Chapter 9 #2
For the life of her, she couldn’t come up with a pithy comment or an insult that would put things back on track. The strain of trying to think of something—anything—she could say to break the silence that hung between them like a living, breathing being was killing her.
What did it mean that he was bringing her home with him?
Was it really about concern for her safety, or did he want a repeat performance of the night before?
If he did, would she be willing? She released a deep, rattling breath, trying to calm her rampaging nerves.
Even knowing it was a huge mistake to get more involved with a man who still pined for his ex-girlfriend, she couldn’t help but wish the intense attraction she felt toward him might one day be reciprocated.
Since her head was about to explode from overthinking this situation, she should’ve been relieved when Grant finally pulled into the driveway at Janey’s place. But now that they’d arrived, she couldn’t seem to move.
He solved the problem for her by leaping from the car and jogging around to her side. When he opened the door, the wind and rain required her immediate attention. Grant tugged the hood up over her head and reached for her hand. “Come on!”
Propelled by him pulling her along, Stephanie followed him into the house even though everything in her resisted the powerful force that drew her to him.
Inside, he helped her out of the wet jacket and told her to stay put for a minute.
With tension vibrating through her, she linked and unlinked her fingers, waiting to see what he would say or do.
When he struck a match, she startled from the sound and the sudden flash of light in the inky darkness. He bent and used the match to ignite the wood in the fireplace, sending a cozy glow over the small room. Fabulous.
“That’s better than the dark,” he said as he turned to her.
The sight of him in the firelight—tall, dark, lanky, elegant in a fully masculine way—stole the breath from her lungs.
Her face heated with shame and dismay and lust. Mostly lust. She licked her lips and tried to force the memories from last night from her mind, but all she could see was how that fine body had looked without the bulky sweater and damp jeans.
She’d never known a more perfectly beautiful man, and she had no idea how she’d resist him if he wanted a repeat of last night.
Janey helped Mac get Maddie cleaned up and into a fresh nightgown.
They layered the bed with towels and blankets and got Maddie settled.
Her contractions were about seven minutes apart and growing more intense.
Janey could tell her brother was working overtime to hide his panic from his wife.
Since her own hands were shakier than usual, Janey could only imagine how Mac and Maddie must be feeling.
“I need to run downstairs for a quick second, but I’ll be right back,” Janey said.
“See if you can find out what’s keeping Victoria,” Mac said as he wiped Maddie’s face with a cool washcloth in the aftermath of a contraction.
“I will.”
Janey dashed down the stairs and signaled for Joe to join her in the kitchen.
“How is she?” he asked.
“Not great. She’s in a lot of pain, and it’s happening really fast.”
“Jesus.” He glanced at the stairs, tension pulsing in his jaw. “It’s so early . . . The baby . . .”
“I need to tell you something.”
That brought his attention back to her. “What?”
“David called me the day before the wedding.” She referred to her ex-fiancé, the man she’d been with for thirteen years until she caught him in bed with another woman. She and Joe had married on the day that had once been intended for her wedding to David.
Joe’s face went slack with shock. “Okay . . .”
“He knew we were getting married, and he wanted to wish me well.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it didn’t matter. It was a two-minute conversation.”
“I’m surprised you took the call,” he said, trying—and failing—to hide his annoyance.
She went up on tiptoes to kiss the pout off his lips. “I took the call because it came from a local number I didn’t recognize.” That seemed to appease her new husband—somewhat.
“Why’re you telling me this now?”
“Because he’s here—on the island for a few days visiting his mother. I want to call him. To help Maddie.”
“Do it,” Joe said without hesitation.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I am. He’s a goddamned doctor, and we need a goddamned doctor. Get him the hell over here.”
Janey smiled and kissed him again, hoping to remind him of who owned her heart. “Do you promise not to punch him?” she asked, referring to how he’d reacted to David’s infidelity.
“Only if he behaves and doesn’t say or do anything to provoke me.”
“What would count as provoking?” she asked in a teasing tone. “Saying hello, perhaps?” That’s all it had taken from David to send Joe over the edge after witnessing Janey’s despair at her fiancé’s deception.
Joe scowled at her. “Make the call, Mrs. C, and stop trying to provoke me so you can have make-up sex later.”
Laughing at his stormy expression, she withdrew her cell phone from her pocket. “Why don’t you go check on Mac or something?”
“That’s okay.” He crossed his arms and sent her a mulish look. “I’ll stay.”
Janey rolled her eyes at him. Her normally low-key husband turned into a jealous fool whenever David Lawrence’s name was mentioned. “Hi, David, it’s Janey.”
“Why do you still have him on speed dial?” Joe whispered.
Janey held him off with a hand to his chest.
“Janey,” David said, sounding surprised to hear from her. “I thought you’d be on your honeymoon.”
“It’s been delayed due to the storm. I know I have no right to ask you for anything—”
“What do you need?”
“My sister-in-law Maddie is in labor, and Cal Maitland is off-island. Victoria, the nurse midwife, is on her way, but the baby . . . It’s two months early. We need a doctor, David.”
“Where are you?”
She gave him Mac’s address on Sweet Meadow Farm Road.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Thank you so much.” She closed the phone and looked up at Joe. “He’s coming.”
“Good. So why do you still have him on speed dial?”