Page 59 of Return to You

“Kade.” Ali stepped in front of him. “Stay. Ethan can take us home.”

“No. It’s fine. I’ll come ba—”

“Kade.” Ali put her hand on his chest as she tilted her head to the side and with a warning tone said, “Don’t make me rock-paper-scissors you.”

He covered her hand with his, loving the feel of her touch.

“Stay,” she said softly.

He nodded his head, wanting so badly to lean down and seal this agreement with a kiss.

She reached up and hugged him, whispering quietly, “I wish I could stay with you, but I need to get—”

“I know.” He breathed as he wrapped his arms around her, absorbing the strength that holding her gave him. He was like one of the guys on the twins’ video games—she recharged his life force.

“We’ll see you soon,” she spoke against his neck. It wasn’t a kiss but it was intimate, and it gave him hope.

Ali, Ethan, and the boys left and Kade and Nancy walked the short distance to the front desk check-in.

“Hi, again.” Kade waved at the same woman from earlier. “I’m Kade McKnight. My father George McKnight was just brought here.”

The woman cocked her head to the side. “I thought you were here with Patrick Walsh.”

Hearing her call Ricky “Patrick” was odd, but it didn’t feel like the punch in his gut that it used to be when he’d hear his best friend’s name. “I was. I just found out about my father.”

“Wow. Busy night,” she commented before turning to the computer and typing. “It looks like they’re working on him now. You can take a seat. I’ve made a note that next of kin is here, someone will be out to update you soon.”

“Okay.”

Kade and Nancy both took a seat in the waiting room, and after a few minutes of small talk, she pulled out her Kindle and Kade was left to his own thoughts.

He’d never thought he’d be sitting here waiting to hear news about his father, and he still wasn’t exactly sure why he was. His father had been a mean drunk, and not so great sober, either. Before he’d stopped by his trailer last week, Kade wouldn’t have spit on him if he were on fire.

But seeing him so frail, broken, and alone had shifted something in Kade. He wasn’t going to be sending him Father’s Day cards or anything, but the anger that he’d been carrying around had dissipated. It was replaced with pity. His old man had been faced with knowing he was in the last chapter of his life and had no one. It was sad and Kade felt sorry for him.

After an hour or so, he walked outside to call Ali and check in.

“Any news?” Ali asked when she answered.

“No. Not yet. How’s Ricky? Are you guys home?”

“Yeah. He scarfed down some pizza and is already asleep. Dumbass is snoring beside him and KJ is camped out in a sleeping bag on his floor. It’s pretty sweet. I took a picture. I’m going to look at it when they’re driving me crazy.”

Kade smiled. “Good plan.”

“Do you need me to come back there? I can call Jess to come stay with the—”

“No, I’m fine,” he cut her off.

“Are you sure? I can bring you food and…” She wasn’t able to finish her thought because she yawned.

“Ali. Get some sleep. I’m fine. I’ll be home soon.” He loved the sound of that. Home. He’d looked at some places when he’d met up with Kennedy the other day but none of them felt like the Walsh house had always felt to him.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Okay…and Kade…” she paused.

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