Chapter Thirty Three
The sunlight peered through the window as Caroline raised her head. The machines beeped, and Jameson lay perfectly still. His pale skin felt cold to the touch, and she pulled the cover over him, avoiding touching any wires or tubes.
She leaned in and kissed his forehead, smoothing out his hair.
Garrett leaned in the doorway.
“You know he’ll kick my ass if I don’t care for you while he’s recuperating,” he said softly.
“I’m not leaving him,” she said stubbornly. “Why won’t he wake up?”
“He needs rest. You’ll wish they kept him sedated when he wakes up,” Garrett said, chuckling. “He’ll be a bear.”
Shaking her head, Caroline glanced down at Jameson. “He’s not a bear. He’s my guardian angel.”
Garrett stroked his beard, and his eyes lit up with laughter. “I think we figured out his new call sign.”
“You can call him whatever you wish as long as he opens his eyes,” she said longingly.
“He’ll wake when he’s ready,” Garrett assured her. “Rebecca’s coming to take you for breakfast and a hot shower.”
She raised her steely eyes to meet his. “I’m not leaving him.”
Garrett approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll watch over him. He’s my best friend, and I won’t let him go anywhere.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “He hasn’t woken in three days. What if he…”
“Don’t go there,” Garrett demanded. “He’s strong, and the doctor said they got all the fragments out.”
“Why didn’t he wear his vest? It’s because of me,” she sobbed.
“No. He’s a dumbass. Jameson knew better, and he rushed in without thinking,” Garrett informed her, rubbing her back. “I’m sure all the women except for Delaney will arrive shortly. I’ll give you some time alone to tell him you’ll be back after a hearty breakfast, some sleep, and a shower.”
She opened her mouth again to argue when Garrett shook his head. “I have my orders, Caroline. You’re not listed as family. If you don’t comply, I’m to deny you access.”
“Go ahead and try it,” she snarled. “Victoria taught me how to take a man down, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
“You won’t have to take me down, Rebecca ordered me,” he said before he walked out, leaving her alone with Jameson. Why did her friend turn on her? Did they blame her for Jameson’s condition, too? She sure as hell blamed herself.
Taking the rail down, Caroline placed her head next to his.
“They’re kicking me out, Jameson. I have so much I want to say, and I’m afraid if I leave, I’ll never get the chance.
I’ve loved you from the moment you entered the bar and saved me from Cain.
I said all those terrible things, and I’m entering counseling to deal with…
everything. Rebecca offered me a job. I’m accepting it and working part-time while I finish my master’s degree.
I want to help the kids,” she told him as she stroked along his overgrown scruff.
“I need you,” she whispered. “It’s taken almost losing you to realize as long as we’re together, we can make it past anything. I choose you, Jameson. You’re the one I want to run to, not the one I want to run from.”
“Do you promise?” he asked, his voice sounding hoarse.
Caroline choked on a sob as she raised her head to see his green eyes staring back at her.
“I promise.”
“Marry me, Caroline,” he gritted out.
“You’re in the hospital. We can talk about this later,” she laughed and placed a light kiss on his lips.
“You said you chose me,” he said, gazing at her. “Tell me you’ll marry me.”
“I’ll marry you.”
He closed his eyes as if falling back to sleep, and she sighed in defeat.
“Go home. I’ll be here when you get back. We got a wedding to plan,” he said slowly.
“It’s about damn time,” Garrett grumbled from the doorway. “I called the doctor.”
Jameson never glanced in his direction.
“Do you trust me, Honeybee?”
“Yes,” she answered without hesitation.
“You have my word. I’ll rest until you come back,” he said, his voice sounding weak.
Caroline knew her actions at this moment would determine her future. Making herself rise, she replaced the railing and kissed him gently on the cheek.
“I’ll be back,” she promised.
“I’ll be waiting,” he said, sleepily.
A Week Later
They moved Jameson from the ICU into a regular room. Caroline held his hand as they wheeled him down the hall.
“Did you see Delaney’s baby?” he asked.
“Yes, but I can’t tell you the gender. She wants to keep it a surprise until you can come down to the NICU to see for yourself,” she informed him.
“I’ll go down tomorrow. The doctor said, I can be discharged at the end of the week,” he said as they pushed him into his new room.
“We’ll see,” she said, as she plumped his pillow and covered him.
The nurses left them, closing the door.
Jameson took her left hand and played with her fingers.
“Come lie by me,” he ordered softly.
Caroline let the rail down and gently lay beside him. His hand took hers, and he slipped a ring on her finger.
Immediately recognizing it, she gasped.
“They found this among Nancy’s things. I recalled seeing it on your mom’s hand and asked Rebecca to release it from the evidence.
With the security footage, they didn’t need everything they collected.
I thought you might like to wear it to remember your parents.
I want us to have the kind of love they did,” Jameson explained.
“I’ve given this a lot of thought. Traditionally, the woman takes the husband’s name. What if instead, you took mine?” she asked. “Then you’ll no longer be Jameson Stanton. You’ll be Jameson Bates. The Stanton name will die with your father.”
Jameson pulled her close. His eyes closed as he held back the emotion sweeping over him. “Say it again,” he asked her.
Caroline smiled, knowing what he wanted to hear, because he asked her every night before he went to sleep.
“I choose you. Because you’re the man I want to run to, Jameson Bates,” she whispered as they kissed.
Jameson cupped her cheek. “I love you, Honeybee. Thank you for choosing me.”
She snuggled into his shoulder as he put his arm around her.
Jameson didn’t doubt they’d have rough days ahead.
After all, Caroline needed to heal and grieve.
But he’d stay by her side and comfort her until the end of his days.
Convincing Caroline prompted his goals in the beginning, but after his near-death experience, he knew love couldn’t be convinced or coerced.
It had to be given freely, and she chose him.