Loving Enough (The Enough Series Book 2) by Nikole Bloom Read Free Book Online Page A

snarky
voice. With my cheek against his, I kiss Austin again and whisper in his ear.
    “I love you.”
    Breaking our embrace, I hop down and cross the room to check
on my big brother.

Chapter 8
    Rylee
    Austin went home a while later. He pleaded with me to go
home with him and J encouraged it but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving. I
chose to stay with J for one more night. Dr. Bowen came by earlier and was
pleased with J’s status. He said he would likely recommend moving him to the
rehabilitation floor in the next day or two. Then he will start J’s physical
therapy and watch the progression before discharge.
    The good news seemed to appease my angrier than ever big
brother. He is frustrated with being confined to a bed and irritated that he
does not remember everything. From what I can tell, his talk with Austin jogged
at least a few pieces free. They still have not let me in on the details of
their powwow despite my constant nagging.
    We have sat in silence since they brought his meal tray in
and I attempted to convince him to eat what he described as “food not fit for a
dog’s ass”. I tried not to laugh considering the visual that statement
projects.
    The silence is weighing on me, so I try to relieve it.
    “J, do you want me to go get you something to eat? Or Bode can
bring something; he will be here in about an hour anyway.”
    He just stares at me as if he is trying to solve the Da
Vinci code. His eyes are glazed over, a side effect of the pain medication,
giving him a near homicidal glare. I take his silence as a cue to hush and
resume looking over the files piled in my lap. The draft is a week away and
whether I want to or not, I need to be in New York by next Thursday. Gabe has
offered to go alone and handle it, but I simply cannot let go of the reins that
easily. At least not now that J is awake and progressing.
    I built this company on my own and worked my ass off to get
my first few clients. It is only fair that I continue to work as hard for my
new clients and that means being there for the biggest day of their lives, the
day all their dreams come true. I cannot wait for the day all of my dreams come
true. Although a dream I never knew I had did come true - in the form of a hot-as-sin
quarterback. Now all we need is J to heal and a chance to find our version of
normal without any outside influences.
    I owe it to Jeremy to make sure that my business continues
to thrive, since he gave me the money to start the business. J has always been
generous, but I count the money he gifted me as an investment in his future
too. I hope that it will be a place he can call home after he retires from
football, if he is ever able to play again. Lord, I hope he will be able to
play again, or who knows what he will do with himself.
    As I read Ransford Blaylock’s file for the hundredth time, J
finally breaks his silence.
    “So, are you just going to sit there and ignore me now?”
    I look away from the file, confused. It is not as if he was
interested in talking a few minutes ago. I set the file down and give J my full
attention. He looks worn and unlike his usual carefree self. The hospital gown
is a pale blue and drapes across his body like a smock, giving him a frail
appearance. I remind myself that no matter how he looks or behaves, he is alive
and I am grateful for that.
    “Ry, I’m sorry. This has been one hell of a day. I feel like
shit and I cannot believe this is where we are. I mean, do you have any idea
who is behind this mess?” His tone is somewhat tempered, but the anger behind it
is clear.
    I shake my head because obviously I don’t, or I would have
spoken up by now.
    “OK, so let’s think together,” he says, as if I haven’t
spent the last few weeks doing just that. If will appease him and give him
something to focus on, I will go along. “The texts are getting increasingly
desperate. Has anything else happened that we don’t know about?”
    Thinking back, he is right; the texts are becoming