But if Dawson wants to build something new with him…
“I’d like that,” he says, his heart suddenly too big for his chest. Maybe they should’ve gotten rid of his lung after all, made more room. He’s going to need it with Dawson in his life.
“Okay.” A small, shaky smile appears on Dawson’s lips, and in that moment, Cal swears he sees hope in his eyes.
“Okay,” Cal echoes, matching Dawson’s smile.
“Um, there’s one more thing.” Dawson reaches into his pocket. “The hospital gave it to me with the rest of your stuff.” When he brings his hand up, he’s holding a ring, not unlike the one he’s wearing.
Cal looks at his bare hand. How come he didn’t notice it was missing?
“I didn’t realize,” he admits.
“You probably had more important things to worry about.”
Cal curls and uncurls his fingers and holds up his hand, looking up at Dawson in hope. “Would you mind?”
Dawson swallows, then nods. He gently takes Cal’s hand and slides the ring onto his finger, sending a shiver through him.
Cal looks at it. It’s such a small thing, but it causes a swarm of butterflies to fill his chest.
“Thank you.”
Dawson smiles.
As far as new beginnings go, this isn’t too bad.
Chapter 10
Fivedaysandthreehospital visits later, Dawson finds Cal the same way he did the last time—buried in a book. Well, in the iPad. It must be a good one, because it takes him a few seconds before he notices Dawson.
Dawson grins. “Am I interrupting?”
Cal puts the iPad aside, flashing him a smile. “Hi. Not at all. Come in.”
Dawson takes his usual spot in the chair. “What are you reading?Brisingr?” Who knew Cal has a thing for dragons? Or fantasy?
Cal huffs. “I finished that series yesterday.”
Dawson whistles. “You’re on a roll.”
“You mean bored?” Cal smirks. “This is another series.The Twilight Saga.”
“Oh my God.” Dawson covers his mouth, staring.
“What?”
“You’re reading about vampires? You?”
Cal gives him an unimpressed look. “They’re intriguing.”
Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Dawson unzips his backpack. “Well, since you’re such an avid reader now, you might appreciate these.” He hands him a case containing his glasses.
Cal complained at their last visit that the letters get blurry if he reads for more than an hour. Dawson knows Cal is far-sighted, but he generally never used to bother wearing glasses unless he was reading something in bed before going to sleep—like financial reports or whatever. .
Pulling the glasses out, Cal studies them curiously before putting them on. He blinks a few times, probably trying to focus, and turns to Dawson.
Dawson smiles. “How’s that?” Cal always hated wearing glasses, but in Dawson’s opinion, they suit him. Thick, black, rectangular frames with a rounded bottom. They make the blue of his eyes pop. They also make him look like a nerd. Or a professor, especially with the short beard he’s now sporting.
