“Oops, Mike’s on Nurse Sally’s shit list,” I say, laughing.
Now she’s laughing too, her straight teeth pearly white against her flawless brown skin. “I’d pop you on the head for that, but I’m a kind and gentle soul.”
“Sureyou are…”
I dig in the pocket of my shorts and pull out a Fireball, unwrap it, and pop it into my mouth as I’m pushed outside. We stand under cover as Mike rushes out into the rain to retrieve his truck.
“Don’t give that boyfriend of yours a hard time,” she admonishes me.
“I’m a saint.”
She scoffs. “Sureyou are,” she says, using my words against me.
Once Mike pulls his truck up, he and Sally help me get into the passenger seat, as if I were an invalid or something. Ridiculous. But if it makes them feel better.
“Bye, Sally…ma’am. Thanks for taking such good care of me.”
“I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not.”
Mike closes the door as she waves me off. I buckle up, and Mike climbs in, doing the same. Suddenly, the air is heavy with seriousness and tension again. I don’t know where he’s taking me, but afterward, there needs to be a talk between us. I can’t stand seeing him so stressed out. It hurts me.
We don’t go far as we drive through a neighborhood, not far from where I live. Mike pulls his truck over to the side, puts it in Park, and jumps out. Then he rushes to the other side with my crutches and helps me out.
“Be careful through here,” he says. “There’s a lot of plant growth and rocks.”
I get my crutches tucked under me. At least the rain has stopped, but the area is muddy. We walk through the area surrounded by trees, butthe center of the plot is covered in plant life. Flanking either side are two homes, but they’re barely visible through the dense growth and trees.
Mike stands in the middle and spins around with his arms out. “Well, what do you think? It’s for sale. It’s about a half acre. Not much, but it’s about all I can afford.”
I look around and grin. “It’s beautiful here. Are you seriously going through with building your own house, then?”
He grins back, looking so much better than earlier. I’ve wanted him to smile like that forever. “Yep. I wanted something closer to the beach, but that shit is three times as much money. I need something affordable to build my house on, because that won’t be cheap either. I’ve been saving every nickel and dime after Mom and I pay the bills. I’ve managed to save a decent-sized nest egg along with my dad’s insurance money. I’ll finance the rest if I have to.”
“God, Mike. That’s fucking amazing. It’s going to be gorgeous; I just know it. You’re so good with your hands and building things.”
He steps up to me and rests his hands on my hips. “When it’s done, I’d like you to live with me. As in, I want it to beourhome, where we build a life together.” He looks at me expectantly, biting his bottom lip nervously. But he doesn’t have to be nervous. There’s nothing I’d rather do than live with Mike and build a home and a life together. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and that he wants it, too... Fuck, I can’t describe how that feels.
“You don’t need to ask twice. I’d love that,” I blurt, but before I can jump him and kiss the hell out of him, he holds me back.
“Before we do anything, I… need to talk to you.”
I nod slowly. “Yeah, I figured.”
“I’m so sorry about last night. When I showed up, I was so fucked in the head. The longer I was there, the worse it got. At first, I couldn’t figure out why. Yousaidyou were okay, but it was like my mind couldn’tprocess it. Still, I had this desperation to see you just to be sure, but instead, I fucking ran. Eventually, all I could see was your death and… Dad’s.
“Oh, God, Mike…” I reach for his face, balancing on one leg. “That must’ve been terrifying. Honestly, I assumed that’s what happened when Dad said you’d left the hospital.”
He huffs a humorless laugh, his eyes pinned to mine. “You’ve always seen and understood me, Den.” He sighs, pulling me closer against him, mindful of my crutches. “I was freaking out, terrified I’d lose you like I lost him. Then I realized I really never grieved over my dad. I just went through the motions of living and taking care of Mom. Last night, I was brought back to my loss and Mom’s grief, and how visceral it was. I just couldn’t fucking take it. If I lost you, I know it would fucking kill me. You’re everything to me, Den.Everything,” he croaks.
My eyes water along with his. “And you’re everything to me.”
“Who knows how long I cried. Then Mom and I had a long talk about everything. It really helped me process. I think we both needed it.”
“I know my accident scared you, and I’m so sorry for that, Mike.”
He shakes his head. “It just reminded me of how fleeting life can be. But I don’t want to live in this fear that I’ll lose you and give up on a chance to love you. I’ll suffer the drives you’ll need to make for work. We’ll figure this out, baby. No matter what you do or where you go, I’ll always be here.”
I take a shuddering breath. God, this guy… I don’t think anyone truly knows how passionate Mike can be. He’s so understated in the world around him, but with me… he hides nothing. At least not anymore.
