The sound of Canaan’s laughter distracted him from his brooding, and he looked up to see Canaan coming down the hall with a stately-looking woman who looked like a much more refined version of Damian.
“Damian’s mother,” Jules whispered to him.
“Uh-huh.” He was more interested in how buddy-buddy she looked with Canaan, touching his arm, and giving him a very maternal look.
“So wonderful seeing you, Canaan,” she enthused. “We’ll see you again soon, right? You always were so good for Damian.”
“I won’t be a stranger,” Canaan promised.
Renzo gritted his teeth. Why did it seem like the universe wanted Damian and Canaan back together? Anyone who’d observed them for more than ten minutes should have been able to see how toxic Damian was for Canaan. Or maybe that was just Renzo projecting his dislike for the guy. But still, he wanted better for Canaan.
You just want you for Canaan. Okay, that too. And he’d thought that after last night, they were on the same page, but now he wasn’t so sure.
“You came back.” Canaan caught sight of him and hurried over. “Was it hard finding donuts?”
“No trouble,” he lied. “You about ready to hit the road?”
“Yeah, I’m done here.” Canaan made a round of goodbyes, then followed Renzo to the elevators. When they were alone in the elevator, he stepped closer, dropping his head to Renzo’s shoulder. “Man, that was hard.”
“I know. I hate hospitals too.” Renzo had spent way too much time in them during his teenage years, waiting for this procedure or that one for Joe. “And it’s always tough to see...someone you care about hurting.”
“Yeah.” Canaan sighed, stepping away as the door opened at the lobby. “It’s more that I feel bad that I had you keeping me safe, and they didn’t have that. They could have died. If it wasn’t for my stupid boot, we would have been with one of the groups, and you could have helped more people.”
Renzo’s shoulders lifted, spine going stiffer. It meant something, Canaan seeing him as asset like that. “Sometimes freak things happen. If we’d been in that group, the pace might have been different, and then the whole group might have been in the slot canyon. That could have been a real disaster.” Still puffed up, Renzo led the way to the truck. “Try not to feel guilty that we couldn’t prevent their injuries.”
“Yeah.”
“So...” Renzo knew he was going to regret this fishing expedition, yet he couldn’t seem to keep the words from tumbling out. “Bet Damian was happy to see you, right?”
Canaan laughed as they reached the truck. “Hah. Same old Damian. He was a bit of a dick, to be honest. I feel bad for the guy, but I’m kinda glad that it’s Eric who has to deal with him as he recovers.”
“That right?” Renzo tried to sound disinterested.
“I told you. I wasn’t using this trip to get back together with him. Nothing’s changed in that regard.” Canaan buckled up with more force than needed.
“Sorry. I’m not usually a jealous a-hole.” Renzo put the truck in gear, headed back toward the highway.
“You’ve been burned before, I get it. But why would I try to start something with Damian when I’ve got you?”
Renzo’s ribs ached from the rapid expansion of his chest at those words. “Yeah? I was an okay fake boyfriend?”
“Thought I made it clear the real position is up for grabs.” Fiddling with his seat belt strap, Canaan looked out the window.
“You did say I could come shower.” Renzo felt light enough to float out of the truck.
“Yup. Said I’d do laundry and everything. And trust me, that’s commitment from me.” Canaan gave an uncertain laugh. “Real talk. I want to keep seeing you.”
“Guess that would be all right.” Renzo focused on merging onto I-40 instead of fist pumping. Canaan had talked him into taking the northern route back, just to be different. Because Canaan was adventurous like that, even after all that had happened, and Renzo had to admit that he admired that spirit.
“Surely last night was better than simply all right?” Canaan’s chuckle was lighter now, voice more upbeat.
“Yeah.” Renzo still wasn’t sure what to do with so much frank sex talk, the way Canaan could dissect and plan ahead and analyze sex without letting emotions or embarrassment get in the way. “It was. I liked...uh...the thigh thing. A lot.”
“See, I told you. We just have to figure out where our favorite things overlap. We’re good together,” Canaan said with a smug sort of confidence, and Renzo couldn’t argue with that. They were good together. Like really good. Like better than Renzo had ever had in his life, and that scared him a little. Surely something so good must have a downside at some point. Like maybe Canaan would figure out that Renzo wasn’t as perfect as he tried to be, wasn’t the hero everyone seemed to expect.