Devotion - Chapter 34
Friday
"Hey, lovebirds," Mason said.
Bee laughed.
I slowly opened my eyes. James was smiling. He looked so handsome. He looked just like himself again. Everything was going back to normal. Everything was good again.
"Hey, guys," I said and sat up. "It must be a good sign if they're letting non-family visit."
"I think so," Mason said. "Although we would have snuck in either way. Doctors are the worst."
He looked so much better than he had the other day.
I knew it was his investigators that had helped find out that Isabella had snuck into James' hospital room.
It was because of him that Porter had come up to my apartment.
It was because of him Rob and I weren't dead.
But before I could say anything, James cut in.
"Congratulations, you two," James said and tried to sit up. He grimaced a little less than he had yesterday. "I'm so sorry I missed it. Tell me everything."
"What?" Bee said.
Mason was rapidly shaking his head.
"Still a little out of it?" Bee asked and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah, I guess."
"We were so worried about you. You really didn't miss much. We've just been waiting for you to wake up." She smiled at him.
"Yeah, man," Mason said. "We only left the hospital to eat and sleep. He put his hand on Bee's shoulder. When Bee turned back toward us, Mason shook his head again and repeatedly mouthed what I thought was, "Shut the fuck up."
James yawned. "It's so good to see you guys. Thanks for sticking around. Sorry I made you wait so long."
"Nowhere we'd rather be," Mason said with a smile. Whatever he had been secretly trying to tell James, he seemed content that James had gotten the hint. "You gave us all a scare."
"Getting shot will do that, I guess."
"It's seriously too soon to joke about it," Bee said. "Can we get you anything?"
"No. You guys should go home. Spend some time just the two of you."
"What the fuck?" Mason mouthed silently at him.
"Are you sure?" Bee said. "We thought maybe we could all have breakfast together."
"We have to talk to the police anyway," James said. "There's still a few more things we need to sort out."
"I think we're being dismissed," Bee said with a laugh.
"Yeah," Mason said and gave James a death stare. "Let's go home. I really am exhausted." He wrapped his arm around Bee's waist. "And I could use some alone time." His hand slipped to her ass.
"Oh my God." She shoved his hand away. "We'll be back later. Stay out of trouble, you two."
"Maybe we should be saying that to you," I said with a laugh.
Bee laughed and Mason pulled her to the door.
"I'll be back in one second." I slipped off the bed and ran after Mason.
"Mason!" I said. He turned around and gave me a small smile. Almost as if he had put on a show for James. So that James wouldn't really know how much Mason cared. I'd never understand men.
"Thank you, Mason. For everything." I gave him a big hug.
He patted my back. "What exactly are you thanking me for?"
"Porter came up to the apartment because of what your investigators found out. If it wasn't for you..."
"You mean, if I hadn't interfered James would be single right now? I finally could have had him all to myself!"
"Mason!" Bee said and lightly shoved his shoulder.
"I'm just kidding, Penny."
"And thank you for being here. For both of us."
"I meant what I said. There was nowhere else I'd rather be." He squeezed me and then released me from his hug.
"And thanks, Bee." I gave her a hug too.
"These past few weeks have been such a rollercoaster ride," she said and hugged me back. "I hope that you know you can count on me now."
"I know. And I already knew it." I stepped back. "I love you guys."
Bee smiled. "We love you too."
Mason nodded. "Go back to your husband. I'm feeling weirdly emotional and if you ever saw me cry I'd never live it down."
"Maybe if Rob saw you cry. I wouldn't judge you."
"Not a risk I'm willing to take." He winked at me.
I laughed. "I'll see you guys later." I watched them walk away toward the waiting room. James and I were so lucky to have them in our lives. I slowly walked back into James' room and sat down on the bed beside him. "So, what was that about?"
"What was what about?"
"You congratulated them. And then Mason kept shaking his head."
"Yeah, I don't know. I guess I must have had a weird dream or something."
"I know that you're lying. And now that we're married you said you could break bro-code." I lay down next to him.
"I probably should have never agreed to that."
I laughed. "Come on, tell me. I'm not going to stop nagging you until you do."
He smiled. "I thought they'd be engaged."
"What?"
"They were supposed to meet us in Venice last Saturday. Bee's always wanted to go to Italy too. I'm guessing they didn't go?"
"They've been here this whole time, waiting for you to wake up."
"Shit. He's been planning it for over a year. Or at least, he's been worrying about it for over a year."
"You know, he said there was nowhere he'd rather be than here."
James laughed. "Yeah that was nice, but he didn't mean it. I fucked everything up."
"James, he did mean it. You should have seen how upset he was when you were in your coma. I've never seen him like that."
James' lips parted like he was about to say something, but then he closed them again.
"Besides, I'm sure he has a backup proposal plan," I said.
"I don't think he thought he'd need one. And he's been so nervous about it."
"Why would he be nervous? Bee is definitely going to say yes."
"That doesn't make it any less scary. I was terrified when I proposed to you. I thought you'd say yes, but it had only been two months. And even if we had been dating for a few years, I still would have been nervous."
"I would have said yes no matter when you'd asked.
" I looked up into his dark brown eyes. "And I don't think you need to worry about ruining anything for Mason and Bee.
This city is where they met. It means so much to both of them.
He really should be proposing here. I mean, isn't it nice that we can go visit Main Street whenever we want to reminisce?
You even bought the coffee shop so that it would never change. "
He smiled. "That's true."
"Actually, I have a bet for you."
"And what is that?"
"I bet you that he ends up proposing at the top of the Empire State Building.
Whenever Bee and I pass it, she still gets stars in her eyes.
She told me that everything changed for them when he took her there on the Valentine's Day after they met.
Actually, she said she had been worried he was going to propose and that it was too early.
But I bet she wouldn't be worried this time. "
James laughed.
"I feel like I should text Mason and tell him that."
"That would be cheating on our bet. Besides, I've been interfering in their relationship since the very start. Let him do this his way."
"He probably will propose there without me saying anything at all.
It just makes sense. Besides, if I've learned anything the past couple weeks, it's how sweet and caring Mason is.
Behind that rough exterior. I still remember when I first met him.
When we ran into him in that hotel. His gaze chilled me to the bone. I'm pretty sure Bee saved his soul."
"Saved his soul?" James looked like he wanted to laugh.
"Yes. Like I saved yours."
"Is that so?" He raised his left eyebrow.
"Don't look at me like that, James."
"Like what?"
"You know like what. You're in a hospital bed."
"I'm pretty sure last time we were in a hospital bed together and the roles were reversed, I told you that I loved you for this first time. And then I made love to you." He lightly touched my cheek. "I like that I can still make you blush."
"I'm not blushing." I tried to hide my smile.
"You are." His fingers slid to my neck.
"James, you're supposed to be resting."
"I'm tired of resting." His hand slid down my neck.
"The doctor hasn't cleared you for that yet."
"Have you asked?"
"Of course I haven't asked."
"You're blushing again." He gave me one of those smiles that instantly made me wet.
Damn it. "Don't be ridiculous."
"You're allowed to ask when you're allowed to make love to your husband."
"Yeah, when we leave the hospital. You only just woke up. And you can't even stand up without grimacing in pain."
"I'm pretty sure that will make me feel better."
I laughed and stood up as someone knocked on the door of James' room. My smile faded when someone I didn't know walked in.
"Excuse me Mr. and Mrs. Hunter. I'm Detective Lee. I've been assigned to your case after the arrest of Isabella Hunter. I have a few questions for you."
"Of course," James said. He didn't look like he was in nearly as much pain as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.
"After yesterday's incident and a statement from Cliff Stern, we know that Isabella impersonated your maid, Ellen Price, in order to gain access to your apartment.
Rob Hunter arrived at the scene after Isabella was already inside.
He was hit in the back of the head with her gun and proceeded to fall down the staircase where he struggled to get up and was then shot in the shoulder and hit again in the back of the head until he lost consciousness. "
"He was shot after he was already unconscious."
"You were present for the shooting?"
"Yes. I already told Officer Daugherty all of this. Isabella was trying to stage a scenario that made it look like I was the one that was behind James' shooting."
Detective Lee scanned his notes. "Officer Daugherty must have left that out of the notes. Or maybe I'm missing a page. I'll give him a call this afternoon. Isabella is currently being questioned by him at the precinct. For now, could you just run through said scenario again for me real quick?"