Page 29 of Just One Kiss

“That guy’s a creep,” Jaden said.

“No, he’s not,” Carly argued. “He has a really good reputation around the hospital.”

“Sure he does.” Jaden groaned as he jumped off the exam table.

“You will follow his advice until we know if you have a medical issue,” Carly said.

Jaden pulled the door open and Carly followed him into the hallway, Josh close behind. To an onlooker, they may have looked like an actual family.

They walked past the nurses’ station and out into the lobby, where Carly pushed the button for the elevator and they waited for their escape.

“So, I suppose you’ll be heading back to Chicago now?” she asked without looking at Josh.

Jaden crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the light above the elevator, which was apparently sitting on the fourth floor.

“No,” Josh said. “I think I’ll hang out until we get everything sorted out.”

“Why?” Carly hadn’t intended the question to come out with that horrified tone, but that’s exactly how it sounded. “I mean, what about work? Jaden says you work all the time.”

“I told you, I want to make sure you guys are okay.”

She shot him a look as the elevator arrived and the doors opened. Jaden got in and Josh followed, leaving her standing there alone.

“You coming?” Josh asked.

She hesitated another second, then stepped inside. “I can give you an update, or you could even come back in a week for the follow-up appointment.”

Josh pushed the number 1 and the elevator doors closed. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to get rid of me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and drew in what was meant to be a calming breath, that did not do its job.

“I was thinking about renting a place for a few weeks,” Josh said. “I think it’s important that I’m here.”

“Nowyou think it’s important that you’re here?”

The elevator opened to reveal the lobby in front of them.

“Yeah, Carly,” Josh said. “Is that okay with you? If I want to make sure my kid is all right?”

Jaden walked out. “This’ll be fun.”

Fun.Right.

They stepped out of the elevator and Carly put a hand on Josh’s arm while Jaden continued toward the front door. “We can’t spend the next few weeks fighting. It’s not good for him. We need to do everything we can to keep his stress levels down.”

“Then stop fighting with me,” Josh said. “Let me be here for him if he needs me.”

She exhaled a sharp breath.

“I’m not going to flake out on you guys,” he said.

“It’s not ‘us guys.’ It’s just Jaden. I don’t need or want anything from you, got it?”

Josh’s eyes scanned hers, something he’d always done, as if he could see straight down into her soul. “Look, Carly, I know you’re scared. You don’t have to hold it together one hundred percent of the time.”

She took a step back. “That’s exactly what I have to do, Josh. Because I’m the parent. And when you’re the parent, you don’t get to fall apart.”

He stilled. “Well, you can let me be the strong one for a change.”

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