“It’snot even a nice ring.”
“Whatdo you mean? I think it’s beautiful,” I mumbled, staring at the modestdiamondand delicately scrolled, gold band.
Heshrugged, keeping his arms tightly wound around his middle. “Most chicks wantthe bling.”
“Andwho says I’m most chicks?” I mocked with a roll of my eyes in his direction.
“Nah,I guess you’re not,” he muttered, lifting his mouth in a small, gentle smile.
“Youthink you’ll ever get married again?” I asked, settling against thepillowsand fixing my eyes once again on the screen.
Ilistened to him sigh and say, “Idunno. I wasn’t agreat husband. Not sure I everwannascrew someoneover like that again.”
“Youwere dealing with a lot of shit, though.”
“Youdon’t know what I was like back then.”
“No,but does it matter if I know who you are now?”
Anothersigh. “I guess not.”
Hishand rested on the bed just beside my thigh. I wanted to reach out and take it,but I wouldn’t. My resolve to stay faithful to the missing father of my babywas frustrating to everyone, including myself, but I wouldn’t allow myself tobreak it now. Not when I was so vulnerable, not when I knew it would be an actof impulse, despite how much I knew my feelings were true and genuine.
“Haveyou picked a name for the baby yet?” Goose asked, keeping his eyes on thescreen as Eric Draven burst through the bad guy’s apartment door.
“Ireally like Alexander,” I said. “I have to ask Brendan what he thinks, butthat’s what I’m leaning toward.”
“Hm,”he grunted in reply, and I could sense every drop of anger in that small sound.Then, he quickly added, “It’s a good name. I like it.”
Withall ofthe commotion, I hadn’t had much of a chance tothink about Brendan. And now that I had mentioned him, and thought of him, Iwas realizing that I hadn’t seen him. Nobody had mentioned him. Not even one ofmy nurses. Nothing.
“Hey,”I said, “has Brendan been around, do you know?”
“Ihaven’t seen him,” he muttered bitterly.
Andjust like that, I spent the rest of our movie wondering where he was, what hewas doing, if I would ever see him again, and if he would ever meet the baby hehad once claimed to want.
Chapter Twenty-Four
On dayfour of my hospital stay, Brendan finally showed up.
Herushed past hospital security on his way to my room and ignored the nurses,demanding that he stop. I was sitting on my bed, finally without a catheter andfinally in a fresh pair of clothes, when Brendan burst through the door.
Gooseand I were eating lunch while my parents napped at my apartment. This was nowthe routine. When my parents were able to, they hung out with me, and when theyneeded to get some rest or take amuch neededshower,Goose left the bar and sat by my side. After four days in the hospital, I wasquickly becoming accustomed to it, along with the frequent trips down the hallto see my baby. So, when Brendan showed up unannounced, I was surprised to seehim. And maybe even a little disappointed.
“Kendall.”His tone was harsh and alarmed, coming out with a breath of anger and not oneof concern. “What thehellis going on?”
“Well,in case you haven’t noticed, I’m in the hospital,” I replied sardonically, andhe rolled his eyes.
“Why?Whyare you in the hospital?”
“Areyou serious?” I asked, incredulous. “I’ve been here forfourfreakin’ days, Brendan. I’ve been trying to call you—”
“Icalled you repeatedly, the night I brought her in here,” Goose chimed in, andBrendan shot him with a disgusted look, as though only realizing then that weweren’t alone.
“Ihaven’t checked my phone in a few days,” he replied hesitantly.
“Indays?” Goose fired back, with skepticism written in his furrowed brow.
