Strawberry Wine (Strawberry Inn Book #2)

Chapter 17

BLAIR

“You’re smothering me, Ma.”

“I don’t give two shits if you think I’m smothering you.” Hayes cracked a smile while I carefully readjusted the pillows under his knee to keep his leg elevated at an angle that was comfortable to him. 

“I didn’t need you to do that,” he continued to complain.

“You were groaning every time your knee went straight and you couldn’t reach the pillows, what else were you going to do? Stop complaining and let me mother you.”

“I said you were smothering, not mothering,” he says again, but this time with a smirk on his face.

If he wasn’t sitting in a hospital room recovering from a car accident I would have smacked him upside the head. I had to be careful with that poor head of his after suffering a pretty serious concussion due to the car accident he was in. He probably didn’t need my help that much, but the least I could do right now was make sure he was comfortable by fluffing a few pillows. I was still shaken up quite a bit and keeping busy kept me from thinking about how bad things could have been.

I’ve never experienced fear in my life the way I did when I heard he was in a car accident. The last two days have been stressful, but we’re getting through it together. Hayes is getting sick of me being here, but I didn’t have it in me to leave. No matter how many times the doctors and nurses give good updates, I’m scared that the second I leave him, something will happen.

The good news was that after a two-day hospital stay, Hayes was being released today. He was probably going to recover from his injuries long before I recovered from the stress of seeing him in a hospital bed. It was something I never wanted to experience again. The doctor said his knee was going to take some time to recover and Cody was already on the phone trying to locate the best physical therapist that would travel to us. It may have been a little on the obsessive side, but I wasn’t going to stop him. Nothing but the best for our son.

Cody has been my rock. I hate that I’m surprised by that, but over the last decade, his actions have spoken volumes. I still had so many questions, but I was going to keep them for another time. The only reason he left this hospital at all was to get food, a change of clothes for both of us, and right now he was at my townhouse getting things squared away to take Hayes home. Otherwise, he’s been right here for every moment. We even shared the sad excuse for a couch both nights so we could sleep. The more time we spent together, the harder it was to pretend that I wasn’t falling for him again.

“When do you think Dad is getting here? I’m ready to leave.”

“I know you’re getting antsy, but he just started on his way here so it’ll be some time still.”

“God, this sucks,” he groaned while running his hands through his hair.

“Did you talk to Jozie and Aidan yet?”

“Jozie sent me a text earlier. She’s doing fine, but Aidan’s feeling stiff and shit still.”

“I’m sure he is. At least they’re both okay too.”

Jozie and Aidan were in the car that Hayes was driving during the accident. We’ve learned a bit more about it in the last couple of days. Hayes was the designated driver after the two of them wanted to share some beers. I was glad that he made that choice. Unfortunately, the guy who hit them didn’t make such a great choice. He crossed over the center line and hit Hayes’s car. He was paying attention and able to swerve so only the corner was clipped. It was enough to push his car off the road and into the ditch. Hayes was the only one in their car that suffered serious injuries, but the guy that was driving the only truck had to be airlifted to a larger hospital.

Harrison did say that the guy was probably going to be fine, but this was his fourth DUI in the last five years so there was a good chance he was going to prison for a long time. Not that I gave a fuck. If I had my way I’d send him to hell for running my baby boy off the road. He shouldn’t be taking up any of my time though, he wasn’t worth me thinking about him.

It took another two hours to finally get all the paperwork for Hayes’s release and for us to finally be on our way home. Harrison was nice enough to let us borrow his truck so Hayes could elevate his leg on the drive home. Once we got back to my place, Cody did most of the heavy lifting getting Hayes upstairs and settled into his room. We made sure it was stocked with food and drinks as well as everything he’d need to entertain him for the next couple of days. I knew he wouldn't stay off his knee for very long, he was stubborn like his dad. Once the pain pills kicked in, he was out like a light bulb. I was nervous about him sleeping without all the monitors that the hospital had him hooked up to, so I knew I’d be checking on him every hour or so.

“What did you want for dinner?” Cody was standing in the kitchen with his keys in hand when I got back downstairs.

“I’ll find something to heat up. I’m sure I have a frozen pizza in the freezer.”

“That sounds like a shit option, Bear, let me go pick up a good dinner so we can forget all that fast food we’ve had lately.”

“You like fast food.”

He smiled, “Not as much anymore. I’ve learned to enjoy the finer things in life. What will it be?”

“You don’t need to buy me dinner, Cody. We’re okay here, thank you for helping get him home.”

“I’m not leaving, Bear. I’ll be back once I get you dinner. If you insist that you don’t need dinner, then I’ll just share that frozen pizza with you.”

“Cody…” I try to fight him, but I’m too exhausted to argue with him right now.

“Blair,” he takes a few steps in my direction and cups my cheek, “you’ve spent every day of his life taking care of him and I haven’t held up my end of the bargain. I can’t take back those lost days, but I can be here moving forward.”

“You’re going to stay?”

He nods, “Until you kick me out, but I’m hoping that isn’t anytime soon. Let me grab you a nice dinner and then you can get some real sleep. I’ll take care of everything for Hayes tonight. Let me do that.”

“Do you think it is too late for one of those buffalo fried chicken sandwiches that the diner makes?”

He gently presses his lips against my forehead, “I’ll be back as soon as I can with one.”

Cody steps away from me and begins to head to the door, but I call for him before he opens it up, “Cody.”

“Yeah,” he turns around quickly to face me again.

“I’m really glad that you’re here. Not just to help with Hayes, but being here in Strawberry and…you know…everything.”

A smile spreads across his face, “I’m glad I’m here too, Bear.”

He went to get dinner and I was left awestruck standing in the middle of the kitchen. It didn’t matter how much hurt happened in the past. This Cody was more and more like the Cody I knew when we were first dating and married. This is the Cody I fell in love with and was falling for once again.