Chapter 25 #3
Jude reached over and took her hand. “I’m glad, too.”
Roan wrapped an arm around Jude’s shoulders. “About time you two cleared the air.” He looked at Mia. “All is forgiven?”
Both Mia and Jude nodded, smiling at one another.
“I think so,” Mia said.
“It is,” Jude replied.
“Good,” Roan said.
A couple of Roan’s cousins appeared at the doorway, squealed, and cruised in to peek at the baby.
Jude moved to the bed. “I’m getting out of here so it’s not too many people for you and the baby.”
“Not even,” Mia said, snagging his hand. “Come here.”
“Hey, guys—do you mind waiting outside? We asked Jude and Anton to be here now, and we don’t want too many people in the room at one time,” Roan said to his cousins. “I promise it won’t be too long.”
One of the cousins glared at Jude and Anton. “Sure. Whatever.”
As the pair exited, Jude sat down beside Mia, shocked Roan had spoken up. Mia wrapped one of Jude’s arms over her shoulder and leaned her head on his chest. “I missed this.”
Jude chuckled. “Me, too.”
“You know, we could go if you want your cousins to come in,” Anton said. “I get wanting to keep the vibe chill in here.”
“Did you see them?” Roan asked. “They just walked in like they owned the place. Didn’t bother to ask if they could come in. We didn’t invite them. We asked you guys.” Roan looked at Jude. “Our real family.”
Jude smiled at Roan.
Roan grinned back before he sat down beside Anton on the small loveseat at the back of the room and smiled down at his baby girl.
“Do you see him?” Mia asked, smiling as she eyed Roan. “In protective dad and husband mode?” She glanced at Jude. “How could you think I still have the hots for you when I’ve got him?”
Jude laughed.
“Did you ever see me and Roan together?” Mia asked.
Jude looked over at Roan and Anton. “Not in a million years.”
“Me either. He’s totally not my type. I thought he was the biggest nerd when we were in school.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing,” Jude said. “That he’s not your type.”
“Probably is. I used to pick the absolute worst men.” She turned to look at him. “Present company excluded, of course.”
“Oh, no. I was the worst person for you, too. Boyfriend-wise, that is.” He smiled. “I make a much better friend.”
“You make an amazing friend.” Mia smiled. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Indeed.”
Mia pulled
“Well, give me a little time to recover and then you’re coming for dinner. I won’t take no for an answer.”
“As long as it’s not Thanksgiving. I’ve had a hell of a time convincing them to leave me alone. I don’t want to argue with a new mom, too.”
“No worries. We’re not going to dinner either. I just told my mom this afternoon that I’m not taking my newborn into a room full of people and their germs. She’s going to deliver plates to our house.” She snorted. “And a pie. A whole one. Just for me.”
“I can send Chinese your way. That’s what I’m having.”
“That actually sounds kinda good. Damn, now I want some Egg Foo Young.” Mia chuckled. “And here I thought the cravings would stop after I gave birth.”
Jude grinned. “Ant and I can go get you some and sneak it in.”
Mia gasped. “I can’t ask you to go run across town to get me food when there’s food here.”
“If you want to call what they serve here food, you go for it—but if you want some real food, we’ll go get it for you. Cross town or not.”
Mia turned to look at him, grinning. “I lied. How can I not love a man who would go get me contraband after having another man’s baby?”
They both giggled at that.
“Want some egg rolls, too?” He seemed to recall her loving those.
“Yesssss,” Mia hissed. “And some of those rangoon things. With the cream cheese in them.”
“You got it.”
Mia grabbed his arm before he slipped away. She eyed the scar on his wrist before her gaze popped to his. Tears shone in her eyes again. “Jude.”
Jude held her stare, not sure what to say.
“When?”
“A long time ago,” Jude replied. “I survived.”
Mia fought her tears, gently rubbing her thumb over the scar. She took his other hand and eyed that scar, too. When she looked up at him, he saw her sorrow. “We lost a lot of time, hmm?”
“Luckily, we have a lot of it left.”
Mia kissed the back of his hand. “Why don’t you get something for Roan, you, and Ant, too. We can have our own Thanksgiving dinner right here, right now. I’m feeling awfully thankful tonight.”
Jude grinned. “Now, that’s my kind of Thanksgiving.”
Mia smiled. “Hurry back. Momma’s hungry.”
Jude walked over to Anton and whispered Mia’s request in his ear. He rose and finally handed Toni over to Roan.
“You had me at Egg Foo Young,” Anton said. He eyed Roan. “Want some beef lo mein?”
“Oh, god, yes,” Roan said. “Please. The food here is the worst.”
“We’ll be right back,” Jude said before he and Anton left. “If you let the cousins in, make sure they leave when we get back. They’re not invited to our Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Thanksgiving?” Roan grinned. “You got it. Just the family for dinner.”
Once in the elevator, Anton eyed him. “So?”
“I’m pissed I waited so long to talk to her.” He smiled at Anton. “We’re all good.”
“Finalllllly,” Anton said.
Jude had felt so isolated from his friends—and it was for nothing. Had he just faced Mia instead of ignoring the problem, he’d have saved himself a lot of heartache.
Avoidant Attachment Disorder.
Seemed his therapist might know a thing or two.
“Instead of running, you fixed a relationship. I bet there are other relationships you could work on, too. One in particular comes to mind.”
“Maybe. Although I sense he might’ve moved on already.”
Anton sighed. “Stop making excuses and talk to him.”
“Maybe,” Jude muttered.
“Don’t make me drag you to his door. Because I will.”
“Jerk,” Jude said, turning around to face the doors.
“You deserve to be happy, asshole.”
Jude shook his head. “Thanks, asshole.”
Anton grinned at him.
Jude turned his head to eye Anton. “Thanks.”
Anton’s smile faded. “For?”
“Giving a shit. Never letting me run away when we argued.” Jude fought back a wave of emotion. “I don’t know where I’d be right now without you. Actually, I do know where I’d be without you. Not here.”
Anton’s eyes shone a bit.
“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve a friend like you, but I’m glad you’re here and that you put up with my shit… I don’t tell you enough how much I love you, man.”
“I love you, too,” Anton said. He wrapped an arm over Jude’s shoulders and squeezed. “Also, please tell your therapist she’s doing outstanding work.”
Jude chuckled. “I will.”
“Can I join a session? I’ve got all kinds of things to tattle on you about.”
“Not on your life.”
“You’re no fun,” Anton said.
Later, after Jude had mulled it over, he reconsidered his response to that question. On the way back to the hospital with three massive bags full of food in the backseat, he turned to Anton at a red light.
“Maybe you should sit in on a session or two.”
Anton looked at Jude. “I was only joking.”
“Yeah, I know—but we never talked about the shit that went down. It couldn’t have been easy for you to… find me like that.” Jude pulled his gaze from Anton’s. “And pretending it didn’t happen isn’t healthy for either of us.”
Anton grew deathly quiet.
Jude worried he might have crossed a line into something Anton wasn’t comfortable with.
“Do you trust this one?”
“Yeah,” Jude said. “She’s nothing like the others.”
“Tell me when and where and I’ll be there.”
Jude smiled. “Okay.”
Anton smiled, too.
The light turned green and Anton hit the gas, taking them back for one of the best Thanksgiving dinners Jude could remember having.