“I’ll shave as soon as I can,” I tell her.
She lifts her lips from my skin and gives me a sly smile.“Don’t do it on my account.”
“You don’t mind it?I know I’m scratchy and scruffy.”
“You make a very attractive wild man.Scratchy and scruffy is incredibly sexy on you, Evander.I can barely control myself.”
I stare at her, my heart pounding.“Fine.I’m never shaving again as long as I live.In about a month, I’ll be a ZZ Top-looking motherfucker just wandering aimlessly around the ranch.”
She laughs.“You’ll be Yosemite Sam!Literally!”
I spin her around in the water as we both laugh until it hurts.
We stop when we hear a loud banging on the bathroom door.
“Phoebe!”a woman yells.“The helicopter’s landing.Your family’s here.”
“Aw, shit,” I mumble.“I really wanted to wash your hair.”I let Phoebe slide down the front of my body and make sure she’s steady on her feet.
“Be right out, Ginny!”she yells.
I grab two towels, hand one to Phoebe, and use the second to dry myself off as quickly as I can.Then I put the stupid gown back on even though it’s clinging to my wet skin.
I leave one last kiss on Phoebe’s lips.“Truth it is, then.”
“Nothing but the truth.”
She smacks me on the ass before I run out of the bathroom.I nearly slip in the water dripping off my legs as I race down the hallway, doing my best to keep myself covered.
I hear giggling coming from the nurse’s station.
“Mr.MacLaine!”I turn to see Ginny running after me.“Here’s a set of scrubs.Please put something on.Some of us have underlying medical conditions.”
“Thanks.”I check the tag, and it’s labeled 2XL, which might work.
I make it to my room and get the door shut just as I hear a commotion in the hallway.
CHAPTER 53
Phoebe
I open the bathroom door, and I’m immediately greeted by my mother’s blood-curdling scream.
“Phoebe!Oh, my darling little Phoebe!”She opens her arms and runs toward me.I’m smothered in her embrace but squeeze her tight.
She’s sobbing.“We didn’t know…oh, Phoebe, we thought…we thought you were…”
“I’m right here, Mama.I’m perfectly fine.No more worrying, okay?”
“I’m so happy you’re alive!My little baby!Oh, honey!”
I raise my eyes to find Jake hovering over us, his expression a combination of relief and confusion.He looks like he’s aged several years in a few days.
I feel terrible about that.
I pat Mama’s back, pull away, and kiss her cheek.Then I turn to Jake.
“Pea,” he says, lifting me off the tile floor room and crushing me in a hug.He whispers in my ear.“You scared the shit out of me.”
