“Son…of…a…bitch.” Vernon had had an affair with Noah’s mom. She’d hurt her son and husband to be with Vernon, and Vernon had hurt Autumn with her. He’d lost Noah, his best friend, the man he loved because Vernon hadn’t been able to keep it in his pants. And he’d blamed Noah’s family. Putting Noah and his parents down, every opportunity he got.

“Don’t you talk to me like that. Not after everything I’ve done for you. We raised you, and loved you. That boy clung to you just like his mother used to do with me. I should have known it, even back then. They way he would talk about missing you in those letters.”

Cooper’s heart seized at that. Noah said he’d written, but he’d never gotten the letters. For years, after Noah had left, he’d felt like he’d let him down. Like he hadn’t been there when Noah’s parents tried to take him away, like he had promised, and he’d thought that Noah hated him for it. Why else wouldn’t he have written?

But it was all because of Vernon. The man he respected and felt he owed his life to. The man who he looked up to for the way he’d loved his wife. And he cheated on her with Noah’s mom.

“Out.” He squeezed his fists together, angry that he couldn’t form better words.

It was that easy. Vernon turned around and left the room, not that he expected anything more of the man.

He’d pretty much lied to Noah, because of Vernon, when Vernon was the man who had actually hurt them all. His uncle had been the reason the man Cooper loved had to go, and Vernon had blamed it on Noah, instead of taking the blame himself.

Inside him, anger at Vernon, blended with pain of betrayal.

Still with tears in her eyes, Autumn looked at Cooper. “I know what he did was wrong. All of it, and he does, too. Especially what happened here the past couple days, but Vernon is a good man. He beat himself up over what he did. And he might not always be the best at showing it, but he loves me, just like he loves you.” Autumn touched his hand. “Just like you love Noah. Love doesn’t always make sense. Not whom we love or how we do it, but no one is perfect. I’ll be back to check on you.” And then Autumn hobbled out of the room too, leaving Cooper alone. Still not sure, where Noah was. Or if he was even coming back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Whether Adrianna could get him in or not, Noah was seeing Cooper. Tonight. The ache inside him had done nothing but grow with each hour, each second that went by.

“You know I could lose my job if this goes wrong. You have to promise me that if Cooper doesn’t want to see you for whatever reason, you’ll leave. It’s one thing if his family is keeping you away from him. If this is Cooper’s choice, he has the right to make it.” Adrianna wrung her hands together as they stood at the entrance to the hospital.

She was right. But he knew that couldn’t be true. Cooper would want him there. “If you just tell me what room he’s in, I’ll head up alone.”

“I would but I didn’t get a chance to talk to him today. Like I said, I want to make sure this is what he wants.”

It was on the tip of Noah’s tongue to tell her it was, but he held it back.

“Just walk with me. I’m going to take the back elevator so we won’t see as many people. Security has been watching out for you.”

“Christ, what did I do that was so wrong? Because I want to go in and see the man I love?”

Adrianna frowned. “Everyone knows Cooper’s uncle. He was a police officer here for years. If he said not to let you in, people will listen.” She shook her head. “I never knew. How could Cooper be gay?”

Noah wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he chose nothing. No matter what they planned, that didn’t mean Cooper would feel the same after speaking with Vernon. No matter what the man was, he was Cooper’s family. Noah wouldn’t come between that.

He kept his head down as he followed behind Adrianna. The whole scene made him want to hit something. They treated him like he was a criminal.

“Hello, Adrianna.” A woman said, as she walked by.

Noah looked the other way as Adrianna told her hi.

They noticed a few more people on their way, most of them too busy to pay any attention to Noah and Adrianna.

They took the elevators the second floor and headed west. As they rounded a corner, Adrianna froze. Standing in front of them was Cooper’s Aunt.

He let a heavy breath push from his lungs.

“Mrs. Bradshaw,” Adrianna stuttered.

“It’s not her fault,” Noah told her, before the woman could say anything. “I just…I need to see him.” Noah didn’t give a shit about the vulnerability in his voice. He needed to see the man he loved, and that was that.