“Can’t help it. I can’t stand the thought of you with another man.”
r />
“So stop thinking it,” she said playfully, climbing in my lap, lacing her hands behind my neck.
“Easier said than done. Want to take my mind off it?”
“Gladly.”
She pressed her mouth to mine, wiping every thought except one: if I couldn’t entertain the thought of Skye with another man in the past, I sure as hell wouldn’t let that happen in the future.
Chapter Twenty-One
Skye
The day after Mom’s surgery, Tess and I had planned to stop by to see her in the evening. Mick had told us yesterday that the procedure had gone well, but it didn’t make sense to visit her because she was medicated and would probably sleep the rest of the day. Today they’d gone back to the doctor for a checkup, so when Mick called us at eleven o’clock, I grabbed Tess so we could talk with him together.
“Let’s go in the back room,” I said.
Jane was here today, so we had more flexibility than usual.
We closed the door to the office, putting the call on speakerphone.
“Hey, Mick. We’re both here. How did it go?” I asked.
“There’s signs of an infection,” Mick said. Every muscle in my upper body stiffened. A weight pressed on my chest. I couldn’t inhale deeply, but I drew in small, conscious breaths.
“What does that mean?” Tess asked.
“Her eyesight is blurred for now.”
“Is she in pain?” I asked.
“No, not at all.”
“That’s not so bad, then,” I said.
“Well, no, but the doctor ordered for her to stay in for the next two weeks. She needs to wear blackout glasses to keep her eyes safe from light. She’s not even worried about the recovery, just pissed about all the things she can’t do because she won’t be able to see.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, because it was a testament to just how well Mick knew Mom.
“Mick, does something else worry you?” Tess asked. “You sound on edge.”
“Yeah... I’m supposed to be on the road this next month. Already asked my boss for time off, but he said no.”
Tess and I exchanged a glance, coming to the same conclusion.
“The gang’s large enough that we can work this out amongst us, Mick. Don’t worry.”
“Yeah, but I don’t love the idea of being away when she’s like this.”
“We’ll take good care of her,” Tess assured him. “We’re going to drop by in a few hours.” Then she paused and corrected herself. “Actually, wait... Skye, we could drop by now, right? Jane can take care of the store on her own for a while.”
I nodded in agreement.
“Okay, we’ll be there in about forty minutes. Want us to bring something to eat?”
“We’re good for today. I’d stopped by and picked up some carryout stuff for us on the way home.”