in her hands, all but breaking Jensen’s heart. As he was about to apologize, to snatch it away and promise something better, she looked up at him. “Thank you. I’m sorry I’m crying, I really love it.”
Her words, though sounding strained and slightly off, were music to his ears. He’d never understand women, why they cried when they were happy and sad, but he was pleased she didn’t hate it. Fighting the urge to puff his chest out like a proud male bird, he smiled at her.
“You’re welcome.”
Dean stepped forward with his own gift and the two conversed for what seemed like forever. It was driving Jensen crazy, not having any idea what the hand movements meant – he felt like he was the one with the disability. The disability of not understanding sign language. Of course, he knew the basics everyone knew: ‘I love you,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘hello,’ but everything else was lost to him.
Shuffling his feet, he debated leaving, giving the twins their time. His work was done; there really wasn’t any reason for him to stay … though that thought didn’t sit right with him. She was a reason to stay. Creep .
“Officer Marks?” Dean’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts before he could get into another debate with himself.
“Huh?”
“Cake?” Jensen noticed he’d turned slightly, moving his mouth out of eyeshot of his sister, clearly wanting it to be a surprise. Nodding, he moved with the kid to snatch it off the couch and placed the candles the nurse had taped to the top of the box. Good thinking on their part, he wouldn’t have even thought about them. Lighting them, he carried it back to the beautiful girl struggling to sit upright in bed.
Together, the two of them sang, before more voices joined in. A look to the side and he noticed that several of the nurses, along with a couple doctors, and even Carrigan, stood in the entryway, all wanting to be part of the celebration. And, though it was probable she couldn’t hear the words and was merely reading lips, Drew beamed at them, her face flushed and her eyes bright with unshed tears.
She’s a fucking angel.
Chapter Five
Drew
The sight of everyone in her small hospital room was almost too overwhelming for Drew. Never, in a million years, when she opened her eyes would she have ever expected all … this.
It had been a very long time since she’d even recognized her birthday, let alone celebrated it with a party. Now that she thought about it, she could barely even remember the last few birthdays … at least the ones since her mom had passed away. What a sad notion. A day that was meant solely for her, one to laugh and smile, one which was supposed to be full of love and joy, yet the last she could really remember was her twelfth. That was the final birthday her mom was alive, surprising Drew with a trip to Jackson for shopping and a concert.
Abruptly a hand waved at the foot of her bed, pulling her from the somber path her thoughts were taking. Looking up, Drew found Officer Marks peering at her, what she could only imagine was concern etched on his handsome face. Butterflies took flight in her stomach as she met his eyes once more. The memory of the emotions, the thoughts, that’d flitted between them earlier surfaced, making her want to shift her weight, to fidget. Something kept her still, though the want to fall into his gaze was strong. It took her a moment to realize his lips were moving, shaping familiar words that she had missed completely.
“I’m sorry, I missed everything you said,” she signed, his eyebrow arching before she shook her head and spoke aloud.
Hearing her admission, the handsome officer’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Don’t you like your cake?” he said slowly, nodding to the untouched plate in her lap.
Truth be told, she’d forgotten about it, her mind running a mile a minute as her body struggled. Drew didn’t want to admit that the pain medication she’d been given earlier had
Her words, though sounding strained and slightly off, were music to his ears. He’d never understand women, why they cried when they were happy and sad, but he was pleased she didn’t hate it. Fighting the urge to puff his chest out like a proud male bird, he smiled at her.
“You’re welcome.”
Dean stepped forward with his own gift and the two conversed for what seemed like forever. It was driving Jensen crazy, not having any idea what the hand movements meant – he felt like he was the one with the disability. The disability of not understanding sign language. Of course, he knew the basics everyone knew: ‘I love you,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘hello,’ but everything else was lost to him.
Shuffling his feet, he debated leaving, giving the twins their time. His work was done; there really wasn’t any reason for him to stay … though that thought didn’t sit right with him. She was a reason to stay. Creep .
“Officer Marks?” Dean’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts before he could get into another debate with himself.
“Huh?”
“Cake?” Jensen noticed he’d turned slightly, moving his mouth out of eyeshot of his sister, clearly wanting it to be a surprise. Nodding, he moved with the kid to snatch it off the couch and placed the candles the nurse had taped to the top of the box. Good thinking on their part, he wouldn’t have even thought about them. Lighting them, he carried it back to the beautiful girl struggling to sit upright in bed.
Together, the two of them sang, before more voices joined in. A look to the side and he noticed that several of the nurses, along with a couple doctors, and even Carrigan, stood in the entryway, all wanting to be part of the celebration. And, though it was probable she couldn’t hear the words and was merely reading lips, Drew beamed at them, her face flushed and her eyes bright with unshed tears.
She’s a fucking angel.
Chapter Five
Drew
The sight of everyone in her small hospital room was almost too overwhelming for Drew. Never, in a million years, when she opened her eyes would she have ever expected all … this.
It had been a very long time since she’d even recognized her birthday, let alone celebrated it with a party. Now that she thought about it, she could barely even remember the last few birthdays … at least the ones since her mom had passed away. What a sad notion. A day that was meant solely for her, one to laugh and smile, one which was supposed to be full of love and joy, yet the last she could really remember was her twelfth. That was the final birthday her mom was alive, surprising Drew with a trip to Jackson for shopping and a concert.
Abruptly a hand waved at the foot of her bed, pulling her from the somber path her thoughts were taking. Looking up, Drew found Officer Marks peering at her, what she could only imagine was concern etched on his handsome face. Butterflies took flight in her stomach as she met his eyes once more. The memory of the emotions, the thoughts, that’d flitted between them earlier surfaced, making her want to shift her weight, to fidget. Something kept her still, though the want to fall into his gaze was strong. It took her a moment to realize his lips were moving, shaping familiar words that she had missed completely.
“I’m sorry, I missed everything you said,” she signed, his eyebrow arching before she shook her head and spoke aloud.
Hearing her admission, the handsome officer’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Don’t you like your cake?” he said slowly, nodding to the untouched plate in her lap.
Truth be told, she’d forgotten about it, her mind running a mile a minute as her body struggled. Drew didn’t want to admit that the pain medication she’d been given earlier had
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