Chapter 35 Violet #2
“We could ask him to go on the trip to New York with us.”
“What trip is that?”
My eyes drifted shut. “I need to clear out the stuff in my apartment. Sublet until my lease is up.”
“Or break the lease all together,” Colt suggested.
I shook my head. “The penalties are too expensive. It doesn’t make sense to break it when there are only fourteen months left on it.”
“So, you, me, Connor, and your dad are going on this little trip?”
“If I had my way…”
“Which you absolutely will. I’ll see to that.” The small cup he used to wet my hair came up and dumped more warm water over my scalp, this time washing away the suds. “I actually think that could be fun.”
“My small town, big-hearted, Texas gentleman thinks New York City will be fun?” I tried not to give away my surprise.
“Sure.”
I squealed. “You can finally meet Ryan! And I want to take you to my favorite bagel shop. The amount of cream cheese they schmear on these things is obscene. I love their pickle and bacon cream cheese on an everything bagel. Oh, my stomach’s going to growl just thinking about it!”
“Well it’s not New York City, but I think we could rope someone into dropping off food from the diner today.”
“I will never say no to that.”
“I forgot to tell you, but while you were resting earlier, Ryan wrote.”
I groaned. “Hopefully not to tell me about my deadline. I know he’s been talking to my agent for me, and she’s been working with the publisher, but there is just no way I’m going to make my extension deadline.”
“Don’t stress. It wasn’t about that. But even if it was, you are more important than any deadline. He said something about needing to travel to Canada?”
“He has family up there. Goes on vacation for a few weeks every year.”
Colt had switched to a bar of soap, lather now working between his fingers. His hands landed against my shoulders and I inhaled sharply. God, I hadn’t thought about how this would work.
“I can do that, you know?” I muttered.
“And I can, too. Now be quiet and let me suds up my baby mama.” His hands went to my back. “Can you lean forward just a little, darlin’? I’m going to get your back and then I’ll rinse you off.”
I nodded as I swallowed. His hands felt like heaven. I hadn’t felt more grounded in my body, more present in the last few days than I did right now. And when his hands roamed over my collarbone, bringing bubbles down over my chest, I couldn’t help but hiss.
“I’m sorry, Vi. Are they sore?”
“God, yes.”
“I’ll be gentle.” And of course, he was. Colt was so meticulous, and so careful that by the time I’d been rinsed down, I felt like an entirely new person. He helped me out of the shower, moving me carefully to sit on the toilet before he started drying me off from head to toe.
“What do you want to put back on?” Colt asked as he picked up my legs one at a time and helped me get into my fabulous and very chic diaper.
“The blue pajama set with the white piping. It’s so comfortable and I just feel like I want to be cozy right now.”
“You got it. Do not try to get up without me.”
I smiled. “My boobs are hanging out, I’m bleeding, and I’m exhausted. I’m not going anywhere.”
He kissed the crown of my head and shook his back and forth. “And yet somehow, you’ve never been more beautiful.”
“You’re a liar, but I’ll take it.”
I immediately noticed the beautiful arrangement of lilies and baby’s breath that sat on the table next to my bed.
“Those are new,” I groaned as Colt helped me sit back in bed. “Can you see who they’re from?”
My room was filled with flowers and balloons from Colt’s family and the women who had been at my baby shower.
I appreciated everything, but especially the note that accompanied Lily’s flowers, which told me to enjoy the flowers while I was in the hospital and to leave them behind because I didn’t need the stress of figuring out what to do with them while trying to get a newborn home.
I had laughed, and then immediately regretted that as the incision in my belly pulled tight.
The sheriff’s department, my agent, and even Ryan had sent along flowers as well.
It was almost more of a flower shop than a hospital room at this point.
I watched Colt pluck the card from the holder, the smile falling from his face in an instant.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing. Hit your call button and have Birdie bring Connor back.”
“Okay.” I pulled the remote over and pressed the red button, relaying the message to the nurse who answered. A minute later, Birdie popped in with Connor in her arms.
“Well, that didn’t take too long. How are you feeling?”
“Better,” I answered, my eyes still locked on Colt and the way his jaw muscles were flexing. Something was wrong. My eyes dropped to the card in his hand as Birdie handed Connor back to me.
And then it hit me.
“It’s from him,” I whispered. My stomach flipped, and I pulled Connor in closer to my body.
Colt nodded once. “I need to go to the gift shop and see if they can tell me who sent this. I don’t want to leave you two alone.”
Birdie squared her shoulders. “I’ll stay as long as I can. On your way out, explain what’s going on to the security guard at the nurses’ station. Don is working today, he’ll be more than happy to stand outside the door until you come back.”