Page 8 of Heart Strain

I grab Drix’s hand and rub my thumb over his fingers absently while I look at Jameson. “He’s a pit bull. He’s that blue-gray color with a white patch on his chest, and the poor thing is missing a leg.”

“You have a three-legged dog named Peanut?”

“Yes. He’s awesome. He should be here tomorrow night, so you can meet him if you want.” I don’t even know why I said that, but whatever, he can meet Peanut if he wants to. Jameson could probably use a little Peanut love, too, honestly.

When I look at him, he smiles softly and says, “Will you eat something, please?”

Taking a deep breath, I squeeze Drix’s hand before standing, stretching, and moving to the other side of the room and sitting beside Jameson on the little couch. He hands me a plate with cheese pizza on it, and as soon as I look at it, my stomach growls.

“Thanks, Jameson. How much do I owe you? I don’t know where I put my wallet, but it’s around here somewhere.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He takes a big bite of his pizza, then wrinkles his nose in disgust. “This is awful.” He takes another bite, then sets his plate down. “Um, maybe I should ask the nurse if there’s a place that delivers.”

Shrugging, I take a bite, and he’s right, it’s absolutely horrible, but my stomach grumbles and I realize I’m starving, so I shovel in a few more bites before saying, “I’m fine, but we should probably order something else for later.” He’s staring at me, and I can’t get a read on him, so I scramble to say, “I didn’t mean that you have to stay. I understand if you need to leave. Don’t feel like you have to stay because of me—”

“I’m not going anywhere, Holden.”

* * *

When Gavin callsme to tell me he’s less than an hour away, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to leave Hendrix, but I need to get back to my brother’s place to let Gavin in and get my dog settled. But then I realize I don’t have a car, and I’m already frustrated. I’ll have to order an Uber or something.

“What’s wrong?” Jameson asks. He’s only left the room a handful of times to get food, once to go home and shower, and another time to talk to his boss—also known as his asshole uncle. He’s napped on that uncomfortable couch while I’ve tried sleeping in this chair since it reclines back. I know I look a hot mess right now, but I don’t give even one shit what I look like. Jameson got special permission from the nurses for us to stay after he realized I was about to punch out the nurse that tried to kick me out after visiting hours were over.

“I just realized I don’t have a car and I need to get back to my parents’ old house to meet Gavin since he has my dog with him.”

“I can drive you if you want.”

I hesitate because I don’t want to put him out, but I think I’d rather have him drive me than some stranger. “You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all.” He shoots me a kind smile. “Plus, I want to meet the famous Peanut.”

I snort. “Yeah, okay. Thanks, Jameson.” I feel like I’ve been thanking him a lot. I don’t know what I would’ve done if he wasn’t with me; I’m not sure I’d be holding myself together at all without him.

I kiss my brother’s forehead before we leave, and the drive to his house is quiet. Despite the fact that I’ve spent close to forty-eight hours with the guy, Jameson hasn’t said much to me. Not that I’ve felt like talking, either.

Walking into my brother’s house without him there is a little surreal. My brother now owns the house we grew up in; he’d bought me out with his half of the inheritance from our parents’ deaths, and I’d used my half to help with college and veterinary school. It’s always weird coming here because it had been my home growing up, but Drix has made it his own. It hasn’t changed much since the last time I was here, except there’s an extra chair in the living room and more pictures on the table under the mirror in the hall, but it feels different without him. It’s almost like I’m walking into a museum.

“I’m going to get some water, do you want some?” I ask Jameson.

“Sure.”

He follows me into the kitchen, and I make our glasses, then we settle in the living room, so I start flipping through channels on TV.

There’s a knock at the door, and the relief I feel at knowing Gavin and Peanut are here is tremendous. Rushing to the door, I open it and immediately get knocked back by Peanut jumping up to lick my chin. I laugh and scratch behind his ears and kiss his face because I’m just as happy to see him as he is to see me. “I’m so glad you’re here, baby boy,” I say in my baby-voice reserved for cute pets. He licks my chin and whines, so I kiss his snout before making him hop down, then I turn toward my best friend in the whole world.

Gavin shuts the door behind him, then opens his arms, and without a thought, I launch myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck as tight as I dare. He pulls me into a tight hug, and I find myself trying to hold back tears again.

After a few minutes, I mumble, “Thank you so much for coming, Gav.”

“You know I’d do anything for you, Holds.” He rubs my back, and I sink further into his touch. I didn’t realize how badly I needed it until right now.

“You give the best hugs.”

He snorts out a small laugh. “I know I do.”

I smack his shoulder without letting go of him.

After a minute, he says, “Not that I’m not enjoying this, but I really have to pee.”

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