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Blood thundered in my ears, the sudden swing from happiness to fear jarring.

“My mom is in the ICU,” she said, fighting to get the words out. “She- Dad says she might not-”

Without a word, I got up and laced my fingers through hers. I grabbed my car keys and guided her out of the office.

“Marina, send Kelly with the rest of my things to the hospital, please,” I said as we passed her. She jumped but immediately picked up her phone to call Kelly.

Once in the elevator, I pulled Frankie into the circle of my arms, my heart quaking. “It’s gonna be okay.”

My voice rang hollow even in my own ears.

Chapter thirty-two

The Other Side of Loneliness

Hayden

Myfeetburnedinsidemy red bottomed heels. Not that I could complain, wearing heels to a hospital was hardly a smart move.

But for Frankie? The pain could take a back seat. All I cared about was making it right.

The wariness in her body after the hours-long wait to hear her mom was going to be okay seemed to seep into me too. I just wanted to hold her.

“I feel like I don’t have feet anymore,” she mumbled from behind me, shuffling along, her fingers pinching the hem of my jacket. “Where are we?”

“My place,” I said, keying the passcode into the keypad and opening the door. “Let’s get you out of your shoes, okay?”

She yawned as she crossed the threshold, tiny teardrops clinging to the corners of her eyes.

“I’ll call a cab,” she said, palming at her pockets in search of her phone.

“What the hell for?”

She looked up at me then, her face blank. “To go… home?”

“Absolutely not.” I snorted and shut the door behind her. She frowned at me quizzically and I sighed. “My place is closer to the hospital. And, maybe I wanna keep you close for a little while longer. Sue me.”

Her expression softened and she reached out to squeeze my hand. “Thank you,” she said. “Not just for, you know, letting me stay. But for everything else.”

I’d hardly done anything else worth thanking, but I loved hearing her sound even just a little less burdened.

“I ordered food,” I said and led her into the kitchen, where Pascal had set out our own little feast.

“All of this is for us?” She gaped, staring bug-eyed at the countertop that was so ladened with food it looked like it might buckle.

“Pascal may have gone a little overboard.” I chuckled. “I did tell him to get some of everything; I wasn’t sure what you’d prefer to eat.”

Frankie blinked at me, her stomach grumbling quietly.

“Sounds like you might eat just about everything,” I teased, sliding the first plate of spring rolls toward her.

Her cheeks turned bright pink but she picked up a spring roll anyway, wolfing it down in an instant.

“That tastes amazing,” she whined, her eyes closed and her cheeks full. “Where did you get these from?”

“They’re brand new menu items for a franchise that I’m testing out,” I explained, grabbing a spring roll for myself and eating it.

It did taste amazing, obviously.