Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Dishes are done,” he announces. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on things here while you’re gone.”
“Thanks,” I reply with a sigh. “Both of you.”
“Come on,” Stella says, grabbing her handbag. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“Fuck me,” I whisper on a sigh and sink onto the edge of the chair in my parents’ den. It’s almost midnight, and it feels like I’ve been awake for weeks.
Stella was true to her word, and I landed in Idaho before noon. I was able to get to the hospital, talk to the doctors, and spend the day with Mom.
“Here you are,” Dad says as he walks into the room and crosses to a beverage fridge, pulling out two water bottles before tossing me one. “You need to hydrate.”
“Always the doctor,” I say with a shake of my head, but I open the bottle and drink. “Why didn’t you tell me before that she looks so bad?”
Dad sighs and sits in the brown leather chair next to me.
“It’s because of the fall, Gray. Of course, she looks frail and tired.”
“I don’t buy it.” My voice is calm and weary, but Dad’s gaze cuts over to mine. “She’s been in and out of the hospital a lot lately.”
“She’s always been medically fragile,” he reminds me. “And, yes, it’s been a bad time lately, but she’s really not doing that badly. It’s nothing to worry about.”
My father is a cardiologist. He’s an excellent physician. But, sometimes, I think he’s in denial about my mom’s medical situation.
“She has MS,” I remind him. “And high blood pressure.”
“Which is all managed,” he insists.
“She told me today that she’s been dealing with some vertigo lately, and that’s why she fell down the stairs. Her blood pressure was so high, it’s no wonder.”
“Sometimes, she forgets to take her blood pressure medicine,” he concedes. “But we have a new system for that. Why do I feel like I’m being interrogated?”
“Because Mom’s been sick, and you haven’t been honest with me about just how sick she is, Dad.”
“You’re a busy man. You have a demanding career, and you can’t just drop everything each time your mom doesn’t feel well.”
“Yes, actually, I can. I want you to be honest with me, Dad.”
He sighs again. Suddenly, he looks so old. So tired.
“You don’t have to do everything by yourself,” I remind him.
“I don’t want you and your sisters to feel burdened,” he admits. “I’m her husband. It’s my job to care for her.”
“We want to help,” I reply. “I know that Sidney and Maya agree. So, stop shielding us from every little thing and start depending on us to help. It’ll make us all feel better.”
I stand, and with my water in my hand, walk through the house and up the stairs to my bedroom. I leave the door open as I turn the bed down, and before I can cross to the bathroom, my phone rings.
Stella.
I accept the video call and sit on the edge of the bed.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” I say when Stella’s gorgeous face fills the screen.
“I’m sorry it’s so late. I just wanted to see how you’re doing.”
God, I wish I could reach through the screen and touch her.
“I’m okay. Thank you again for the flight today. I could never have gotten here that quickly on a commercial flight.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiles softly. “How’s your mama?”
“She’s tired. She broke her hip and shoulder, so she’s in the hospital for a few days to make sure there’s no clotting. They’ll probably move her to a physical therapy rehab place before she can come home.”
“I’m so sorry, Gray. That’s just horrible.”
“She’s had some health struggles,” I reply and swallow hard, wishing more than anything that Stella was here. I haven’t known her a week and I miss her.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back in Seattle. I might be here a week or so until things get figured out.”
“Of course,” she replies.
“Hey,” Maya sticks her head around the doorway and then grins when she sees that I’m on the phone. “Is that Stella?”
“Go away, Maya.”
“I want to talk to her.”
She snatches the phone from my hands and runs off down the hallway.
I rub my hand down my face.
Maya is a pain in my ass.
Chapter 7
Stella
“Hi, I’m Maya, blah blah blah,” the gorgeous woman says as she visibly runs down a hallway, making me a little dizzy. “I only have a minute before Gray catches me. You should come here.”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah. He’s stressed, and he talked about you a lot today. Plus, we all want to meet you. Gray doesn’t talk about women. Ever. Trust me, I’ve known him all of my twenty-seven years, and he’s always tight-lipped about girls. Until today. So, since he’s here for at least a few days, you should come. Mostly for him. But, like, six percent for me because I want to meet you in person. You’re beautiful, by the way. How do you get your eyebrows like that? Mine are always so damn unruly.”