“Okay.” I forced my voice steady. “But I’ll be back later.”
It might’ve sounded like a concession, but it wasn’t. It was a promise. Because I wasn’t walking away this time.
I wasn’t giving up on us.
Chapter Six
Jamie
Lunchtime in the hospital cafeteria felt like a bad high school flashback. Same noise, same awkward energy. Except there was less acne and even fewer seating options.
I was seconds away from giving up and taking my tray back to my father’s room when the crowd shifted and I saw him.
Eric sat alone in the corner, shoulders squared, posture solid, like he’d carved out the space by sheer presence. His eyes were down, and his expression was locked into something unreadable. Nothing like the easy, smiling version of him that had been living rent-free in my head.
Without second thought, I went to him.
“Hey.” I set my tray down at his table. “You up for some company?”
He looked up, surprise flickering before he masked it. The frown eased and he gave me a smile that could’ve stopped traffic.
But it didn’t bring out his dimples. Or reach those intense blue eyes.
And it didn’t fool me.
“Hey, beautiful. If you’re the one keeping me company, I’m all in.”
“Please don’t.” I kept my voice low, but it still came out sharper than intended.
His brow creased but the smile held. “Don’t what?”
“That.” I motioned toward his face as I took the seat across from him. “Remember our talk yesterday? The part where you said you’d been hiding behind fake smiles?”
“Ah. That part.” His mouth flattened, easy charm gone without a fight. “Yeah, I remember. Guess some habits stick around longer than they should.”
“Well, you don’t have to do that with me,” I said. “You know I understand at least some of what you’re dealing with. And after yesterday…”
Gratitude flooded me, sudden and unwieldy. For the way he’d shown up. For the steadiness he’d provided and the strong arms I’d leaned into when I hadn’t trusted myself to stand alone.
But I didn’t trust my emotions enough to give them the floor. If I wasn’t careful, who knew what would come spilling out.
“You helped me when I needed it,” I continued, carefully. “If there’s any way I can return the favor, I want to. So, talk to me. I’m a great listener.”
Eric closed his eyes, head dipping as he let out a long breath. He didn’t rush to fill the silence. He owned it, letting it settle until he was ready.
“Caleb started another round of chemo yesterday afternoon. This one’s heavy-duty. He has radiation today, and in about a week, a stem-cell transplant.”
I didn’t understand all the medical details, but I didn’t need to. The gravity of it showed in his face.
“The doctor’s optimistic,” he added. “If everything goes the way he expects, Caleb will be okay. There’s been a lot of progress with this kind of cancer. A lot of people with Hodgkin’s come out the other side.”
He drew a measured breath. “But seeing him in that room. Watching him get pumped full of meds…he looked so young. So fucking vulnerable.”
Mouth firm and shoulders set, he paused again, as if centering himself.
It was the most impressive display of self-control I’d ever seen.
“My mom isn’t handling it well. Dad and I try to keep it together for her. For Caleb. Not that we don’t feel it—we just don’t let it run the show. And Caleb…” His gaze drifted, worry carving deeper lines between his brows. “He’s already been through so much. There’s still a long fight ahead. Things could?—”
