I pressed my hand over my heart, half-expecting it to leap free. The tremor in my hands was so violent I could feel it against my breastbone.
Please don’t let it show.
The thought of Caleb seeing how terrified I was turned my legs to lead.
Eric’s hand settled at the small of my back, light but deliberate in a way that felt almost…protective? Possessive? I couldn’t tell, but whatever it was made my pulse skip as he guided me forward with that same quiet confidence I’d noticed before.
He was barely touching me, and still, I had trouble focusing on anything else.
But maybe that was the point.
“Look who I found,” Eric called as we stepped into the room.
Three faces turned toward us.
Relief hit first. Caleb looked the same as I remembered. Yes, he was in a hospital bed with machines clustered around him, tubes snaking everywhere, still bald and pale and undeniably sick. But none of that registered first.
It was the grin. Brilliant, mischievous, completely at odds with his surroundings. The kind of smile that made it impossible to forget the clever, vibrant kid underneath all the medical equipment.
His parents were another story.
They both looked confused, their surprise dulled by exhaustion etched deep into their faces. His mother most of all. She looked wrung out, every nerve stretched past breaking and still expected to hold.
Suddenly, I understood why Eric wanted me here.
“Wow! My day is complete.” Caleb might’ve been a little too pleased to see me, judging by the sharp look his mother shot him.
“Mon beau, who is this?” she asked Eric, her accent thick and unmistakably Francophone, before turning her beautiful hazel eyes on me.
She was stunning. Even under harsh hospital lighting, her thick dark hair shone, her features striking in a way that felt effortless. Perfectly shaped brows, strong cheekbones, the kind of woman who turned heads without trying.
“Mom. Dad.” Caleb’s eyes danced with mischief. “Let me introduce you to the prettiest woman in this godforsaken hospital. I found her yesterday.”
His infectious smile burned off the last of my nerves.
“Gorgeous.” He nodded at me like it was a title I’d earned. “May I present my parents, Sylvie and Glenn Alexander.”
I blinked. What was the appropriate response to that? A handshake felt wildly insufficient. With Caleb’s theatrical flair, a full curtsy almost seemed expected.
“Hello.” I managed a stilted wave. If nothing else, it felt safer than fainting.
“Caleb, you suck at introductions.” Eric’s low chuckle vibrated through me as he nudged me deeper into the room.
“Oh, come on,” Caleb protested.
“Mom, Dad, this is Jamie,” Eric continued. “I rescued her from your youngest son yesterday. He assaulted her with a pudding cup.”
Caleb gasped in exaggerated offense. “Liar.”
A laugh slipped out before I could stop it. “Actually, I think Caleb rescued me. I was feeling a bit low, but he helped cheer me up. And I’m fairly certain I was the one who assaulted the pudding.”
Smiles spread around the room, but Sylvie’s stood out. It softened and warmed, like she was filing the moment away somewhere precious.
“This is his habit. Cheering people up.” Her eyes shone as she focused on me. “It’s very nice to meet you, Jamie.”
“Yes,” Glenn’s voice was unexpectedly rich, smooth and refined despite his quiet demeanor. He wasn’t unattractive, but next to his wife, he faded slightly into the background. “Very nice to meet you. And may I say, Caleb is quite right. You’re a very striking young woman. I don’t believe I’ve seen a prettier face in this hospital.”
My pulse stuttered. Oh no.
