15. Hudson
Chapter 15
“How is he today?” I asked Henry when we met in the fourth floor waiting area.
Henry frowned. “Grumpier today. I think he was worn out last night, but today he’s rested and feeling pretty decent. He’s mad at the two of you. Mad that I didn’t tell him about you guys. Mad that he’s in the hospital. Mad that he had a heart attack.” My brother ran a hand over his beard. “Mad is pretty much today’s theme.”
“Did you ask today’s nurses if they know anyone who could check in, help with meals, get him exercising?” Lance asked.
Henry brightened. “Yeah, there’s a nurse named Cassie. Her brother’s name is Bryce. She said he’s a certified personal trainer, but he’s done that kind of thing before—checking in, healthy meals, light cleaning, exercise routine.”
“But?” I asked.
Henry grimaced. “He’s planning on moving to Haven Grove soon, but he doesn’t have a place just yet. So, if we hired him, he’d likely need to use the spare room at Dad’s house. And he’s not in a position to be here right away.”
Lance whistled and I wrinkled my nose. “Yeah, I don’t see that going over well.”
“Maybe we can figure out a way to convince him,” I said.
“Or we tell him this is the way it is,” Lance put in.
Henry and I stared at him as if he’d grown two heads.
“What?” Lance shrugged. “He wants to get better? Wants to be around for his boys?”
“Wow, it’s like you just want to get punched again,” Henry deadpanned. “I need to get going. Here’s a card for Bryce. I told Cassie to mention the situation to him and we’d likely get in touch. I’m on shift until close tonight, but I can do the early visit tomorrow.”
I hugged my brother and then smiled as Henry gave Lance a hug and said goodbye.
Moving to stare out the huge picture window, I ran through possible scenarios with my dad.
“Hey,” Lance whispered, his soft breath against my ear. “You don’t have to go in?—”
“No, I do. I want to see him. Want to make sure he knows we want him to get better.”
“He’s mad. He might say shitty things.”
“I know.”
“If it comes down to it…if he makes you choose between him and me?—”
I whirled on Lance. “Fuck that. There’s no choice. But there doesn’t need to be. He’ll either get over this or he won’t. I’m not giving up on us just because his damn stubborn ass can’t get past a lifetime of loss.”
“He’s hurt, Hudson. Give him some time.”
“He found out yesterday that time isn’t a given. I love him, love my family, but I love you too, and I won’t give up one for the other.” I gripped Lance’s hand.
“Then let’s get in there and visit his cranky ass,” Lance said, leaning in to press a kiss to my cheek.
Dad was just as grumpy as Henry had described.
He hated the food. Hated the hospital gown. The doctors were assholes who didn’t know a damn thing. The nurses got satisfaction from torturing him.
“Just want to be home in my own bed with decent channels.” Dad ran a hand over his scruffy chin and balled his fists.
“These are the same channels you’ve got at home,” Lance said as he clicked through the lineup.
Digging in my pocket, I pulled out a peppermint. “Here. You’re going through nicotine withdrawal. Suck on this.”
“Not gonna help the shakes or the headache,” Dad groused as he popped it in his mouth.
“No, but it will give you something to do with your mouth.” I glanced toward Lance. “Could you run downstairs and see if the gift shop has suckers? Maybe having something in his mouth and a stick to hold onto will help.”
Lance nodded and gripped the back of my neck.
I wanted to melt into his arms and let him hold me. Wanted to lose myself in his kiss. But we were here for Dad.
“I’ll be right back,” Lance said with a gentle squeeze.
Dad scowled at his best friend’s back.
He sat there scowling for several minutes while I wondered how to make things right between us.
A nurse bustled in and asked Dad if he wanted me to leave while she checked his vitals. He groused that he’d rather she leave, so she clucked her tongue with a grin and sped through her routine.
When she was gone, I stood at the edge of his bed and gripped the cold metal.
“I need you to know I love him.” My soft words were barely loud enough to be heard. “We didn’t mean for this to happen.”
Dad scoffed. “He just happened to fall into your bed and end up with his dick in your ass?”
“Don’t be crude,” I shot back. “That’s not all this is.”
Dad huffed and rolled his eyes.
“I think I’d already fallen halfway before I even knew it was him. Then I saw him for the first time again and my world shifted—the draw between us didn’t make sense. Hell, it shouldn’t have made sense. But it was there, and it was strong.
“For a while, I thought I could play my usual game and be okay with letting him go, but I don’t think I can ever let him go. I don’t know how to make you understand it. I don’t know how to make you okay with it. But he’s it for me. We aren’t going anywhere. I want you in my life. We want you in our lives. We want you around. He’s your best friend, but he’s my everything.”
Dad’s eyes shifted to the door, and he huffed. “Guess that little speech probably got him all lovey-dovey.”
I turned to see Lance with a bag from the gift shop, his eyes so full of emotion my breath caught. His hand came to the small of my back and he pressed a kiss to my temple. “I love you so damn much,” he murmured.
Dad took the bag of suckers from Lance with a scowl and a grumbled thank you. He tore into one of the wrappers and shoved it into his mouth, quickly molding his fingers around the stick like he used to hold a cigarette. “I’d kill for a big ol’ fountain Coke. They’ve let me have hot tea for a bit of caffeine, but if I’m gonna feel like death without the smokes, the least someone could do is get me a Big Gulp.”
I smiled, my blood flowing like hot lava as Lance’s thumb rubbed my lower back. “We’ll see what we can do when we come back tomorrow.”
The sucker had calmed Dad a bit and he gave a nod. Popping the candy from his mouth, holding it just like he’d hold a smoke, he said, “You seen any of the shit Henry’s dealing with at the roadhouse?”
Lance and I nodded. “Saw some of the trash mess.”
“Needs to call the police.”
“You know Henry’s not gonna purposely get someone in trouble, especially if they aren’t doing any real harm and he thinks they might be in a rough spot.” My brother’s heart was the best thing about him.
“Well, keep an eye out, yeah?” Dad said before popping the sucker back into his mouth.
“Will do,” Lance said. “See you tomorrow.” He patted Dad’s shoulder, and I leaned in to hug him.
“Love you,” I said. “Try not to be an asshole.”
Dad mumbled something about seeing what he could do.
As we reached the door, he croaked out, “Hudson.”
Lance and I both turned around.
“He might be my best friend, but you’re my son.”
I froze and Lance tensed beside me.
“Dad…” I started.
He gestured toward us with the sucker. “Since I’m not dying—not yet, anyway—I’ll figure out some way to be okay with this.”
My throat tightened as tears threatened, and Lance took my hand.
“We’d like that,” I said.
Dad gave a nod and pointed the sucker our way. “Might have to kick his ass first.”
Lance chuckled. “Bring it on. You get yourself back into shape enough to fight me, and you can give it your best go.”