Page 68 of More Than Falling in Love

I’m glad someone is.

Reading time goes smoothly, but when Mason says good night, I end the call.

“Mason, wait up a sec.There’s something I want to show you.”I point to the couch.“Wait there.”

I pull my old guitar out of the back of my closet.If he wants to learn, I’ll help him any way I can.

He’s staring at the case as I walk to the couch.“A guitar?”

“I play a little.And you can use this if you want to learn.”

Mason wraps me in a hug.“You and Clint can both teach me.This will be awesome.”

He doesn’t know that seeing a guitar hurts me right now, but I’ll put the ache aside for him.

To Poppy’s credit,nothing has changed with the reading time routine in the last six weeks.But every night, I end the call after Mason says good night.I feel like an awful friend, but it hurts to pretend that things are friendly.And I think she understands.

I haven’t asked when she’s coming for a visit, but for my kid’s sake, I hope it’s soon.

Holding the phone while Mason reads, I wince at the pain in my gut.It started yesterday and is only getting worse.I’d blame the food, but Ava would never forgive me.

When I glance at the screen, Poppy is staring at me, her eyebrows lifted.I hate that she can sense trouble from so far away.Really, I hate that she’s so far away.

I drop my gaze back to the page and try to hide my discomfort.

He finishes two more pages, then slams the book closed.“Time for bed.I have school tomorrow.”

Instead of getting up with him, I stay put, willing the nausea that’s joined the ache to ease.“I’ll be there to tuck you in soon.”

“Night, Poppy.Night, Dad.”He runs down the hall.

I reach for the End Call button.“Thanks for making time.”

“You need to see a doctor, Kent.”She has that stubborn edge in her tone.

In not my finest moment, I lash out.“You don’t know what I need.”I end the call and hobble down the hall toward Mason’s room.

Thankfully, he doesn’t notice that I can’t stand up straight.But after tucking him in, I force myself upright and walk out of the room.I don’t want him to worry that I’m sick.But I barely make it to the bathroom before dinner is coming back up.

He notices.“Dad, what’s wrong?”

“Probably just a tummy bug.I’ll be okay.”I lean over the toilet, too exhausted and in too much pain to get up.

He touches my forehead, the same thing I did when he was sick, and his eyes widen.“You’re sick, Dad.I’m going to get Ava.”Before I can object, he’s out the door.

And all I can do is hug the commode and hope Poppy doesn’t find out about this.

After four hoursthat I don’t care to relive—ever—I’m in a hospital being wheeled down a hall.As it turns out, ignoring the pain was a bad idea, and now they’ll have to, as the doctor put it, do an appendectomy the hard way instead of the easy way.At this point, I don’t care what they do as long as it makes the pain stop.

Ava squeezes my hand as she walks beside the gurney.“I’ll be here when you get out.”

“Just go back to the ranch.Make sure Mason is okay.I’ll be fine.”I’d rather she be with my scared kid.

“Are you sure?I can call one of the guys.”

The ranch won’t run itself.Chores don’t magically get done by elves just because I’m having surgery.“No.I’ll call if I need anything.”

She lets my hand slip out of hers as they roll me away.“I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

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