Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“Thank you again for everything you do for Layla.”
“No need to thank me. She’s a great kid. I like spending time with her.”
Crystal tried to stifle a yawn. I was pretty sure she’d just finished a shift waitressing. “She is, and she adores you, Dr. Hutchinson.”
“Call me Hutch,” I told her. I always told her that, but she rarely did.
“She’s gonna miss you when she’s home for good.” She looked over, checking on Layla, I assumed. “You think so, right? I know they said everything is going well, and it seems like it. We’ve been doing this for almost two years, and she looks healthier than ever, but I need to hear it. I trust your judgment. Not that I don’t trust her doctors, but…never mind. That was a dumb question. She’ll be home soon.”
“She will,” I told her, and I believed that. Layla was responding remarkably well to her treatment. “She reminds me of my sister. There’s nothing they can’t do.”
“Thank you, Dr.—Hutch. Thanks, Hutch.”
I nodded, just as Layla came over. Her mom immediately picked her up, Layla’s legs and arms wrapping around her, and that quickly, the little girl fell asleep.
“Do you need help getting her out?” I whispered.
“I got it.” Crystal smiled and walked away.
I made it just a few steps down the hallway when I heard, “Hutch—hey, Hutch. Hold up,” in Ryder’s upbeat, deep voice. He’d always been like that—happy and fun-loving, trying to make people smile in hard situations.
“You’re great with her.” He ran a hand through the midnight-colored strands of hair.
“You’re good with Luke, and the others too.” I didn’t know why we were doing this, but clearly I was along for the ride.
“Listen, I, um, wanted to see if we could grab a coffee again.”
“I can spare a few minutes,” I replied, guilt twisting in my stomach. It was probably over the top, feeling that way just talking to him. Our families had once done everything together, and now they couldn’t be further apart. I was allowed to be kind to him.
“That long, huh?” He cocked a playful brow, and I chuckled.
“I’m a popular guy. You’re not the only one who wants some of my time,” I teased.
“Still arrogant as ever, I see.”
“Still always right too.”
This time we shared a laugh, before making our way down the hallway, toward the elevator.
“My treat this time,” Ryder insisted as we got in line at the coffee cart downstairs.
“You say that as if I was going to argue.” It was weird joking around with him again, but it felt natural. Ryder and I had been similar in that way, even though he and I were never as close as he was with Maddy.
“Just for that, I’m not getting you an extra shot.”
We were both trying hard, that much was obvious, but it was working for us, so I went along with it. Ryder seemed like he had something he wanted to tell me. I wasn’t going to be a dick to the guy.
When it was our turn, he ordered both our drinks—with the extra shot. It didn’t take the barista long to finish up, and then we found a table, this time outside.
“You work here?” Ryder asked.
“No, I’m over at Atlanta General.”
His brows drew together, and I figured he was surprised by my choice in the hospital I worked at. He was probably back to work with his parents. It was what he’d done before, so I didn’t ask.
“That’s great. Good for you, man.”
“How’s the family?” I took a drink of my coffee. It was warm out, but I always drank hot coffee. That ice shit didn’t do it for me.
“Good. Kins is probably going to take over the world one day. You should be prepared.”
The two of us laughed. I’d always liked Kinsley. I missed talking to her. It wasn’t as if we completely ignored each other when we saw one another. Even if I would have tried, Kinsley wasn’t like that, but despite not holding the same anger toward each other that my parents held for their family, things were stilted between us. It could never be the same.
“Listen…” Ryder started, then seemed to hesitate. “I’m kind of caught between telling you this and not telling you. Saying it makes me feel like I’m contributing to the whole overprotective thing when it comes to Mads, but—”
“You were the same.”
“What?”
“With Maddy. You were the same. We’re all guilty of that.”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Yeah, we are. I want to be real with you, considering we’re likely going to be seeing each other at least once a week—I’m planning on trying to make Luke my buddy. So, I’m not gonna go into the whole conversation because that doesn’t belong to anyone but Mads and me, but she came to see me. I didn’t want her to mention it and for you to think I lied to you the other day. We talked, and things are good. That’s all you need to know about it.”