Page 30 of Unloved

But I’ve waited too long, and now I have to wait even longer. I have to respect the timing of it all, and everything he’s dealing with. I can’t assume that any time would be a perfect time. I mean, what if I’ve missed my one opportunity? What if I’m too late?

What if he doesn’t want me anymore?

It isn’t the time or the place for me to fall down this rabbit hole, so I switch gears and point to his cell phone. I hold out my hand and he places it in my palm. I search through it for the messages between him and Rhys.

Hey. How are you? What are you doing today?

Hi! I’m good, and you? How’s it been out of the hospital?

I’m at the gym, just finishing up a workout.

I was wondering if your offer to teach us a few more signs still stands.

We’re on our way to my place to grab a few things and then heading to Frankie’s place. But we’re free after.

The offer definitely still stands. What’s the address? I can catch the bus there when I’m done here.

We can just pick you up. Samuel’s already driving.

No, I’m fine with public transport. Give me the address.

Nobody is fine with public transport.

I am. Address?

Shaking my head, I exit the texting app and find his notes app. Looking up at him, I bring the phone to my mouth and talk.

“And you thought the best course of action was to come here and interrupt his workout session?”

Lennox rolls his eyes at me. “Stop being so dramatic. He said he was finished.” His face turns serious. “I would never interrupt a session or encourage him to ditch them. We both know how important they are. But I didn’t see the point in him catching a bus when we could easily pick him up.”

Lennox has a point, and I truly don’t mind, but despite being the one to ask Lennox to initiate the conversation with Rhys, a part of me is filled with worry that if we push too hard, it will scare him away.

I return to speaking into the phone. “What’s your plan? Are you going to stand outside the bathrooms and wait for him?”

He smirks when he reads the screen “Weare going to stand outside the bathrooms.”

I shake my head vehemently, and he laughs again. “I’m kidding. But if we stand here for a few more minutes, I’m sure we’ll cross paths.”

I’m about to relay another message to Lennox when he just shakes his head at me. “I don’t know how I know, but to answer your question, I don’t think he’s left yet.”

I speak into the phone anyway, our smiles matching. “So, you just know what I think now?”

“Apparently.”

His gaze lingers on mine, just before we both turn to find a freshly showered Rhys, in low-hanging sweats and a t-shirt, walking across the main gym floor toward us.

The way he bites the inside of his cheek to try and hide his smile is unmissable, solidifying that we made the right decision by showing up. His cell is already in his hand, but when he looks down at the screen and starts texting while walking, I anticipate the arrival of his message.

Lennox’s phone vibrates in my hand and I raise it between us to read.

I was perfectly fine with catching the bus.

“I’m sure you are,” Lennox says as Rhys reaches us. “But friends don’t let friends catch the bus.”

Just like the hidden smile from earlier, Rhys tries so hard to school his features to hide his reaction to Lennox calling him a friend.

It’s sweet, but if he isn’t going to let himself show how excited he is to see us, I hope the smiles on our faces are enough for him to know just how happy we are to see him.

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