What is it with me and the pretty boy? I can’t get his grin or those crazy hazel eyes out of my head. Those eyes of his are the most amazing I’ve ever seen, but they are just eyes. I should be able to block them out. The guy was wearing khakis and a polo shirt, totally not my thing. In fact, I’ve never even looked twice at someone wearing them, but he’s not your normal pretty boy. The wide shoulders and trim waist hint at someone who works out and probably has a more physical-type job, and he doesn’t have the usual male lawyerly air about him like most entitled, privileged rich guys. No, there’s something more down to earth under the L.L. Bean catalog clothing. One glance at his hands on the steering wheel and I knew he doesn’t spend all of his time behind a desk. They’re the hands of a man who’s not afraid of hard work, but again, his attire is throwing me off. And less than 10 minutes in the car with him wasn’t enough to figure out what it is about him that has my thoughts returning to him over and over again.

I think it’ll be the last time I see him, but I’m secretly hoping he’ll be curious enough about me to drop by the shop. One thing I’m certain of, though, is car owners, and that one isn’t letting some girl grease monkey get under the hood of his $60,000 Jag. Dudes that own those kinds of cars only let the dealership manage mechanical and maintenance needs. They’re also the ones who usually end up parking their own car when there is valet service instead of passing it off to the valet.

I can’t help but wonder what put his wife in that cemetery though. He can’t be much older than I am, which is 33, and is too young to have a wife he visits at the graveyard. Whatever it was couldn’t have been good.

“Colby?” My sister’s raspy voice draws me back to the present and I quickly move closer to the bed. She’s been out of surgery for three hours and we’ve been waiting for her to wake back up. She did briefly, but they had her drugged well enough that she went back to sleep as soon as they had her in her room. Jeff went to the bathroom and to take a walk about 10 minutes ago and should be back anytime.

“Hey, honey. How are you feeling?” I ask as I wrap my fingers around hers.

“Rough. I hate the drugs and shit they give you. Although I’m glad I don’t hurt yet. I don’t like feeling so groggy.”

“I know, babe, but it’s better than being in pain. Do you remember talkin’ to the doc?”

“No.”

“He said everything went well. He didn’t see any questionable tissue other than what we knew. Biopsy will be back in 10 days. It’s going to be okay.”

I’ve never prayed as much as I have these last few weeks. I can’t imagine a life without my sister. She’s my best friend and the best person I know. I don’t know if it will be okay. Especially considering this is exactly how things went down with my mom and she was dead within three years, but I refuse to look at any of that as a possibility.

“I’m still tired,” she mumbles.

“I know, babe. Let me buzz the nurse so they can do what they need to do while you’re awake. Otherwise, they’ll come bug you in about 15 minutes and no one likes to be woken up.”

“Fine, but hurry. My eyes are heavy.”

“Okay.” I press the nurses call button and wait, holding her cool hand in mine. I’ve always been a hands person. Not only do they say a lot about a person, they are also used to care for and comfort. They can be used in pleasure and pain. They’re useful to earn money and provide sustenance. Their purpose seems endless. I’ve always loved Shaunda’s hands. They’re soft and gentle and have been used to comfort me often.

“Pop will be up to see you tomorrow. He didn’t want to bother you when you need your sleep, but he promised to come with noisemakers tomorrow.”

“Our father is such a handful,” she grumbles with a half-smile.

I nod, agreeing. Jeff and I both thought Pop would avoid visiting her at the hospital since this place holds such bad memories, but he told us he’ll be here. Pop has always been the foundation for our family. We all go to him for advice on everything from work projects to which household appliances to buy and even on dating and love. He’s let me cry on his shoulder more than once when I’ve had my heart broken and has taught me all his little tricks of the mechanical trade. Shaunda and I are both daddy’s girls so I know she’ll feel better when he comes to see her. If only Marshall would grow a pair and come too, everything would be perfect.

Once the nurse gets done checking her, Jeff shuffles back through the door looking a little tired from our long day at the hospital.

“Is one of you staying the night with her?” the young nurse asks.

Jeff pulls his hand from his pocket and raises it slightly as he and I trade spots so he can be by Shaunda. “Me.”

“Crap, I forgot about that. My truck broke down and I had to catch a ride here. Marshall should have towed my truck to the shop by now. I was gonna have you take me home.”

“Take my truck. You can bring it back tomorrow.”

“I won’t be in until late morning though. I have to go to the shop and see if I can fix the fuel pump. I’m still working on a few things with the mustang so it’s not running yet and I can’t be without a vehicle.”

“Not going anywhere till you get here anyway, so that’s fine.”

God, I love my brother-in-law. Of course, he and Shaunda were middle school sweethearts so he’s been around our family for enough years to be one of us, but even so, he’s a great guy. He loves my sister like no one else could and seems to love all of us too. That’s the kind of man I want. The kind who will sit by my side through the night and hold my hand even though he’s exhausted, uncomfortable and scared out of his mind. The kind of man who’ll love me through all my moods and through all the changes my body would experience while growing our children inside me. I want a man who, without thinking twice, will give my sister his prize-possession truck for no other reason than because she needs it.

Up to this point, I haven’t found anyone close. The men I’ve encountered have a handsome face and good body, but no brains and no heart. Or a heart and no brains. Or brains and nothing that turns me on. How do you find the whole package? I’m starting to think it’ll never happen.