Page 45 of The Broken Hearts Club

“The cafeteria is on the ground floor, and it has a nice patio area. Maybe start there.”

I followed her suggestion and went downstairs. After I got myself a sandwich, a bottle of water, and an energy drink, I took a seat at a patio table with an umbrella.

The nurse was right, I needed to take care of myself, or I wouldn’t be able to take care of Collie. I was running on no sleep, and I hadn’t eaten anything all day. He’d had to fast before his surgery, and I would have felt like a jerk if I’d eaten in front of him. It was no wonder I felt like crap, but the sandwich and drinks helped a little.

I couldn’t let myself think about what was happening to Collie right this very moment, somewhere inside that building. It was too nerve-wracking. So instead, I tried to come up with some ideas for things I could do to make him comfortable, once he got home.

I ended up texting my friend and neighbor Yolanda and asking for her former tenants’ phone number. The couple had done a beautiful job on her backyard, and I wanted to hire them to fix mine up.

The phone rang in my hand a moment later. When I answered, Yolanda said, “Hey. What time is Collie’s surgery?”

“It’s happening right now. I’m trying to distract myself by planning some surprises for him when he gets home. I think he’d really like it if he had someplace comfortable to sit outside, but you’ve seen my backyard.”

“I’m sure they’d be thrilled to get the job. They’re trying to get their landscaping business off the ground, and your yard would be the perfect before-and-after to show off on social media.”

“I guess Collie’s going to be in the hospital about a week. Do you think they could do the yard that quickly?”

“Probably.” Yolanda paused for a moment before saying, “It’s really sweet that you care so much about Collie… but have you thought this through? I mean, you’re planning to take care of him after major surgery. It’s a lot. You’re turning your life upside down for this guy, Miller, and you’ve only known him a few days.”

“I know, but from the day I met him, I just… I needed to be around him. I don’t know how else to explain it. And really, my life needed to be turned upside down. It’s like I spent the last year sleepwalking. Every day was exactly like the one before it. It’s not like that anymore, because of Collie.”

“I can see that,” she said. “But who’s to say he’s not just going to pack up and disappear, the moment he’s well enough?”

“There’s always that chance. No matter what though, I want to help him, and I want to know he’s going to be okay. I have no idea what’s going to happen after he gets better, and maybe I don’t need to know. Maybe living in the moment with him is all I need.”

“I like this new, chill side of you, Miller. I was worried you were setting yourself up to get hurt, but it sounds like you have a good handle on this.”

“Believe me, getting hurt is not the goal here.” I’d had enough of that for one lifetime.

We chatted for a few more minutes, and after we ended the call, I closed my eyes and turned my face toward the cool breeze. Coming outside had been a good decision.

Or it was, until an all-too-familiar voice said, “Hi, Miller.”

I opened my eyes and frowned at my ex-fiancé. Two sightings in less than a week. Lucky me. “What are you doing here, Bruce?”

“One of my colleagues requested a consult. What about you?”

“Collie is having surgery.”

“Nothing serious, I hope.”

“Is there ever a time when surgery isn’t serious?”

“Well, it could be elective, or laparoscopic, or⁠—”

“It’s open-heart surgery.”

“Oh.” He sat down at my table uninvited and fidgeted with his paper coffee cup. “Who’s the surgeon?”

“Bauer.”

“She’s excellent.”

“Good to know, I guess. But if you told me she sucked, what was I going to do? Run in there and wheel my husband out of the operating room?”

Bruce’s blue eyes went wide as he repeated, “Husband?” I’d dropped that bomb for the shock value, and I wasn’t disappointed. “Since when?”

“This past Sunday.”