“Could you take me to see her now?” He turned his face up to meet my gaze, his eyes going watery.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. She wanted us to wait for her call.”
“But I left my phone. You rushed me and I forgot it. What if she’s calling me now?” His anxiety peaked in a frustrated cry.
“Make you a deal,” I said, hoping he didn’t catch on to my tactic. “Stay here and chat skateboarding with Caleb. I’ll go talk to your mom. I’ll make sure you see her before your dad comes to get you.”
Yes, I’d called Dylan.
It was the best solution I could think of. He should be there for his kid.
I knew how Frank Hartley looked yesterday, and it wasn’t good. I could only imagine what worse meant. That was too traumatic for a kid.
Hell, it was traumatic for everyone.
Dylan might not be a major fixture in Hunter’s life, but he was permanent. Right now, I couldn’t say the same.
“Yeah, okay,” Hunter replied. “Just please tell her I’m not a baby. I can handle it.”
“Of course you can.” I nodded at my mother, tears in her eyes. “But she’s your mom. It’s her job to shield you from heartache.”
“If it’s hurting her, then it’s hurting me,” he whispered.
“Me too, bud. Me too.”
Hunter launched himself at me, arms wrapping around my waist and squeezing tight, catching me off guard.
After only a moment’s hesitation, I hugged him back. I held Jamie’s kid like he was my own, pouring every ounce of love I had into the embrace.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Eric
Jamie was pacing the lounge across from her father’s room, phone pressed to her ear. When she turned and found me watching from the doorway, she startled.
“I was just calling you. What are you doing here?” Relief flooded her features even as anxiety tightened her voice.
“Came to find you. We hadn’t heard from you, and I was worried.”
“No, I mean what are you doing here? At the hospital? Where’s Hunter?”
“We’ve been here all day, waiting for you. Hunter’s with my family. He and Caleb are practically best friends now.”
Her brows pinched together. “Oh wow. I hope that’s okay with your family. I don’t want to burden them.”
Concern and bewilderment warred across her face as she pressed her lips into a thin line. She looked like hell—stressed, tortured, completely wrung out.
And still fucking gorgeous.
Even drowning in worry, she was thinking about everyone else first. Always putting others before herself, always giving more than she had.
“They’re all fine. How are you holding up?”
Her eyes glazed with unshed tears. “I’m not sure. I keep thinking about Hunter, how I’ve abandoned him during another crisis. I hate the idea of him seeing me fall apart. I just didn’t know what the right choice was.”
“Hunter’s fine. He’s just worried about you.”
She crossed her arms over her middle, holding herself together like she might break apart. “Can I confess something?”
