flicked her head toward the door.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“I’m not in the business of making exceptions,” she said, poking the laminated sign on the wall that read THREE VISITORS MAX. I frowned. Last I checked, Natasha, Jimmy, and I made three. “But Dee’s a sweet lady. So I’m gonna look the other way for the next ten minutes. As long as you keep it quiet. Got it?”

I had no idea what she was talking about until she shoved the door open, and the Lost Boys and company came tromping in. I couldn’t help the little laugh of disbelief that tumbled from my lips as Hailey exclaimed, “Nana Dee, look at my braids!”

Rhonda cocked her head and gave us a stern look. “Ten minutes. Then I’ll be back to kick you all out!”

“What are you all doing here?” Dee exclaimed.

“You didn’t think we’d miss the party, did you?” Aiden asked. He glanced at me, and I knew I shouldn’t have expected anything less. I looked around the room, now packed to the brim with the people Dee loved most in the world. The peopleIloved most.

Natasha wound her arm around my back, squeezing.

Vincent plopped Violet on the corner of Dee’s bed, and she babbled, balling up the blanket in her fists. Dee beamed,opening her arms as Violet crawled toward her, immediately going for her glasses.

Piper scooped her up, blowing a raspberry on her cheek. “She’s obsessed with eyewear.”

“Probably because Vincent keeps dressing her up like she’s inTop Gunwhen you’re not around,” Cora noted.

“She loves her aviator sunglasses! And how is it my fault that Burberry makes a leather baby bomber?” Vincent said.

The group laughed, bringing up photos on their phones to show Dee exactly what kind of shenanigans Vincent and Violet got up to. Hailey took up Violet’s spot at Dee’s side, snuggling in for her own hug. Dee rocked her back and forth, pressing a kiss to her brow. Before we knew it, Rhonda had returned, clearing her throat to politely give us all the boot so they could prep Dee for surgery.

Jimmy leaned over to hug Dee again. I swallowed hard, watching her squeeze him with all her strength and tell him that she loved him. The Lost Boys and their families filtered through next, giving hugs and kisses, wishing Dee good luck and making plans to visit after the surgery.

After surgery…My heart was barely beating.

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