Engaged to the EMT Page 6

  Vanessa elbows me. “See, you get him. Oh, girls, we’re all dating brothers. We’re going to be sisters-in-law one day.” She wraps her arms around our shoulders, not even realizing what she implied.

  “So you’re thinking about marriage?” Maddie asks, a sly smile on her lips.

  “Well…I don’t know…stop looking at me like that.”

  We let Vanessa off the hook because we know she’s slow to accept change, but she’s right about one thing, she and Maddie will be sisters-in-law one day. I already feel bad for my future husband.

  “We’ll see you at the hospital?” Maddie asks once we break apart.

  “Yeah, I’m going to try to slip over on my lunch.”

  “Great. I think her surgery is at one, so that’s perfect for you to see her right before they take her in.”

  I nod not entirely comfortable lying to Mrs. Bianco right before she goes into surgery.

  “Go back to your men.” I lightly shove both of them toward the back door since they snuck in.

  “Remember, I’m always here to talk.” Maddie hesitates at the door.

  “Give her some space. She’s newly engaged.” Vanessa coos and I’m not sure if her enthusiasm is a test or not.

  They leave and I lock up the door only to be distracted from my thoughts by my buzzing phone.

  Asshat: (a gif from Chicago Med where the guy is telling the girl the ring looks good on her)

  Me: (A gif from Lord of the Rings where it says the ring is my burden)

  Me: Night FIANCÉ.

  Asshat: (A gif of a guy crowd surfing at a concert)

  Asshat: Sleep is for the weak.

  Just another reason why I can only handle being Luca’s would-be-wife for one week.

  Chapter Ten

  Lauren

  I walk across the street to the hospital. My yoga pants and sweatshirt aren’t exactly dress to impress attire, but this is my work gear.

  My stomach rolls over on itself for about the thousandth time this morning.

  I stretch and clench my fingers tucked into my pockets.

  I inhale and exhale so much you’d think I was practicing Lamaze.

  My hand trembles when the sliding doors of the hospital open and I step into my role as fiancée to Luca Bianco.

  Smiling politely to the information desk personnel, I walk to the elevator and press the button to the fourth floor, the one Luca texted me this morning.

  I smooth out my unruly hair and pull it back into a ponytail as the elevator ascends. The silver doors part and I step out. Luca kicks himself off the wall, meeting me halfway down the hallway.

  “Hey,” I say, shoving my hands into my pockets again, not sure what to do with them.

  “It’s this way.” He nods down the hall.

  He’s all scruffy today and I hate to admit that even this look works for him. He wears his hat backward with a hoodie and jeans. It reminds me of when we were in high school. With the exception of the amount of scruff on his face.

  “How are you doing?” I ask as the sign for the cardiovascular unit comes into view.

  He shrugs.

  “Hey.” I tug on the sleeve of his sweatshirt, stopping us from advancing farther.

  We both slide to one side of the hallway to let other people pass.

  He hovers over me and my chest pricks from the heartache in those coffee-colored eyes. Worry and anxiety have taken the place of his usual humor-filled eyes.

  “She’s going to be fine. Don’t worry.”

  He nods.

  I’m doing a shitty job at convincing him or soothing his worry. I reach out but retract my hand. That’s overstepping a boundary I don’t think I should.

  “Luca,” I whisper.

  His gaze bounces around, never landing on my face.

  What has happened to the man who’s so arrogant you’d think he’d believe he could go in there and save his mom? Perform the operation himself? That is not this man who is shutting down right in front of me.

  “Luca.” I tug again at his sweatshirt, this time using the strings that fall from his hood.

  His eyes land on me, but they’re hollow.

  “She’s going to get through this and you’re going to have decades with her. You’ll bring home the woman you’re in love with some day and your mom will hold your baby in her arms. Will probably spoil it with presents and too many sweets. This is a blip in her life. It sucks but this isn’t the end, it’s only a chapter.”

  He reaches out and before I can blink, I’m in his arms. His chin rests on my head, his arms draped around me. His fresh shower scent lingers within the little shelter his body builds around me.

  My own arms slide around either side of his torso until they’re clasped behind him and I’m hugging him back.

  God, who knew Luca Bianco felt so good. I always thought of his height as a strike against him because I’m way too short to be with someone so tall, but if I had to re-evaluate that logic right now, I might have to admit I was wrong. Because this feels…way too nice for a comforting hug.

  Just as I’m about to back away, another big body blocks the light from my left and then another on my right. I’m surrounded by Bianco brothers and soft whispers reassuring one another that everything will be okay.

  I could squeeze out from under them and they’d barely notice. Well, two of them wouldn’t.

  “You’re squishing the little one.” Vanessa’s voice finally pulls the brothers back from their fear-ridden hug.

  “Shit, sorry, Lauren.” Cristian speaks first, backing away and wrapping his arm around Van.

  “I forgot you were in there.” Mauro’s lips tip up a bit, but his grin doesn’t come close to meeting his eyes.

  The two of them have dislodged, but there’s still one big guy who has yet to release me.

  “Luca,” I whisper and he tightens his arms for a second before letting me go.

  That felt better than it should.

  We follow the two other couples down the hallway to an opening that says Cardiovascular Waiting Area.

  Anthony isn’t anywhere to be seen but I suspect he’s back with Maria, waiting for the surgery.

  “We’ll go birth order,” Cris says, nodding his head in the direction of Mauro.

  “Only a few of us are allowed in at a time.” Maddie fills me in before walking forward with Mauro following him through the two big double doors.

  The rest of us take a seat in the chairs. “Maybe I should just stay here, I mean she barely knows me.”

  There’s Luca’s look of death. “No.” He leans closer, that fresh smell stronger. His hand wraps around mine, his thumb running the length of my ring as a reminder.

  Mauro and Maddie come out a few minutes later, Maddie surprisingly strong holding the hand of a Mauro who’s head stays down the entire way back to his seat. When the two sit, Maddie kisses his cheek and he pulls her into him, whispering something in her ear. She whispers something back and if I was in awe of any couple, it would be them. Anyone witnessing them together knows sometimes people truly are meant for one another and bring out the best in the other. It’s sickening really. Especially to a woman like myself halfway to being a spinster.

  “We’ll be back,” Cris tells us all, holding Vanessa’s hand in his as the two of them disappear behind the doors.

  The whole thing is horrible and I can’t imagine if someone was actually dying how this would feel. Taking turns to say your goodbye. Luca’s phone chimes in his pocket. He pulls it out, mutes it and shoves it back in.

  A couple behind us are talking about a friend who’s going through his second bypass surgery. One of them is being negative and insisting he needs to take better care of himself. The other one positive with words of praise about how strong the man is. Another family across the way is with small kids who are reading books, playing with toys and moving from one relative to the next. Worry is etched in each adult’s features even though they smile at the small children.

  We sit in tense silence as
I watch people approach the reception desk asking questions and receiving instructions.

  I’m not sure how long I’m out of it before Cris and Van come out.

  Luca springs to his feet and holds his hand out for me.

  Be the good fiancée.

  I allow him to pull me from the chair and his fingers tighten in mine. Maddie and Vanessa give me soft smiles as they comfort their men.

  We’re through the doors and it’s not what I was expecting. Nurses and doctors are busy walking from one curtained-off area to another. Drapes sliding along metal sound like shower curtains opening and closing. Beeps haphazardly going off. Murmured voices from each closed off section. The smell of antiseptic pulls the gag reflex out of me.

  Luca stops. “Are you okay?”

  I nod and he keeps going until he opens a curtain and waits for me to go in first.

  Maria Bianco lays with Anthony at her side, holding her hand.

  “Lauren,” she coos, trying to slide higher on the bed.

  “No. Don’t.” I put my hand up.

  Anthony stands, kissing me on either cheek a smile on his lips. He shakes Luca’s hand before hugging him and then stands to the side to allow us time with his wife.

  Time I shouldn’t have with her.

  I stand next to her bed but leave Luca to take the chair and be with his mom.

  Luca pulls the chair out for me, signaling with his eyes for me to take a seat.

  I shake my head.

  He tilts his head, taking a deep breath in and out and eyes on the chair again.

  I shake my head again. “You,” I mouth.

  He shakes his head. “You,” he mouths.

  All this fighting is ridiculous, so I just sit down so that at least he’ll have a few minutes with his mom before her surgery.

  Luca sits on the bed and I slyly slide the chair back a little to give them room.

  “You ready Ma?” he asks. “They’re going to find out how big that heart of yours is.” I look behind me at Luca because his tone is jovial and comical. His smile is wide as he laughs at his own joke. “They might want you for science,” he continues.

  Maria laughs at her son, shaking her head. “Oh, Luca.”

  She glances over at me and shakes her head again like ‘can you believe this guy, he’s the best, right? I know you agree with me because you’ve agreed to be with him until you’re gray and old and senile. So you must find his humor endearing too?’

  I move my hand to my stomach, coughing from the extra saliva coating my mouth since I feel bile rising up my throat.

  “Oh, dear.” Maria’s eyes cast to me, zeroing in on my stomach. “Are you? Is that why?”

  Anthony peers over from the other side of the bed, his eyes widening at my hand on my stomach.

  I retract my hand so fast I almost take out Maria’s IV attached to the hanging bag. Wouldn’t that be great?

  Luca leans over me, his own hand drifting down toward my stomach.

  “I just felt a bit nauseous. Probably just hungry.” I smile, but Luca isn’t changing his course of action.

  He will not lie to his mother about me having a baby. That is where I draw the line.

  But he saddles up to me, sitting on the arm of the chair, presenting us as a couple again, a united front.

  “Thank goodness. I never want my children to marry because of a baby.” Her shoulders and head fall back down to the pillow.

  I shoot Luca a death glare. He slides off the arm of the chair, but I swear for a moment he could’ve claimed temporary insanity.

  The nurse steps in and smiles at all of us while silently giving us a look that says your time is up. “Okay, Mrs. Bianco, we’re going to get you all set up.”

  I stand, ready to stop this lying brigade.

  “We’ll see you in a few hours.” I grip her cold hand and squeeze.

  She looks over my shoulder at Luca and then to Anthony, waving them away. They surprisingly listen and step back, then she crooks her finger for me to come closer.

  “Take care of him. He acts like a lion, but he’s really a lamb.” She pats my cheek like she does Luca all the time. “But you already know that, don’t you?”

  I want to scream no. That he is a lion in lamb’s wool. At least to me. Maybe not to her, but he’s only showing this nice side to me because I’m doing him a favor.

  But I agreed to this, so I need to pull on my big girl panties. Instead of answering, I nod.

  “We’ll see you when you get out.” I pat her hand and step away before I’m forced to lie to a woman who thinks her son is sweeter than a Sweet Tart.

  I back away to the curtain’s edge, as Luca approaches next. The nurse fiddles around with some equipment, grabbing items in plastic bags and moving the tubes and wires around.

  “Luca, my baby.”

  He leans in closer, his head held high and a grim smile forced onto his lips.

  She whispers something to him and he nods, leaning down and kissing each one of her cheeks.

  He says something softly back before standing and joining me, putting his arm around my waist. His fingers shake where they sit on my hip.

  “See you in recovery, Ma. They’ll be jealous, don’t let them steal that big heart of yours.” Luca smiles, laughs and steps out to the other side of the curtain.

  We walk back to the waiting area, he unhooks his arm from my body, stuffs his hands in his pockets and the smile vanishes from his face.

  My heart has never felt so broken from someone else’s pain as it does right now.

  Chapter Eleven

  Lauren

  “I’ll walk you out,” Luca mumbles as we exit the doors to the waiting room.

  “That’s okay. I’m going to stop and get something to eat.”

  “I’ll come. I just need to walk.”

  I stop in front of our friends, my hand already raised to wave goodbye. Maddie and Vanessa both get up from their seats and hug me goodbye.

  “I’m walking her back to work,” Luca tells everyone, his hand finding mine.

  An electric current rushes up my arm and if I wasn’t in front of people who don’t know this whole affection is fake, I’d stare down at our hands looking for the reason. Unfortunately, I know the reason and I’d be lying if it didn’t scare me. Then again, it could be sympathy for what he has to go through today.

  “We’ll see you later?” Maddie asks, Mauro’s arm around her nuzzling her into his side.

  “Yeah. I’ll stop by after work.”

  “We’ll let you…” Her eyes find Luca. “I’m sure Luca will get you the room number.”

  Maddie is our group’s mother hen. She’s the one who informs us of what we need to do and where we need to be. I see now it’s a struggle for her to take a backseat since she thinks this is Luca’s territory now.

  “Yeah,” I say and glance at Luca.

  Anthony comes out of the room and all three of the boys make their way over to him, each one offering words of encouragement and arms for support. Anthony appears fine, shooing them all away from him, finding his way to a chair in the corner, isolating himself from everyone else.

  “Let’s go.” Luca walks by me, his head down.

  “Bye guys,” I say, catching up to Luca.

  The pressure in my chest relieves the minute we’re not in direct vision of everyone’s curious eyes.

  “Are you okay?” I ask while we wait for the elevator.

  “I’m good. Just give me a minute.” He rubs at the scruff on his face and continues to study the floor.

  The elevator doors ding open and I’m happy to be one step closer to escaping this situation. I don’t belong here. I like Mama Bianco, she’s a great woman, but I’m not supposed to be the one to comfort her youngest son.

  We step in and I realize we’re alone in the elevator. Seriously, isn’t this a metropolitan hospital? Where are all the damn people?

  Luca leans casually in the corner, each hand on the silver handrails. My eyes focus on the numbers as w
e descend floor by floor. Just as three moves to two, the elevator bounces to a stop.

  The doors open and an attractive woman smiles and steps in. She takes me in first and then her attention shifts to Luca and they flash with surprise.

  “Luca,” she says in a way too excited way. One that would make you think she’s been riding the elevator all day waiting for him to pop up.

  He straightens, a smile gracing his lips. “Keri,” he says her name like he’s said it while he’s come before.

  Please let this nightmare end. How many more days do we have of this charade?

  “What are you doing here? You’re obviously not on shift.”

  He shakes his head. “My mom is having surgery.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I hope it’s not serious.” Her hand reaches out and touches his forearm.

  Perfectly manicured nails attached to long and thin feminine fingers grip the fabric of his hoodie. Everything about this woman is stunning. Her blue dress ends right before her knees, showcasing long, toned legs. And here I am in yoga pants and a sweatshirt.

  “It’s an ablation. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” He smiles again and smacks on that arrogant outward appearance that is Luca Bianco.

  “Oh good. I’ll try to visit her. Is she here overnight?”

  “She is.”

  His gaze hasn’t veered to me once.

  Not that I care. I don’t.

  “And being the good son, you’re sticking around, right?”

  She winks. What kind of woman winks? The kind who wants to get in her fiancé’s pants.

  “Of course.” His smirk appears. The flirtatious one that says, ‘I’m interested…in you naked under me.’

  What a pig.

  “I’ll stop by then,” she says.

  “Great.”

  This is the exact reason he’s referred to as Asshat in my phone.

  The elevator doors open and I slide past the pretty sophisticated woman, beelining it out of the glass doors of the hospital, greeted by the sun on my face along with the chill of winter blistering my eyes.

  Water gathers in them and I blink a million times to get rid of the tears—from the cold. Seeing the pedestrian sign lit up on the street sign, I jog across the street with the masses of people.