Page 9 of Falling for Brody

Chip looked at Brody and pointed at the button as if he was asking 'Is this it?'

Brody gave him a thumbs up. "That one, buddy."

Chip stood taller as if he'd grown an inch in the few seconds it had taken him to go a few feet.

With an open hand he pushed the button and held it.

Rhea took hold of her side of the gurney and tried to ignore how they were shaking. It had been a long time since someone, anyone beside her, showed Chip that kind of attention or trust.

It felt good.

It felt...

"Baby!"

Brody gave her a smile. "That's Joshua."

Rhea heard footsteps pounding on the pavement.

"Baby, shit."

Avalon looked up at Joshua who'd fallen into step with the gurney. "Josh. Language. There are little ears." She turned to look at the side of the door at Chip, but Joshua didn't look away from Avalon.

Wow.

The look in that man's eyes.

It was love.

Forever love.

Rhea swallowed, fighting back tears. She'd had that before.

And it was gone.

Chip had a dad.

And he was gone.

Rhea saw Brody's concerned gaze and dropped her own to the gurney and then the open doorway.

The staff inside was ready to receive the patient and as soon as they transferred Avalon, Rhea pulled the gurney out of the way. As she did, she saw one of the nurses walk up beside Brody and give him a big kiss on his cheek.

She was young and beautiful and the way Brody wrapped his arm around her said that they were very familiar with each other.

Something odd settled in her chest and her breath caught in her lungs, misjudging the distance to the wall.

The gurney bumped into it with a loud THUMP and Rhea wanted to melt into the floor. "Sorry."

She heard laughter behind her and even though she knew it probably wasn't directed at her personally, she felt even smaller than she had a moment before.

"Hey, hey..." Brody came up on the other side of the gurney. "Let me help. The hallways aren't exactly hospital issue."

She nodded and her gaze moved to the waiting area just inside of the doors.

Chip was sitting there on one of the chairs at a table, his legs kicking back and forth as he was reading.

"Hey, buddy."

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