Foolproof Love(57)
“I thought the saying was that ‘everything I need to know in life, I learned in kindergarten’?”
He grinned. “That, too.”
The drive back into Devil’s Falls passed in comfortable silence, Jules cuddled up against him. The words he’d said—and hadn’t said—last night were a jumbled mess in his chest. He would lose her if he didn’t find a way to say what needed to be said—then actually put those words into action—and he didn’t want to lose her. He pulled up behind her shop and put the truck into park. “Sugar, I have something to say.”
She went still against him. “I’m listening.”
“I don’t know what the future will hold—”
“No one does.”
He waited, and she ducked her head.
“Whoops. You’re saying your thing and I’m interrupting.”
“I know it hasn’t been that long, but I can’t imagine my life without you.” He opened his mouth to tell her that he wouldn’t leave, that he’d do his damnedest to be the man she wanted, but he couldn’t force the words out. Despite everything, they still felt like a lie. Instead, he said, “I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I can only take things one day at a time, but I want you, sugar. Just you.”
When she looked up at him, her eyes were shining with unshed tears, her expression looking almost…worried. “Oh, Adam.” She kissed him, a quick brushing of her lips against his, and then she was gone, slipping out of his truck and practically running inside.
He stared at the door for a long time. “That went…well.” She hadn’t told him to fuck off, but she hadn’t exactly seemed happy, either. He glanced at the clock. Dealing with Jules’s weird reaction would have to wait—he had to leave now if he wanted to be on time for his mom’s appointment. Thank God Devil’s Falls was so small or he would be late.
The doctor’s office was a tiny little building off Main Street, and Dr. Jenkins had been practicing long enough that he’d treated Adam’s mom when she was a kid. The man was ninety if he was a day, but Mama wouldn’t hear of going to someone else. There was no one else in town, and she didn’t like the thought of going into Odessa more than strictly necessary.
He walked through the door and froze, feeling like he’d just come through a portal into the past. The same faded posters hung on the walls—all cute baby animals with affirming statements—and the same faded blue fabric covered the uncomfortable seats. The receptionist had changed, though. It used to be John’s mom that worked here, but the whole family had moved away after his death.
Not that Adam blamed them. Sometimes it was easier to leave the past behind than to face it, day in and day out, while the walls slowly closed in and suffocated any chance of happiness a person had.
The woman behind the desk smiled brightly. “What can I do to help you?”
“I’m looking for Amelia Meyer.”
“I’m sorry, sir, I can’t give out that information.” But the slight shift in her posture told him all he needed to know. His mom had beat him here. Hell, she’d probably moved up the appointment, hoping that he’d miss it altogether.
He eyed the door leading back to the appointment rooms. If he remembered correctly, there were two total. He was so goddamn tired of getting information secondhand from his mama, especially since she tended to sugarcoat everything to the point where it was damn near a lie. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to protect him or herself, but he needed to hear what was going on straight from the medical source.
“Excuse me.” He turned and strode through the door.
“You can’t go back there!”
Too late. He was already past the first open exam room and walking into the second one. His mom and Dr. Jenkins jumped, the former looking as guilty as a sinner in church. Adam shut the door on the squawking receptionist. “Mama.”
“Son.” She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin. “You’re early.”
“And yet somehow I was almost late.” He ambled over and sat in the spare chair, pinning the doctor with a look. “Bring me up-to-date.”
Dr. Jenkins was a nice man who specialized in pediatrics. He hadn’t known what to do with Adam as a kid, and he didn’t know what to do with him now. He adjusted his glasses, what was left of his white hair standing out against his dark skin. “Now, Adam, you know I can’t do that without Amelia’s permission.”