Delayed Call Read online

  He shrugged. “It’s fine.”

  “Okay, but when I get back, we need to talk this out.”

  He let his head fall back in annoyance. “I don’t want to talk about my heart.”

  Her own heart broke a bit. “They want us to go back in, and the testing will be overnight.”

  “B, I don’t want to. I don’t want to leave my home.”

  “I know, buddy. I’m sorry, but we have to.”

  “Not we, me. It’s always me.”

  “I’m there with you, though.”

  “I know, but Mitch won’t be or Grandma, and I don’t know. I hate it.”

  “Rod, it’s your health, bub.”

  Letting out an annoyed breath, he shrugged. “But I can come back, right?” he asked, so hopeful, and she smiled.

  “As long as the doctors say yes, then, yeah,” she said, dropping into her regular seat beside Mekena, though she wasn’t there yet. When she looked back at the screen, though, she saw Vaughn’s face beside hers in the camera. Looking over, she laughed while he waved all big and silly at Rodney.

  “Hey! How ya doing, buddy?”

  But Rodney didn’t smile. “She’s making me go to the doctor. Overnight.”

  Vaughn set him with a look. “What did I tell you about that ticker?”

  “Keep it healthy?”

  “Yup, don’t let me down, bud.”

  Rodney smiled a bit as he nodded. “Okay.”

  “That’s my man. And don’t worry, she means well.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to.”

  “But we’re men, right? We gotta keep healthy, because then who would drive Brie crazy?”

  Rodney smiled and nodded. “You’re right.”

  “I know. See you soon.”

  “Bye.”

  Vaughn squeezed her shoulder before he walked down the aisle of the plane, and her heart caught before she glared back at Rodney. “So you’ll listen to him?”

  “Yeah, I like him more.” She snorted, and he smiled big. “I’m joking.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. It’s fine. We’re gonna be okay.”

  “I hate the doctor.”

  “I know, buddy, and when I get back, we’ll talk more, okay?”

  “All right. Will it be okay, B?

  “Of course, Rodney. Love you.”

  “Love you.”

  Ending the call, she sighed heavily. She was pretty sure the last couple weeks had been the most stressful weeks of her life. She was freaking out about the doctor stuff like crazy and hated that no one really had any answers. She had been on the phone with the doctors for the last three days, trying to figure out their next move. But no one had a plan. They weren’t happy with the production of the pacemaker; something wasn’t connecting right, and it scared her. She had called Dawn and Trish, and they both promised to keep an extra eye on him while she was gone, but she was silently freaking out. She just wanted him to be okay. When her eyes started to cloud with tears, her phone chimed. She picked it up to see it was a text from Vaughn. Her lips curved as she opened it.

  Vaughn: Don’t worry, everything is gonna be fine.

  Brie: Can’t help it.

  Vaughn: Wanna go do it in the bathroom when the plane takes off? Take your mind off it?

  Brie: As much as that excites me, I’m not a flyer, so I doubt I would be fun.

  Vaughn: You don’t like flying?

  Brie: Hate it.

  Vaughn: Wussy.

  Brie: Who’s scared of needles?

  Vaughn: Touché, Soledad. Touché.

  Vaughn: Fine, stew in your feelings, but if you wanna come back here, I’ll put my hands down your pants.

  Laughing, she rolled her eyes.

  Brie: You’re so kind.

  Vaughn: Thinking only of you.

  Vaughn: All the time.

  Brie: Right back at ya, sexy ass.

  Vaughn: :)

  Brie: :)

  Exhaling softly, she curved her lips as her heart fluttered in her chest. While she had to talk to Rodney about the issue of his heart and the doctor’s plans, she also wanted to talk to him about her and Vaughn. She wasn’t exactly sure how he would take it, but she needed him to know. When she dated Martin, he never met Rodney. He didn’t want to, and since she didn’t want Rodney to get confused, she never pushed it. But with Vaughn, it was different. She wanted Rodney to know about them.

  Because Vaughn was important.

  Very important.

  Closing her eyes as she leaned back in the seat, she couldn’t help but feel right about them. It had been almost two weeks since they decided to do “Vaughn and Brie official,” and it was perfect. She knew it was new, and when that wore off, it wouldn’t be as life altering. But in a way, she felt like it would be. They were playful, silly, and she just couldn’t get enough of him. While he still wouldn’t sleep over or even invite her over to his place, they were always together. He would go to practice, come home, take her out, or they would hang out. It was perfect, and she felt good about them.

  Right.

  She felt right.

  She was excited to go to his hometown, to see NateWay One, and to go to dinner with Wells and his boyfriend. Vaughn made her feel special, and he told her she was gorgeous every day. It was sweet, and she’d never dreamed he would be like that at the beginning. She thought he would be hard and kind of cocky all the time, but when he was with her, he was with her. The real Vaughn. He said he didn’t want to be anywhere but with her, and that alone made her heart skip. When he showed up the day before with dinner and a single rose, that one rose meant more than all the dying ones in her living room, all because he said she needed it. To smile. She didn’t understand it, but…but… Fuck, she was falling for him.

  Hard.

  And she wasn’t sure if it was a natural progression of things or if she was an idiot.

  Either way, it was as true as the sky was blue.

  And while she knew it would scare him, it didn’t scare her. She wanted it. She wanted him. She just hoped that sooner rather than later, he would feel the same. When she felt the seat beside her shake, she opened her eyes, and Mekena was grinning at her. With a scoff, Brie said, “You’re late.”

  “We did it in the car.”

  Snickering, she shook her head. “Do you guys get to share a room when you’re married?”

  Mekena shrugged as she stuffed shit under her seat. “Who knows? I damn well hope so, but I haven’t asked and neither has he.”

  “I bet you’re ready to be married.”

  Beaming up at Brie, Mekena said, “You have no clue.”

  “I bet.”

  “Yeah, my mom is going all out, while his mom is pushing for it to be at her church. But I want it in a field with some flowers. I just want to marry him, I don’t care about this hoopla.”

  “Shot too many weddings, huh?”

  “Yes, I hate them.”

  Laughing, Brie ignored the jealousy that ate at her heart. Mekena was only like twenty, if that, and she was getting married. Brie was knocking on thirty-two’s door, and she was dating a reformed playboy. God help her.

  “I’m just glad it’s happening, but Markus wants our cake to be in the Stanley Cup, and he told me he will be devastated if it’s not. I’m like, dude, win the damn thing, then. I can’t win it for him!”

  “Exactly.”

  “He’s driving me insane, and he won’t get off my back about my cat.”

  Brie tried not to laugh. “He’s fat, Mekena.”

  “That is rude,” she answered back as she fastened her seat belt. “But whatever, I’m annoyed.”

  “Why? You’re usually so sticky-sweet when you speak of your cat and your honey.”

  Letting out an annoyed breath, Mekena pointed to her head. “He slammed the shit out of my head against the car. I told him it was hitting, but he was too far gone. It hurt.”

  Bursting out in laughter, Brie laid her head back. �