“You, too. I’ll tell Theo I saw you.”
She nods, then turns like she’s going to walk away. But then she spins back around again. “Actually, you don’t have to tellhim. I came down here because I honestly didn’t believe he could be in the building, but seeing you again, which feels a lot like seeinghimagain, I’m not actually sure I want him to know.” She scrunches up her face. “I mean, obviously I know you’re still going to tell him. But don’t—I don’t want him to come find me. I work on a different floor. He shouldn’t—not that I think he would.” She closes her eyes and takes a breath. “You know what? I’m just going to walk away now. Goodbye, Carter.”
I sink back into my chair, waiting until she’s a good distance down the hallway. Then I stand and slowly move to the back corner of the waiting room.
“She’s gone,” I say to the plant, but Theo makes no move to come out. I slowly push some of the branches aside, enough to see Theo’s face. He’s pale, just two bright spots of color on either cheek, and his eyes are hollow. Like he’s seen a ghost. I’m surprised by his reaction—I wouldn’t have guessed he still cared about Rebecca, but he’s clearly feeling something, and the sight makes my heart ache the slightest bit. “You okay?” I ask.
He runs a hand over his face. “Yeah. But, uh—I’m gonna go.”
“Okay,” I say, knowing better than to try to stop him. When he wants to talk, we’ll talk. But I won’t get far if I try to force him into it now. “Thanks for the food.”
He nods once, then drops a hand on my shoulder before heading down the hall in the opposite direction from Rebecca.
I drop back into my seat and exhale a disbelieving breath. Rebecca Bradley moved to Texas when Theo and I were freshmen in high school. She seemed nice enough to me, but Theo fell hard and fast. By the start of our junior year, they’ddanced around being together but never fully committed. But then she asked him to be her date to homecoming, and they never looked back.
They were together nonstop. At least as much as our hockey schedule allowed. They drove everyone crazy with how stupid in love they were.
And then Dad died.
When Theo shut everyone out, he shut Rebecca out too.
I did my best to do damage control, but she didn’t need answers. She knew what Theo was doing and why he was doing it. She just wanted to help.
And he wouldn’t let her.
Half an hour later, Sarah is back in the waiting room, eyes damp, a huge smile on her face. I stand, and she steps into my arms like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“She’s here?” I ask.
“She’s here,” Sarah says. “And she’s perfect. Anna is so happy, and Miles can’t stop crying, and I’m just really happy for them.”
“Big day,” I say. “For all of you.”
She lets out a little chuckle. “Honestly, it feels like my art show was a hundred years ago.” She looks up at me, arms still around my waist. “Did Theo leave?”
I nod. “Yeah. A while ago.”
“It was really nice of him to come,” she says, then she gives my waist a little squeeze. “Do you want to meet the baby?”
“Can I?” I ask. “Do you think Miles will mind?”
She looks at me, her expression curious. We still haven’t talked about the way her brother has been treating me, but she doesn’t look all that surprised by my question.
“He won’t,” she says. “He’s a big softy right now. It’ll be fine.”
She threads her fingers through mine, then we walk together to Anna’s room. Anna is propped up in her hospital bed, looking exhausted but happy, baby Fiona tucked into her arms. Miles is sitting in a chair beside her bed, phone in his hand. He looks up when we enter, and for once, he doesn’t look like he wants to kill me.
Sarah leaves me by the door and walks over to Anna. She says something I can’t hear, then smiles and lifts Fiona into her arms.
The sight of Sarah holding the baby triggers something deep in my gut. Something visceral—inevitable.She looks beautiful, but it’s more than that. It’s her looking so…maternal.It feels like some kind of evolutionary part of my biology just clicked on in my brain. I’ve seen her with her nieces and with Charlie, and she’s great with them. But this feels different somehow.
In the back of my mind, I’ve always assumed I’d be a dad eventually. But I haven’t given it any real thought.
I’m thinking about it now though.Wantingit in a way that feels both surprising and terrifying.
I’m about to walk over to Sarah, but then I make eye contact with Miles and stop, feet rooted to the floor. I’m annoyed that he’s turned me into his enemy, but tonight isn’t about that. It’s about him, and if he doesn’t want me here, I’m not going to fight him over it.
But then Miles gives me a quick nod, tilting his head toward Sarah.
