I reached into the pocket of my coat and handed Leon a business card. “Will you call and let me know how the surgery went? I don’t know if you believe me or not, but I love your son.”
Leon nodded. “I’ll let you know.”
With that, he and the doctor left the waiting room. I stormed out of the hospital and got in my truck, beating my fists on the steering wheel in frustration.
I had no idea why his mother had behaved so coldly toward me. I didn’t know her and she didn’t know me. I damn sure wouldn’t let her scare me away. Something about Avery Langhorn wouldn’t let me accept that he was out of my life for good.
I waited in the shadows for someone to open the lobby door to let me inside the apartment building on President Street. There was no one at the security desk, and Avery’s keys were still at my house because I forgot to pick them up when I grabbed his phone. I’d tried the buzzer, but there was no answer at his apartment. If Avery’s roommates didn’t come home within an hour, I’d go home, find his cell, and call them.
It was cold as fuck down by the harbor. I’d forgotten my gloves because I’d left in such a rush. I wished I hadn’t handed over Avery’s wallet to his father. I should have looked inside, though snooping wasn’t like me. Desperation brought out a lovely shade of stupidity in me.
After waiting another hour, I was simply too cold to stay any longer. As I was about to walk away, a young couple got out of a rideshare, both laughing loudly as they headed up the steps to the front door of the building.
The young man retrieved a key card and, as he slid it into the slot, I figured it was now or never. “Brooke! Kyle!” I stepped out of the shadows to see them both turn around.
“Do we know you?” the guy asked. I assumed, since they turned around, they were Avery’s roommates.
The guy pushed the young woman behind him, appearing as if he wanted to beat my ass, so I quickly spoke up.
“I’m Holden Rose. I’m dating Avery Langhorn. Can I talk to the two of you?” I walked up the steps to see they were both very attractive people.
“Is Avery okay?” the young woman, Brooke, asked.
“Could we go inside? I’m freezing my nu—my fingers off. I’ll explain things to you.”
Kyle opened the door and the three of us went into the building. We took the elevator to the fifteenth floor. Once inside the apartment, Brooke led the us through the living and dining room, past two bedrooms and a bathroom to the kitchen.
They hung their coats but I kept mine. I wasn’t staying long. I wanted to get back to the hospital to see if there were any changes because I wasn’t sure if Leon Langhorn would do as I’d asked—call me with an update. I didn’t know the man, and no way would I depend on Betsy to convey the news.
When they both returned to the kitchen, Brooke opened the fridge and pulled out three bottles of water before they sat down, Kyle motioning for me to join them. “What’s going on with Avery?”
“He’s in the hospital. I found him unconscious in my kitchen and called 9-1-1. He was breathing, thankfully, and they tookhim to Johns Hopkins instead of Baltimore General because of special circumstances, though I don’t know what they are.
“His parents showed up after Avery’s cardiologist called them. Why does Avery have a cardiologist and a little bag of pills in his wallet that his mother seemed very happy he was carrying? What’s going on with him? Does he have a bad heart? He told me nothing about it, nor did he mention the card in his wallet behind his driver’s license.”
Brooke glanced at Kyle, who placed his water bottle on the table. “It’s not our place,” Kyle said, his gaze steady on her.
“Kyle—”
“Brooke, baby, it is Avery’s place to tell who he wants, what he wants, and when he wants. He is our best friend, and we willnotbetray his trust.” Kyle reached over to touch her hand, before he reached up and swiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
Kyle’s attention turned back to me. “What’s wrong with him?”
“I don’t know. I’m not family, so I wasn’t given any information other than he was in surgery. He had a bloody nose when they took him away in the ambulance. I asked his father to call me with an update, but I don’t think he will.” Hell, I was sure of it.
Brooke stood from the table and walked over to a kitchen cabinet, opening it and pulling down a small plastic bottle with a white lid. She turned around and stared at me. “Do you know how to Google something?”
“Brooke, don’t do it.” Kyle shoved back from the table and flipped his chair.
She glared at Kyle for a moment before she handed the brown medicine bottle to me.Prograf. I saw it had Avery’s name on the label above the dosage instructions which stated the medication was to be taken twice a day.
“Look it up, Holden. I’ll call Betsy to see if I can find out anything more about his condition.” She stood from the table and walked away as Kyle righted his chair.
He stared at me for a moment. “Do you care about him? He’s had some pretty shitty boyfriends before, and I don’t like seeing my best friend get hurt again.”
“I love him. I want a relationship with him for as long as he’ll have me.”
Kyle picked up both bottles of water and started to leave the room before he stopped, turning around to stare at me. “Are you gay or bi?”
