Page 27 of Never Give Up

BRIAN

No,I absolutely did not sneak a Hot Pocket into the hospital in my pants. I brought pizza rolls that I cooked wrapped up in a lunch box like any grown-ass man would do.

“Brian.” Jake catches my eye when I walk back into the lobby of the hospital. “What are you doing here?”

The sliding glass door swooshes behind me as Jonathan and James file in, talking about the cookies they made with their grandmother to bring, and I’m granted a small break from having to answer Jake’s questions. Because even if he only asks one, I know he is really wanting to know everything. He wants to know if I told Maya how I feel, or if I apologized to her when I was in her room.

And the answer will just be something he’ll have to wait for. Maybe forever.

“Dad brought us to see Maya, because we told him if he didn’t we’d just annoy him until he gave in.” James walks right by Jake like the other man isn’t there. “Come on, Dad. You can talk to Uncle Jake later. We got business to attend to.”

With an apologetic look at my friend, I follow the boys down the hall and to the main registration desk, where they’ve already charmed the nurse into telling them where Maya’s room is.

“Thanks.” I don’t point out that we don’t need directions, because it’s not like the boys will listen to me at this point.

They’re down the hall and through the maze of rooms before I can blink, and by the time I follow, I can hear the sweet sound of Maya’s laughter—a sound that if I’m honest with myself, I never thought I’d hear again.

“Don’t worry, Maya.” Jonathan’s talking when I step into the doorway. “Dad told us that we didn’t have to sneak in the cookies for you, but we wanted to anyway.” He plops the black duffel bag onto her lap. “Gram helped us make all your favorites.”

Maya’s not looking at me, so I get the chance to watch her interact with the boys, and my heart does some funny shit in my chest.

She has an IV in her right hand, the same hand that she reaches out with to ruffle James’s hair. The other is wrapped in a purple cast that does nothing to distract me from the bruises covering her skin.

“I’m sorry you almost died.” James hands her a stuffie after pushing his brother out of the way. I didn’t even see him holding it on the ride over or coming into the hospital. “I thought you might like Monkey to keep you company until you get better.” He leans forward and she pulls him into a soft, if tense, hug.

“Thank you, guys. I can’t believe how many cookies you made.” Maya’s eyes fill with tears momentarily, before she dashes them away with the fur on the stuffie. “Monkey’s gonna be the best friend ever. Until I get home. Then I’ll give him back to you.”

“Eh.” James shrugs with all the nonchalance of a man three times his age. “I’m growing out of the stuffie age. You can keep him. That way he can watch out for you when you get home, too.”

I don’t want to interrupt their moment, but I’m selfish. I want her attention on me, even if it’s negative.

“Hey there.” All eyes in the room turn to me, and the smile on Maya’s face dims for a fraction of a second before she recovers. Before she can kick me out, I hold out the offering I brought. “I come in peace, I promise.”

She’s watching me like I’ve grown a second head. “Is that a… lunch box?”

“Yeah.”

Maya takes it, and I’m left rubbing the back of my neck like a dork while I watch her open it and the smell of pizza rolls fills the room.

“You brought me food?” The question doesn’t need an answer since she’s staring at the deliciousness for herself. Not only that, but she immediately pops one into her mouth and starts munching away. “Whu-u-do-it?”

“Because you asked me to.” A shrug is the best I can manage, but I can already feel the heat rising up my back because I’m still standing there like an idiot with my hand practically clutching my neck like a life support.

Maya’s eyeing me suspiciously while she continues to eat the bite-sized pizza rolls like she hasn’t eaten in a week and they hold the only happiness in her world.

I wish she was staring at my cock like that.

The thought fills my mind before I can stop it, and I’m even more uncomfortable than I was before when both my sons filter out of the room silently.

Jonathan pauses just on the other side of the door, glancing between the two of us before settling his eyes on Maya. “We’re gonna go see if the nurses will let us be surgeons.” He points a finger at her. “Don’t make me operate on you, lady. Dad was really worried about you.”

Then he’s gone. I want to die on the spot, and Maya’s chewing silently with her eyes on me.

Stepping inside, I close the door behind me so that no one can hear what I’m about to say.

She’s still watching me with those wary eyes, and if there was anything I could do to take that away, to rewind time back to the night I told her no, I would do it in a heartbeat.

“State Police and Birch PD decided to let us handle the case.” I open my mouth stupidly. She’d already know that. Especially since Jake was standing in the waiting room in his uniform when I got here. “I guess you know that, though, huh?”

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