Laughing, I adjusted my body against his so I could rest my head on his shoulder. “Yeah, they are definitely banging, Charming. They might be getting a divorce, but they are enjoying bennies while they figure it out.”
“I hate that sentence so much.”
“Try to sleep, honey. Don’t worry about your parents, brother, the team, or me. That can all come tomorrow. Tonight, rest your body, okay?”
“You’ll stay with me all night?”
“They’ll have to physically remove me from the property. That is the only way they’ll get rid of me, and I’m really fast and scrappy. I’d put up a good fight.”
Preston chuckled deeply. “God, I love you.”
I knew he meant it as a friend, as a person in his corner. Logan, Preston, and I said it to each other all the time in a friendly, got-your-back sorta way. This was no different than that, and I was proud of myself for not freaking out. This was progress, and I couldn’t wait to tell Logan.
One thing was clear after all this—I loved him more than as a friend. Watching him go into the surgery, imagining a world without him? It changed a part of my soul. All the hypothetical scenarios played out, and the truth hit me in the face. I was in love with him. I might be terrified, but I couldn’t deny the fact I wanted all of him. It wasn’t the time to tell him, no, not right after surgery. I was on adrenaline, but I had to find the right time to share I feltmore.I smiled, proud and happy that I wasn’t completely broken.
We snuggled, our bodies pressed up against each other, and we fell asleep.
We wokeup to the sterile sunlight streaming through the blinds, the telltale hum of hospital monitors, and the faint buzz of nurses chatting in the hallway. My back ached from the awkward position of sleeping in the hospital bed beside Preston, but the warmth of his arm draped over me kept me rooted in place. His steady breathing tickled the top of my head, and for a moment, I didn’t want to move.
But the world waited and so did the house we shared—and, apparently, Preston’s family.
Preston stirred, his fingers grazing my arm as he let out a low groan. “What time is it?” he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
I glanced at the wall clock. “Just past eight. Price and your parents are probably raiding our fridge by now.”
He chuckled softly, his breath warm against my temple. “Sounds about right. You hanging around for the chaos?”
“Obviously. Someone has to keep you in line.” I sat up, stretching my arms and trying not to think about how badly I wanted to stay pressed against him all day. “Come on, Charming. Time to go home.”
The ride back to our house was quiet but comfortable. Preston leaned his head back against the seat, his hand resting on my thigh like it was the most natural thing in the world. I didn’t dare move it.
I grabbed the keys once I parked and helped Preston out of the car. He rolled his eyes but let me loop my arm around his waist for support.
Inside, the house smelled like coffee and something sweet. Mrs. Charming was at the counter, flipping pancakes while Mr. Charming sat at the table reading the paper. Price was lounging on the couch, eating bacon straight from the pan. I had no idea where Logan or Quentin were, but the Charmings had definitely made themselves at home.
“There they are!” Price announced, grinning like he’d been waiting to make a scene. “How’s the appendix-less wonder?”
“Still better than you,” Preston shot back, shaking his head.
Mrs. Charming turned, a spatula in hand, her face softening when she saw Preston. “Honey, you should be resting. Are you sure you’re okay? Jordan, has he been behaving?”
I grinned. “Define ‘behaving.’”
Everyone laughed, and I winked at Preston. It was wonderful seeing him with his family like this. He smiled a lot, and it was clear he had a great upbringing. A surge of envy hit me,watching his parents fret over him. It wasn’t jealousy, because I wanted Preston to have every single thing in life, but it was close to it. What would it be like if my mom gave half as much concern for me as Preston’s parents did for him? Or if my dad wanted to stick around to be there for me? Or if my grandparents actually wanted a relationship with me? If I had surgery, I doubted my mom would answer the phone.
Fuck. I shook the negative thoughts away as everyone laughed when his mom tried to flip a pancake and it landed on the floor.
“Five second rule!” Price picked it up and took a bite right out of it.
“You’re with the more hygienic of the two,” his mom said to me, smiling. “Makes me feel bad for whoever he brings home.”
The breakfast went by fast, laughter and ribbing between the Charming family, and I enjoyed being a part of it. They reminded me of the Harts, where sure, they bickered, but they were there for each other regardless of what life threw at them. I yearned for that place, for the safety net of people who were always there for you. An ache formed in my chest at how much I wanted it, yet I was terrified of trying for it. I couldn’t miss what I didn’t have, right?
Later, as I carried a stack of clean plates back to the kitchen, I overheard voices drifting from the backyard. The brother’s split up after an hour, Price going to play video games, and Preston wanted some fresh air for a few minutes. The sliding door was cracked open, and Preston’s low tone mixed with his mom’s softer one.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Mrs. Charming said, her voice filled with relief. “That surgery… it scared me, Preston. Your dad and I both. We’ve been doing a lot of talking since then.”
“Talking?” Preston’s tone was cautious, almost wary
