Page 114 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
Rowan looked up from his screen to stare at Jamison. “An hour ago, you were talking to a terrorist. Like a real fucking terrorist was on your phone.”
“And now your sister is about to have surgery while under guard,” Annabeth chastised in a low voice.
“What’s your point?” Jamison continued to observe Taylor and Carter interacting. “Look, if I can unload the pain in my ass that is Taylor on Mr. Diet Fairweather over there, it’ll be worth coming off like I’m insensitive. Besides, watching this will keep me distracted.”
Annabeth chewed on her bottom lip. “She has a point.”
Jamison stood, smoothing the wedding dress. “Better than the alternative.”
Rowan was almost too scared to ask, but did, anyway. “What’s the alternative?”
“Picture me on the floor, hyperventilating until I pass out.”
Jamison hurried off to greet Taylor and fill her in on the developments with Evie. While they chatted, Rowan tilted his head, watching as Jamison strategically included Carter in the conversation.
“You know, I've realized something,” Rowan mumbled. “Jamison is insane.”
Annabeth snuggled against him. “Oh, yeah. That's my favorite thing about her.”
He chuckled softly, kissing her forehead before refocusing on the camera feeds.
“And you better get used to it.”
He didn’t look away from the screen. “What do you mean?”
“You better get used to being around Jamison’s crazy.” Annabeth looped her arm in his, the warmth of her body giving him a break from the arctic level of air conditioning blasting its way through the waiting room. “You’ll have to deal with it for the rest of your life.”
His face almost collided with hers when he turned his head. “What are you saying?”
“Nothing you don’t already know.”
Thump. Thump. Thump.His heart slammed against his rib cage.Thump. Thump. Thump.Jesus, was he going to have a heart attack?Thump. Thump. Thump.Fuck. Maybe he was having a heart attack.
“Did you change your mind?”
“No.” She smiled sweetly. “But I’m not letting you go either.”
His heart crashed abruptly and in the most painful way. It was his own fault for thinking she'd change her mind overnight. Still, he wouldn’t make it easy for her.
“If you keep me around, expect me to keep asking,” he told her. “After I finally do ask, that is. It could be decades before I’m ready to settle down.”
“That’s fine.”
She rested her head on his shoulder, and they checked in on the OR entrances. Liam had joined Holden and was discussing something with Nurse Holly.
“I bet she’s giving him baby news,” Rowan guessed when Liam broke into a huge smile. “Yep, here he comes.”
Moments later, Liam jogged into the waiting room. “Boy. Ten pounds, ten ounces. Healthy. Evie's great, and Samuel nearly fainted.”
“Ten pounds?” Abe’s mouth dropped open. “I don’t know much about babies, but that’s pretty freaking big, right?”
“A name?” Annabeth asked, before anyone could answer Abe. “They were keeping it a secret, but did you hear what it is?”
“Albie.” Liam’s gaze landed on Ben. “Albert Benjamin Fairweather.”
Simone started to cry and reached for Ben’s hand, who was also wiping away his tears. “That’s a good name.” Ben cleared his throat, regaining control as Josie dropped into the seat next to him to pull Theo onto her lap. “A very good name.”
Witnessing Ben become emotional continued to be the weirdest thing. Hanging around Haven House for nearly a month, Rowan was getting used to it. But still, this was a private moment where Ben could have easily hidden his vulnerability, yet didn’t, and Rowan’s respect for him grew tenfold. McIntyres never showed weakness. Their grandfather hadn’t allowed it. Things began to thaw only once he was dead, and then it still took some time for everyone to feel good about being open and free with who they truly were as individuals.
