Page 25 of Love on the Brain
“You’re welcome.” He slid off the bed and stretched his arms in the air.
Jane’s gaze fell to the hem of his shirt, giving her a peek at his toned lower abs. A delicious shiver tingled up her spine, and she immediately scolded herself for objectifying his physique.Totally inappropriate. You aren’t that college girl with a crush anymore.
But how quickly those feelings had returned, feelings that had disappeared over a decade ago. Or—had they always been there and just lain dormant until now?
She should start the day, wake Noah and see what they could do to pass the time during the storm. The sooner they could fly home, the sooner she could get these feelings out of her mind.
But do you want to?The sneaky thought echoed in her head, and she knew it wasn’t going anywhere, not anytime soon.
* * *
Ryan stoodby the bay window in his living room, growing more and more uneasy as the snow turned to sleet as the sun set. Falling at an alarming rate, if it kept up at this pace, above-ground powerlines and branches didn’t have much of a prayer of making it through the night.
At the table, Jane and Noah worked on a race-car puzzle Connie had tucked into the tote of stuffed animals and toys she’d brought over the day before. Except for the small Band-Aid, no one would suspect he’d had surgery the day before.
His mind replayed comforting Jane, and his arms ached to hold her again. It hadn’t been n the first time Ryan had held a grieving Jane in his arms, hoping and praying his protective embrace would give her even the tiniest bit of comfort. He didn’t care that his back was cramping up; this is what he worked out for, wasn’t it? To be strong in times of need, for himself and others. Jane’s position had shifted since she’d fallen asleep, and he’d had to adjust. Only now, his muscles were screaming and twitching. He debated the appropriateness of lying down beside her—over the comforter, of course—when she lifted her head.
“Ry?” He warmed hearing the old nickname from Jane’s voice.
Turning away from the window, he met her gaze. Today, her blue eyes seemed bluer, her blond ponytail blonder, her rosy lips rosier, and her fair cheeks fairer.
“Your phone is vibrating on the kitchen island.” She cast her eyes down, but he caught the lopsided grin and wondered when it would be okay to kiss her again.
He tore his gaze from her and crossed the space to where his phone was charging. A missed text from his mother and—the lab!
“Hello?” he asked breathlessly, lifting a silent prayer for good news.
“Hey, Dr. Engstrom. Got a result on the rush order from yesterday. No cancer in the specimen or in the blood.”
Yes!Ryan fist-pumped the air. “Awesome. Thanks for pushing it through. I’ll pass the news on to the family.”
He ended the call and was overcome with joy and an adrenaline rush. “Good news!” he announced.
Jane’s chair skidded back from the table as she stood, her expression turning from confusion to hopefulness. He was upon her in a second, lifting her off her feet in a hug. “It’s not cancer.” His voice was thick, hoarse with emotion.
Jane’s mouth formed anOand she opened it to speak. Tears spilled from her eyes, but she remained silent.
Ryan supposed she might be a little in shock. “It’s benign, but it will continue to grow, and he’s still at risk for seizures. It’s imperative to remove it as soon as possible. Just follow the protocols for the next few weeks and he should be fine.”
“And his recovery?” Jane choked out.
“Hard to tell how long it might take; we won’t know until we go in and when he wakes up. He may have memory loss or sight issues and may require brain rehab. But we’re confident he’ll return to one hundred percent with time.”
Fresh tears ran down her cheeks, and he wished he could hold her. “Thank you.”
He set her on the ground and knelt next to Noah, who’d watched Ryan’s display of emotion with fascination. “Hey, buddy. Your tumor isn’t what your dad had. Not at all.”
The little boy grinned and stretched his arms up. Ryan pulled him in gently for a hug, then lifted him out of his chair in a slow, smooth motion. Standing, he tucked Noah against his chest and cradled his head in his hand. Ryan closed his eyes and just held him, thanking God for the positive news.
When Noah pulled his head away, Ryan’s hand slid down his back. “Does this mean I can ride in my race car now? And play with real balls? No more Wiffle Balls or beach balls? It’s hard to bounce a beach ball.”
Ryan laughed. “Not quite yet. We still have to get the rest of the bad stuff out of you. It’s wrapped around some important things that help you see and keep you balanced. I’m waiting for calls from some other specialists so we can make a plan.”
“Aw, but I wanna ride in my race car. Mommy’s friends bought it for me for Christmas. JC named it McNagster. Isn’t that a funny name?”
“Super funny,” Ryan agreed, meeting Jane’s gaze across the table. “I promise you, we will get your head fixed as soon as possible.”
Noah sighed heavily. “Okay. I guess I’ll just have to make do with puzzles and little race cars till Stinky is out of my head.”
