Page 179 of The Holiday Clause
She understood and shoved the truck into park. “Switch.” Climbing over the console, she shoved him out the door. He rushed to the passenger side as she threw it into drive before he was even seated.
“I never meant to ruin anything for you.”
“You didn’t. None of that matters now.”
He looked down, confused how he ended up in the passenger seat. “I love you, Wren. You’re it for me. I can’t do this without you.”
She glanced at him, face tense and tears glistening in her eyes. “I know, Grey. I know. I love you, too.”
Not the way he loved her. She didn’t realize how many times he’d wanted to give up and disappear. She gave him a reason to keep coming back, to keep breathing. She gave him something to hope for. He just kept thinking, if he did better, made something of himself…Maybe she could love him.
The truck whipped into the hospital parking lot before he was ready to face the next step. “We’re here.”
“I don’t know the room number?—“
“Four-twenty-six.” He frowned and she shrugged. “What? I visited.”
She’d visited? When?
They rushed inside. The elevator was cramped and muffled in a way that made his brain itch. His clothes turned heavy and tight. He tugged at his collar, having a hard time swallowing.
Wren’s hand curled around his, and warmth spread up his arm. He looked down at her, his grip tightening around her dainty fingers.
The elevator pinged and the door opened. Soren was there, pacing the halls like a caged animal. “It’s about fucking time.”
A second set of elevators opened and Logan rushed out. They must have just missed him in the lobby. “Where is he?”
“They took him for scans.”
Wren released Greyson’s hand and he went momentarily deaf. His brothers wore matching expressions from when their mom died. Panic welled inside him as he drifted outside reality. She hugged Soren and Logan, then her hand was back in his.
Safe.
“What happened?”
Soren detailed events using words like pressure and erratic. They all knew this was coming. According to doctors, it was inevitable.
Greyson watched Wren nod, her responses genuine and unguarded. When her hand tightened around his, so did his concern. He pulled her close. Comforting her somehow eased his own fear.
They moved to a waiting room filled with blue chairs. Wren sat between him and Logan, holding both their hands. Soren paced by the door.
When more than an hour had passed, she quietly stood. He didn’t want to let her go, but couldn’t find words to call her back.
She approached Soren and pressed a gentle hand on his back, whispering something private into his brother’s ear. Mesmerized, Greyson watched as Soren fell apart, turning to Wren and hugging her tightly. Then he wiped his tears and immediately apologized. Even in crisis, Hawthorne men weren’t supposed to show emotion.
But Wren gripped his face and pressed her forehead to his. “You’re allowed to cry, Soren. He’s your father.”
His brother’s breath audibly shook. That’s what she did. She made others feel right, even when everything felt wrong.
Beside him, Logan sniffed and panic surged through Greyson.
He should bolt. He should get on the elevator, get the hell out of this hospital, and head straight for the harbor. He could get on a ship and disappear. Wren could go with him.
But she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t leave Bodhi, or The Haven, or even his brothers. She always toughed out the difficult stuff, no matter how hard things got.
“Grey?” Wren stood in front of him, hands wringing at her waist, eyes full of concern.
He blinked. Where did Logan and Soren go?
