Page 33 of Cluelessly Yours

Gavin and I look at each other, almost as if we have to confer on the answer, and I laugh nervously when Brooke’s eyes taper even further.

A cell phone starts ringing, and all three of us scramble to double-check if it’s ours as Grant stirs a little.

“I’m so sorry.” Gavin frowns as he pulls his phone out of his jacket pocket and wiggles it slightly to let us know it’s his before checking the screen. “This is work,” he says and meets my eyes. “You mind if I take this into the waiting room, Sammy?”

“Take all the time you need.”

He offers my sister one last smile, even whispering, “It was really nice to meet you, Brooke,” just before he steps out of the room to answer the call.

As soon as the door closes behind him, Brooke doesn’t waste any time. She waddles her pregnant ass over to me and grabs both of my shoulders, shaking. “What the bleeping bleep is going on here?” she whisper-yells. She’s angry, but she’s considerate of Grant.

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean?”Her voice rises as she repeats my question with enough sarcasm to make a good stand-up comedian proud. “If I recall,youweren’t interested in dating, but tonight, I find you in this hospital room in the middle of a two-man sandwich. From no men to two men? Dang, Sammy. When you make a move, you really make a move.”

“Oh my God,” I retort on a sigh. “I’m not dating either of them.”

She quirks a brow.

“I’m not!” I exclaim. “Noah works here, and yes, while I was out to dinner with Gavin, I wouldn’t say we’re dating. I’ve already told him that I’m not ready to be dating right now.”

“I love cheese fries!” Grant cries, startling both Brooke and me, but whenwe look down to find his eyes still closed, my sister goes right back to her interrogation.

“So…” She pauses and searches my eyes. “Tonight, you went on yourfirst datein years with Gavin?”

I cringe. “Technically speaking, it was my second date in years.”

“What?” she exclaims. “Who else have you dated?”

“Relax. Both dates were with Gavin,” I answer and cross my arms over my chest. “And frankly, they weren’t even full dates. Both were interrupted halfway through.”

“You’ve gone on two dates with the same guy?” she questions and narrows her eyes at me. “And you haven’t told meanything? I am seriously livid right now, Sam.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“How am I dramatic?” She gestures wildly in front of her with both of her hands. “You’ve been on two dates with a man you’ve told menothingabout, and you’re standing there acting like you’re not dating. Get real, sis.”

“It’s just dinner, Brookie,” I explain. “Nothing serious is going on.”

“So, you’re not really dating Gavin, even though you’re going on dinner dates with him?” she questions like a real judgmental hag. “And what about Noah?”

“What do you mean, what about Noah?” I retort. “He’s here tonight because he works here.”

Don’t forget about the almost-kiss, my mind taunts like a real b-i-t-c-h. Obviously, I ignore it. That’s the last damn thing I’m going to tell my currently riled-up sister about. Lord knows she’d flip her shit.

“Seriously, Sammy?” Brooke questions, but it’s not a question at all. It’s her version of chastising me. “You can’t be that dense,” she adds on a scoff, and it’s my turn to narrow my eyes at her.

“Excuse me?” My claws are officially out. “How am I dense?”

She searches my skeptical gaze, but eventually, she lets out a big sigh. “Just forget it.”

“No, I don’t think we should just forget it,” I counter and drop my voice to a whisper. “Actually, I think we need to talk about the fact that you keep acting like Noah is the perfect man for me, but he’s never asked me out. Not to mention, in the past week alone, I’ve seen him out on two different occasions with two different—and very pretty, mind you—women. Trust me, Brookie. The man has a lot of options, and I’m not on his radar as being one of them.”

“What? When did you see him out?” she questions, but three knocks to Grant’s recovery room door stop the conversation on a dime.

“Hello,” Dr. McCormick greets as he steps inside the room. “How are we doing in here?”

I discreetly let out a deep exhale, releasing the stress the conversation with my sister just pushed inside my chest, and force a smile on my lips. “He’s still a little sleepy but doing pretty well.”

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