Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Well, that explained a lot. I’d told my brother about the relationship starting out fake in confidence. Or at least, I’d thought it was in confidence. He’d insisted even then that he didn’t think it was a fake relationship. I hadn’t asked him not to tell anyone. What had he been thinking?
“We all need some coffee,” English said. “I’m going to see what I can do. Text me if you get an update.”
“Thanks, English.”
My mom reached out and touched English’s hand. My mom, who had never liked English. She smiled wanly. “Thank you, sweetie.”
English beamed. “Anything for Whit.”
“She’s lucky to have you.”
“I’m lucky to have her.” English hugged me again and then left for coffee.
“I was wrong about her. She cares about you.”
“You were,” I agreed easily. “She’s the best.”
“And that young man …”
I sighed and looked to the ceiling. “Please, let’s not do this right now. I know you’re mad about Gavin. The wedding is off. Let’s deal with Dad, okay?”
Mom bit her lip like she had so much she wanted to say. But what could she say that Dad hadn’t already thrown in our faces? There were more important things to deal with right now than her anger.
So, we sat in the cold plastic hospital chairs for word about Dad. English returned with coffee and my brother.
Mom jumped up and threw her arms around him. “Where’s Carrie?”
“She’s with the kids. I came as soon as I could get them settled. How’s he doing?” Wyatt asked.
“We haven’t heard,” I told him as I came to my feet.
Wyatt’s gaze shifted to mine, and guilt was in every crease on his face. “Whitley, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for all of this to happen.”
“It’s fine,” I told him, accepting his hug.
“You told me everything, but I just laughed about it. I didn’t realize that Dad would blow a gasket, and I tried to tell him that it was real now.”
“It’s not,” I nearly choked out. “It’s over.”
Wyatt’s face fell. “No. No, it can’t be. I didn’t mean for that to happen …”
“I wreck everything I touch, big brother,” I whispered, sinking back into my seat. “This should come as no surprise to anyone.”
Mom and Wyatt exchanged a look of despair, but at that moment, the doctor came out to speak to us.
“Is he all right?” Mom gasped.
I jumped to Wyatt’s side, waiting for the worst.
The woman held her hands up. “He’s going to make a full recovery. We’re keeping him sedated, but he can have visitors in his room.”
I nearly fell over with relief at the news. My mom was speaking animatedly to the doctor about his diagnosis and whether she thought this would set him back, if they needed to do another round of immune therapy, and on and on. Mom knew more about what was going on with him than I possibly could, and still, I felt like I should have been the one there, figuring it all out.
Instead, I could barely keep my feet underneath me as relief and guilt flooded through me in a mix of emotions.
“I’m going to go see him,” Mom said. “Are you two coming?”
“Go ahead. We’ll be right behind you, Mom.”
It was a testament to how scared she must have been that my mom left us sitting there to check on her husband.
“Whit,” Wyatt began.
Then, I couldn’t hold any of it back any longer. I threw myself into my brother’s arms and cried great, heaving sobs. He held me, patting my back.
“It’s going to be okay. Dad is okay.”
“I could have killed him,” I blubbered.
“If you’re responsible, then so am I,” Wyatt said.
“You just … told him the truth. He probably … loves you … for that.”
He pulled me back and looked down into my eyes. “But, Whit … I only said it as a joke. I didn’t even realize how it would seem to him. After all, I assured him that you and Gavin were very much real. And if anything, Dad’s diagnosis brought you two together.”
“But it’s not. It was a lie. Dad was right.”
“That’s not true. I saw you two together over the Fourth with my own two eyes. No one is more perfect for you, Whit.”
I shook my head and pulled away from my brother, wiping at my eyes. “God, I’m a mess. Bad girlfriend strikes again.”
“Would you cut it out? There’s nothing wrong with you! You’re a great person. A good girlfriend. A good fiancée. And I bet you’ll be a great wife. Okay? All that stuff in your head is bullshit.”
“Wyatt, you don’t understand. I … never even told him I loved him.”
“Well, do you?”
“What?” I choked out.
He took me by the shoulders. “Do you love him?”
I stared up into my brother’s determined expression, and for some reason, this time, it was so easy to admit. “Yes.”