I meet her eyes so she can see the truth in what I’m about to say. “I love your daughter, and I’ve never loved anyone before. To be honest, I didn’t think I ever would.”
“You haven’t known her very long,” she points out.
“You know how amazing your daughter is. Does it really surprise you that I fell so quickly?”
Her eyes soften at my words. She grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. “Promise me you won’t break her heart.”
“I promise I will never break her heart, that I will never hurt her, and that I will never cheat on her like that little bastard did.”
She nods as her eyes tear up. “Does she know how you feel?”
I smile and hand her a tissue. “She’s about to.”
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Maddie rushes in with the apple juice, looking from me to her mom and trying to figure out what in the hell is going on.
“I’m fine, honey. I’m just really happy.” She lets out a small laugh. “Can’t wait to try those experimental drugs.”
I don’t think Maddie’s fully convinced that’s all that’s going on, but she just smiles and hands her mom the drink.
“I’m staying with you tonight.” She sits in the chair, prepared to sleep in it I’m sure.
“Like hell you are,” her mom says, making me laugh. “You’re going home with Volodya, and you’re going to get some real food and a good night of rest. You can visit me tomorrow.”
Maddie starts to argue, but her mom cuts her off. “I’m serious, Maddie. I need to rest anyway, and you know I’d just worry about you being uncomfortable in that damn chair, and you can’t sleep up here with me because the last time we tried that the nurse yelled at us.”
They both laugh at the memory, and when I lift a brow, Kristy explains, “She disconnected one of the many things they make me stay hooked up to and all the nurses on duty came running in like they thought I only had minutes left to live. When they ran in to find her sprawled over me and happily snoring, they were less than pleased.”
“I wasnotsnoring,” Maddie says, but she’s laughing just as hard as her mom.
We stay for a couple more hours, keeping Kristy entertained and making sure she’s comfortable in the room and has everything she needs. Before we leave, she surprises me by pulling me down for a hug.
“Take good care of her,” she whispers.
“I promise I will,” I assure her and then tell her we’ll be back tomorrow to check on her. I give the two of them a few minutes alone, and while they’re saying their goodbyes, I order a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to her room. Hospitals are dreary enough places. There needs to be something in there to help lift her spirits.
As soon as Maddie steps out, I pull her into another hug, knowing with absolute certainty that my life has completely changed course over the last forty-eight hours, and oddly enough, I’m perfectly okay with it.
Chapter 11
Maddie
Looking in the rearview mirror, I see Volodya’s cherry-red Camaro following behind me. I’m still trying to process everything that’s happened. I went from being devastated by his silence and feeling completely rejected when I woke up in his bed alone to having him rush to me when he knew I was upset and wrapping his arms around me, comforting me in a way that makes me teary-eyed just thinking about it. It’s always just been me and my mom. I’ve been by her side through everything, holding her hand and trying to get her through it as best I can. Even when I was with Derek, he wasn’t around when I needed him. I’ve learned to be strong and to just accept that I don’t have a man to lean on and go to for comfort.
Volodya is changing everything and turning it all on its goddamn head. Feeling his arms around me and knowing that I didn’t have to go through that moment alone is threatening to break me. I give Boris a wave at the gate, trying to hide how badly I’m crying from him, but when I park in front of the garage, I lean my head against the steering wheel and give up the fight. And that’s exactly how Volodya finds me.
“Kiska,” he murmurs, reaching in and unbuckling me before gently picking me up. “She’s going to be okay, baby. I know it’s scary, but I really believe she’s going to get through this.”
I wrap my arms around him and cry harder, feeling like a jackass. I am worried about my mom, of course I am, but that’s not why I’m crying right now. I’m crying because I’m completely in love with this man, and I don’t know how in the hell I’ll survive it if I’m just a fling to him. I’m afraid to let myself be comforted by him because if it’s taken from me it’ll just hurt all the more.
He carries me inside and sets me on the counter while the dogs jump around us, sniffing all the hospital smells and whimpering with pure joy at seeing me again. I laugh and scratch behind all three sets of ears until Volodya lures them away by filling their food bowls. Coming back to me, he grabs my thighs, spreading them so he can stand between them. He cups my face and looks at me, running his thumb across my cheeks to brush away the tears.
“Talk to me,kiska.”
“Thank you for coming to the hospital. It meant a lot to me to have you there.”
“Thanks for letting me into the room.” He gives me a small smile and runs his thumb lightly over my lips. “That woman at the front counter really didn’t want to let me back there.”
“My fiancé, huh?” I say with a laugh.
