Chapter 15

By the time he dropped me off at the hospital entrance,the silence had stretched into five long minutes.I climbed out of the truck and mumbled“thanks”without looking at him.He didn’t say anything as I closed the door and turned to go into the hospital.

I had no idea what was wrong with me,but I was really mixed up.How could I feel such an intense physical reaction to my best friend’s touch while my mom was lying in a hospital bed?Finding out Jeff was in love with some girl had surprised me,but it was also pissing me off.I wanted to fall in love,too.I wanted to tell him I found someone who loved me,someone who understood me,and that it was another guy.Not a girl.A guy.But I was a coward and couldn’t tell him.After last night,he probably thinks I’m a freak and our friendship is already over.I’ve lost him.My best friend gone.Before I even found the courage to tell him the truth.I was such a fucking coward.

I stopped to ask someone at the front desk where to find my mom’s room.As she gave me complicated directions,I wished I had paid more attention last night.At this rate,I wouldn’t get to her room until tomorrow.

“Just follow the yellow arrows on the floor,Aaron.”

Surprised,I turned to see Jeff sauntering in,a grin on his face.I assumed he had left.He brushed back his bangs before he threw his arm around my shoulders and winked down at me.“See,this is why I get better grades than you.I read the directions.”

I couldn’t help it;I laughed.God,he always knew how to break down my walls.

“Come on,I remember where to go.”

I smiled as he pulled me along,his arm still around my shoulders.It felt nice,warm and secure.And hot.Seriously hot.My body reacted to his touch.I got hard again and my body tingled.Once again,I didn’t have time to analyze it,because we ran into my grandparents as they stepped out of the elevator.Jeff pulled away,stepping back as Pamela rocketed out of the sliding doors.

“Aaron!”she cried and practically jumped into my arms.“Mom’s awake!”

I hugged her and looked expectantly at my grandpa,his cheeks wet with tears.His lips quivered as his eyes crinkled,but he didn’t speak.

Grandma pulled a tissue from her purse and gently wiped his face while she brought me up to speed.“Your mom woke up about twenty minutes ago,sweetie.She squeezed my hand and her eyes fluttered open.She tried to speak,but couldn’t.The doctor made us leave for a while so he could assess her.”

Until a tear dripped from my cheek to my shirt,I wasn’t even aware I was crying,too.Mom was awake.She would be okay.I looked at Jeff and was surprised to see tears in his eyes,too.But he smiled that amazing smile and I felt it fall over me like a warm blanket.I found myself looking into those pale blue eyes for just a little too long.I watched his pupils grow and I couldn’t look away.His lashes were longer than I remembered.Had I ever noticed their fullness?He finally broke the gaze,sweeping his eyes to my grandparents,who were watching us.

I blushed.Seriously,what is wrong with me?I cleared my throat and turned to my family.“So,um…what next?”

According to my sister,they’d been heading to the cafeteria to grab some breakfast,so Jeff and I tagged along.

Jeff grabbed my wrist,pulling me back a little.I turned to him,eyebrows raised.He dropped his hand from my arm and I wished he hadn’t.

“When do you want me to come back for you?”

“What do you mean?Do you need to leave?”I asked.

He looked at his feet and shuffled them,obviously unsure of his place.

“Hey.”I grabbed his shoulder.“I wantyou to stay.”

A shy smile pulled at his lips as he blushed.“Yeah?”

Damn,he’s cute!I skipped over that thought and squeezed his shoulder.“You’re the only reason I made it through last night.And this morning.I’d like you to stay,but I understand if you have plans and need to leave.I can take a cab home…”Fuck.Can I even gohome?

“I want to stay.I can help with your sister,run errands,do whatever you or your grandparents need.”He stopped talking,focusing on my furrowed brow.“What?”

“I just realized I may not be able to go home.I mean,isn’t it a crime scene?”

Jeff thought about that for a minute.“I think you’re right.When I went in this morning,there was yellow tape across the front door and they have wood nailed across the open window.I didn’t see any signs saying not to enter,but I bet there is one somewhere.”

“How did you get in?”

His lips curved up.“Your back window.”

I laughed.The window in my room was how I used to sneak out and meet him to hang out after my curfew.The lock was broken,but I’d never told my mom or dad.I probably should have,but hell,I was able to sneak out too many times to count and it was always worth it.

We entered the cafeteria and joined my family at a table,then made small talk for a few minutes.I sensed my grandparents needed to talk to me,but didn’t want Pamela to hear.

Apparently,Jeff picked up on it,too,and spoke up.“Hey,Pammy-Lammy!”

She glared at him and tried to look mad.She always pretended to hate the nickname he gave her years ago,but I knew she secretly loved it.I think she even had a crush on Jeff.Sometimes she followed him around like a puppy dog,but he was always kind to her—like an older brother.

“Yeah,you!”he said,looking right at her,wiggling his eyebrows.

She giggled and gave up the glare.

“That’s better,”he said.“Come show me where I can find some ice cream.”

Her eyes widened.“Ice cream?It’s morning,silly!”

“That’s perfect!I like to eat dessert first.”His eyes twinkled at her and she jumped up,giggling.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her.He turned back and held up five fingers,flashing it twice.I got the message—he’d stall for ten minutes.

“Your boyfriend is an amazing young man,”my grandma said.

“Yes,he is.”A sigh slipped from my lips as I watched his retreating back.How had I not noticed how nice he looked in those jeans?They hugged his ass perfectly.

Wait,what did she say?

I snapped my head around to face her.“Oh,Jeff’s not my boyfriend.He’s my best friend.He’s…”I shut up as she looked at me with those eyes.“Well,he’s not.”

“Boyfriend,friend,whatever,”Grandpa said.“He’s great.But I saw how he looks at you and you’re an idiot if you don’t see it.”Direct and to the point.Back in the sixties,he’d had a good friend who’d been bullied and attacked for years because he was gay.His friend had killed himself when he couldn’t take it anymore.Grandpa had been a champion of LGBTQ rights ever since.It pissed off my dad something fierce.