Luckily, their conversation was silenced when Jordan’s phone made a loud sound indicating he had received a text message. He wasn’t going to check his phone out of politeness toward their date, but when Brielle insisted he check his messages and Jordan bowed his head slightly to read his phone, she suddenly felt like pressure was taken off her shoulders. Tonight didn’t have to live up to anything spectacular; she didn’t have high expectations that their date would develop into an actual relationship. She hoped it would eventually happen, but she figured she could take it one day at a time if there was a chance the two of them could become an actual couple. Brielle just assumed that it might be a little harder than she originally anticipated if Jordan still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend.
She watched the way his eyes lit up when he was telling her about him and Cassie back in high school. It was so obvious he still cared about Cassie, even though she guessed he would probably deny it if she asked him.
A part of her wanted him to care about her as much as he obviously did about Cassie, but Brielle was beginning to think it was wishful thinking. She didn’t think she could actually get him to like her as much as she liked him, not if he was still in love with someone else. She couldn’t compete with another woman he shared history with, and she wasn’t about to try now.
Brielle studied Jordan’s face, his smile fading into a straight line. Worry lines were forming on his forehead.
Something was wrong.
“What’s the matter?” she asked him, inquisitiveness filling her voice.
He suddenly looked up half-bemused, as if for a second he forgot where he was and whom he was with.
“That was a message from Nick.”
Brielle nodded her head. She had briefly met Nick when he arrived back home to his apartment while she was making plans with Jordan for their date. He seemed nice during the little while they spoke together.
“He said...” Jordan began stuttering over his words. She wished she could just push them out of him and make him realize all she wanted was to be there for him. Was that too much to ask?
“He said what?” She could see panic filling his eyes.
“They’re taking Jake—my son—to the hospital. He’s got a really bad fever or something. He told me I could meet them there. I have to go now.”
“Oh, of course. Your son needs you."
Brielle took control, which was something she was very good at when she needed to be. She supposed it had something to do with her job as an event planner. She tried to follow other people, but no matter how hard she tried, she never succeeded, and always ended playing leader instead. So much for a romantic date, but you couldn’t control when someone was going to get sick; it just happened.
The check was paid for almost immediately after Jordan sent a quick text back saying they would be there as soon as possible, and they were back in the car and on their way to the hospital together. Jordan had offered to swing by the motel beforehand to drop Brielle off, but she had insisted it would be easier if they went straight there. She said she didn’t mind waiting around, hoping his son would be okay. Besides, Brielle knew it would give her a chance to see with her own eyes just how much Jordan and Cassie really meant to each other.
Meanwhile at the hospital, soon after they had arrived, Jake was whisked away by a couple of nurses and a doctor so they could run some tests and get to the bottom of what was wrong with Cassie’s little boy.
Nick was being the supportive friend that he was, consoling a distressed Cassie, telling her everything would be okay with Jake, because he was the strongest five-year-old he knew.
Jordan appeared in the corridor a few minutes later with the same frenzied countenance as Cassie showed on her face.
The two parents embraced in a long-lasting hug as if they were the only people in the room. Nick looked past his friends to a silent Brielle, but she didn’t look all that surprised to see the former lovers’ passionate greeting.
He too had already assumed the spark between Jordan and Cassie would be reignited once again. They always did make a wonderful couple, so he naturally thought of them as a picture perfect family together with Jake. It wouldn’t be right if he didn’t root for his best friends to get back together.
Jordan and Cassie briefly pulled away from each other, and he tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
“Did they say what was wrong with him?” he asked her.
Cassie breathed a worried sigh. “They said it looks like he could have appendicitis, but they’re running some tests to make sure he’s okay.” Her voice was soft and shaky.
“He has to be okay; I can’t lose him. He’s my baby,” she sobbed into Jordan’s shirt as he pulled her into him again. He didn’t care she was making it wet with tears. He was here for her, and that’s all that really mattered right now. He would hold her for as long as she needed to be held.