Page 84 of Lex

Lex shakes his head.

“Do. Not.Even.”

I watch how my grandma looks at him with adoration in her eyes, and how Lex handles her with such care. My chest constricts and I press against it. It aches.

“William said you fall often,” Lex says suddenly.

My grandma meets my eyes and I shrug. Because what was I supposed to do? Keep it a secret? I didn’t know it was one.

“Yes, well I’m old. It’s a thing we do. Our legs don’t work like they should.”

Lex leans a little closer to her. “I got you that walker. You need to use it from now on. You are no longer allowed to keep it as a decoration. Promise me, Bren.”

She squeezes his hand and tries to give another nod, but winces instead.

“I will do my best to remember.”

“Your best is not good enough,” Lex mutters and I let out a small chuckle.

But at the glower he sends my way, I bite it back.

“I love you, Bren,” he says, turning to meet her eyes. “I mean it. Don’t do reckless things…like walk around.”

My grandma reaches out and runs her hand along his cheek.

“Love you too, Lex.”

He just leans into her touch, reveling in it.

I press my back against the wall and watch quietly, letting them have their time. I’ve had Brenda all my life. I was so damn lucky. And now…now Lex can have his turn.

I want him to have this kind of love for as long as he can.

* * *

“The hospital rules are bullshit,” Lex mutters as he buckles himself into the car. “We should be able to stay the night.”

I link my hand with his as I press the button and the motor roars to life. “She can go home tomorrow. We’ll come back as soon as we can to pick her up.”

Lex runs a hand down his face and sighs, obviously unhappy with the entire situation. He threw a bit of a fit moments ago when we were told visiting hours were over. At one point, he glowered at the nurse and threatened to “end her”, saying he can “be very creative when it comes to disposing of bodies.”

Brenda laughed it off as the nurse sent him wary glances, but in the end, it made me like him even more. I admire how protective he is of the people he loves.

And he’s protective of me. Does that mean this thing between us runs just as deep for him as it does for me?

“Or you can get her alone if you want. I wouldn’t mind,” I offer because I know how much he appreciates her attention when her focus isn’t split between the two of us. When we first met, I just assumed he was being ridiculous and juvenile, but now I understand him better. He savors the time he has alone with her, and I don’t blame him.

Lex eyes me and pulls his lip ring into his mouth. He shakes his head once. “No, we can do it together.”

I squeeze his hand. “I like doing things with you.”

“I do too. Which is a surprise. I have been solo for so long.”

“Me too, but now we have each other.”

“Look, I don’t do boyfriends, William,” Lex says, and I feel my heart sink, because what the fuck is this thing between us then? Maybe I was wrong and he doesn’t feel anything deeper for me. But then he just sighs and adds, “But I’ll be yours if you want. And speaking of that, it’s probably best if we made long-term plans.”

“Long term?” I ask because I didn’t even think about that. I know that my grandma, Vikki, and Martha have been harping on about the two of us getting married and I just went along with it for shits and giggles. I didn’t think anything of it really. The only thing that rings true at this moment is that I want him. Always.

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