“Is this the party room?” Ryan poked his head around the curtain. He was in his wheelchair, probably because of the maze of long hallways and the distance from the parking structures at the medical center.
Predictably, his parents made quite the unnecessary fuss, moving their chairs out of the way and hovering in a way that made Zack embarrassed for Ryan. His mother kept looking at the doorway like she expected Ryan to have a handler and telling him how brave he was for coming, while his dad was all thanking Ryan for his service and pumping his hand up and down.
Ryan, though, handled it all with typical good humor, shaking hands and laughing with them. “So how are you hanging in there?” He pulled out his phone. “I’ve got a whole contact list demanding proof of life. Smile.”
“Gee. Thanks.”
He snapped a quick pic, then motioned to Zack’s food. “I see they’re letting you eat.”
“If you call that food.”
“Hey, I know more bad hospital food than anyone. That doesn’t look too bad at all.” Ryan finished typing out whatever text he was sending. Zack needed to know who he was texting—Josiah for sure, but was Pike on that list? Did Pike want an update? But of course Zack couldn’t ask with his parents right there. “Seriously. Josiah is totally wigging out that he couldn’t come down with me. But he’s got a big meeting today, and it was easier for me to take a sick day.”
“It’s really nice of you to come. Was traffic bad?” Unable to talk about what he really wanted to, Zack resorted to inane subjects.
“Not too bad. I got an early start, though, to avoid the worst of it. Josiah and the dog woke up to see me off—and you know Josiah was feeling bad about not coming if he woke up early. Thought about bringing the dog but wasn’t sure if you’d be up for that or if the hospital would give me a hassle.” Ryan’s dog, Gracie, had been trained as a service dog.
“Josiah?” Zack’s mother asked in a high voice. “That’s your...roommate?”
Ryan shot Zack a questioning look, and Zack shrugged. Neither Ryan or Josiah ever made a secret of what they were to each other, and Zack wasn’t going to shove his best friend into the closet. It was crowded enough with just him in there.
“Partner,” Ryan corrected her. “Boyfriend right now, but I’ve been thinking about a ring for Christmas.”
“Really?” Zack felt his eyebrows soar skyward. “No shit? That’s awesome.”
“Zack.” His mother shook her head, and Zack couldn’t tell whether she was censuring him for his language or his approval of Ryan’s plans. Probably both.
“Thought you were in the service?” Zack’s father frowned.
“Yup. I was a SEAL. Now I run roughshod over unruly government students at a high school in Santa Monica.”
“But—”
“Dad.” Zack cut him off before something offensive could come out of his dad’s mouth.
“It was so nice of you to come.” Zack’s mother had adopted her church-nice voice that only Zack knew was insincere as hell. “But I’m sure we’re keeping you from your day.”
“Nope.” Ryan gave a strained smile. “I’m all Zack’s today.”
Zack’s dad made a strangled sound, and he could see the imminent lecture forming in his dad’s brain.
“Mom, don’t you need a refill on that coffee?” Zack nodded at her empty cup, trying to find a nice way to ask for a minute alone with Ryan.
“It’s a gorgeous day outside. You could both take a turn around the grounds,” Ryan suggested, clearly picking up on Zack’s plan. “I’ll keep Zack company, then head out when you get back.”
Zack’s chest clenched. He knew Ryan had only tossed the last bit in as a carrot to Zack’s parents, who were being none too subtle in their desire to get rid of Ryan.
“I suppose some more coffee would be nice,” his mother said slowly. “If you’re sure?” her tone suggested that Zack shouldn’t want to be alone with Ryan and was mirrored by Zack’s dad’s disapproving head shake.
“I’m sure.” Zack would deal with whatever lecture the two of them needed to give him when they returned.
Ryan waited until they were both out of the room to speak again. “Nice people. How long are they in town for?”
“Till Sunday.” Zack groaned. “And you don’t have to pretend. They were pretty rude to you.”
“Sorry about that. I know you probably wanted me to lie—”
“Never.” Zack cut him off. “That’s not what you do. I wouldn’t ask you to lie about Josiah. I’ll deal with their disapproval later.”
“You ever get tired of that disapproval?” Ryan’s voice was easy, but his words smacked into Zack, hitting him square in his chest.
“All the time.” Zack’s eyes squished shut. “All. The. Time. But...they’re my folks, you know?”
“I know.” Ryan’s tone was more than a little sad.
“They came all this way to see me.”