“Will do,” he told her. “Be careful.”
“I should be telling you the same.” She laughed. “I’m not the one out tryin’ to save the world.”
“Right.”
Jensyn turned away, wheeling her suitcase behind her. The cab driver climbed out of the car and walked around to load her luggage into the trunk while Jensyn climbed into the backseat.
“Oh, hey,” Jensyn called, one foot still hanging out of the car. “Do me a favor.”
“Anything,” he said, placing his hand on the top of the door.
“Tell RT how you feel. I know you don’t wanna hear it, but he really does love you.”
Z’s brows furrowed. “He called me,” she admitted. “I’m guessin’ because you’ve been puttin’ him off?”
Z had been trying to gain some perspective, to convince his heart that RT was worth the risk, so yes, he hadn’t been answering RT’s texts. At least not at length. He’d responded, but until Z was convinced that RT’s feelings weren’t drug-induced, he hadn’t wanted to accept them.
“He’s a good guy,” Jensyn said. “And you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” he told his sister.
“Those were his words, Z. Not mine.”
Z nodded but didn’t respond. He wasn’t sure what to say. In a moment of weakness last night, after Reese had gone back to Coyote Ridge, Z had broken down and told his sister about RT, not realizing she’d spoken with him.
“I’m serious, Z. He deserves to know.”
“I’ll think about it,” he told her, forcing a smile. He had actually already made up his mind to tell RT how he felt. He merely hadn’t decided when.
Jensyn’s eyes softened. “The sooner the better. Don’t let him get away, Z. He’s stubborn, like you.”
“Thanks for that.”
“Sure thing. What’re sisters for?”
“Go on or you’re gonna miss your flight.” Z waited for her to get situated in the car before closing the door behind her. He waited there, watching until the yellow cab was out of sight. When he turned back around, he found Buddy standing in the reception area, waiting for him.
“Hey,” he greeted when he joined the elderly man.
“Your sister’s a smart lady.” Buddy turned slowly, and they headed back to the double doors that would lead to the patient rooms.
“She is,” Z concurred.
“So, when’re you gonna tell this fella how you feel?”
Z peered over at Buddy, smirking as he did. “You heard that, did ya?”
Buddy tapped his ears. “I haven’t lost all my senses yet. But you can’t change the subject that easily, sport.”
The two of them walked the long corridor that led to Buddy’s room. “I’m not tryin’ to, I promise.”
“I think you should go tell him tonight.”
“Do you now?”
Buddy stopped, turning to face Z fully. “Have you learned nothing since you’ve been here?”
Z scrunched his forehead in confusion.
Buddy placed his hand on Z’s shoulder. “Son, life is short. If you want something, go after it. If you let it slip away without giving it everything you’ve got, that’s on you.” Buddy squeezed Z’s shoulder lightly. “You can’t have it both ways. If you try to always protect yourself from emotional pain, you’ll never know true love.”
Z swallowed hard and nodded. He didn’t know how to refute that. He loved RT; there was no debating that. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with the man, but having to deal with the back-and-forth, it was tearing him up inside, and Z wasn’t comfortable with the emotions RT managed to invoke.
“Life’s short, Zachariah,” Buddy said softly. “Too short to run away from what’s important.” Buddy let his hand drop. “Now, go tell your father good night, and go talk to that man of yours.”
“He’s not mine,” Z said defensively, the words spewing forth before he could stop them.
“Oh, but he is. You’ve just got to claim him.” Buddy smiled. “Good night, son. I hope to see you here tomorrow. Maybe you can tell me about the stolen painting case again.”
“Why do you like that case so much?” Z inquired. It seemed every time Z saw Buddy these days, the man always wanted to hear that story over and over again. For years, Z had shared the details of his assignments—what he could, anyway—but never had Buddy been as interested as he was in that particular one.
Buddy’s face lit up. “I guess I’m just a romantic at heart.”
“Romantic?”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Buddy explained, “I love the suspense, but with that one, it’s the underlying love story that keeps me wanting to know more.” With that, he turned and hobbled to the door to his room, offering Z one last wave before disappearing inside.
Contemplating that, Z went to his father’s room and dropped into the recliner. He peered over at his father briefly.
“I wish you could tell me what I’m supposed to do, Dad.” Z sighed. What he wouldn’t give to have his father open his eyes and tell him the same thing Buddy had, that he shouldn’t waste a minute, that life was too short.
As he stared at his father, his heart clenched, emotion swamping him. And that was when it hit him. Life was too short. His father was proof. Thomas had been taken from them far too soon. Even though he was physically there, he wasn’t there. Had his father done and said everything he’d wanted to do before the accident? Did he have any regrets? Anything he wished he could’ve said?
Getting to his feet, Z grabbed his keys from the dresser. After kissing his father on the forehead, Z practically ran out of the room, nearly plowing over the night nurse in his haste.
“Something wrong?” the young man asked, concern creasing his forehead.
“No. I just… I gotta go talk to someone.”
“We’ll be here when you get back,” the man said with a smile.
“Thanks. Keep an eye on him, would ya?”
“Absolutely.”
Without wasting another second, Z hightailed it out of the nursing home.
RYAN WAS FLIPPING THROUGH THE channels on the television when a knock sounded on his door. Figuring it was his father coming back to check on him, Ryan hollered that it was unlocked.
When the door opened and Z stepped inside, Ryan’s heart lurched in his chest. He’d only seen Z briefly the past couple of days when he would come to make sure Ryan was recovering and to bring him food since he’d insisted Ryan was not capable of feeding himself without anything in his refrigerator. Never did he stay for long, though, and he hadn’t come by late at night, either.
Although Ryan had attempted to text Z, trying to keep that connection open, it’d been obvious Z had been brushing him off. Which was why Ryan had called Jensyn, after getting Dom to find her phone number. Fear had driven that conversation—fear that Ryan had lost Z forever, fear that he would never know that kind of love again—and Ryan had ended up spilling his guts to her. It had helped to get it out in the open, but he hadn’t actually expected Z to return.
“Is something wrong?” Ryan asked, dropping his feet to the floor and sitting up. He’d removed the sling from his arm because he’d felt too restricted, and the quick movement sent fire shooting from his elbow.
Z closed the door behind him and stalked toward Ryan, his face steely and intent. Had something happened?
Before he could get the question out, Z dropped to his knees in front of Ryan.
“Z?” Now he was really concerned.
“I love you,” Z blurted.
Ryan knew he hadn’t misunderstood, but he couldn’t help but be surprised by the words. He’d been hoping to hear them, trying to come up with a way to show Z that he was worthy of his love, but hadn’t been able to figure out how.
“Z—”
Before he could finish his sentence, Z reached for him, being careful not to jar his elbow as he wrapped his arm around Ryan’s neck, pulling him closer and pressing his lips to Ryan’s.
“I love you,” Z whispered against his mouth. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”
Ryan cupped Z’s cheek, pulling back and meeting his dark gaze. “I know.” Ryan smiled. “But I’m the one who should be apologizing.”