Page 84 of Reckless With You

Jesus.

“You don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be after this. You can leave and never come back after you donate. You don’t even have to walk in there if you don’t want to. You don’t have to be anything to us or Evan other than a donation.Butif you go in there right now, you need to be strong. He needs that. And then we’ll figure out what happens later. You can be his friend. You can be anything. We’ll figure out the legalities and the labels and everything after my son is healthy. Because that is all that matters to me.”

I nodded quickly and watched as she sighed in relief as Robbie hugged his wife close, kissing the top of her head. “We’ll deal with all the mundane things later. But first, let’s try to have a Merry Christmas Eve. Okay, darling?”

She looked up at him then, and I saw the love that had never been there for me. I hadn’t needed that from her, and she hadn’t needed it from me.

But I saw that emotion now.

Something that I had seen in Amelia, too. Maybe. Or maybe I was thinking too hard because I didn’t want to think about what was on the other side of that door.

But then I didn’t have time to think it all because Melinda was opening the door, and my feet were moving, and there were no more words.

Evan sat in his bed, the back raised so he was sitting upright.

He had an IV in his arm, and wires everywhere. I knew every single name of those machines, I knew the drug that was going through his system, I knew why he was being hydrated, I knew exactly why he had dark circles under his eyes.

I knew all the medical terms and all the things that could go wrong, but it didn’t matter. Because he wasn’t his disease. He wasn’t just a statistic.

This was Evan.

My son.

And holy hell, that was a weird thought.

“Hey,” I said, my voice hoarse. I cleared my throat. “Hey, Evan. I’m Tucker.”

Evan grinned, his eyes bright if a little tired. “Hi. Mommy said you’d be here. I’m Evan.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Evan smiled as his mom and dad went to the other side of the bed, Melinda reaching out to hold his hand. His tiny little hand.

Jesus Christ, this little boy had to be okay.

I didn’t know what I would do if I lost him just when I met him. Let alone what Melinda and Robbie would do or feel.

I looked into Evan’s eyes, the same eyes as mine, and I immediately loved this kid.

Just like that. It was love at first sight. I had no idea what I would be in his life, what labels we would use for each other or any shit like that. But it didn’t matter.

This kid in front of me? This was the connection that I had been waiting for in my life.

One that I had told myself I didn’t need or want. The thing that I had been actively leaving and avoiding my entire life.

And he was right here in front of me. And I knew I could never walk away.

“I have a book for you,” I said, looking down at the wrapped package. “It looks like a book even wrapped, so it’s not really a surprise. But I’d love to talk to you about it.”

“Books? I love books.”

I took a few steps and sat down next to him. I looked into those sad little eyes that still had happiness in them despite everything going on around him.

And I knew that, somehow, we’d be okay.

Because I refused to let it be anything else.

I met Melinda’s and Robbie’s gazes then nodded tightly before turning my attention back to Evan.