But she seemed to have mastered herself once more. Wrapped herself in that shadowy cloak of untouchability. She coolly shook his hand, thanked him for coming as if she was dismissing a board meeting, and promised that the financial side of their agreement would be fulfilled immediately.
Then she, too, had walked away, brisk, distracted… no sign at all that a wedding had just taken place. That it meant anything to her, that she was now married… to him.
So how did Kim know this? Had he somehow let something slip? Why else would she be thanking him? His first thought was to deny everything. “What do you mean?” he asked, prepared to lie like a dog if necessary. There was no way he’d allow her to walk away with the notion that he’d run off and got married, even though he had.
She reached up and grasped his cheeks, smiling into his eyes, and the warmth in them made him feel like a young man again, hurting over the loss of his mother and grateful for the love this woman had showed both him and his dad. “I mean, thank you, Dustin. For all that you have done. For being there for us, before and after the accident. For helping this family pick up the pieces after we lost your father. And seeing us through this awful, awful time with Arabella.”
He felt his body relax a little, suffused by relief. She didn’t know. His secret was safe. “It’s nothing, Kim,” he began, but she cut across him.
“It’s not nothing, Dustin. What you’ve done is nothing short of heroic. You were here for me when my life fell apart, when I lost the man I loved, even though you were grieving for your father, too. You stood by me when I struggled to overcome my injury, to get used to life in a wheelchair. You moved into our home to take care of us. Don’t pretend you haven’t given up everything you owned just to help pay Arabella’s bills. All those side jobs and the tattoo parlor. I know about the second mortgage, Dustin.”
He knew the surprise registered on his face. He hadn’t told her about it because he didn’t want her to feel bad. He opened his mouth, but she shushed him.
“Not many men would have done that.”
“And I would gladly do it again. You became my best friend when you married dad. You and dad gave me siblings. Something I’d always wanted. I love you guys.” He felt her emotions spill over into him. He thought of that cold, soulless marriage contract he’d just entered into, and the near year of his life he’d just signed away, and then thought about Arabella, whole again, healthy again, with her young life stretching out before her. He knew he’d done the right thing. “And would do anything for you.”
She pulled him closer and pressed her lips against his cheek. “And you have.” Then, releasing him, she leaned back in her chair, face serious again. “But it’s time for you to give that up.”
“Huh?”
“Our Arabella will be fine. With your dad looking over us and that donation, she will have her transplant, and all her bills paid off. There’ll be lots left over for you to pay off that mortgage—”
“I don’t—”
“Hush. You pay off the mortgage, and you seize back the life we stole from you.”
“You can’t steal what’s willingly given,” he reminded her softly.
“Again, hush.” Kim pressed her fingers to her lips. “When all is done, I need you to do something for me.”
“What’s that?”
“Go back to your life. Call Jen….”
The name alone was enough to make icicles form in his blood.
“Don’t look at me like that. I know you love her—”
“Loved,” he reminded Kim. He’dlovedJen, his ex-fiancée. Loved her until he thought he’d die. And then she’d thrown him away. The mention of her name was like a kick in the gut. He shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
His phone was his saving grace. It vibrated in his pocket, still silenced from being in the hospital room earlier, and he looked down at the text message coming up on the screen. He felt the blood drain from his face.
“I have to go,” he said to Kim, looking back at her. “I’ll take you back to Arabella’s room.”
“What is—” she began.
But all he could do was shake his head.
Chapter 9
Chantelle lay on the hospital bed in her private suite, irritated to the tip of her last nerve, arms folded tight across her chest. She made no move to get under the covers, as if to do so would be admitting defeat. The only thing she hated worse than hospitals was being a patient in a hospital.
And they were keeping her overnight.Augh!Hadn’t they said there was nothing to worry about? That fainting in pregnancy was no big deal? It happened, didn’t it? How much more ‘observing’ did they need to do?
She heard the door open over her shoulder, but didn’t bother to look around. She kept on glaring at the closed blinds, not bothering to have them drawn, because whoever heard of a pretty view from a hospital bed?
“See if you can postpone the meeting with Jules and Krakowski tomorrow, will you?” she told Sienna. “And cancel my damn yoga classes. This is the third session I’ve missed!”