Page 124 of When You Wish Upon a Wideout

“Goshowerat least,” Grace told her mother before looking at Molly. “People don’t appreciate hair until they don’t have it anymore.”

A shower at his place is better than one that’s basically over the toilet,Sienna thought to herself. “You don’t mind?” she asked Beau. “Henry should be here soon.”

“Go,” Beau said. “I have a call later, but I’ve got time.” He smiled.

“Time to get your ass handed to you, Walker.”

“Grace,” Sienna warned, standing and offering Beau a grateful smile. “I’ll only be gone an hour.” Beau’s apartment was a ten-minute walk from the hospital. “But if Henry comes before I’m back, go. You’ve spent too much time here.”

And you don’t have to. But I really, really love that you did.

Sienna bumped into Luella as she made her way to the elevator. “I’m just running out for an hour. Beau is there, and Henry—”

“Beau has been here since seven thirty this morning,” Luella told her.

Sienna didn’t know if the nurse was about to lecture her since it technically was outside of visiting hours and he wasn’t family, but Luella’s face softened into a big smile.

“It’s nice to see you have someone on your team. You know I adore your brother but... well, you know... ”

Sienna pushed the button. “I do.”

“Do you though?” Luella asked.

Sienna shook her head, not understanding.

“I heard about the Disney trip. And when I clocked in this morning, the ladies told me he was playing catch with a few kids with a ball he made from tape. And what he’s been doing for my Damien every week... well, we’re all thankful for Beau. Kind one, that man. I hope you really do know.”

I do.The elevator dinged, and Sienna stepped in. “I’ll see you in a bit, alright?”

Sienna felt guilty twenty minutes later because, standing beneath the heavy stream of hot water in Beau’s shower, she secretly wished her break from the hospital was longer. But after washing her hair twice and lathering herself with Beau’s body wash, she finally turned the water off, drying her body and wrapping herself in the big, fluffy bathrobe hanging by the shower.

She picked up her phone from where she had left it on the bed, smiling at Beau’s message.

Henry’s here. I’m heading to you so I can steal one kiss for payment. Then I’ll send you back.

Sienna typed back curiously.Payment for what?

Beau responded immediately.These two are running around the floor blabbing about how they handed my ass to me at Scrabble. Make it a good kiss I’ve got a bruised ego.

Sienna lay back on the bed, taking a deep breath and inhaling Beau right off her skin after using his body wash. “I love that smell,” she said aloud before sitting and looking at her phone.

Her phone vibrated in her hand, but instead of a text message, it was a low-battery notification. She stood, walked to the other side of the bed where Beau’s charger was, and reached for it, placing her phone down. Her eyes noticed a small Post-it with Beau’s handwriting.

Call GPF/Janet re Disney transport.

Sienna fingered the post it.

I love him.I love him so much.

Sienna opened the nightstand, wanting to find the pad and a pen to leave Beau a note telling him just that. But the only paper in the drawer was a folded sheet with Beau’s name written across it.

Sienna’s eyes narrowed when she recognized the swoop of Grace’s half-cursive, half-print writing spelling out Beau’s name. The towel she had wrapped around her hair unwound with her head tilted in question, and Sienna pulled it off with one hand while she grabbed the paper with the other.

Dear Mr. Walker,

Alright, I’ll be honest. I don’t really care that much about football. Don’t take that personally. I’m sure you’re a greatwide receiver, even if your record this season tells me otherwise. But the truth is, the day I decided to submit my application to the Golden Penny Foundation was the day I found out two important things: 1) my stem cell transplant worked, and even though I wasn’t cancer free right then and there, the doctors were happy and 2) my uncle Henry bought me tickets to the Simon Gorges concert this spring, and that’s what I was going to ask for in the first place. I would’ve asked for backstage passes but I refuse to meet him without my own hair.

Another thing happened that night. I got up to use the bathroom (sorry for the TMI), and when I walked down the hall, heard my mom crying. It wasn’t a happy cry, you’ll have to trust me on that. I like to think I know her best. The truth is, she cries a lot. Like a lot, even though she’ll never admit it. I hate to make her sound so sad, but she just issosad.

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