Page 86 of One Kind Hand

“I’m not.”

“You sure? I can smell the synapses in your brain burning, Austin.” She carefully made a left turn at a green traffic light. “Look, I know the kind of man you are. You’re the kind who steps up to take care of his sisters before he is old enough to do so. You’re the kind who throws himself full into an opportunity so his sisters can live an amazing life.” She reached over and squeezed his forearm resting on the center console. “You’re the kind of man who makes everyone around him feel loved and protected and important.” She released him. “I’m certain Charlie has seen that man and who the hell wouldn’t want to have that guy in her life?”

Austin’s throat stung over his sister’s words. “I’m not nearly that wonderful, Morgan.”

“Bullshit.”

He prepared to give her all the reasons why she was way off base—including what had really happened the night of their parents’ deaths—but the vehicle’s GPS finally announced their arrival at the hospital.

Morgan parked and he bolted from the SUV, not waiting for his sister to get out. His feet slipped several times on the slick ground, but he managed to stay upright. He probably looked like a drunken oaf, but he didn’t give a fuck. Charlie was somewhere in that hospital and he was going to find her.

Austin nearly collided with the hospital doors because he walked faster than the automatic doors could open. He backed up a step then raced through when they finally parted. He spotted Jackson first, talking to a nurse, and headed right over to the man.

“Where is she?” Austin asked before Jackson could greet him.

The nurse walked away as Jackson clamped a hand on Austin’s shoulder, that friendly gesture doing much to calm him. He realized in that moment that if he and Charlie were to end their relationship, he’d mourn the loss of these new Maplehaven friends too. They’d all become people he’d miss terribly.

“Hey, dude.” Jackson angled his head toward a room behind him. “She’s in there with Isabel and Eugene.”

Austin had met Isabel’s grandfather last week. Solid guy who clearly cared about Charlie a great deal.

“How is her mother?” he asked.

“A couple of scrapes from tonight’s incident,” Jackson said. “But the larger issue is the doctor thinks she shouldn’t go home. Her health due to ALS should be managed by professionals at this stage of her illness.”

Austin nodded. “Charlie had thought the same.”

“It’s one thing to think it and another to have to actually do something about it.” Jackson shook his head, a sympathetic tilt to his mouth as he looked to the waiting room.

Austin looked in that direction as well, real pain stabbing at his chest when he caught a glimpse of Charlie leaning against Isabel as the other woman hugged her.

“Listen,” Jackson said gently, drawing Austin’s attention back to the man. “Charlie didn’t want us to call you and technically we didn’t. You called us, but whatever happened between you two, you gotta fix it, man. I’ve known Charlie forever and no one has smoothed out her rough edges like you have. It’s been nice seeing her softer side for a change. She rarely lets her guard down, but with you, she did.”

And I probably made her regret that today.

Austin entered the waiting room and when Charlie’s tear-filled eyes met his, her features relaxed. For a second. Then she glared over his shoulder at something behind him and her gaze became filled with something else entirely.

****

“Get out.” Charlie pointed to the door behind Austin.

“Charlie—”

“I don’t want to hear whatever bullshit you’re planning on shoveling my way, Austin.” She wiped at her wet cheeks. “I’ve reached my quota for fucking shit today. Leave.”

That gorgeous woman standing behind Austin slithered her way in front of him. Why did she have to look like a damn supermodel? Charlie felt like crap and no doubt she looked like crap after crying. Knowing Austin had lowered himself to her lousy standards when he apparently could have this goddess made whatever self-esteem she had wither and die. This woman was a neon sign announcing You Were Never Good Enough, Charlene Moyen, You Fool.

“I’m Morgan,” the woman said. Her calm voice irritated every molecule in Charlie’s exhausted body. “I think if you’d stop being so mad for a minute, you might see that Austin and I share the same hair color, the same eye color, and the same face shape. Hell, we even have the same freckle right here.” She moved her long hair aside to reveal a dark freckle on her collarbone right near her throat.

Charlie had indeed seen that Austin had a freckle in that exact location. She darted her gaze between Morgan and Austin. Now that she was closer to them than she had been on the set when she’d witnessed them hugging and could see their faces side by side, they did actually resemble each other. They both had their heads angled at her in the same way too.

“You’re . . . you’re one of his sisters?” She took a tissue Isabel held out to her and dabbed at her eyes.

Morgan nodded. “I am. And so you don’t further freak out, there are two more sisters that look like me. Triplets. From time to time, we like to hug our brother, especially when he’s deeply wounded by something.” Her blue eyes lasered into Charlie. “I don’t know what happened with you two today,” she said, gesturing between Austin and Charlie, “but it’s clear you need to talk.” She held up her hands when Charlie opened her mouth. “Now isn’t a good time. I can see that. But if you settle whatever disaster erupted between you, Austin can get on with comforting you during this current situation. He’s a guy you want on your side. Trust me. I know.”

Charlie blinked at the woman then looked to Isabel for guidance because her own head was too muddled to make any decisions right now. The doctor had come out and given her the news that he wanted her mother in a care facility. She should have been happy about that because she’d thought the same thing. Now that the decision was actually in her fucking hands, however, she didn’t know what to do.

“I agree with Morgan,” Isabel said quietly, giving Austin a compassionate smile.