“You know, don’t quote me on this, but rumor has it Colorado has doctors. Good ones.”
“What?”
“You heard me. This may come as a shock to you, but North Carolina isn’t the only state with doctors and hospitals capable of treating Tess.”
The truck rolls to a stop at a red light. I drag a hand down my face. “It’s not that simple. Her medical team—doctors, surgeons, therapists—they have a whole plan in place, everyone coordinates with each other, it’s…complex.”
He hums. “I’m sure it is.”
The notion is too far-fetched. With a recovery process as complicated as Mom’s, it’s critical for her to remain under the care of the same medical professionals until she gets through this. Missing a week of physical therapy to come out here sets her back enough as it is. I couldn’t begin to wrap my head around the consequences of relocating across the country, assembling a brand new medical team from scratch.
But besides all of that, Mom doesn’t want to move. What kind of son would I be if I left her alone in a rundown house to start a life on the other side of the country? I’d never forgive myself if she needed me or, god forbid, something awful happened and I wasn’t there.
When the light turns green, I pull forward, hoping this conversation is over. No such luck.
“Any chance Hannah would move to Charlotte?” Dubs asks.
One long, heavy breath. “Nah, man. Her mom, her job—she can’t leave.” And I’d never ask her to.
“So that’s it then? You’re gonna throw up your hands and let the woman you love slip through your fingers? Just like that?”
I scoff, but it’s only a mask for the guilt. “It’s not like th?—”
“I swear on my granny’s rosary, if you try and tell me you’re not in love with that girl I’ll call the guys back here so Taz can beat your ass.”
Pretty sure not even the devil himself could convince a commercial pilot to turn a plane around mid-flight, but the thought is funny enough.
“She loves you too, you know.”
My head jerks, eyes wide. “Did she tell you that?” I sound too eager and my friend’s smug face makes me want to punch him in the balls. Lovingly, of course.
“Didn’t have to,” he says. “It’s obvious, dude. Hell if I know why, but Hannah loves you.”
So help me, if that’s true, there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. It’s not a matter of letting her slip through my fingers, it’scircumstances outside of our control making it impossible to take hold of anything in the first place.
This hurts too much. I need to change the subject. “What about Bri?” I cast him a pointed look for a beat, fix my attention back on the road. “You look at her a certain way.”
His laugh is empty, not an ounce of humor. “Yeah, well, that’s different. I know when I’m out of my league. Girls like your sister don’t end up with guys like me.” He pops a shoulder. “I flirt because it’s fun, not because I think I actually stand a chance.”
Walker Willis’ trademark is hubris. You either eat up his confidence and join in the chaos or you write him off as immature. But right now, the bravado he always seems to hold up as a shield has cracked.
I’m not able to form a response before he circles me back. “Also, I know you’re trying to change the subject and I’m not gonna let you. Hannah and Bri? Same league. And you’re the lucky bastard who could actually keep her if you get your shit together.”
“And you couldn’t?” I probably shouldn’t encourage it, but Dubs is my friend. Any girl—even my stepsister—would be lucky to have him.
“Bro, your sister’s a goddamn doctor. She can do a lot better than a Puerto Rican-Texas transplant who shoots guns for a living.”
My head rears back. “Dubs?—”
“Don’t ‘Dubs’ me, we’re talking aboutyou. What areyougonna do about Hannah?”
I turn into Hannah’s driveway and pull up next to her car, killing the engine. Twirling the keys in my hand, I prop my elbow on the window and cast my gaze to her front door.
“There’s nothing Icando,” I finally answer. “The timing isn’t good for either of us.”
His weary exhale cuts through the quiet in the cab. “You’re a fixer, Rowan, and I get it. All us guys are. But you’re gonna run yourself into the ground trying to fix everything for everyone else if you don’t take care ofyouonce in a while.
“Your mom was dealt a crappy hand and you did what you had to do. It’s what any decent son would have done. You made sure nothing interfered with Bri’s plans because you want her to have everything she’s worked so hard for.” He pauses and I meet his eyes. “And I know you’rebeating yourself up over not being here for your grandfather because you somehow think if you’d been here then maybe he’d still be alive.” Dubs shakes his head. “That’s not how it works, man. Life’s tough shit sometimes.”