But right now it was my turn. Or it would be once I could see him and make sure he was okay. Until then, the only thing I could do was wait.
“You thinking about Ry?” Hunter kept his eyes on his magazine and flicked to the next page.
I just about choked, but kept my cool. “Yes. Are you?”
“Yep.” He closed the cover and slowly looked at me. “Thinking about how you’d be a good couple.”
My eyebrows shot straight up. “Um. Thanks?”
“Look, if he’s your choice, then I approve. I know I gave you two shit about liking each other and yes, it is weird for my partner and my little brother to be…intimate.” He shifted uncomfortably. “But Ry is a great guy. And you deserve someone great, especially after all the shitheads you’ve dated.”
I pressed my hands to my cheeks and stared down at the floor.
“You do want something more than just sex with him, right?” Hunter sounded shocked, like maybe he’d read things wrong.
I groaned and nodded.
“Good.”
“Good? I don’t know if he wants the same thing, though. He’s never said anything like that.” I pushed my knuckles into my eyes.
Hunter hummed. I looked at him, hoping for a hint or a clue, but he pressed his lips together and went back to his magazine.
Hmph. So helpful.
Two hours later, Hunter woke me up from a nap I didn’t know I was having by squeezing my shoulder. “We can see him now.”
I grunted sleepily and nodded, and then followed him to where Derek was waiting for us in the hallway. He led us toward Ry’s room, and the closer we got, the more my stomach flipped. I wasn’t sure what to expect but as soon as I stepped into the room, his face lit up with a huge smile.
I blinked past my tears and rushed over, shamelessly pushing past Hunter to get to Ry first. He threw his left arm around me and I melted into him as he pressed his face into the crook of my neck.
“Baby,” he sighed softly.
“I was so worried.” I whimpered as my emotions threatened to spill over. I barely held back the urge to cry as the warmth of his body melted all of my anxiety.
He pulled me back just enough to look me over. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m fine. Stronger than ever.”
I sniffled and nodded, but I couldn’t shake the dregs of the fear he wouldn’t have made it. Ry saw it in me. He always knew how I was feeling. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it firmly, and suddenly I was grounded and solid. I didn’t want to let go. Not then, and not ever.
Ry seemed to feel the same because he brought my knuckles to his lips and whispered, “I promise, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
22
Ryland
Purple looked good on me. I wriggled my toes and Brax slapped the top of my foot, grabbed my arch and held me still while he applied the final coat of sparkly nail polish. I’d been discharged after two days in hospital and neither Brax nor his seven brothers would let me recover in my own home.
I was set up in Brax’s top-floor apartment, but the stairs didn’t stop all of the brothers from visiting. I had stacks of board games on the table, piles of snacks, and Domino on my lap. And of course—Brax.
My beautiful Brax.
And his box of nail polish.
He smiled up at me as he lacquered my big toe and I swooned at how beautiful he was.
“Eli’s here!” Brax announced and bounced back into the room.
I turned to wave as Eli came in with Uno at his heels and a bag of groceries in his arms.
“Hey, Ry! How are you doing?” Eli clicked his fingers and Uno raced over to put her head in my lap right by where Domino was already napping. The black and white fluff monster jumped up, nuzzled the Alsatian’s snout, and then immediately made biscuits and curled up to go back to sleep.
“Brax is taking great care of me, so I’m doing well. How was the park?” Eli had been away on his usual three-week shift at the state park where he worked for search and rescue.
“A few mudslides, nothing dramatic, but I’m happy to be back. And glad to have something to do while Wyatt is at work.” He grinned.
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“Cooking for you, man.” Eli hoisted the groceries and headed over to the kitchen where he tsked at the stack of paints and brushes all over