Suddenly Rose felt very vulnerable as the shock of seeing Zac wore off and she had to contemplate why he had come—now that he knew she hadn’t set out to ruin him in league with his grandmother.
He was obviously remorseful, and Rose was still getting her head around that, but he also now seemed to believe what she’d told him the other night—that she loved him. And he obviously pitied her. The mother of his child...in love with him...how tragic. He must feel doubly responsible now, and the thought of that made her feel almost breathless with excruciating humiliation.
She stood up. ‘Look, thank you for coming all the way up here, but I really need to focus on my father now. And I’m grateful for your help with the operation, but I have every intention of paying you back. I know it’ll take years, but I’ll do it.’
Now Zac looked angry, and he stood up too. ‘I’m not here to demand payment. I’m here because—’
Rose held up her hand, stopping him, because she didn’t want to hear him say anything about responsibility, and quickly lowered it again when she noticed it was shaking. ‘Just go—please. I’m sure you’re busy, and we can talk about arrangements for the baby another time, okay?’
She started to walk out of the canteen and heard from behind her, ‘Rose—dammit.’ But she kept going. If she stopped he’d see how close to the edge she was.
When she got to her father’s floor she looked behind her and let out a shaky breath when she didn’t see Zac. She felt a mixture of relief and disappointment.
After she’d gone in and checked on her father one of the nurses came in and handed her a note, saying with a knowing wink, ‘Honey, if that guy comes in again please send him my way.’
Rose forced a smile and opened the note, which was curt.
I’m not leaving. I’ll be at the local hotel, so if you need anything call me. Zac.
She scowled, even as her heart lurched betrayingly. She wouldn’t be calling him. She didn’t need anything from Zac Valenti—certainly not his sense of obvious obligation.
But just then, as if to remind her that she did actually need something from him—a lifetime of support—she felt a little kick in her belly. Tears of emotion came to her eyes. She’d been feeling definite movements for the past week, but trust Junior to make his or her presence known now—right when the autocratic father turned up.
* * *
‘This is where she’s been sleeping?’
The angry voice woke Rose, and she opened her eyes to see Zac towering over her small cot bed in the tiny family room on her father’s floor at the clinic. A young male nurse was fairly cowering in front of Zac.
‘Does this really look like suitable accommodation for a pregnant woman?’
The nurse went red.
Rose sat up and put a hand to her head when it swam. She hadn’t slept that well, and fatigue washed over her.
Zac was down on his haunches in front of her. ‘Are you okay?’
Before she could say anything he cursed and stood again. He was on his phone in seconds, issuing instructions, and Rose saw the nurse take his chance to escape further censure.
She forced herself to stand as Zac was putting his phone away.
He took her arm. ‘When was
the last time you ate a decent meal or slept properly?’
Rose blinked. She couldn’t actually remember.
Zac cursed again and said ominously, ‘Right—that’s it.’
He led her out of the tiny room and stood in front of her. She wanted to scowl at him for being so dominant and gorgeous first thing in the morning.
‘My car is downstairs. My driver is going to take you back to my hotel, where you are going to—’ He held up a hand when Rose opened her mouth, and waited till she’d shut it again before continuing, ‘Where you are going to eat breakfast and then go to bed in my room for a few hours. After that I’ll have a room arranged for you.’
‘But I can’t just leave! My father—’
‘Your father will be fine. I’ll stay with him.’
Rose’s belly swooped. ‘But you’re busy...’