Despite all the secrets the twins seem to keep, I can’t seem to keep any of my own.
“I’m fine,” I lie, wiping my cheek as I force a smile, glancing around the room. I don’t think anyone’s buying it, though. If I were them, I wouldn’t.
At least Bailey stepped out, so I’m not under his scrutiny anymore. It’s not my place, but I’m curious who would’ve been calling him. The only people I thought would have his number are in this room. I guess it could be Hunter, but that doesn’t make sense either.
This is such a mess.
I told Hunter I needed some space to clear my head.
I love him, but he’s not my everything.
I feel like pieces of my heart are attached to strings, being pulled in each direction by the Walker twins, but after all the secrets and half-truths, they’re so entangled, I’m not sure what I’m going to do.
Right now, I think I need to put myself first and be my own everything.
Bailey steps back into the room, and his green eyes land onme in an instant, the hospital lighting washing out the freckles on his cheeks while darkening the circles under his eyes. I can’t help staring at the scar on his forehead, and I want to know how he got it. I think I want to know every single secret he’s keeping, but I’m fucking terrified of what will happen once I do.
Worry is written all over him, and he glances at Javi for a moment, before refocusing on me.
It feels like I’m in heaven and hell at the same time—finally knowing the truth about why he shoved me away that night, but regret smothers the relief, knowing I’ll never be able to change the past.
Henry clears his throat, thankfully pulling his attention away before I can burst into tears. He’s not normally so attuned to feelings, but I appreciate the effort he’s making. “Was that JJ?” he asks, and Bailey shakes his head.
“No, it was just a friend. Are you guys all staying a while?” he asks, shoving his phone into his pocket.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Mirabelle answers, but her brow furrows as she pulls herself out of the chair, her hand quickly covering her mouth as she pushes through everyone to get to the bathroom.
Henry sighs, rubbing his jaw. “Sorry,” he apologizes, lifting Mirabelle’s bag off the floor to pull out a travel size bottle of mouthwash from inside.
She’s had one hell of a pregnancy. I thought morning sickness was supposed to be over after the first trimester, but Mirabelle’s nearing the end of her second. It has yet to get better for her.
A nurse knocks, opening the door. “Sorry to interrupt, I just need to take Javi’s vitals and give him the next round of meds to keep him comfortable,” she explains, but the sound of Mirabelle throwing up in the background causes her eyebrows to raise.
“My wife is pregnant, and apparently morning sickness doesn’t just happen in the morning,” Henry says, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Please let us know if she needs anything,” she says, and Bailey steps out of the way to let her get to the other side of Javi’s bed. “I hate to say this, but there’s really only supposed to be two visitors in the room. Javi’s resting, so why don’t some of you take a break, and come back later when he’s awake?” she suggests, and I’m glad she didn’t stop by when Sebastian and Thalia were also in the room. It’s not huge, but I think we’re in a bigger room than normal to help give the Walkers some form of privacy.
I promised Javi I wouldn’t leave, and I think Henry will understand if I ask to stay. Based on what I’ve heard, I highly doubt Mirabelle is going to want to leave the room.
“Of course, I wouldn’t want to get anyone in trouble,” Henry says, giving her a brief smile. “I’ll be happy to step out to the waiting room after she’s done in there, if that’s okay?”
“I was just getting ready to run home to freshen up,” Bailey adds, and I bite my tongue so I don’t demand to know why he kept what Hunter did a secret.
“Thanks for understanding,” she says, putting her stethoscope on to listen to Javi’s chest.
“I’ll be back in a little bit. Text me if you need anything, I’ll have my phone on me,” Bailey says, while Henry knocks quietly on the bathroom door.
I don’t trust myself to say anything, so I nod, feeling the strings of my heart pull as I watch him walk away.
As promised, I stayed at the hospital until Javi woke up, which ended up being around the time Bailey came back. I still hadn’t figured out what I wanted to say to him, so Imade some excuse about leaving to get everyone dinner, when really I felt like I was struggling to keep my head above water after an emotionally exhausting day.
I didn’t want to go home to an empty house and be alone, so I still stayed at the beach house, but I slept in the guest room instead of Hunter’s. His truck wasn’t here when I got back last night, and I never ran into him. I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.
No matter how many times I closed my eyes, I never slept more than a half hour before waking up. It was a long night, tossing and turning until I saw the first break of morning light through the window.
I just need to think, and the best place is on the water.
Visiting hours don’t start until nine, and Thalia told me last night she was going to close the gallery for the day.
