“Tomorrow. Will you be taking him home? Or should I plan on him staying with me?”
“With me,” I blurt and then take another bite of my sandwich.
“Good man.”
She pants my shoulder, and then before we enter back into Caleb’s room, she stops me.
“I don’t mean to pry, but has Caleb told you about his mother?”
I shake my head. “I know she passed, but I don’t know the details.”
Aunt Del looks sad for a moment, shadows passing through her eyes.
“It was cancer. Came on suddenly and took her quickly. The anniversary of her death is coming up. November 23rd.”
“God,” I mutter, and she nods.
“She wanted to make it to the holidays but couldn’t hold on. If…I just want to make sure that if you can’t be there for him at that time, please convince him to come home. I know it’s hard for him. Itwillbe hard for him. I don’t know how he’ll cope with it.”
“I’ll be there for him,” I say. “And we’ll be there for Thanksgiving.”
Aunt Del seems satisfied with my response because she hugs me tightly, and then we walk into the room. Caleb is still sleeping, and Aunt Del says, “I’ll leave you my things just in case you need them, and I’ll get a ride home with Luke. As his fiancé, you should be the one he wakes up to.”
“Okay,” I say and watch as she grabs her purse and tablet and then disappears outside.
“Whit?” Caleb mutters, his hand grasping the sheets, and I leave my sandwich on the table and climb into bed with him.
He immediately settles, pulling me into him with a grunt. I rest my head against his chest and rub my fingers across his neck, feeling that pulse strong beneath my fingers.
What am I doing?
This will not end well.
CHAPTERTEN
Iwake up with Whit in my arms. What heaven is this, I think as I blink rapidly.
Shit, my hand hurts. My entire body hurts.
Groaning, I rub at my head.
“Careful,” Whit says, grabbing my hand and placing it on my chest. “You have stitches up there.”
Oh yeah, The hospital. The accident.
“Ugh,” I say. “I need some water.”
Whit hands me a Styrofoam cup, and I take a greedy sip. I eye Whit, who looks slightly disheveled.
“You look damn cute,” I tell him gruffly. “Like you all rumpled.”
Whit flushes prettily and then takes my cup of water and sets it back down.
“When can I go home?”
“The doctor will be back soon. So hopefully today.”
“Where’s Aunt Del?” he asks.