49. Chapter 49
Chapter 49
“How did your anatomy lab practical go today?” I asked as soon as she walked in the front door.
Mallori’s teeth sank into her bottom lip, and she hunched up her shoulders. “I don’t want to jinx myself, but I think I aced it.”
“I told you.” God, I was so fucking proud of her.
“So I’ll definitely come away with an A in that class. Now I just have to study my ass off for my finals, and hopefully I’ll do the same in the rest of my classes.” She set her backpack down beside the door and collapsed onto the couch beside me.
“A four-point-oh in your first semester of a doctoral program? Pretty impressive.”
“I have a good study partner,” she said with a wink.
“Megan?”
She laughed. “She’s my library study partner, but I was talking about my home study buddy.”
Placing my hand over my heart, I dramatically mouthed, “Me?”
Mal shoved my shoulder. “Stop it. I really couldn’t have done this without you. ”
“I don’t mind,” I told her honestly. Seriously, any second I could spend with this woman was a win in my book. I didn’t care if it was grilling her on muscle insertions or helping her meal prep her lunches for the week. As long as I could look at her, smell her sweet scent, touch her.
Well, about the touching… it wasn’t exactly the kind of touching I truly wanted, but at least it was something.
It was November, the weekend before Thanksgiving, and we’d gone back to the way we were when Mallori first moved in back in August. Occasional brushes of our hands. Her head on my shoulder when she fell asleep studying. A kiss on the forehead.
I wanted more, but I understood where she was coming from when she said she wanted to remain platonic. After our few days at my cabin, she’d obviously sensed I was having feelings for her, and she didn’t want the same thing. So she backed away so I wouldn’t fall even harder for her. She was so goddamn sweet and empathetic, and that only made me want her more.
The irony of that wasn’t lost on me.
My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts, and I smiled when I saw who was calling. Swiping my thumb across the screen, I said in a professional voice, “Thank you for calling Hawk’s House of Dildos. Please listen closely, as our menu has changed.”
Laughter came down the line, and Mallori’s head swiveled toward me. I mouthed that it was my sister before continuing. “Press one for vibrators. Press two for prophylactics. Press three for movies. Press four for lubes. Press five for sex dolls. ”
I heard a beep. “Thank you for choosing to hear about our vast array of sex dolls. Press one for dolls with female anatomy. Press two for dolls with male anatomy.”
Another beep on the second option, and Mal giggled beside me.
“We currently have fifteen models of male sex dolls, including some of our ever popular celebrity models. You can enjoy personal private time with Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling, Harry Styles, Liam Hemsworth, and our current bestseller, Steve Buscemi.”
I’d thrown that last one in to get a reaction, and I wasn’t disappointed. Mallori smacked my arm at the same time Jennifer wailed, “Ewwww, Tate. Steve Buscemi?”
I laughed heartily. “Just seeing if you were paying attention. How are you, gorgeous?”
“I’m good. How about you?”
We chatted amiably for a few minutes before she got to the point of the call. “I wanted to tell you something, but don’t freak out.”
My spine immediately turned into a steel rod, jerking me upright. If someone says not to freak out, that means they’re about to tell you something that will freak you out.
“What is it, Jenn?”
“The cancer is back.” Dread seeped through every pore on my body, and my steel spine melted. “In the left breast again. It’s just a small spot,” she added quickly.
Mallori, sensing my distress, rubbed a soothing hand through the back of my hair, and all I wanted to do was lean over into her lap and let her pet me like she did Coconut.
“What are they doing about it?”
“I’m having a mastectomy.” There was a long pause. “Tomorrow. ”
“Tomorrow?” I almost yelled. “You’re having a mastectomy tomorrow, and you’re just now telling me?”
Mallori’s hand stilled and then resumed that sweet stroking of my hair as my sister sighed.
“I didn’t want you to worry, but Richard convinced me to tell you.”
“You’re talking to Dick?” I asked coldly.
“Yes, I’m talking to Richard ,” she said in a placating tone. “We’ve become good friends since the divorce. We definitely make better friends than spouses. He actually drove me to get my biopsy.”
I was a little peeved that Dick was in the loop where my sister was concerned, whereas I sat on the fringe of the circle. But I softened my voice.
“What time is your surgery, sweetheart?”
“You don’t have to come here, Tate.”
“What time?”
She puffed out a breath. “It starts at eight and will only last two or three hours. I can call you as soon as I wake up.”
“Or you’ll just see my pretty face staring at you when you come out of the anesthesia.”
Mallori pulled her hand away and stood, and I wanted to beg her to stay with me and rub my hair some more. Her gentle touch calmed my frayed edges. But she picked up her backpack and walked to the back of the house.
“Oh god,” my sister said in mock-horror. “Anything but that.”
“You know seeing me will brighten your day,” I teased.
“I guess I could put up with you,” she sighed, but I could hear the smile in her voice. “How are things going with Mallori? ”
“The same,” I admitted, casting a glance down the hallway to make sure she wasn’t coming back.
“Just tell her you’re in love with her, you idiot.”
“I can’t,” I hissed. “I told you, I’m pretty sure she already knows after our trip to the cabin. She obviously doesn’t feel the same, and that’s why she said we have to stay in the friend zone.”
Jenn was the only person I could talk to about Mallori. I certainly couldn’t talk to my work friends because they were also friends with Cam.
“What if it’s a miscommunication trope?” she asked.
“I don’t know what the fuck that means,” I grumbled.
“It’s a book thing,” she said airily. “It’s when both parties are complete idiots and don’t tell the other person a piece of vital information.”
“She’s not an idiot,” I argued, earning me a laugh from my sister.
“God, you’re such a sucker for her. What if she feels the same, and she’s scared to tell you because she thinks you don’t love her, and all the while, you love her but don’t tell her because you think she doesn’t love you?” She said all that in one long sentence that made my head throb.
“That’s very convoluted,” I complained before changing the subject. “Have you talked to our mother?”
“Just the occasional check-in every couple weeks, like normal. I haven’t told her about the surgery. I was going to call her after I got off the phone with you. She’ll probably show up with the obligatory flower arrangement, stay for a couple minutes, and then leave.”
We talked for a few more minutes, and then I heard the printer whir in the small room I used as a home office. Mal was probably printing something for school. I should probably let her know I’m leaving, and I still needed to try and find a flight that would get me there as early as possible.
“All right, Jenn. I need to go take care of a few things,” I said into the phone. “I’ll try to get there before your surgery, but if not, hopefully I’ll be waiting for you when you wake up.”
“You know I don’t expect you to come, right?”
“I know. I want to,” I told her.
“I look forward to seeing you, little bro. Love you.”
“Love you too, sweetie.”
“See? It’s really not that hard to say. Why don’t you—”
“Bye, you annoying brat,” I cut in and then hung up to the sound of her laughter.
“What time is Jennifer’s surgery?” Mallori asked, striding swiftly back into the room. She stopped in front of me, and her cheeks pinkened. “Sorry, didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
“You weren’t eavesdropping, Bee. I was talking in front of you. There’s a difference. And the surgery is at eight.”
She bit her bottom lip and studied the papers in her hand. “Okay, we land at six-oh-two. If we don’t check a bag, that will make it faster. How far is the hospital from the airport?”
Big aqua eyes blinked up at me, awaiting my answer.
“Umm… what?”
“How far is the hospital from the airport?” she enunciated.
“Not far. A few minutes.”
Mal handed over a sheaf of papers. “Okay, I printed out our flight information since this was a last minute booking. Got us in an exit row to give you more leg room. I’ve started packing your bag but check it and make sure I didn’t miss anything. It’s on your bed.” Then she turned and fast-walked from the room, leaving me confused in her wake.
I flipped through the pages. That crazy girl had booked us on a red-eye flight that left tonight. Both of us .
Shaking my head in wonder, I stood and walked down the hallway. Sure enough, an open suitcase was on my bed. I glanced inside, seeing clothes and my black leather toiletry bag.
What the actual fuck is going on here?
Making my way to Mallori’s room, I watched from the doorway as she placed T-shirts and jeans into a hot-pink suitcase before tapping her lips and turning to her bathroom. When she returned with her toothbrush and deodorant, she noticed me.
“Oh, hi. Did I forget something in your suitcase?”
I gawked at this wonderful woman for a second before shaking the papers at her. “How did you pay for this?”
Her grin was smug as hell, and she propped her hands on her hips. “The refund money from the housing department.” She narrowed her eyes into what I assumed was supposed to be a glare. “You know, the money I keep sending to you, but you keep sending back?”
I was unable to contain my chuckle. We had passed that damn money back and forth for two months. She was completely exasperated with me because I wouldn’t accept it.
“Anyway, I bought the tickets with that, so there.” Her chin lifted defiantly, and I wanted to kiss that smart mouth until her lips were bruised.
“Why did you buy two tickets? ”
When she tilted her head, her blonde ponytail fell in front of her shoulder. “It seemed more comfortable than folding myself into your suitcase, and they have age limits on who can be a lap rider.”
Her sassy attitude and the thought of her sitting on my lap had me shifting my feet to try and alleviate some of the pressure building in my groin. Jesus, dude. Your sister is sick, and you’re thinking with your dick.
Mallori’s face turned serious, and she walked toward me to take my hand in her small one. “I’m sorry. I was so busy trying to get things organized, I forgot to ask if you’re okay.”
I gave her a small smile. “I’m okay. Could use one of your hugs though.” She immediately wrapped her arms around me, embracing me tightly, and I bent my head to inhale her.
Was my request some kind of sneaky-ass way to get her into my arms again? Of course it was, but it was completely worth it.
“Why are you coming with me?” I asked against her hair.
“Because you might need me,” she said simply, her voice slightly muffled by my chest. All my emotions swelled and swirled around us. She was so fucking sweet.
“You really didn’t have to do that, Bee. I know you need to study.”
“I can study in the waiting room.” She stepped out of my arms and rolled her lips inward in a self-conscious gesture. “I promise not to get in your way. I thought I could run errands for you so you can spend time with your sister. Bring you food and stuff like that.”
“You could never be in my way,” I assured her.
“If you say so. Now go check your bag and make sure I didn’t forget anything. I just packed comfortable clothes for you.”
“What about Nut? ”
“Coconut,” she corrected, rolling her eyes, “and that automatic feeder you bought has enough food and water for five days. If we’re gone longer than that, I’ll text Shiloh to come and check on her. She and Cam have a key to your house, right?”
“Uh, yeah.”
Strolling away from me, she snapped her fingers twice and pointed toward my room. “Check your suitcase. Now, Gentry.”
I smiled and headed toward my room.
I adore you, you beautiful, bossy little thing.