Page 174 of The Re-Proposal

“Is that why you finished my entire Kleenex box on the drive to the hospital?”

“Donotmention that in front of him.” I lift a finger. “Joel will take one look at our worried faces and laugh so hard he cracks a rib.”

“The kid doesn’t laugh.”

“He does laugh.”

“Not with me.” Cody ducks his head, looking troubled.

“You’ll have a chance to hear him laugh because he’s going to be okay,” I say it again like a mantra. “He has to be.”

“I know.”

“Then what’s with the resistance?”

“I don’t like hospitals.”

The statement takes me by surprise. Cody’s like an impenetrable fortress. Strong. Solid. Unbreakable. I’ve never seen him shaken.

Is it because he’s worried for Joel or is it something deeper?

He squeezes my hand and quickens his step. “Don’t overthink, princess.”

“I’m not. I’m just…”

“Worrying?”

“I’m not worried. Joel will be fine.”

“That’s not what Vargas said.”

“Vargas said a lot of things, but most importantly, he said the doctors have hope. We should too.”

Cody doesn’t respond, but he moves a little faster. His shoulders are a hard, slashing line and his expression is back to the default Ice King mask.

“Bolton!” Vargas waves from across the waiting room.

My heart drops when I see how haggard he looks. Vargas’s tie is yanked down, his cuffs are rolled back and his hair looks twice its usual size.

“How is he?” I ask, getting close.

“The doctors are with him now. I haven’t heard any news.”

“Hopefully, no news is good news,” I say.

“What happened?” Cody demands.

“We’re not sure. He was at home all night. Everything seemed normal. According to the nurse, he went in to check on Joel and give him his meds. Joel was occupied on the phone so he left. When he went back in, Joel was on the ground, having seizures.”

Cody steps forward threateningly. “Where’s the nurse now?”

“Not here.”

“Why’d he run?”

“Probably to keep from getting incinerated,” Vargas says.

I set a calming hand on Cody’s chest. “Let’s not blame anyone before we have the full picture.”

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