“Well, let’s hope we can fool them a little longer because if they know, the whole town will find out in no time. They’re not exactly discreet.”
But fooling them proved impossible. Every time I glanced at Pascal, I caught him looking my way too, and the teens definitely noticed. When Pascal was talking to Byron, I couldn’t take my eyes off how pretty he looked, how cute he was. I loved how he gave Byron his undivided attention, and the way he bit his bottom lip in concentration was adorable.
“You guys are totally dating.” Violet’s observation made me drop the brush I’d been holding while Violet and I worked on a collage together.
“What? No, we’re not…” My protest died when she crossed her arms and quirked her eyebrow. Damn, that girl was not messing around.
“Oh my god, you are!” Byron practically bounced in his chair. “I knew it. They keep looking at each other like our dads do, Vi.”
Busted. Denying it seemed silly now, and one look at Pascal confirmed he felt the same way. He gave me a little nod. I cleared my throat. “We are seeing each other, yes.”
The teens erupted in cheers and squeals. Even the usually quiet Gabe joined in with enthusiastic clapping. Pascal’s blush was adorable. I wanted to kiss him right then and there, but that wouldn’t be appropriate.
“Thank god you’re finally admitting it,” Violet said. “We’ve been watching you two make heart eyes at each other for weeks.”
“It’s only been five weeks,” Pascal protested weakly.
“Five weeks too long if you ask me.” Violet grinned. “You guys are perfect for each other.”
I caught Pascal’s eye and smiled. They weren’t wrong about that.
The teens were relentless in their teasing, but their enthusiasm was genuine. “You guys are so cute together,” Cassie said, grinning. “Like, seriously adorable.”
What could I possibly say to that other than, “Thanks.”
I refocused on the collage Violet and I were making while stealing glances at Pascal whenever possible. The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, how his hands moved expressively when he talked, the slight tilt of his head when he listened…everything about him drew me in like a magnet.
But as the evening progressed, I noticed Pascal growing quieter. His usual animation dimmed, and his responses became slower. Something was off.
When his phone beeped an alarm, I understood. His blood sugar must be off, and from the looks of it, he was damn close to a hypoglycemic episode.
“Excuse me,” he said, his voice slightly slurred. He fumbled with his phone, frowning at the reading.
I was already moving. “What do you need?”
“Juice. And…” He paused, looking disoriented. “Glucose tablets.”
“I’ve got apple juice!” Violet jumped up, grabbing her backpack.
The teens watched with concern, suddenly quiet. I helped Pascal sit down while Violet retrieved the juice. His hands shook as he tried to open it, so I did it for him, then held the bottle as he drank.
“I found his glucose tablets,” Gabe said. He’d already opened the little tube and handed me two tablets, which I put into Pascal’s mouth. Slowly, his color returned and the hazy look disappeared from his eyes.
“Maybe we should end early tonight,” I suggested. The teens immediately agreed, gathering their things.
“We’ll see you next week,” Gabe said, gently patting Pascal’s shoulder. “Feel better.”
He definitely was a doctor in the making, showing the same warm concern his dad did.
Once they were gone, I crouched next to Pascal’s chair. “How are you feeling?”
“Better, but tired. I’m sorry about this.”
“Don’t apologize.” I squeezed his hand. “Can you walk to the car, or do you need a minute?”
“I can walk. Just…stay close?”
“I’ve got you, honey.”
