Page 67 of What He Always Knew

“No, you didn’t.”

I knew where all the shops were in town, and there wasn’t one even close to where they’d eaten lunch or on the way back to the hospital.

“Okay, fine. We didn’t.”

I smiled, taking a sip of the warm, sweet mocha before settling back in my chair. I glanced over at Christina, who’d fallen asleep.

“I bet she’s so ready to get out of here,” I said softly. “Poor girl. Came down here to be with Mom and Dad and take some time off her feet, ended up in the hospital.”

“At least she’s still off her feet here.”

“Yeah, but the food is way worse.”

Cameron squeezed my shoulder, laughing quietly. “That’s very true.”

I looked up at him then, the coffee still warming my hands, and for a moment I just stared at him. He’d stepped up so much at the hospital, being whatever he needed to be for my parents, for Graham, for me. He took care of running any errands we had, phone calls, paperwork — all of it. Whatever he could do to make our lives easier, it was already done before we even knew to ask.

“Have I thanked you yet,” I asked, “for everything you’ve done this week?”

“Many times,” he said, mirroring my smile.

“Well, thank you, again. I know it’s all meant so much to Mom and Dad, and to my brother.” I paused. “And to me.”

Cameron’s cheeks tinged just the slightest shade of red. “I’m not doing anything special. Just trying to make it all a bit easier.” His smile fell a little as he rubbed my shoulder. “Hey, listen… I was thinking, tonight when we get home, maybe we could—”

Cameron’s voice was drowned out under the sound of loud laughter as the door to Christina’s room swung open, and Christina bolted upright, her eyes wild as they landed on her husband.

Mine were just as wild when they landed on Reese.

“Oh, sorry, babe. Did we wake you?”

“I think you woke the whole hospital,” she said, but she was smiling, her black eyes warm at the sight of Graham. “Is this Reese?”

Reese’s eyes flicked to mine before he crossed the room with a wide smile, holding out his hand for Christina. “So nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you over the years.”

“Well, I wish we could have met under better circumstances,” she said, smoothing her hand over her hair once Reese stepped back. “I’m a mess right now.”

“You look beautiful,” Graham argued, leaning in to kiss her forehead before taking the seat next to her.

Reese stood with his hands in his pockets, and his eyes found mine with a crease resting between his brows.

“Hey Charlie,” he said. “Cameron.”

He didn’t even look at Cameron when he said his name, and Cameron barely nodded in response to the greeting. My brother watched the whole exchange curiously, and his eyes locked with mine, more questions there than I had answers for.

I cleared my throat.

“So, are you hanging out here for a while with us, Reese?” Christina asked.

“I don’t want to be in your hair too long,” he said with a smile. “Just wanted to come by and meet you, and give this guy some shit.” He wrapped his forearm around Graham’s neck and knuckled his head.

Graham shoved him off, laughing. “Yeah, trust me, babe. No one wants to put up with Reese Walker longer than a few hours.”

“Sorry,” a voice said through our laughter, and my heart kicked up into my throat at the sight of Blake swinging inside the room. “I didn’t like any of the flowers they had down there at the shop. I mean seriously, notonebouquet with roses? They’re, like, the most universal flower.” She shook her head, leaning up on her toes to kiss Reese’s cheek.

I gritted my teeth.

“Oh! Hi, Christina. I’m Blake, Reese’s girlfriend,” she said, leaning in to hug Christina. The flowers she held smacked against the back of Christina’s bed and tangled up in her IV wire, but Blake was oblivious. “It’s so nice to meet you.”