Page 21 of Single Daddy Doctor Dreamy

“Hey, buddy. You hanging in there?” Aiden asks, ruffling Finn’s hair. Finn nods, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion, and leans into Lucy’s side.

Aiden straightens and catches my eye. “I’ll stay as long as you need. And when you’re ready, I’ll get these two home. It’s late, and they shouldn’t have to wait all night.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Thanks, Aiden. That would be great.”

He just shrugs, but the weight of his gesture isn’t lost on me. Lucy shoots him a grateful smile, and Finn lets out a quiet yawn, curling closer to her.

After a while, Aiden scoops Finn into his arms and gently urges Lucy toward the door. “Let’s get you guys home. Joel’s got this.”

Lucy hesitates, her eyes meeting mine, and I see the unspoken question there. I nod once, reassuring her. “Go with Aiden. I’ll call the second there’s any news.”

Her hand lingers on the back of the chair for a moment before she follows Aiden and Finn out of the room. As the door clicks shut, I lean back and let the quiet settle around me, focusing on Miles and the steady rhythm of his breathing.

The surgery itself is quick, just as Dr. Harris promised, but every second feels like an eternity. I pace the length of the waiting room, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios despite knowing better.

When Dr. Harris finally reappears, still in his scrubs, I’m at his side immediately.

“The surgery went well,” he says. “The fracture was more complex than we initially thought, but we were able to set it properly. He’ll need physical therapy once the cast comes off, but he should make a full recovery.”

Relief floods through me, and I exhale sharply, the tension in my shoulders finally easing. “Thank you,” I say, my voice thick with gratitude.

“He’ll be in recovery for a bit,” Harris continues. “We’ll move him to a room soon, but he’ll need to stay overnight for observation.”

I nod, already focused on seeing Miles.

When I’m finally allowed into his room, Miles is groggy but awake. His arm is wrapped in a thick bandage since they can’t put a cast on until the swelling goes down. He manages a small smile when he sees me.

“Hey, champ,” I say, sitting beside him. “How do you feel?”

“Sleepy,” he murmurs. “But my arm doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“That’s good,” I reply, brushing a hand through his hair. “You’re a brave kid, you know that?”

He nods, his eyes already drifting shut again. I stay by his side, my hand resting lightly on his uninjured arm, my heart finally beginning to settle.

11

LUCY

The crisp November air nips at my cheeks as I step outside, taking a moment to breathe in the coolness of fall. It smells like leaves, faint traces of wood smoke, and the first whispers of the holiday season. Miles and Finn are arguing good-naturedly about whether Thanksgiving dinner should include green bean casserole or candied yams, a debate I’ve been gleefully stoking for the past fifteen minutes. Joel stands at the edge of the porch, watching them with a faint smile that softens his otherwise serious face. The sight of him, relaxed and unguarded, makes my heart flip.

I shift my focus back to my phone, swiping to dial my mom’s number. She’s been hinting at a holiday visit since I first told her I’d moved back to Everwood, but she hasn’t made anything official. If I’m going to get her here, I need to nail down the details.

"Lucy!" Her voice is bright and familiar when she answers. "I was just about to call you."

"Oh, sure," I tease, grinning. "That’s why you haven’t picked up the last three times I called?"

"Well, you know how busy I am with my job and all my friends," she quips. "There’s coffee to sip and houses to sell. A lady can only manage so much."

I laugh. My mom has always had a knack for playful banter, a trait I’d like to think I inherited. "Well, I’m calling about Thanksgiving. Any chance you’re free to spend it with me in Everwood? Aiden will be here too, and Joel and the boys are joining. It’ll be cozy and chaotic, just how you like it."

She hums thoughtfully, though I can already hear the gears turning in her head. "That does sound tempting."

"Tempting enough to book a plane ticket?" I prompt.

"Actually," she says, "I was thinking about surprising you by coming down anyway. There’s nothing keeping me here that I can’t rearrange, and I’d love to see you, Aiden, and catch up with Joel. It’s been years since I’ve seen him, and I’ve always had such a soft spot for that boy. And those sweet boys you keep talking about, I’d love to meet them."

My heart warms at the thought of having her here. "You’d really come all this way from Houston?"

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