It was a gorgeous fall day. Bright blue skies and no hazy smog hanging over the city. Beautiful day, and his entire life was falling apart. It seemed apropos.
He walked around and opened the door for Angelina. Hugging her arm to her injured shoulder, she wiggled across the seat. He reached up and carefully eased her into his arms so he wouldn’t jar her ribs.
“I can walk,” she said in a stuttering breath.
Her body trembled against his, and as much as he wanted to keep her in his arms, he didn’t want to push too soon. Not yet.
He set her down and waited for her to get her feet underneath her. He kept his hand at her elbow to steady her, and they walked toward her door.
“Let me have the keys,” he said.
She handed them to him, and for a moment, his hand curled around hers. She looked tired. Fragile. Lost. He wanted to pull her into his arms and go to bed for a week. Just him and her. No outside world. No worry. No pain. No past.
He pulled away and unlocked her door, shoving it open. She walked in ahead of him and when they stepped into the living room, it erupted in chaos.
“Surprise!”
The voices echoed across the room as people jumped up. Okay, the girls jumped up. The guys sort of stood there looking faintly amused as Julie, Serena and Faith ran over to greet Angelina.
Angelina took a step back, her expression horrified. Tears welled in her eyes and her face crumpled. With a choked sound, she turned and ran into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
The girls stood looking mystified at Angelina’s abrupt departure.
“I told you this wasn’t a good idea,” Connor muttered as he walked up beside Faith. “She’s just getting out of the hospital after a hellish experience. The last thing she’s up for is a damn welcome home party.”
Micah sighed as he scanned the room. “Look, guys. I really appreciate this. More than you know. I love all of you. I know I can be a dick, and I know I’ve kept some pretty heavy-duty shit from you. I don’t deserve your friendship, but I’m damn grateful for it. But I’d really, really appreciate it if y’all could give me some time here. I’m fighting for my life. For a woman who means everything to me.”
“I’m sorry, Micah,” Faith said in a stricken voice. “I thought ... I don’t know what I thought.”
She looked so distressed that Micah immediately pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead.
“Don’t be sorry, doll. You have a heart of gold, and the thing is, Angelina needs your kind of friendship. She’s not upset at you. She’s upset with me and rightfully so. She thinks she’s moving back to Miami.”
“And you’re going to let her?” Julie challenged, her lips turned down into a ferocious frown.
“No, I’m not,” he said quietly.
“Good,” Serena said. “She loves you, you know.”
“I know. I love her too. I just have to convince her of that fact.”
“Okay, so let’s get out of here and leave them to it,” Connor said impatiently.
Nathan pushed off the wall and walked up beside Julie. “Connor has an excellent idea. Why don’t you take me home and convince me you can’t live without me.”
Julie snorted. “Like I want you to have the big head?”
They all filed past Micah, each of the girls stopping to give him a fierce hug. He didn’t deserve their loyalty, but it felt damn good to have it. It made him feel good that part of it extended to Angelina and had nothing to do with him. She’d won them over, no thanks to any effort on his part to include her in his life.
After seeing them out, he shut the door and turned in the direction of the bedroom Angelina had disappeared into.
If there was ever a time he needed wisdom, needed just the right words to say, it was now. This was ... this was everything. His future, his happiness, his chance to have it all again. He couldn’t af ford to fuck it up.
He paused outside her door, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he slowly pushed it open and stepped inside.
She was sitting on the bed, her head down, and she was crying.
Ah hell. It took everything he had not to go over and scoop her up in his arms, but he was determined to have this conversation with her