“Does this mean you’ll be my girlfriend?”

“Is that what you want?”

“I believe it is.”

“Okay.”

“Yes?”

“Okay generally means yes,” she said, laughing.

“And I’m your boyfriend?”

“Aren’t we kind of old for these titles?”

“Not at all. My eighty-six-year-old grandfather had ‘girlfriends’ until the day he died.”

“Something tells me you’re going to be just like him.”

“My gramps was a bit of a hound dog with the ladies at his nursing home, whereas I’m more of a one-girl-at-a-time kind of guy.”

“That’s good to know.”

“So that’s a yes on the boyfriend thing?”

“I haven’t had a boyfriend in a long, long time. I might need a refresher course on what’s involved.”

“You’re in luck. I’m a certified instructor.”

“Certified in what exactly?”

“Well, technically pilot training, but a lot of the skills are transferable to this situation.”

She laughed so hard, she couldn’t talk, which put a huge smile on his face.

“I’ll be calling my new girlfriend tomorrow. Will she take my call?”

“Yes, Slim,” she said with a sigh of what sounded like pleasure. God, he hoped so. “She’ll take your call.”

The next afternoon, Erin rolled her dad in his wheelchair to physical therapy, giving her mother a much-needed break from the hospital. They’d insisted she keep an annual New Year’s lunch date with friends and enjoy the time away. As they went, she was careful to step on each new floor tile with her left foot first. God only knew what would happen if she didn’t do that, and she certainly didn’t want to find out.

“Sorry to drag you away from your island,” Tom said, his speech halting but improving every day. In an ironic twist of OCD fate, his left side had been left impaired by the aneurism, but the physical and occupational therapists had assured them he’d regain functionality eventually.

“Where else would I be when you’re in here? It’s no bother at all.”

“When will you see your pilot friend again?”

“I’m not sure yet. Maybe in a couple of weeks.” She wanted to go to the wedding in Anguilla more than she’d wanted anything in a very long time. The thought of a week in paradise with Slim was almost enough to make her drool.

“You should go be with him. I’m fine. The doctors said so.”

“I know, Dad, but I’m not going anywhere just yet.”

“I like him.”

Erin smiled. “I’m glad you do.”

“I like the way he looks at you.”

“I do, too.”

“You might want to think about keeping this one, Er Bear.”

The childhood nickname, which he hadn’t used in years, brought tears to her eyes. “You think so?” she asked, her voice hushed.