Page 96 of Protecting You
“Yes. Of course you need to eat.” Mom looked around as if a solution to the problem might present itself. None of them wanted to leave Dad’s room. Aside from the fact that he could wake up at any minute, the nurse had said a doctor would come by soon, and they needed to hear the results of his tests.
Mom started to push to her feet. “I’ll take you?—”
“I got it, Mom. Sit down.” He smiled at Peri, who regarded him suspiciously. “I’ll take care of it.”
Alyssa had texted once since Callan left her in the lobby by herself, letting him know she planned to stay and offering her help. Very kind considering how rude he’d been, especially after the wholedarlingthing. When they were in public together, they needed to keep up the ruse. He couldn’t ask her to deceive her family and then refuse to do the same with his own.
Even so, dropping thefiancéeword hadn’t sat right. Thank God Alyssa had stopped him.
He didn’t have the brain power to know what to do. And though it would be easier if she’d gone to the hotel like he’d asked, he was glad she’d come. She’d tracked them to the right hospital—not that there were many options in Augusta. She’d gotten a ride here. And even though she was sitting in the waiting room all by herself, she'd stayed.
It meant a lot to him.
As he tapped a text, he hoped her offer to help had been sincere. He got an immediate thumbs-up.
“Come on, sweetie.” He held out his hand for his daughter, then waited patiently while she stared at it as if she didn’t know what he meant for her to do. If Mom had offered, or Dad, or Hannah, she’d have immediately taken the hand. But then they’d earned her trust.
Finally, her small, smooth palm slid against his, ice cold in the chilly air conditioning.
He should’ve thought of that. He should’ve asked for a blanket for her. She was always cold, just like her mother used to be.
They headed down the hall, meeting Alyssa near where they’d first seen each other. She was hiking her laptop bag over her shoulder. “Hey, you two. Any news?”
“Papi’s asleep,” Peri said.
“The doctor’s supposed to come give us an update soon,” Callan added.
“Then you need to stay.” Alyssa focused on Peri. “But somebody needs to get dinner. I mean, come on! How are you supposed to survive without food? Am I right or am I right?”
Peri almost smiled. “I’m starving.”
“I bet your whole family is. I know it’s past my dinnertime.”
Callan hadn’t thought about food since he’d gotten the call, but the sun was setting outside, and it had been hours since lunch.
Alyssa lifted her gaze to him. “What sounds good?”
He shrugged. “Probably anything.”
“You’lleat anything. We know that.” To Peri, she said, “You’ve seen your dad eat. He’s like Pac-Man—a perfect eating machine. Are you like that too?”
Peri shrugged, the tiniest hint of a smile on her face.
“Just as I suspected.” Alyssa looked back at him. “I’m guessing your mother and your sister have more discerning tastes, and all things considered, they might be craving comfort food. There are a lot of options around here. If it’s okay with you, Peri and I will go find something awesome for us. Meanwhile, you let me know what you guys want, and we’ll pick it up on our way back.”
He’d only asked her to walk Peri down to the cafeteria to eat and take her mind off her grandfather for a minute. “Paris, you don’t have to?—”
“I don’t have to do diddly,” she said. “I want to have dinner with this cutie.” She held her hand out, palm up. “Keys?”
“If you’re sure.” When her only answer was wiggling fingers, he gave them to her.
“Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” Alyssa waggled her eyebrows at Peri.
His daughter giggled. Actually giggled.
He lowered to get eye-level with her. “Are you okay going with Alyssa for a little while?”
Her laugh died. “Maybe I should stay with Papi.”
