Page 48 of Everything I Crave
“Ugh. Gross. Seriously, I came out here for peace and quiet, can you two please leave?” Emma yells at us.
“Um, last I checked you’re inmytruck?” Gunnar snaps.
Emma rolls up the window, mocking him.
He leans back into me, whispering, “My Dad is going to be okay. He’s out of surgery, and awake.”
I suck in a deep breath. “Will you walk me out if it’s too much?”
“Whatever you need, I’ll do. You can trust me to take care of you.” He kisses my forehead.
I hop out of the truck to go inside with Gunnar.
He won’t judge you, Willow. You can do this. For him.
I stick my hand out to him, palm up, and he laces his fingers with mine as we walk toward the frontdoor, and leave Emma to get some peace and quiet on her own.
“Don’t make me regret this.” I squeeze his hand. He nods quietly understanding the gravity of me entering a hospital again.
I follow him through the labyrinth of white walls, the smell of antiseptic following behind us.
The panic rises in my throat as we approach the room. Gunnar stops just outside the view of the door and pulls me in for a hug, squeezing me tightly. I return the gesture, oddly feeling at comfort with his arms around me. He lets go and holds out his hand, giving me the option to turn and leave before walking into his family. I shake my head and he stuffs his hands into his pockets.
I stand frozen in my spot. Warring with myself to make a final decision.
I take a deep breath and will myself forward to walk through the door after Gunnar.
As soon as I do, all eyes are on me.
“Everyone, this is Willow, my- uh- well-”
“His roommate,” I finish for him, taking his lead from earlier.
“Right. My roommate. Willow, this is my Mom, Anna, my Dad, Nathan, Hunter, Liam, Wyatt, and Cooper.” He points to each person as he introduces them, but I know most of them from his stories and photos.
I hear his Mom mutter under her breath as she turns to face his Dad, “Please God, let her be more than that.”
She turns back to me, stepping forward to shake my hand, but pulls me in for a hug instead. She smells just like my mom, always with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon following her. Like she spends her whole day baking cakes.
Emma walks through the door. “Oh I see you’ve all met G’s girlfriend.” She throws a sly smile over her shoulder to Gunnar.
“For the love of Pete, Emma. Stop giving your brother a hard time. I just had surgery. I shouldn’t be yelling at all of you like children,” Nathan admonishes Emma who sheepishly falls back behind her brothers.
Gunnar told me that she’s the youngest of the six kids, she’s going to be a junior in college this year.
Next to her brothers she looks every bit the baby sister she is. I’d imagine her brothers have all looked well over their ages for quite some time. All five boys stand at least at six foot two, if not taller. All broad shouldered, all have the same dimple as their Dad.
“Emma, why don’t you take Willow to get set up at the Inn? I want the guys and I to go grab a drink and have a chat,” Liam says, a little like he’s pissed off at this whole situation. The guys all exchange a look around him.
Gunnar speaks first. “Here’s my keys, Willow drives, no pit stops.” He stares directly at Emma. I feel like she and I are one in the same as the babies of the family. Always being overprotected.
“Yes, sir.” Emma salutes the room before marching out. I let out a little giggle but quickly cover it as Liam glares at me.
“It was a pleasure meeting all of you. Hopefully, I’ll get to know you more over the next few days.” I give a small wave and head out behind Emma. Gunnar places his hand on the small of my back and leads me out down the hall.
“Willow will meet you at the truck in a minute,” he tells Emma.
She continues on toward the lobby, singing Gunnar and Willow sitting in a tree… the whole time. She garners more than a few looks on her way out.