spun when he said UNOS.
United Network for Organ Sharing. That fucking word was burned in my brain after what happened with Colin.
“He might need another heart?” My voice cracked.
The doctor offered me a weak smile. “His pulse oxygen is good today, EKG clean, but I’ve had rejection patients go downhill fast after an event.”
An event. What happened last week was “an event.”
Stepping closer to Ashton, he tapped his head, hard. “Use your brain, son. Stop smoking.”
Then he left the room.
“A bit of a dick,” Ashton told me.
“Yeah, well, I’d rather a dick genius work on my heart than a sweet idiot.” I spun to face him. “No more smoking!”
He threw his hands up in the air. “Have you seen me touch a cigarette?”
No. I hadn’t.
“And no drinking. And we’re going to start drinking protein shakes and going for runs.”
He snorted. “I don’t run.”
“Long walks. Whatever. Cardio.”
Leaning forward, he grinned, “Baby, there is no scenario in which I get up early, drink protein shakes, and go for cardio runs with you.” He planted a kiss on my lips and I grinned.
“Protein shakes with a side of bacon?” I raised one eyebrow.
He winked. “Now you’re talking.”
We were having such fun banter that I almost forgot I was here to get surgery. Then the mere mention of bacon made my stomach growl.
Ashton’s face darkened. “You can still back out. My old man’s lived an adventurous life. He’s reached a good age—”
“Stop it.” I smacked his chest. “Ashton, don’t you get it? This is probably the most important thing I’ll ever do in my life.”
His face fell and he swallowed hard but nodded. “Alright, then. If you’re double sure.”
“I’m triple sure I want to save your dad’s life,” I told him, and held up three fingers to prove my girl scouts honor loyalty.
He smiled but it never reached his eyes.
Ashton
Gran tried to soothe me: “She’ll be alright.”
“I know!” I snapped, bopping my foot on the stupid, ugly linoleum floors of the hospital waiting room.
I’d had to meet Millie’s parents for the first time over video chat. They thought their daughter was “crazy but heroic.” I thought she was just crazy but kept that to myself. I kept hoping my dad would just die, or that Millie would back out, but no. She was back there now getting ready for pre-op.
Gran’s hand slipped over mine and squeezed. “Not many girls would give their new boyfriend’s alcoholic father their liver.”
I looked at her. “I know that.”
She nodded. “Then I want to see a ring on her finger within six months.”
I snorted, pulling my hand out of hers. “You think you have to pressure me into marrying that girl? Shit, I’ll take her to Vegas tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’m not letting this one go.”
The grin that lit up her face made her look ten years younger. “Ashton Paul, I’ve never seen you like this.”
I straightened my back. “Alright, don’t make a big deal out of it.”
She was still grinning at me like a fool when a tall nurse came into the room. “Ashton? You can go and say goodbye now before we take her into anesthesia.”
I stood so fast the chair almost knocked over.
Then she looked at Gran. “Would you like to sit with Wayne until we take him back?”
She nodded, and we both crossed into the pre-op area together. Gran went right with another nurse and I went left.
They weren’t personal rooms; each patient just had a little curtain around their bed. When the nurse pointed to a closed curtain for me, I peeled it back and my heart lodged in my throat.
Millie.
Seeing her with a hospital gown on and those ugly ass socks … it broke me. This was one more thing my fucking father had interfered with. If anything happened to this woman on his account, I would kill him. She had wires coming out of her chest and an IV in her arm and she looked nervous as all hell.
“Hey.” I tried to keep my voice light and failed.
“Hey.” She fake smiled.
I sat in the chair next to her, and took her cold hand in mine. “Nervous?”
She nodded. “A little. I’ve never had surgery before.”
Fuck you, Wayne, you selfish motherfucker.
“Truck is right outside. We can bail out the emergency exit,” I told her.
She gave me a stern look. “Stop.”
With a sigh, I reached out and brushed a hair away from her forehead. “I have a confession,” I told her.
Her eyes went wide and she nodded for me to continue.
“I wasn’t so much mad