36. Keke

Chapter 36

Keke

T he chilly hospital air prickles my skin as I sit next to Luke’s bed, watching his chest rise and fall. I’ve hated hospitals ever since Michael’s accident. But then again, who likes spending time in a hospital?

I’ve lost track of how long I’ve been here, the hours slipping by. The doctors examined him, but because of HIPAA, and the fact that I’m not his spouse or family, they can’t tell me anything. The nurse comes in and adjusts his IV bag, the quiet beeping of monitors the only sound.

His face is bruised, a deep purple blotch already forming along his jaw from where Lucas’s punch landed. Despite that, I expect him to wake up at any moment, cracking a joke as if all of this is just another story to laugh about later.

I glance up as the team doctor, a quiet, no-nonsense woman named Dr. Callie Catarino, enters the room. She gives me a nod, her expression caring but serious, a dour reminder that we aren’t out of the woods yet. She’s been here since they brought Luke in, calling in favors with her colleagues to make sure everything is being handled properly. The whole team has rallied around Luke. After the game, they all stopped by. All except for Lucas which was probably best.

So help me, if I see him, he’ll have a new hole to breathe out of.

"His sister Evie is on her way," Dr. Catarino says softly.

I nod, anxiety twisting my stomach. I don’t know much about Evie, other than she’s a director. She was filming on location in Savannah, but the second she’d heard about her brother’s injury, she’d taken her private plane to get here.

The minutes tick by, each one stretching longer than the last, until finally, I hear the hospital door open. I look up to see a pretty, slight woman with short dark hair and Luke’s dark eyes. She pauses just inside the doorway, taking in the sight of her brother lying motionless in the hospital bed. I intimately understand the fear in her eyes. She takes a steadying breath before clearing the distance between the door and his bedside.

I stand, offering her a tentative smile. "Evie, I’m Keke. Luke’s—" I stop, stumbling over the words. What am I to him, exactly? His fixer? His girlfriend? I’m not sure how to complete that sentence.

Evie manages a tight smile, nodding as she moves to the other side of the bed. "I’ve heard a lot about you."

"He talks about me?"

"Of course he does," she replies, her tone matter-of-fact. "You’ve been taking care of him, looking out for him. He’s lucky to have you."

The compliment is unexpected, and for a moment, I don’t know how to respond. Instead, I focus on giving her an update, catching her up on everything that’s happened. Dr. Catarino steps in, explaining the medical details with a calm precision that helps ease the tension in the room.

"He’s stable," Dr. Catarino says, glancing between Evie and me. "The concussion is mild, and with some rest, he should make a full recovery. We don’t expect any lasting brain damage."

I’m so relieved I feel lightheaded. Luke is going to be okay. He’s going to walk away from this, bruised but whole. Earlier, Dr. Catarino told me she couldn’t share details, but if she was worried he might not make it, she would break confidentiality for me, considering I was carrying his child.

But hearing her say it to his sister makes it seem more real, and I fully believe it now. I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been, how much fear I’d been holding onto until I felt it dissolve. I wobble on my feet, thanks to my suddenly loosened muscles.

"That’s great news," a voice murmurs, low and hoarse.

My head snaps around to see Luke, a small, drowsy smile on his face. He looks up at me, his gaze hazy but sweet, and it takes my breath away. It is in this moment that I realize what he means to me, how much he means to me. Not just because of the baby we share, but because of everything we share. The man can drive me crazy then make me laugh, challenging me in ways no one else ever has.

I love him.

I’ve been fighting it, denying it, telling myself that love isn’t real, that it’s just a story told in fairy tales. But looking at him now, I know it’s real, and I can no longer deny it.

Even as I acknowledge it, the fear is still there, lurking in the background. Loving him is a risk.

"Luke," I whisper.

He smiles, a lopsided, endearing grin. "I didn’t know you’d be here."

"Of course I’m here. Where else would I be?"

Before he can respond, Evie steps forward, her face breaking into a newly relaxed smile as she reaches for him, wrapping her arms around him in a fierce hug.

"Don’t you ever scare me like that again, fuckface," she mutters.

I snort out a laugh and Luke chuckles, wincing slightly as she pulls him close. "I’m alright, Evie. Just a little banged up."

Dr. Catarino and the medical staff confer in the background, going over Luke’s charts and discussing the next steps in his recovery. I take a step back, letting the siblings have their moment, but my gaze lingers on him, my mind still reeling from the realization I was trying so hard to keep buried.

Looking at him now, I knew it was a risk I was already taking, whether I wanted to admit it or not.

Luke glances over at me, his smile turning playful. "Evie, I hope you weren’t hitting on my girl."

Evie lets out a laugh, throwing an arm around my shoulders as she shoots him a mock glare. "Someone had to comfort her while you were out of commission."

My face heats and I’m caught off guard by the easy way they tease each other. For a second, I feel like I belong here with them, part of the family. They both laugh, and I manage a smile.

Evie’s laughter slows as she looks over at me, her expression warm and accepting. "I heard about the baby. Welcome to the family, Keke."

Family . Hearing her include me in something as profound as that feels like the one thing I’ve been missing my whole life. I have Michael, but I want more than one person to call family.

Luke smiles at me and the fear of vulnerability melts away, just like that. Maybe I don’t need to have all the answers all the time. Maybe it’s enough to just be here in the moment and enjoy it. I realize now that it’s okay to let myself believe in something I’d spent so long running away from, especially when it’s staring me right in the face.

Luke reaches out, his hand finding mine. “You’re really here this time.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I was unconscious… never mind. I’m just glad you’re here now.”

I swallow back the burn in my throat. “I’m here as long as you want me to be.” It wasn’t the same as saying I love you but I will have to work up to that. I clear my throat to take the edge off the emotions welling up inside of me. “I mean, if that’s what you want.”

His smile grows until it clearly pains him. “That’s exactly what I want.”