Chapter 305
Irene punched in Adam’s door code by muscle memory, her medical bag bumping against her hip. After the birthday disaster–complete with Claire family drama and Ethan bolting–the familiar routine of Adam’s evening therapy felt like a life raft.
She pushed the door open and froze mid–step.
Something was off. The harsh lights she expected had been replaced by a soft amber glow that made the room feel intimate rather than clinical. And that smell–pine and something flowery instead of the usual antiseptic bite.
Her eyes swept the room, landing on blue flowers tucked in corners–the exact shade she’d once casually mentioned loving. But all these details faded to background noise when she spotted Adam.
He was standing. Actually standing.
In the middle of the room, one hand lightly touching a support bar, but undeniably upright. The midnight blue suit he wore made his eyes seem brighter somehow, more determined.
Her medical bag hit the floor with a thud she didn’t even register.
“What the-” Words failed her. “Adam? You’re… how long have you…?”
She took an instinctive step forward before stopping herself, caught between rushing to him and not wanting to break this impossible moment.
Through the windows, Silver City winked and sparkled around them like they were suspended in their own private
universe.
“Surprise?” The corner of his mouth twitched upward despite beads of sweat already forming at his temples. “Figured your birthday deserved something better than cake.” He drew a careful breath. “Irene, give me a minute.”
His knuckles whitened against the support bar.
Irene moved toward him, taking in his struggle–shaky knees, tight jaw, tense shoulders. “You’re insane,” she said softly, worry and wonder fighting in her voice. “You really should have told me you were trying this.”
As she reached him, her hand lifted automatically before hanging awkwardly in the air, not wanting to throw off
his balance.
Adam straightened his back as she approached, like her presence demanded his best effort.
“Those miracle hands of yours,” he said, each word measured against the effort of standing. “Been practicing when everyone’s asleep. Started with ten pathetic seconds.”
When she got close enough to count his eyelashes, he added quietly: “Wanted to look you in the eye without looking up.”
His gaze locked onto hers like she was the only fixed point in a spinning room.
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Chapter 305
The timer on the wall showed forty seconds. Adam’s breathing quickened, but his focus never wavered. The room got so quiet she could hear his watch ticking and the soft rustle of her clothes as she inched closer, ready to catch him if needed.
With a careful shift of weight, Adam reached inside his jacket. The movement threw off his balance, and Irene’s hands instinctively shot forward.
He shook his head once–I’ve got this–and withdrew a deep blue velvet box. His fingers worked the lid open with determined precision.
“Happy birthday, Irene.”
The bracelet inside caught the light, silver vines intertwining with tiny flower buds, each cradling a sapphire that matched his suit. It wasn’t flashy or ostentatious–it was thoughtful, detailed, like someone had been paying attention to exactly who she was.
“Adam…” His name escaped as barely more than a breath. Her fingers hovered over the box, not quite touching, like it might dissolve if she made contact.
The timer hit fifty–five seconds. Adam’s forehead now glistened, droplets threatening to run down his temple. He tried to lift the bracelet from its cushion, but his fingers trembled just enough to make the delicate task nearly impossible.
“Just… let me put it on you,” he insisted, strain roughening his voice.
As he worked the bracelet free, the support bar shifted just enough to disrupt his precarious balance. His right leg buckled, body tilting like a tree in strong wind. Something flashed across his face–not pain, but frustration, disappointment.
Irene moved without thinking. One arm circled his waist while her other hand steadied his elbow. Her fingertips somehow caught the sliding gift box in the same fluid motion.
“I’ve got you,” she murmured, the words falling somewhere between doctor and something else entirely.
They were pressed together, closer than they’d ever been. His body shook slightly against hers, his breathing uneven against her hair. He smelled like cedar and fresh laundry and something just Adam that she’d somehow learned to recognize without even trying.
The timer beeped softly–one minute exactly.
Adam laughed under his breath. “Well, that wasn’t smooth.” Despite being annoyed with himself, the corners of his eyes crinkled with pride. “Had this whole thing planned out. Stand tall, put it on your wrist, not fall apart like a sandcastle at high tide.”
Irene’s arms tightened around him, beyond what medical support required. Her chin rested against his shoulder as she held him, neither of them acknowledging the shift this embrace represented.
“You stood for a full minute.” When she pulled back enough to see his face, her eyes shimmered. “Nobody else has given me anything that took this much work, Adam.”
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Chapter 305
The feeling in the room shifted, warming up like stepping into sunlight after being in the shade,
Irene helped him back to his wheelchair, muscle memory guiding her movements. She brushed his damp forehead with her fingertips, lingering a moment too long.
“Next time tell me you’re practicing standing, you stubborn idiot,” she said, the insult somehow coming out affectionate.
Adam captured the gift box from her hand, eyebrow arching. “And ruin the look on your face just now? Not a
chance.”
“The bracelet took three weeks,” he explained, motioning for her wrist. “Told the designer about that seascape we saw, about our beach walks.”
As she extended her hand, his voice dropped. “You said you loved that specific blue–like the ocean stealing color from the midnight sky.”
Something flickered in Irene’s eyes–surprise that he’d remembered such a throwaway comment.
Her wrist looked impossibly delicate as he fastened the clasp, the silver bright against her skin. His fingers brushed her pulse point, and they both pretended not to notice how it jumped at his touch.
Adam didn’t immediately let go. His thumb traced the inside of her wrist where the skin was thinnest, most vulnerable. Irene didn’t pull away, just watched their hands with a small, private smile.
“Perfect,” he said quietly, maybe about the bracelet, maybe something else entirely. “Like it belongs there.”
Irene started setting up the usual therapy stuff, her new bracelet catching the light with every move, throwing little blue sparkles across the walls. The room slowly went back to being a therapy space, but something between them had changed for good.
While adjusting electrodes for his therapy, Adam asked, “Tell me about little Irene. The stuff nobody else knows.” His tone was casual, but his eyes gave him away–genuine interest, not just conversation.
Her hands paused briefly. Memories flickered behind her eyes, but instead of shuttering closed as they usually did, she seemed to consider his request. The bracelet glinted as she adjusted a dial.
“Nobody’s asked me about that in years,” she said softly. Her expression opened just a fraction–like a door left. slightly ajar rather than firmly locked. She met his eyes directly. “It’s not a fairytale.”
“Good thing I’ve never cared much for those,” Adam replied, something in his smile making the room feel warmer than it had any right to be.
