Cole’s thumb brushes my tears away. “When I got your message to meet you at the hospital, I thought something happened to you. For that split second, my heart stopped, and all I could think about was you not being here.” He swallows, struggling to push the words out. “On this earth.” My chest aches, and I touch my palm to his cheek. “I panicked,” he continues. “And even though I knew it was Gertie, I kept imagining it was you. It felt like I was rushing here to find you in that hospital bed. It threw me for a loop. Made me realize that I’m in this a lot deeper than I thought I was.” What does
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