Page 76 of Fallout
She stared at the man who’d become her friend, her confidant, in the last few weeks, and hoped he was right. There were days when she believed she’d made the right choices, and days where she thought she had done everything wrong. “Sometimes I wish I could change things, go back and do it all differently. And others…other times I think there was no right way to do what had to be done.”
“Hold on to those last words. They’re true for everything. There is no right way to do anything, only the way we think is the best at the time with the information we have.”
“Are you my counselor now?” She smiled.
“If you need. Although I find friendship is often the best medicine any nurse can give his or her patients.”
“Then I’m glad I’m your patient.”
“Me too.” Gavin pushed up, towering over her in the wheelchair. “Now. Let’s go see what they want.”
“Is anyone else in there?” Often the lounge was filled with patients and their visitors. Mallory had rarely been in there over the last six weeks, but each time there had been others already in the room or who came in soon after.
“It’s lunch time. Everyone is in their room or out in one of the courtyards. I’ll make sure you aren’t disturbed if that’s what you want.”
“Maybe we should do this in my room.”
“We’ll start in the lounge. See how things go. Okay?”
Mallory nodded. “Okay.”
Steeling her spine, she sat straight, her eyes forward, pinned to the door between her and the Conners men. Gavin pushed her at a steady pace that she wanted to be faster and slower in equal measure. There were so many unresolved feelings between her and Jacob but she couldn’t deny anticipation thrummed through her.
And she couldn’t wait to see Maddox.
She’d missed him so much. The last time she’d seen him was the night she’d made them dinner after Jacob had fired the nanny. He’d never come out of the bedroom at the hotel the day Renee had barged in waving around a gun, and even though Mallory would have given anything to see Maddox that day, she would be forever grateful she hadn’t.
She would never have wanted him to be in Renee’s sights, especially with the way things had turned out.
“I’m going to wheel you in and stay. I won’t leave you alone unless you ask me to. Just say the word and I’ll get you out of here and back to your room.”
Mallory looked up at Gavin. “Thank you.”
“Anything for my favorite patient.”
She smiled. “You only say that because I have your favorite food delivered most days.”
“No, that just means you’reeveryone’sfavorite patient.” Smiling at her, he said, “Now, let’s get in there and see what’s up.”
Taking a deep breath, Mallory held it the whole time Gavin turned her wheelchair so he could open the door with his back and reverse them into the room. When the door closed behind them and he turned them around, her gaze landed on the little boy playing on the floor with a toy helicopter.
Her breath rushed out, her heart aching at the sight of dark brown locks that had gotten longer since she’d seen him. The strands curled a little on the ends and she wondered how soft they’d feel if she brushed her hand over them.
“Lory.”
The breathy word had her gaze flicking to the side, to the man standing, his back to the window behind him. His hair had grown too, except the ends didn’t curl like his son’s; they stretched down and flirted with the collar of his t-shirt. A t-shirt that molded to his chest like a second skin and tucked into a pair of jeans that hugged his body as closely as his shirt.
“I—” He swallowed hard, his gaze moving to the chair she sat in, her leg. Air rushed out of his chest and his next words were barely a murmur. “It’s good to see you.”
She hadn’t known how tense she was, how frightened he’d yell at her, tell her he hated her, until those words had filled her ears. A smile of relief pulled at her mouth. “It’s good to see you both, too.”
“I didn’t know if I should call first…”
“No. I’m allowed visitors any time between nine and nine.”
“I didn’t mean…” He scrubbed a hand over his whiskered chin and she imagined she could hear a scraping sound. “I meant I didn’t know if you’d want to see me after…”
“I would never not want to see you or Maddox.” She glanced at the boy who’d finally taken his eyes off his helicopter. Smiling, she said, “Hello, Maddox.”
