I leaned in. “I have to go to work and look after rock stars.” He let out a fake huff. Letting my mouth ghost his ear, I whispered, “But do you know you’re my favorite rock star in the whole world?”
He pulled back, eyes wide. “Really? There are a lot of rock stars in the world. Are you sure you like me the most?”
“No one comes close, Myth Maker.”
Cupping my cheek, he grinned and my heart melted because I’d made him that happy.
“Get out of here, Princess, before I fling you over my shoulder and drag you back upstairs.”
“Look at you?” I squealed as I stepped into Neo’s hospital room. “You’re walking.”
“I’ve taken three steps. Slowly,” he huffed out frustratedly, leaning on a walking frame.
“But you’re walking, baby,” Aaron said, tears in his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m a handsome force of nature.” Neo lifted his eyes to meet mine and I could see the relief instantly. Relief that he could walk, relief that his pain had lessened, and relief that for the first time in months he was filled with hope for the future.
“And don’t you look better, Sweets? Did that beautiful boyfriend of yours help with your stress levels? And do I want to know about it?”
“He did, and probably not. I brought lunch. Do you want to eat?”
“Yes, he does because he’s not allowed to push himself too fast.”
Neo huffed out, making his way back to his bed. “Fine. What did you bring me for lunch?”
“BLT.”
“You know me so well.”
We ate in silence for a few minutes before Aaron put his down on the overbed table and took a sip of the water I’d brought. “How are things really, Fern? You were in a real state yesterday. You scared the shit out of us.”
I put my food down too. “Sorry. I was trying to hold it all together, and I guess that you two make me feel safe to fall apart.”
Neo’s hand reached for mine, squeezing it hard.
“And Charlie?” Aaron asked.
I couldn’t hide the smile from my face. “Charlie helped.”
“By fucking you until you calmed down.”
“Maybe.” The blush spread across my cheeks.
“Don’t tell us anymore. You’re like my little sister. I don’t want to hear about him railing you.”
“Or maybe I’m railing him,” I mumbled almost incoherently, making Aaron and Neo cry out.
Neo’s fingers blocked his ears. “What… no… oh, God, we can’t ever look at him in the same way again.”
Laughing and desperate to change the subject before this conversation got out of hand, I told them what I’d come here to talk to them about.
“You bored yet, Neo? I know you’re fresh out of surgery, but you’ve been in here for a while now.”
“You know I am.”
“I’ve got a job for you both if you’re up for it. Thomas sent me piles of stuff on James to see if anything stood out, but I’ve not had time to even open it. There’s a lot; emails, financial info, photos. There has to be something in there that we can use to trap him, to have him arrested… something to stop him coming after me.”
“And you want me to spend the hours and hours of free time I have while I’m being forced to rest helping you?”
