Page 53 of Always Be an Us

But before she leaves, for some mad reason I step in, blocking Micah's view, and kiss Emma on the cheek. Her eyes flare open in surprise, and she touches the spot, blinking at me.

"I'll see you later," I tell her.

"Yeah," she whispers. To my utmost satisfaction, she doesn’t spare Micah a single glance as she walks away.

"Well, well, well." Micah sounds amused, but rather than comment on Emma he turns to the hotel. He sniffs. "Is this the place?"

"Yes."

He frowns." I was hoping you would give me a tour, but I'm not sure I want to step one foot inside there. With my karma, it will come collapsing on me."

"It’s not so bad." I hate that I suddenly sound defensive. "The foundation is solid but for the few cracks."

Micah raises his eyebrow. "Don't tell me you actually plan on completing this project."

"It's what our parents agreed on," I say noncommittally.

"Yeah, but I thought you would have the good sense to see how ridiculous that idea is." He shakes his head. "Can you imagine? My father told me that he wants me to run this place once it's done. Well I for one don’t plan on running a hotel in the middle of nowhere. Unacceptable. This is not my style at all."

"And what exactly do you plan on doing? Convincing your dad?"

Micah tuts, shaking his head. "My dear friend, Declan. I thought you were smarter than that. Clearly, reasoning with our folks isn't the way to go here. My old man is probably nearing dementia and is as stubborn as an old goat."

I cross my hands over my chest. "So you have another idea then?"

"Obviously. There's only one way to resolve this issue." A mischievous grin splits his face. "Good old sabotage."

Chapter Fifteen

Emma

I slide open the curtain to the hospital room and I freeze when I see the familiar figure sitting up in bed.

"Grandpa! You're awake!"

"Hey, kiddo!" He grins at me and I barrel towards him, barely holding myself back from throwing myself into his arms. Thelma, one of the cardiology nurses, called me up to tell me that my Grandpa was awake. But I don't think it fully hits me until I see him now.

Joy soars in my chest, as my eyes greedily take him in, noting the color in his cheeks. Dark bags sit underneath his eyes, and his face seems to have gained new wrinkles. But he's awake and that's all that matters.

I hated seeing him unconscious in that bed, all wan and thin and weak. That's not the grandpa I'm used to. The man I know is a boisterous ball of constant activity, fishing or walking or disturbing passersby with his tales of the supernatural.

I resist the urge to hug him, so I don't disturb his heart, but I take his hand in mind, squeezing it with all the emotion inside me.

He squeezes it back, his smile widening.

Emotion chokes my throat, and I feel close to crying. But I hold it back, the same way he did when I was a kid. He was strong for me then. It’s time for me to be strong for him.

"Were you worried about me?" he asks, and I shake my head.

"Nah," I say and swallow again to erase the hoarseness from my voice. "I knew you would be fine. My Grandpa ain't the type to let a little heart attack get him down."

"You’re damn right," he harrumphs.

I sit by his bed, careful not to jostle him too much. I give into the urge to touch his cheeks, savoring the warmth emanating from him. "But how are you holding up? Really?"

"I’m doing okay," he says. I notice his voice is a little shaky and it's accompanied by a light cough. "Except I feel like a thousand-pound elephant is sitting in my chest half the time, which the doctor says is normal."

"They booked you in for the surgery in two days,’" I tell him. "The doctor says that’s the earliest they could get you in. You should feel good as new after it's done."

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