Chapter 17
If you’ve never experienced emotional whiplash via a hospital-room UNO game, I highly recommend it.
One minute, Topher and I were whispering sweet nothings. The next, we were locked in a full-blown card war, grinning like lunatics and sabotaging each other with the kind of competitive glee that would make Olympic athletes nervous.
I slapped down a Draw Two with a dramatic flourish.
Topher’s jaw dropped. “You’re heartless.”
He drew two cards with a groan, but the gleam in his eyes said otherwise.
“It’s UNO,” I said, shrugging. “There are no survivors.”
Josephine, lounging on the hospital bed like a queen observing court drama, chuckled in approval. With a sly wink, she tossed down a Skip card, shooting the turn right back to me.
What had started as a simple distraction during Josephine’s checkup had quickly turned into an all-out battle.
But the best part? The way Topher kept finding subtle ways to touch me—his fingers brushing mine when he handed over a card, his leg casually bumping against me as we sat side by side.
Each little contact caused a spark, making it impossible to wipe the giddy smile off my face.
I leaned back, still lightheaded from the way Topher’s fingers had brushed mine for just a second longer than necessary. “It’s not my fault that some of us take competition seriously. It’s called winning, Topher. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”
He scoffed. “Oh, I know all about winning. What I didn’t realize is that apparently, we can’t play anything without it becoming a battle for survival.”
Josephine laughed. “Remember when we played Pictionary with Gladys? You two spent ten minutes arguing over whether your stick figure was supposed to be a horse or a giraffe.”
I crossed my arms. “It was a horse, obviously.”
Topher groaned. “A horse? It had horns!”
I shrugged innocently. “That’s just artistic flair.”
Topher shook his head, drawing his cards. “This is why ‘friendly’ isn’t in our vocabulary.”
“You should’ve known better than to challenge me to anything,” I teased, the warmth from his earlier touch still buzzing through me. “Remember the last time we played Monopoly?”
Topher winced dramatically. “Don’t remind me. I’m still recovering from losing Park Place.” He held up his single card with a smirk. “UNO!”
I quickly threw down a yellow three, but not before our hands brushed against each other again.
This time, Topher’s fingers lingered, curling around mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
My heart stuttered in my chest, and a giddy rush spread through me.
Every touch, every stolen glance, made it harder to focus on the game.
I squeezed his hand back, barely able to keep the grin off my face.
I tried to keep my eyes on the game, but the warmth of his hand made it impossible to focus.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I glanced at him, only to find his eyes already on me.
His gaze was steady, and the soft, heartwarming smile that tugged at his lips sent a rush of heat through me, making my pulse race all over again.
Josephine’s eyes flickered to our joined hands, and she smiled knowingly. “You know, I’m happy both of you came with me to the doctor today.” Her voice was soft, almost tender. “It means a lot to have you here.”
I felt another slight tug in my chest, her words pulling at something deeper. The moment felt sweet, almost like we were a little team.
Then, with a glint in her eye, Josephine’s tone shifted to one of pure mischief. She slapped down a Draw Four card with the precision of someone who had planned this moment all along, her grin wide as Topher groaned.
“Ruthless,” he muttered.
Josephine grinned proudly. “And don’t you forget it.”
The room filled with laughter, but all I could focus on was the warmth of Topher’s hand still in mine and the way each little touch made me feel like I was floating.
I was ready to throw another teasing jab when the door creaked open, cutting through the moment.
Alex stepped inside, his expression serious as his eyes landed on our intertwined hands. Something shifted in his face, a quick flicker of surprise, before he masked it. “Dr. Julius wants to speak with you, Mrs. Brodie. Nothing urgent, just some health updates. But immediate family only.”
As I stood up and walked to follow Alex to the door, Topher shifted in his seat, his eyes meeting mine. He looked uneasy, his brow furrowed. His fingers twitched slightly, like he wanted to say something.
Without thinking, I smiled softly and reached out, my hand brushing gently against his shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
He nodded, and the tension in his eyes eased.
I left with Alex, his overly crisp shirt and tousled brown hair doing nothing to stir the emotions they once had.
I could objectively admit that Alex was still ridiculously good-looking, but in a “Ken doll who models for budget cologne ads” kind of way.
His shirt was so crisp that it looked as if it had just been steamed, and his hair was perfectly styled, with what I knew was an entire shelf of hair products.
“How are you?” Alex asked, his voice softer than I expected, like he was actually interested in the answer for once.
I raised an eyebrow, half expecting a catch. “I’m really good. I’ve been considering returning to school for a career in social work. I might want to be a therapist.”
Alex blinked, clearly taken aback. “A therapist? Really?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, surprising even myself with how sure I sounded. “I think I’d be good at it.”
To my surprise, a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You would be. You’ve always had a way of helping people, getting them to open up.”
I grinned, feeling a wave of genuine happiness wash over me.
How did this happen? Life was good, and I was right where I was supposed to be.
Almost four weeks ago, I’d been fired, evicted, and dumped in one spectacularly bad string of events.
Now, there I was, feeling on top of the world.
It was almost ridiculous. Who would’ve guessed I’d be smiling at my ex, feeling generous enough even to humor this conversation?
“Thanks,” I said, the absurdity of it all settling in. “Things have been really... falling into place.”
His eyes roamed over my face like he was searching for something. “You look so good. Really. You’ve got this glow about you.”
I looked terrific, and I knew it. I couldn’t stop smiling.
I’d slipped into a simple, fitted dress that hugged my curves in all the right places, and my hair was having one of those rare, glorious days where it fell in soft waves as if I’d just stepped out of a shampoo commercial.
For once, Alex’s polished, over-the-top appearance didn’t rattle me. I felt fantastic, and it showed.
“And now, you’ve got a plan, and you’re moving forward.
” Alex paused briefly before adding, “Oh, and by the way, things didn’t work out with Dr. Sparks.
It turns out that two doctors shouldn’t be together.
You can only handle so much medical talk at home.
We’d argue over the best way to set a broken toe or the most effective antihistamine for a mild allergic reaction.
One time, we even had a full-blown debate over the pros and cons of different types of surgical sutures…
over dinner. Honestly, it was exhausting. So yeah, that fizzled out.”
Yes, things were on an upward trajectory for me, but I couldn’t help feeling a flicker of satisfaction. “Really? It sounded like a match made in heaven.” My tone was laced with sarcasm, but Alex didn’t take the bait.
He took a small step closer, his gaze lingering on me as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.
“Honestly, I can’t stop thinking about you.
You’re even more amazing than before.” Alex shook his head, running a hand through his hair.
“I’m sorry, okay? I never should’ve walked away from you. ”
I let out a shocked laugh, the kind that comes when someone says something so outrageous you can’t believe it’s real. “Walked away? You didn’t walk away. You cheated on me.”
He winced but stepped closer. “I want a do-over.”
“There’s no ‘do-over’ for what you did.”
His expression darkened with frustration. “I get it now. You think this guy cares about you, don’t you?”
I clenched my jaw, every muscle in my body tensing.
Before I could respond, Alex kept going, his voice dripping with arrogance.
“You can’t seriously believe that a billionaire who’s dated the world’s most beautiful women would choose you.
Tell me you’re not that na?ve. He’s Topher Brodie.
He’s got women throwing themselves at him.
How could he possibly be interested in you? ”
My pulse quickened, and I felt the edges of my smile slip away.
The warmth of Topher’s touch, his sweet words, still lingered in the back of my mind, but Alex’s words were getting louder, trying to drown out my happiness.
I swallowed hard, willing myself not to lose that feeling just because of Alex’s bitterness.
“Why does it even matter to you?” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.
He stepped closer, his eyes scanning me like he had some right to. “I mean, look at you. You’re more gorgeous than ever, and you’ve got your life together. You’re motivated and driven. Everything I always wanted.”
A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it, the memory burning more than I cared to admit. “You dumped me right after I lost my job.”
“That was a mistake!” He sounded almost indignant, as if I were the one being unreasonable. “You weren’t what I wanted then, but you are now.”
I stared at him, incredulous. “Are you even hearing yourself? You think you can just show up and say, ‘Oops, my bad,’ and everything will be fine? You cheated on me!”
Alex grimaced, as if he were tired of this conversation. “When are you going to stop fixating on that?”
“Never, Alex. Never.”