Page 16 of Rockstar Baby Daddy

“You thought I’d comeafterthe surgery? Silly boy.” He shook his head. “Good thing you have some concerned people in your life who knew you’d want me here earlier.” His light blue gaze slid quickly to Suzie and back to me. “You feeling all right, Gavin?”

I nodded and lifted my arm for a thumbs up. There was some pain, but it wasn’t even as painful as a tattoo. Mostly I was still groggy from the anesthesia.

“Good. Great. Glad to hear it.” Granddaddy clapped his hands together and turned a smile toward Dr. Parnell. “How long until I can spring my grandson from this place?”

Dr. Parnell glanced at the clock above the door. “An hour or two and he’ll be good to go home.”

“All right. I saw a grocery store on my way to the hospital.” Granddaddy turned to Suzie with a glint of humor in his eyes. “Don’t suppose this place has a cab service or Uber?” The old man wasn’t as clever as he thought, at least not if Suzie’s knowing grin was anything to go by.

“There is, sure, but I can give you a lift myself.” At Granddaddy’s confused look, Suzie sighed. “Gavin’s car is being repaired and he can’t speak which means he can’t tell you who’s been driving him all over town since he arrived.”

Granddaddy frowned. “Not the Bel Air you just won?”

I nodded, a sheepish expression on my face.

“Damn foolish kids. That car is a classic, you gotta treat her the same way you’d treat a woman you know is too good for you.”

Dr. Parnell let out a laugh, which he promptly covered with a cough. “I’ll have to tell my wife that the next time she complains about how much time I spend tinkering with my ’66 Malibu.”

“No kidding?” Granddaddy’s eyebrows lifted in shock. “I’d love to lay eyes on her, if that’s not oversteppin’.”

“Not at all. It’ll be nice to have someone other than Ryan who appreciates her.” The doctor turned to me, an amused expression on his face. “Gavin and I will discuss post-surgical care while you two run errands.”

“Sounds good, Doc.” Granddaddy clapped him on the shoulder and laid a heavy hand on my leg. “See you real soon, Gavin. Can’t wait to see your new place.” He held his arm out to Suzie, ever the gentleman, and laughed when she took it with a surprised gasp.

“I see where your grandson gets his charm.”

GD laughed and shook his head as he walked out of my room with my girl on his arm. “Only thing he didn’t get from me was that golden voice of his. That was all my wife, rest her soul.”

“She was a singer?” Suzie asked and leaned in, eager to know more. She might think it was only because she was fan, but I knew better.

When they were out of seeing and hearing range, I turned back to Dr. Parnell and sighed.

“Don’t worry, Gavin. You only have to stay quiet for the next two days. Then you can start to use your voice again, slowly and carefully. The silence will only last forty-eight hours.”

Forty-eight hours. Might as well be a lifetime.

An hour later, Granddaddy returned wearing a bright smile with no bags. And no Suzie. He only had a small dry erase board and a marker. “Ready to blow this joint?”

I nodded and sat up to swing my legs over the bed. It had taken some time, but the grogginess was gone, along with the pain.

“Here you go. Got you one of those boards for talking. Miss Suzie said it would make sure you didn’t use your voice for the next couple days.” He handed it over and flashed a brighter smile. “I like her. She’s cute and smart as hell, and she doesn’t take any shit from anyone. Can’t wait to hear what’s going on with the two of you.” He winked like it was some secret just between us.

“Friends,” I wrote furiously and shook my head. Suzie would kill me if the whole world found out.

“Yeah, right, and I’m the Duke of Earl.”

I underlined the word again and shoved the board in his face.

“If you say so,” his voice boomed again and he looked around the room that was empty except for us. “We’ll talk about it at home.”

“How will we get there?”

“Oh that? Yourfriend, Suzie has offered to drive us home when you’re discharged. Said you’ve been driving a pickup truck loaner from the auto shop?”

I nodded and scribbled another note. “Stick shift.”

“Dammit. The arthritis in my right hand is too bad to fiddle with that.”

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