After she finally seemed stable, I could see how exhausted Grace was. She wasn’t as pale, but she nearly dozed off as Henry was talking to her, something she would never do in her right mind.
I could only stare at her. I was being as brave as possible, but seeing her like this was terrifying. It would have been like that even if she hadn’t been pregnant, but her carrying our baby made that even scarier. This wasn’t the most severe thing that could happen in pregnancy, but it was one of many things that could go wrong. So far, a lot of it was smooth sailing. Hell, half the time we didn’t even know she was pregnant.
Henry also saw that she was tired, and he gave me a look and gestured for me to follow him. I did so reluctantly. I thought it wrong to leave her.
“Can we make this quick?” I asked.
“I’m just letting you know that I’ll be typing up all the instructions so both of you can refer back to them.”
“Is there anything else you wanna ask me?”
“Not really. Should there be?”
“I’m the man that everyone’s going to with questions about what’s happened. It’s been a big shock to everyone, but I don’t want her to deal with it, especially not now.”
Henry slowly nodded. “I thought I’d heard something about that, but I don’t have any questions for you. You seem like you’ve been through enough.”
“What? The curiosity isn’t gonna kill you?”
“I’m a little better than that. And I have a feeling that you’re only half listening to me anyway. You’d rather be with her.”
The discomfort hit me again, just like when I’d told her we were a team. “I’m just making sure she’s okay.”
“I would do the same for someone I cared about.”
I’d spent my entire life trying to avoid caring about anyone but Mom. I told myself that it wasn’t worth it, that I would get myself hurt, that I could live without caring.
And yet here I was, agreeing with a man who barely knew me.
I cared about Grace. I cared about her a lot.
It was one of the most terrifying realizations I’d ever had. Not because I didn’t want to. I needed to care about her. I needed to care about her and her child.Our child.But usually, caring didn’t involve me.
“I’m sorry. Did I step on some toes here?” Henry’s cheeks colored.
“No, it’s just been a long day.”
He hummed and I wondered if he knew that I was lying to him. But I glanced toward the room that Grace was in, eager to get going, and that spurred him into action.
“Will you also let me pay her balance?”
Henry paused in his typing, but nodded.
I was doing a terrible job of hiding that I cared about her. That was the worst part of this all. I was better at staying away so I didn’t get myself in this situation.
And yet here I was.
Henry finished up the notes and let me pay for Grace’s treatment.
“You’re gonna wanna keep that between us,” I told him. “She hates it when I do things like this.”
Henry chuckled. “I’ve known Grace since I moved here, and that tracks. She’s always had her hands full with Brooke. And it seems like she still does, even though Brooke’s moved out. It’s a good thing she has someone now.”
“It’s not romantic or anything. You know that, right?” I had to say it, though every time I reminded someone of it, the words came out with less bite.
Henry smiled. “Sure, definitely not.”
“Don’t start. I’ll tell you the same thing I’ve told everyone else. I don’t date women.”