Page 97 of Captivating Mr. Second Chance

She only raised one eyebrow then deliberately plopped down in the chair Ethan had vacated, setting her purse down on the floor with a plunk. Justin rolled his eyes to the ceiling like he was asking for heaven’s help, but she only said, “Your parents are staying with Trace, who is fast asleep. I’m staying here, whether you like it or not.”

“I don’t even know when I’ll get moved to a room,” Justin argued. “IfI’ll get moved to a room.”

Leah reached for the television remote connected to his bed. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m here to keep you company, then, isn’t it?”

Ethan covered his grin with a swipe of his hand. “All right, well, seems like you guys are all good. I’m going to head out.” He bent to kiss Leah’s cheek then clasp his brother’s hand. “Text me tomorrow.”

When Justin agreed, Ethan headed back out of the emergency room, waving his thanks to the nurses station, and gulped in lungfuls of the fresh air once he got outside.

Ever since Justin’s diagnosis, Ethan, and probably his whole family, had been on edge. As if they were waiting for something bad to happen. And in the grand scheme of things, a broken ankle was nothing. It could’ve happened to anyone, but in the moment, it felt like the worst thing happened. Especially sitting in the empty room with the bland walls and antiseptic smell. His mind had run away from him.

Though with the night behind him, Ethan reminded himself that Huntington’s was not an immediate death sentence. It was a long, uneven road that would no doubt be difficult at times, but Ethan had been blessed to have his older brother around for twenty-eight years; hopefully they would have another twenty-eight years together.

Back at home, he plugged in his dead phone then stripped off his clothes and took his second shower in the last few hours before sinking face-first into his bed, ready to sleep for the next few decades. What he got was a few hours before someone knocked on his door.

He pulled on a pair of shorts and searched for his glasses before stumbling down the hall.

“Hey,” Laney said when he opened the door to her. “I’m sorry I’m here so early, but I was worried. I came over last night, and you weren’t here. You didn’t answer any of my texts. My calls went right to voice mail.”

“Oh yeah.” He yawned, running a hand through his hair. “My phone was out of battery.”

She followed him inside the apartment. “I thought maybe you were pissed at me.”

“I was.” He walked into the kitchen and glanced over his shoulder as he flicked his coffeepot on. “I am.”

Her smile dropped. “Oh.”

“But I wouldn’t have ignored you on purpose. I would never do that.”

She dropped into a seat at the kitchen table, pushing her car keys and phone off to the side. “Is that a jab about how I ignored Bobby on purpose?”

He shrugged, focused on filling up the filter with grounds. “What time is it?”

“Six thirty.” Once the coffee was set to brew, he sank down into a seat across from Laney, meeting her eyes for the first time, and she frowned. “What happened? Are you okay? All your last text said was call me, and I freaked out since you didn’t answer.”

“It was a long night last night.”

She winced. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t—”

He held out his hand to stop her. “Before we get to that part, I was at the hospital last night.”

“What?” she nearly shrieked, jumping out of her seat. “What happened?” she cupped his face, as if checking for bruises.

“Justin fell.”

“Oh my god. How is he? How is everybody?”

Ethan pulled her into his lap, burying his face in her neck. Even as irritated as he was with her about Bobby, he needed to feel her, smell her, kiss her. He needed her reassurance that everything would be all right.

And because she knew him as well as he knew her, she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his temple over and over. His eyes welled up at the concern in her voice when she asked, “Is he okay?”

Ethan squeezed her tighter, brushing his lips over the pulse in her neck. “Broken ankle. It was really scary to get that phone call. Leah was so upset, Trace was screaming. I thought…”

She stayed silent but nodded against him, letting him cry into her shoulder.

“This is what it’s going to be like,” he said after a while. “Waiting for a bad phone call.”

She wrapped her hands around his jaw, lifting his attention from her shoulder to her eyes. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there with you last night, and I know I can’t promise that everything will be okay, but I promise that you will never have to do any of it alone. I swear it.”

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