Page 45 of If I See You Again
“Oh gag. Now you’re getting all sappy on me. Never thought I’d see the day. David Garrison, smitten. Tell the press. North Carolina’s most eligible gay bachelor is finally off the market.”
If anything, Audrey knew how to be dramatic, but I loved her for it. She kept everything more interesting. While most siblings didn’t get along, I could count on my sister as my best friend.
“He’s very back and forth. I get where his concerns are. I’d be concerned as well. Once we close out this account, I think things will be a lot easier, and he won’t have to worry so much about it looking like he only got it because I liked him. You know?”
She hummed. “I get it. It’s sweet that you’re so worried about him.”
“You wouldn’t be? God, Aud. I just don’t want to mess anything up. You know me. I’m terrified that at any moment he’ll think none of this is worth it. He’s already got enough baggage without worrying about our family drama.”
She sighed again. “Have you told him about any of that yet?”
I rubbed at my temple some more. “Not a lot of it. Mostly that we’re not as close as his family is. I think that a big family gathering where everyone is still clearly mourning the loss of his brother is the last place to drop that bombshell.”
That’s what earned me some silence for the first time since the phone call started. I hadn’t exactly shared all the details with her about how Malcolm had lost his brother. She knew he had some hang-ups and fears about people leaving him, but I hadn’t told her everything.
“His brother died?”
“A while ago, yeah. I’m not sure how long ago, but the family is still feeling it. He had some kidney disease issues. Malcolm was a kidney donor, and he’d tried to save him, but his brother’s body rejected the organ.”
More silence stretched over the line before Audrey finally said something. “You weren’t kidding when you said this guy had some baggage.”
I chuckled. “Easy, there. I think it’s sweet that he cared so much. Most people wouldn’t do something like that. Would you give me one of your kidneys if I needed it?”
When Audrey said nothing, that was answer enough. I’d been right about what I’d said. Unless you were in that position, you didn’t really know how you’d handle things.
“I hope this all works out, bro.” That was all I got out of my sister before we finished our conversation and disconnected.
The apartment felt oddly quiet and empty now that I didn’t have a way to distract myself. I got back up and went to the living room. The TV was still on the news channel, talking about some accident that had happened earlier in the day. I’d mostly tuned it out until the camera zoomed in on what was happening on the street, and that was when I saw it. It wasn’t good. Now I just needed to figure out if what I was seeing was real.
Chapter 33
Malcolm
Idid my best to take slow breaths as I drove to work. Leaving David alone in my apartment shouldn’t be weird. This was something that normal couples did. God, that felt weird. I was actually part of a couple now.
My thoughts continued to swirl as I maneuvered through heavy and aggressive traffic. Chicago drivers were horrible on the best of days, but I missed the person who thought they had enough time to take the corner, effectively cutting me off. It was too late. My SUV suddenly slammed into their side, and my airbag deployed. Pain exploded across my face as everything around me stopped.
Shit. This wasn’t how today was supposed to go.
“Sir, you can’t just barge in here.”
The emergency room curtain ripped back to reveal David. I’d never seen him so disheveled in public. He was no longer the calm, cool, collected, and put-together man. No. He wore a pair of gray sweats that looked like they were too tight. Hell, even the T-shirt he’d thrown on suffered the same fate. Maybe he’d grabbed some of my clothes in his haste.
“Sir?” The nurse tried again, pulling at his arm, but David wouldn’t budge. Those deep blue eyes were burning holes into my head as he kept watching me like he wouldn’t be happy until he knew I was okay.
“You heard?” I asked, waving off the nurse, who huffed in irritation.
“It was on the news. I came as soon as I figured out where they took you. Are you okay? Did they check everything?”
It was a little overwhelming how the man was suddenly at my side, grabbing my hand before checking over my body. My face was a little bruised. You hear all these stories about how hard those airbags hit, but you never quite believe it until it happens to you.
“The news?”
David didn’t answer, just pulled me forward, running his hands down my back, which was bare beneath the hospital gown. He tapped on my lower back a few times, and I knew what he was doing. My eyes welled up a little as it hit me. He was making sure that I was really okay. After a kidney donation, you had to protect the remaining organ.
“Would you relax? The doctors know I was a donor. They did a full panel, and I’ll have to stay overnight for observation just in case there’s damage that doesn’t present until later.”
David released me and I relaxed back onto the bed, but he didn’t calm down at all. His fingers threaded through his hair as he paced around the small room.
