I gazed into his big, worried eyes and smiled.
“Back up, boy, and give her some breathing room. She didn’t just give birth, her mama did.” Ms Mary batted Marcus arm and beamed at me.
“Is it as beautiful as you are?”
I laughed and shook my head. “No, he is more beautiful than anything I have ever seen,” I answered truthfully. He’d looked nothing like a prune to me. He was perfect.
“I find it hard to believe any male could surpass you in beauty,” came another familiar voice. Preston shuffled his feet and grinned.
I hadn’t seen him behind Marcus. I smiled at him and shrugged. “Well, believe it,” I said, and they all laughed.
“Move out of the way you bunch of vultures. I can’t even see the girl much less talk to her,” Mr. Greg grumbled as he pushed Marcus out of the way.
“A boy is it! Well, ain’t that good news. Is he healthy and all?”
I nodded, glanced over to the nursery window, and saw him being brought in. “There he is. Come see.”
I turned and went to the glass. He was all bundled up again, but this time nice and clean. The nurse who had come in to take him saw me and brought him over to the window so everyone could see.
“He is a beauty.” Ms. Mary beamed
“Look at the little guy. He already has his fist up ready for a fight.” Marcus grinned at me.
I shook my head and laughed before turning back to my little brother.
“I guess if there was a pretty boy, then that would be one,” Mr. Greg admitted from his spot behind me.
I couldn’t agree more.
“Well, then, how is your mama?” Ms. Mary asked, walking over to the side of the window so others could come see inside as well.
“She is doing great. She, uh, got a little loud and angry towards the end, but she is good now and was dozing off when I left her.”
Ms Mary chuckled and shook her head. “I guess you won’t be wanting babies anytime soon after witnessing that.”
I laughed. “You’re right, I won’t.”
Marcus came up beside me. “Why don’t you let me take you to get something to eat while you’re waiting. You have to be hungry.”
I was getting ready to turn him down when Ms. Mary nodded.
“Let the boys take you for a bite. It will be an hour before they let you back into your mom’s room. Besides, when you leave tonight, it is going to be too dark to stop somewhere on your own.”
“Sure.”
I knew I wouldn’t have to deal with any deep conversations with both Preston and Marcus there. I was hungry and getting out of the hospital would be a good change of scenery.
Luckily, we didn’t have to squeeze into Marcus’s truck because Preston had driven his Jeep. Marcus, however, was stuck in the back, and Preston seemed extremely pleased. We all agreed on going to grab a burger at the Pickle Shack. I hadn’t had any free time since I started my new job, and my visits from Marcus were always short. I was glad we were going to get to sit and talk without my having to hurry off to work.
We slipped into a booth, and Preston shot Marcus a deadly glare when he slid in beside me. I was beginning to think that Marcus wasn’t overreacting, and maybe Preston did like me. Not that it mattered. My heart didn’t race at the sight of him, and the tingles didn’t come. My knees didn’t go weak when he smiled. He was just another guy. I knew that it would always be this way. I was getting better with dealing with the memories and the pain. Once I had accepted that I would never love someone the way I love Jax, it was a little easier to breath. He would always be in my heart, whether he wanted to be there or not. I just didn’t have enough room for anyone else. He was my air, my soul, and the keeper of my heart.
“So, you ready for your senior year?” Preston leaned on the table and grinned.
He had a good grin--even a sexy grin--but it did nothing for me. I sighed and shrugged, because the truth was I didn’t care anymore about school. I didn’t think about my future like I had before the summer began.
“I guess I am as ready as I'll ever be,” I mumbled.
He frowned, “Your senior year is supposed to be the best year of your life. You have to be excited about it!”