Page 42 of Accidentally Falling For My Best Friend (Chicago Awakenings #2)

By the time I’m at the airport, I’ve booked a seat on the next flight to Atlanta. Luckily, there was a flight because if driving had been faster, I was prepared to pay my Uber driver an exorbitant amount of money if it meant getting to Parker sooner.

Other than the wallet that was in my pocket, I didn’t bring anything with me since I walked right out of my grandparents' house and came straight here. I get through security quickly, and learning from Parker’s mistake, I buy a phone charger before I get to my gate.

I make a quick call to Parker’s mom, updating her on what I know and that I’m on my way to him.

She asks if she should come too, but I assure her I’ll make sure he’s okay and that I’ll call with any updates.

I can tell she’s hesitant to agree and that she wants to see for herself that he’s okay, but she admits that Parker would hate it if she made a fuss and makes me promise to video call as soon as I can.

The flight feels like it drags on forever, but eventually I’m pulling up in another rideshare at the Atlanta Hospital.

I guess it’s only been a couple of hours since I first heard from Aspen, but in a way, I feel like a different person than I was when I answered her call.

I have new priorities, a new perspective on what’s important in my life, and I’m finally ready to fight for it.

I’ve spent the entire time thinking about what to say to Parker.

Aspen texted that she left while Parker was still sleeping to get some sleep herself, so I shouldn’t have an audience at least. I need to be honest and tell him how I really feel, but as I enter the lobby to check in, it’s like my mind has gone blank.

“I’m here to see Parker Leighton,” I tell the security guard, who already looks annoyed.

They type something into their computer before turning back to me. “Intensive care visiting hours ended over an hour ago. You can come back at eight AM.”

Yeah, that’s not happening.

I take a deep breath and flash my most charming smile.

I’m fully prepared to yell and throw my name and money around, barge my way past this guy if I need to, but I’ll try to be nice first. “Listen, I don’t know what I need to say to get in there, but I need to see him.

I just walked out of my family’s Christmas party without saying goodbye, and jumped on the first flight here to see the man that I’m in love with because finding out that he was in the hospital and I wasn’t there for him when he needed me nearly broke me.

I need to see him for myself, to make sure he’s okay, and that he knows we never should have been apart for Christmas, for any day.

I spent the entire flight planning speeches, picturing a dramatic reunion where I can confess my feelings after putting in all of this effort to be here today, and none of that is going to work if I have to wait another twelve hours to do it. ”

The guy looks amused now, smirking as I keep going.

“I don’t care who I have to bribe, or if I need to claim to be family, or his partner, or his husband.

I want all of that to be true anyway. So just tell me what to say and I’ll say it, but respectfully, I will be seeing him tonight. So how can we make that happen?”

He eyes me for another moment before finally smirking, holding up one finger as he picks up the phone in front of him to make a call.

“Hello, are you the charge nurse tonight for the ICU? I’ve got the husband for 2108 who just flew in requesting permission to visit after hours.

He seems pretty desperate, but I don’t think he’ll cause any trouble.

” He laughs at whatever she says, before ending the call.

“Apparently, his girlfriend was with him all day. Lucky for you, the nurse is intrigued enough to want to hear more about your drama, so she’ll let you visit after hours. ”

He gives me a pass and wishes me good luck before directing me on how to get to Parker’s room. Exiting the elevator onto his floor, it’s like I’m eleven years old again, scared and desperate to see for myself that my best friend is okay, only now I know he’s so much more than that.

When I enter the room, I’m frozen for a moment as I take him in.

He’s laying in bed in an ugly hospital gown, with wires connected to his chest that I think are showing his heart rate on a monitor next to the bed.

The soft steady beeping assures me that even though his eyes are closed, he must be alive—sleeping and not in a coma again like my anxiety has been trying to convince me he would be.

There are tubes coming out of both arms, connected to bags of fluids and medications hanging from the pole on the other side of his bed.

The scene is peaceful, and there’s no staff in the room.

Logically, I know that means he must be stable, not fighting for his life like I kept picturing on the way here.

But he looks so sick, so vulnerable in a way that my strong best friend never should.

It breaks my heart that I wasn’t able to prevent this from happening.

My guilt is threatening to consume my every thought.

I know Parker won’t blame me, but I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself that he ended up back here.

I need to get over myself, though, and focus on being there for him in the future, and that starts with telling him the truth now.

I finally shake off whatever fear had me hesitating and rush to his bedside. I don’t want to wake him up.

I know that I should let him rest, but I can’t stop myself from leaning in and placing a soft kiss right on his lips.