JACE*

After leaving the office, I found myself headed back to the hospital to pick up Vega. It was already eleven o'clock, and I couldn't help but wish I could have slept in this morning. Unfortunately, Blaze and his all work, no play mentality had ruined that possibility. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Taylor, as I was the only one who occasionally worked at the office. My presence there allowed me to meet new clients and work on my building drafts. We left Taylor to manage everything alone, running around like a chicken with her head cut off. She made sure everything ran smoothly and on time, taking care of tasks such as ordering supplies and ensuring we had enough stock at the warehouse.

Once I arrived at the hospital, I quietly made my way towards Lyra's ICU room. As I approached the room, I couldn't help but peek inside. To my surprise, I saw Vega smiling, a sight that was rare. With caution, I gently slid the glass door open and stepped into the room. Finally, I carefully closed the door behind me, ensuring privacy.

I bent down to kiss Vega's cheek. "What's going on? You look so happy. Did Lyra move or anything?"

Vega smiled and shook her head. "No, but I know she is going to be alright. I want to go to church tomorrow."

Church? What is she talking about? Neither one of us has ever even set foot inside a church. Why now, out of the blue? I'm stunned, but I'll do whatever she wants. I believe in God and Heaven, and I consider myself a good person, so...

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to go to church all of a sudden? If that is what you want? We can go. I mean, I just never really took you as the church-going type, so..."

Vega shrugged her shoulders. "I had a dream where an angel appeared to me. In the dream, she assured me that Lyra would be okay. She urged me to have faith and believe. The thing is, I don't know how to do that without going to church. So, I'm actually curious to see what all the hype is about. I think going to church is a good start, don't you think?"

"Yes, babe, I believe you are right on that one. We can do some research tonight after dinner. We will find a church and go in the morning."

She clutched Lyra's uninjured hand. Then got up from her chair and gave Lyra a peck on the forehead.

"I'll be back sometime tomorrow. Rest well, Lyra. I love you."

After saying goodbye to Lyra, she turned around and embraced me.

"Can we go to the house and rest for a while before getting ready for dinner tonight, Jace? I'm in much need of some sleep."

"Yes, love, me too."

I squeezed her, and we turned towards the door to leave. I hoped that the rest would find us both.

VEGA*

After grabbing some takeout, Jace and I are now on our way back to my place. The thought of indulging in food and then getting some much-needed sleep sounds absolutely incredible. I'm in desperate need of both right now.

"What are you thinking about, babe? You've been so quiet since we left the hospital?" Jace asked with concern.

Up to this point, I've been staring out the window; my mind was in overdrive.

"I'm considering the tasks we must complete for the house, before Lyra comes home. First, we'll need to install ramps. We should transform the guest room into Lyra's temporary room, because going up and down the stairs doesn't seem like something she can do. I also plan to discuss with my dad the possibility of modifying the gym into a physical therapy room. However, I'm unsure of what else needs to be done. Honestly, I'm feeling quite overwhelmed," I exclaimed, frantically waving my hands in the air.

"Yes, there's a lot that needs to be done," Jace said, turning his signal light on and guiding his truck into the right-hand lane. "The guys will be super busy the next few months, but I'm pretty sure we can take some time to help. However, we won't know the extent of work that needs to be done on the house until Lyra wakes up."

When thoughts of going to his college classes came to mind, I couldn't help but laugh. "I might have to go with you to your classes."

Jace smiles and shakes his head. "Why would you want to go to class with me? That was a random thought, Vega?"

"I don't know what else I'm going to do with myself," I said as Jace pulled into our driveway. "With you starting school and Lyra being in the hospital, I'll have to find ways to keep myself occupied," I said as Jace pulled into our driveway. "Maybe I should sign up for some electives at school if there are any still available this late into the semester?"

I pressed the button for the garage, allowing Jace to park his truck in Lyra's spot. It feels strange not to see her car here. The hit-and-run accident totaled Lyra's car. The person who had hit her was currently behind bars for attempted manslaughter. It turns out he had a wild night and drove while still intoxicated.

He recalls nothing that happened. However, he has ruined his life and will be in prison for many years. Out of everyone involved, Lyra was the only one who was seriously injured. It's going to take a long time for me to forgive that guy. To make matters worse, he was Jace's age, only twenty-three. His dream of becoming a lawyer shattered now. I just can't comprehend why people choose to drink and drive. What's the point? Why not just call an Uber? By driving under the influence, you not only put others at risk, but also yourself. It's all so illogical to me. This guy almost killed my sister. Her heart actually stopped. She was dead.

As Jace pulled into the garage, he opened the door to step out while I remained seated. Walking around the truck, he then opened my door and reached up to help me climb out. Despite not being short, I couldn't help but feel that he enjoyed holding me. Once I had my feet firmly planted on the ground, Jace brought me in for a hug, running his fingers through my hair.

"I need to talk to you about something, babe."

He moved us in order to shut the passenger side door. Then he walked me into the kitchen and pulled a stool out for me to sit on at the bar.

"I'll be right back, baby."

He walked back to the door and out to the garage. As he left, I couldn't help but wonder what he needed to talk to me about.

Jace reentered the room, placing the bags of food on the counter. He then went over to the cabinet to get some plates and opened the silverware drawer to grab some silverware. Afterward, he placed a plate and silverware in front of me before setting his own on the bar beside me, where he intended to sit. Finally, he walked over to the refrigerator to check what we had available to drink.

He glances up at me. "Would you like some tea, Vega? I see you have some made in here?"

"Yes, please, and it already has sugar in it, if you would like some tea for yourself."

Jace went to the refrigerator and grabbed the tea, placing the jug on the counter. He then walked over to the cabinet, taking out some cups. Returning to the table, he set the glasses in front of our plates. Handing me the bags, he began pouring tea for both of us. Afterward, he returned the tea jug to the refrigerator. Finally, he walked around the bar and settled on the stool next to me.

"How would you like to work at our office as our new secretary?" he blurted and took a bite of his sub.

The unexpected turn of events took me aback. As I remained silent, he turned his gaze towards me and flashed a smile. My astonishment was evident as my mouth hung open and my eyes blinked rapidly; I must have appeared like a fish struggling for air.

"Let me explain," Jace said after he had swallowed his food. "Our secretary just up and left us."

I nodded my head as I dipped a corner of my sandwich into my broccoli cheddar soup. Taking a bite, I couldn't help but savor the awesomeness. Closing my eyes, I moaned in appreciation.

"Go ahead," I mumbled while chewing my food, with my eyes still closed.

"Well, while we are all out, we need someone who can run the office. They will need to man the phones, schedule appointments with new clients, and order supplies for the office and warehouse. They have the responsibility to ensure the scheduling of contractors for roofing, bricking, and other tasks."

"Mmmmm," I moaned. "Heaven in my mouth."

I glanced over at Jace, and he was trying so hard not to laugh.

"What? I'm starving to death. I'm listening to you, don't worry. Why did the person leave?" I asked before dipping my sandwich into the soup and taking another bite, trying to stay serious, for Jace's sake.

"No one knows why she left. We know she must have been thinking about leaving for a while. Taylor was nice enough to get everything organized and labeled. To find everything we would need. Left her work planner for us, and so on. So we wouldn't have issues getting on track," Jace said, then took a drink of his tea.

This would probably be perfect for me, honestly. It sounds like it's a pretty fast-paced job.

"I only have three classes this semester, which means I'll be in the office. My classes are on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but they end by eleven on both days. So, you can count on me being there with you almost every day. I'll be there to guide you and offer assistance, showing you the ropes. Blaze will also be in the office this week, busy hiring crews. We're currently short-handed by about thirty workers. It's going to be a crazy week, but don't worry, I won't let you get overwhelmed. I promise," Jace assured, glancing at me as he took the last bite of his sub.

"I will do it. The money I make, I will put into mine and Lyra's savings account," I said as I walked over to grab the takeout bags and threw them in the garbage.

"That would be so great, Vega; thank you so much," Jace exclaimed excitedly as he got up from his chair and ran over to me and picked me up into a firm hug.

Jace sat me down and walked over to grab our glasses from the bar. I rinsed them both out and sat them in the dishwasher.

"How about a nice relaxing bath before we get into bed?" Jace asked while pulling me into another hug and burying his nose into my hair.

Moving my head to meet his gaze. "That would be wonderful, my hunk of love." Jace responded by kissing me passionately, lifting me up in a bridal style, and carrying me to our room.