He gives me a sympathetic look. “Daddy Gage is here to make things better.” He winks at me playfully, but it doesn’t hide the concern darkening his brown eyes.
I wiggle my nose, and say, “I can’t believe you referred to yourself as a daddy.”
One eyebrow shoots up. “You don’t think I’m daddy material? I mean, I could be a daddy—batting for the other team.”
I snort-laugh. “You’re ridiculous. When did you get into town?”
“An hour ago. I met up with Ivan, and he briefed me on what happened.”
“Don’t you live like three hours from here? I think you mentioned it when we were hanging out at your place in Northford, but I can’t remember.”
“New Hampshire.”
“You came all the way from New Hampshire?”
He shakes his head. “Ranger’s Cove.”
“I love that place! My mom and I spent most of our summers there when I was a kid. Are you visiting someone?”
He rubs his jaw with his palm, his brows drawn together. “I grew up there, then moved away when I was fourteen. My life was shit. It’s not something I like talking about.” He links his arm with mine, an easy grin replacing his frown as he steers us into the hospital. “How’s our boy doing?”
I’m so curious to know his life story, but I don’t prod. “Which one?”
He side-eyes me for several seconds, then sighs. “Both.”
“Levi is doing better than Sol.”
Gage nods. “Ivan asked me to keep an eye on you.”
My stomach does this tiny little dance. “He did?”
“Yeah. He’s Team Everyone, princess.”
“Huh?”
“You might think everyone blames you for what happened, but all three of you are responsible. You all got caught in a tangled web.”
“So, which team are you on?”
He nudges me with his shoulder, and replies, “Team Gage.” I give him a look. “What? I love myself too much to get my feelings divided and my underwear in a twist just because I choose sides.”
I smile up at him. “How do you manage to be so calm when the world’s going to shit?”
He shrugs. “It’s a Gage thing.”
Then I look up and realize we’re standing in front of Levi’s room, and I have no idea how we got here in the first place. I swear Gage has magical powers, the kind that blind you to whatever’s going on around you.
I glance at the closed door and shake my head. “I can’t go in there. He hates me.”
“Nah. He probably hates himself more.”
“I don’t see how that’s possible.”
He holds up his hand, fingers spread out. “One”—he holds up his index finger—“his unresolved feelings for Jessica when you two started dating. Two”—his middle finger pops up—“he was on the rebound. Colossal disaster.”
I chew my bottom lip and look away. Jeez. Talk about my love life summarized in one massive catastrophe—
“Been there,” he mutters, and my gaze snaps up to his. “I know a thing or two about unresolved feelings and rebounds.”
I think back to that night at the bar. He mentioned something similar but didn’t seem ready to talk about it.
“Yeah? Do I know him?”
He shakes his head, frowning. “It was a long time ago.”
“You still think about him?”
He nods. “Yeah.” Then he straightens, schooling his features back to Cool Gage, and shoots me a grin. “Ready?” I wet my lips and start to shake my head, but his palm is already flat against the door and shoving it inward. He murmurs, “Suck it up, princess.”
And I do. I suck it up like it’s my job and clutch his arm tighter. Right now, in this ocean of chaos I created, he is my floatation device keeping me from sinking.
All conversation stops the second Gage and I enter the room. It’s like the air has been sucked out of the room. My heart beats faster, and my mouth suddenly goes dry. I’m literally hanging on to Gage’s arm as if my life depends on it, and I see him wince, and then he whispers, “Easy on the arm, princess.”
I loosen my hold slightly, and murmur, “Um, sorry.”
“What’s she doing here?” Levi glowers at me.
“Levi Carter Keenan,” his mother chastises, then glances at us.
“Don’t be an asshole, Levi,” Jet says, then kisses baby Annie’s hair. “Sorry, baby girl. Your uncle is behaving like a douche.”
“Jethro Isaac Keenan,” Levi’s mom says, clearly exasperated. She shakes her head and attempts to smile but ends up looking like she’s frowning instead. Then she says, “Grace.” The disapproval and disappointment packed in that single word makes me want to run out of the room.
Her grip on the strap of her purse tightens as she stares back and forth between Levi and me. Then she walks in my direction, eyes pinning me where I’m standing. “I’d like to have a word with you.”
Gage squeezes my hand and lets go, his eyes filled with sympathy. I turn and follow Mrs. Keenan out of the room and close the door behind me.
Though she’s pacing when I finally drag myself out, she stops and just stares at me. My palms are sweating, and I don’t think I can string together a sentence to save my life. But then my mouth opens, and I say, “I’m so, so sorry, Mrs. Keenan. What I did was very irresponsible and—”
“Yes. It was.” Her knuckles are white from clutching the strap. “I know you’re not responsible for putting him on the street, but you broke his heart.”
I swallow around the lump blocking my airway in my chest. “I know.”
She steps closer, her brows dipping. “Did you love him?”
“I do love him.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t understand how you could kiss another boy if you did.”
I don’t know what to say, so I keep my mouth shut and glance at the floor.
“Who is he?”
My eyes snap back to her face. “What?”
“The other boy. Who is he?”
“Um . . .” I shift on my feet, feeling awkward as hell. I owe her the truth. If I’m going to make this right—well, as right as I can, given the circumstances—I need to own up to my mistakes. “Solomon Callan.”
“How do you know him?”
I blink at her. Didn’t Levi tell them who Sol is?
I clear my throat. “He, um, was my boyfriend.”
She nods as if she understands, and her shoulders seem to loosen a bit. Her gaze darts to the closed door. “He’s my baby, Grace. When he hurts, I hurt too. He blames himself for starting a relationship with you while he was still on the rebound. And clearly, you are still in love with this other boy.” I swallow hard and wait for her next words. “We’re taking Levi home with us as soon as the doctor clears him.”
“Oh.” I wet my lips, concern making my heart clench. “He’s well enough to travel?”
Her gaze moves to mine. “Yes. He’s scheduled to start physical therapy at the rehabilitation center at home in a few days.”
I nod. “Okay.”