Things went downhill after that. Katie lost it. She demanded clothes so she could sign out of the hospital to go… that’s right, upstairs where they wanted to send her anyway.
The nurse came in a few minutes later. The tirade escalated further until the nurse fetched the doctor, who would admit Katie once she saw Jackson.
I thought they were both being ridiculous. The doctor was delusional if he thought Katie was going to do anything other than what she wanted. She wasn’t a diva, but she and Jackson were nuts for each other.
I didn’t have room to talk cause if it were Declan or Marcie, I wouldn’t be any different. Hell, I’d probably be tearing the hospital apart brick by brick to get to them.
When she finally settled down and climbed back into the bed, she asked if she would be living it down. And I couldn’t help myself.
“Nope, Kit Kat. Never. First, we get to hear you say “fuck” and then we get to see you roll over and ask for belly scratches when the good doctor puts you in your place. I’d say that’s good for at least a few years of jokes and ribbing.”
I would make sure she never did live it down. I’d remind her of it every day of her life if I had to. Just to keep her feet on the planet. We couldn’t have stardom going to her head.
31
MARCIE
When Hayden hung up, my face burned with… not embarrassment, because I refused to be ashamed of how I felt about them or what I liked. But outing myself as a girl to Hayden and Declan’s family and friends the way I had, yeah that made for some niggling moments of shyness.
Although, looking across the patio to where Priest lounged as he argued with Jackson’s cousin, Bauer, as Bauer’s twin, Asher, tried and failed to contain his laughter, I didn’t think I had anything to worry about. The twins had been good-natured about us encroaching on their territory when we just showed up out of nowhere earlier.
Cameron dropped onto the foot of the lounge chair I’d claimed for myself.
“There’s no need to be shy or embarrassed.”
I looked up at him through my lashes. He didn’t seem put off by me calling his friend ‘Papi’ or the friend’s husband, ‘Daddy’.
“I don’t want to intrude on their relationship.”
“You aren’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I know Hayden. I know the struggles they had when they met. And I’m getting to know Declan again. They are happy together, but they aren’t a great fit. They need someone who can provide some softness to counteract all that raging masculinity they’ve got going on.”
Chewing my lip, I wondered if they’d confided in him. I couldn’t ask outright, so I picked at the fabric of my leggings as I said, “I love talking with them individually, but it’s those moments when the three of us are talking that I feel…”
“Complete and at peace?”
“Yeah. We haven’t known each other long, but what little time I spent with them… that’s exactly how I felt. Even when they pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
He laughed, saying, “What you mean is whenHaydenpushes you out of your comfort zone. Because the man wouldn’t know a precision attack unless it bit him in the ass, he’s the personification of blunt force.”
I giggled, then nodded in agreement. That was the perfect analogy. Declan was a scalpel. Hayden was a bat? No. A bat is too subtle. A hammer. A sledgehammer.
Knees drawn up to my chest, I cackled at the image. I might just buy him one if I ever get the chance to see them again.
“Lucia calls him a bull in a china shop.”
I looked up at Priest as he, Asher, and Bauer joined us. A snicker lodged in my throat, and I snorted while gasping for air. I could totally see it. Hayden’s laughing, mischievous eyes in an enormous bull with gigantic horns sticking outta either side of its head, making a beautiful mess of everything in its path while Declan and I looked on.
“You gonna share with the rest of the class, princess, or leave us all out in the cold with nothing funny to keep our minds busy?”
“Hayden… a bull… big horns…” I held my hands up next to my ears, and tossed my head as I laughed so hard I snorted.
Several times.
But no one seemed to be paying attention because they were all hunched over, clutching their sides, snorting too.
