The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 447

447 /520

Suzie immediately rejected the offer. "Just tell me where they are. I'll go myself."

"You don't know your way around this hospital. Follow me, it'll be faster," Jamie said, already heading toward the elevators.

Suzie hesitated for a second before reluctantly jogging to catch up.

The elevator was packed. One wrong move and you'd be shoved against a stranger.

Without a word, Jamie pulled Suzie into the corner, wedging her between himself and the wall. He planted one hand on the wall behind her and extended his other arm beside her, creating a protective barrier just inches from her shoulder so the crowd couldn't press into her.

The makeshift shield gave her plenty of breathing room, keeping everyone else at bay.

Given it was a hospital, the atmosphere was heavy. The people around them were either sick themselves or visiting a sick loved one, so the only sound in the cramped space was the collective thrum of breathing.

Suzie stood rigidly, too uncomfortable to look up, deliberately slouching a bit to keep her distance.

Because of how Jamie was bracing himself against the wall, his body was angled over hers. She could feel his jaw practically hovering over the crown of her head.

"We're almost there. Just hold on a little longer," his deep, velvety voice murmured from above her, sounding impossibly warm and considerate.

Her thoughts drifted back to the warning story Mia had told her. Her mind began projecting an entire script: *She gets blinded by this performative, half-hearted gentleness, falls back into her old pathetic role as his doormat, and after a few days, he gets bored and kicks her to the curb again...*

The sheer absurdity of the scenario made a scoff slip past her lips before she could stop it.

Jamie heard it. "What's so funny? Did you think of something happy?"

Before she could answer, the elevator pinged and the doors slid open. The crowd shuffled out.

Once the car was empty, Jamie dropped his arm and courteously gestured for her to step out first.