What was left of Brynnon’s smile vanished. “He went in for one of his bi-yearly checkups. Completely routine. The scan showed another tumor. You wouldn’t know it to talk with him, but the cancer is spreading rapidly this time.”
“What’s the prognosis?”
“I spoke to his mother the last time I was here. The doctors only give him another month or two.”
The unexpected news hit Grant in the chest. Reflexively, he swung his gaze back to the end of the hall where he could still hear the children laughing. “Damn.”
“Yeah.”
Inhaling deeply, he could still hear Kenny’s earlier comment as they stepped into the empty elevator.I want to be an architect when I grow up
Smacking the lower level button, Grant turned to Brynnon. “Does he know?”
“He does, but he refuses to believe the doctors are right.” She gave him a watery smile. “Like I said, he’s a fighter.”
They were both silent, lost in their thoughts as the elevator descended. On the way out to Grant’s truck, he shook his head. “How do you do it?”
Her forehead bunched. “Do what?”
He pushed the unlock button on his fob. “Come here and hang out with those kids and their parents, but still want children of your own. I’d think it would make you want to avoid the possibility of that type of pain and loss altogether.”
“The exact opposite, actually.”
Grant and Brynnon both climbed into the truck and shut their doors. As he drove away, Brynnon explained, “I thought the same thing, at first. Every kid in there is different. From their diseases and prognosis to their families and backgrounds...no two are alike. But after spending time with some of their parents, I realized there was one thing they all had in common.”
“What’s that?”
“Love.”
Grant scoffed. “Love?”
“I’m serious. It’s the one thing that gets them through it all. I mean, sure, they get upset. Sometimes, they get very angry. At the doctors, themselves. God. But in the end, every single parent I’ve spoken with has told me the same thing. They’d rather go through all that a million times over than to have never experienced the love they shared with their children at all.”
His hands curled around the steering wheel, his fists tightening as forceful emotions threatened to take him over. Fearful he’d spout off something that had nothing to do with Brynnon but would probably hurt her, anyway, Grant remained silent for the rest of the ride.
Back at her condo, he quickly went through the routine of clearing the place, using the time to get his shit under control. When he returned to the entryway where Brynnon had remained, as asked, he found her thanking someone on the phone before ending the call.
“Who was that?”
“I ordered some pizza. It’ll be here in twenty. I probably should’ve asked first, but I’m starving.”
“Pizza’s fine.”
He was hungry, too. And, truth be told, pizza was his weakness.Well, one of them.Grant stared at the woman standing before him.
He thought of the way she’d looked at him when they’d been discussing the possibility—or impossibility—of them being together. The way her eyes reflexively found his when she and Angie had been talking about him while at the kids’ party.
It wasn’t the first time a woman had propositioned him or indiscreetly talked about him with her friends. But it was the relief Grant saw in her eyes the moment she saw him, and that dumbass reporter walked away that really hit home.
She trusts me
Just a few short days ago, he wouldn’t have cared one way or another. Now, Grant realized it mattered. A lot.
Even the way she’d talked about still wanting kids, despite knowing everything the ones in the hospital were going through. At first, he’d thought her crazy, but now...
If he was being completely honest with himself, Grant was in fucking awe of her. Though their situations were different, she too, had experienced loss and heartache. Unlike him, however, Brynnon hadn’t let hers define who she was as a human being.
She still believed in the possibility of love and happiness. A future filled with joy and peace. Happily ever after. All the things he’d closed his eyes to for so many years.
