“Tom you remember Jake,” Declan points as they stop in front of me. “He’s Terra’s donor.”
“Right. Of course,” Tom extends his hand and I reluctantly shake it. “Dude, thanks so much for everything.”
“Terra’s my… she’s my family. I’d do anything for her.” I say, staring him straight in the eye. “You don’t need to thank me for helping your ex.”
He blinks and stands a little straighter. I don’t know if it’s because of the purposeful pregnant pause in my first statement that gets his back up or the use of the word ex. I’m good with either reason. Declan feels the tension building and seems confused, his pale eyebrows knitting. “Tom just did the most amazing thing. He paid Terra’s insurance deductible on the op.”
“What?”
Tom shrugs, my shocked reaction making him more relaxed as he lets go of my hand. “It was nothing. She has really good insurance it was just a few grand. I couldn’t be her donor, but I could do this.”
“And it’s an amazing help, Tom, honestly,” Declan tells him, grasping his shoulder and squeezing it in gratitude. “We had to remortgage the restaurant a few years ago due to a financial crisis. And of course we’d pay anything to get Terra healthy again, but you just saved us having to dig out from under even more debt. Really, thank you.”
“Seriously, Deck. I don’t want to be thanked,” Tom replies as I start to feel bile swirl in my stomach. “I’d do anything I can for Terra. I love her.”
Declan’s cell buzzes and he pulls it from the pocket of his suit and double-takes at the number. “I’ll be outside. I have to take this.” He walks towards the door, smiling again at Tom.
Tom nods and stays right there next to me as Declan heads out. We stare at each other. Neither of us are holding onto pretenses and our smiles evaporate. He knows I don’t like him. He might even know I like Terra. I give zero fucks. “You waiting for a receipt or something?”
“I’m waiting to see Terra,” Tom explains. “I’m hoping she lets me drive her home.”
“She won’t.”
Tom blinks again, shoulders pushing back ever so slightly. “You think you know her so well, don’t you?”
“I know I know her,” I reply, my voice is oozing confidence. “She’s over you.”
“With all due respect, I’m not going to take your word for it,” Tom replies.
“That’s cool,” I say like I don’t care when inside I’m actually trying to figure out if I’ll do any damage to my healing body if I punch him in the face. It’s irrational but I’m seething that he’s here and that he wants her back.
Terra and Lucy appear at the end of the hall, with an orderly pushing her as she sits in the wheelchair. Her eyes land on me, and her smile is brighter than an August sun. And then they see the guy beside me is Tom and not Declan and her expression clouds over immediately, which makes the tension in my body slip down a few notches. She’s got this.
Lucy looks thrilled at the sight of him and she opens her arms and pulls him into a hug. “Tom, you sweet thing! We timed it perfectly.”
Timed it?
Tom grins down at her as she lets him go. “Thanks for helping me out, Lucy.” He turns to Terra. “You look good, T. I’ve missed you but I’ve tried to give you the time you needed to heal.”
“I’m not done healing, Tom,” Terra replies, her tone cold and eyes flat. I smile and cover it with my hand when Lucy notices.
“Terra, sweetie, Tom is trying to make amends,” Lucy pats her daughter’s shoulder. “Tom gave you a gift sweetheart. Let him tell you.”
“Let me drive you home and we can talk about it,” Tom smiles confidently which makes Terra’s frown deepen.
She looks up at the orderly and then at me and Lucy. “Can you guys all give us a minute?”
Terra’s chocolate eyes land on me. Now she doesn’t look so stern. She looks conflicted. Does shewantto go with him? I must look as worried as I feel because she shakes her head and asks again. “Just a couple seconds?”
I motion for Lucy to join me. “Declan is outside. Let’s go wait with him.”
Lucy nods hesitantly and follows me to the main doors. I hold the door open for her and as soon as we’re both outside she lets out a sigh that’s heavy with frustration. “That girl of mine is more stubborn than a mule. I get that Tom isn’t perfect but no man is and he’s trying to make amends.”
“I don’t think he’s a good fit.”
Lucy looks shocked for a second and then she smiles and reaches out and squeezes my arm. “That’s because you don’t know him. He treats her really well, Jake. He’s a good boy. He’s got a good job and his family really loves her. They’ve got this lovely lake house on Sebago and we all went up there for a weekend and it was so great. I could literally see her getting married up there one day. It would be so lovely. And I know something went wrong between them but he must realize he made a mistake because he’s back and he’s trying to make up for it.”
“What if Terra wants someone else?”
