Page 113 of The Rules of Dating a Younger Man

I shook my head. “I couldn’t possibly eat.”

Alex nodded. “Yeah. I understand. You should get some rest. Would you want to have breakfast in the morning?”

“I’d like that.”

She smiled. “Me, too.”

It seemed neither of us wanted to be the first to move, but when my phone buzzed with a call from Liz, I showed it to Alex. “It’s the volunteer coordinator at the hospital. Why don’t you go check in while I answer?”

“Okay. Good idea.”

Alex came back just as I’d ended the call.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

I nodded. “I left a box at the nurses’ station with something I’d made for Landon’s prosthetic arm—a Spider-Man web shooter. The PA must’ve called Liz at home to let her know I’d come by. She wanted to apologize for not calling me last week, and she asked if it would be okay to send what I’d made to his parents. Apparently his older brother has taken an interest in prosthetics, and she thought he might appreciate the add-on.”

“Oh, that’s really nice.”

“That’s how I became interested in the field, too, through my buddy Ryan.”

“The world may not stop, but it changes. Because of your friend Ryan, you’ve made the prosthetics industry a little better with your technology. Maybe Landon’s brother will do the same.”

“I hope so.”

Alex and I walked to the elevators together. Inside, I pushed the button for the fifth floor. “What floor?” I asked.

“I’m on five, too.”

We both turned right as we exited, and Alex stopped at room 519. I pointed to the door right next to hers. “Seriously? I’m right there, five twenty-one.”

She swiped her keycard. “It seems like the universe knew we might need each other today.”

I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from saying, I need you every day.

“Is eight okay for breakfast?” she asked.

“Yeah, sounds good. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

***

“Morning.” I was already on my third cup of coffee when Alex came downstairs at ten before eight the next morning. I’d also already finished my breakfast.

She looked at my empty plate. “Am I late? I thought we were meeting at eight?”

“We were. But I was up early and wanted to get on the road. Sorry. I thought about knocking since I know you’re an early riser, but I listened at your door and didn’t hear anything. I thought maybe you slept in.”

“I did. I had trouble falling asleep last night, so I slept until almost seven thirty. But if you want to get on the road, I don’t need to order anything for breakfast. I can just grab a cup of coffee to go. I always keep a protein bar in my purse.”

“Actually…I’m going to get on the road to Philly. That’s why I waited for you. I wanted to ask if you would mind running things for Ryan’s House today, in my absence.”

“Oh. Of course. But is everything okay?”

I wiped my mouth with my napkin. “Yeah. I just need to take a quick road trip to visit Ryan.”

“Ryan?” Alex’s nose scrunched up. “Your friend who…”

I nodded. “I go there sometimes to talk things out. That’s what Ryan and I were to each other—sounding boards. He might be gone, yet he’s oddly still here for me. I didn’t sleep so well last night, but I woke up with clarity this morning—I need to go visit him today. It’s been too long.”

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