do, because you’re efficient,” he quietly teases. “But I can be efficient, too. I juggle a lot of balls at one time, Emily. I know how to do this.”
The inner child in me should make a joke about the use of his balls, but I don’t.
“What I need is her radio repaired. She’s been asking me about it. It’s . . . special to her, and I just need it fixed.”
Jess looks at me, those intense denim eyes questioning what I’ve said, but eventually, he nods. “I’m working on it.”
“Work faster,” I quietly retort, twisting my lips in frustration, and he surprises me with a weak smile.
“So pushy,” he says, before he kisses my temple again and disappears into the hall.
When Jess returns, we don’t say much to each other at first as we sit in seats on the side of Nana’s bed. Eventually, I ask him about Katie, and he tells me she’s with his sister Tricia. After watching me use videos with Katie, Tricia was reminded of a teacher friend who had a student a few years ago who worked with a picture system for communication.
“I should thank you for being pushy,” he teases, and I stare at him. “You’re right, I am stubborn. In worrying about Katie’s emotions, I didn’t take into account there are ways to help her communicate better. I didn’t want her to feel like it was her fault somehow, that she wasn’t speaking because of something she did. And didn’t want devices and tools to feel restrictive, preventing her from eventually opening up like the doctors predicted.” He sighs in frustration. “So thank you for giving me the push I needed to take this step. Katie’s obviously very open to learning something new.”
He lowers his head to face the floor.
“Tricia contacted that friend of hers and she learned the picture program is something I can easily download for Katie on an iPad. With images, symbols, and even emojis, she’ll be able to express herself with the touch of a button.” His eyes remain on the floor at his feet as he chuckles. He’s an engineer. Something at the touch of a button is the very thing he might invent.
“That’s wonderful, Jess.” I don’t want to reprimand him and remind him he should have listened to his sister in the first place.
“She’s a good aunt,” he says of his youngest sibling.
“That’s me. I’m the good aunt.”
His head pops up. “You didn’t want kids?”
“I did. I do. It’s just . . .” He knows I’m single, and it upsets me when he grins. “What?”
“Nothing. You’re young. You have time.”
“I don’t need time. I need a man.” The words rush forth, and Jess sits straighter, blinking at me. “Well, not a man exactly, just you know . . . for . . .” My face heats. I’m quite certain he understands the purpose of a man in procreation, and the last thing I need to be thinking about right now is procreating with any man, let alone him. Still, my mind does wander to the possibility. Our bodies were so close to one another the other night, moving in a way that left nothing to the imagination other than the deed itself.
“Emily.” Jess’s voice breaks into my thoughts, and my blush deepens. His expression tells me he knows what I’m thinking, but he clarifies, “I asked you if you were done.” He nods at the Styrofoam container in my hand, holding the remains of a salad I haven’t really eaten.
“You need sleep,” he says after disposing of the trash. I haven’t slept since coming to the hospital, which means it’s been over twenty-four hours. I’m not certain I can close my eyes because I’m afraid I’ll see Nana falling all over again. Jess returns to his chair and pats his lap.
“What?” I choke on the word. The seat is some kind of lounger seat only found in hospitals, built for functionality more than comfort. It’s more than a plastic waiting room chair but not quite a Barclay lounger.
“Sit on my lap. Rest on me.”
“Jess, I—”
“Don’t be stubborn. That’s my label.”
“Well, you’re certainly being pushy. Isn’t that my label?” I tease as I rise from my seat and slip onto his lap. My feet dangle off to one side, but he tucks them up so my folded legs rest against his. My hip juts near his abs.
“Don’t wiggle too much,” he mutters, a warning about the effect I might have on him. Then he wraps his arms