Book 9 Time for Love #3
David stops Joe from running after them into the room where the procedure will take place.
“We’re going to do a C-section and take the baby.
If we don’t, we could lose them both. I need you to know…
If I can’t stop the bleeding, there’s a chance I may have to perform a hysterectomy. Do you understand?”
Joe’s face is white with shock, and his shirt, arms and hands are stained with blood as he nods to indicate his understanding of the situation.
“I’ll tell you what’s going on as soon as I know anything.
” David starts toward the double doors that lead to the exam rooms. “David!” David spins around to face the man who’d once been his rival and is now his ally in wanting to save the woman they both love.
“If it’s a choice, save Janey.” Joe chokes on a sob.
“Please, save Janey.” David nods and takes off running.
David delivers Janey’s son and passes him off to the Life Flight paramedics and doctor.
He works frantically to stabilize Janey so she can be transported with her son.
After both patients depart on the chopper, David is overwhelmed with emotion.
He locks himself in his office and tries to process everything that happened.
He realizes he left Daisy at Mac and Maddie’s without so much as a thought and goes to find her.
At her house, the door is open and her house has been trashed, but thankfully, she’s not there.
He rushes to Mac and Maddie’s and professes his love to her.
Daisy tells him she loves him, too. They find out that Truck Henry has been released from prison.
David takes Daisy home with him while the police look for Truck.
Carolina is frustrated that her injuries keep her from traveling to meet her new grandson.
Peter Joseph “PJ” Cantrell is named after Joe’s late father.
Carolina asks Seamus to be the baby’s grandfather, or Da, as he wishes to be called.
She suggests it would be best if PJ’s Granny and Da were married.
Since Seamus has proposed and been turned down before, Carolina proposes, and Seamus gratefully accepts.
Daisy and David return to his apartment.
After a shower, David comes into the room wearing a towel around his waist, his chest still damp, and his hair pushed back from his face.
In all the weeks she’s known him, in all the time it’s taken to become close to him, she’s never seen him look so happy.
He sits on the coffee table facing her. “I want to say something to you, and it’s going to sound absolutely insane.
But I’d really like it if you could listen to the whole thing before you tell me I’m crazy, okay? ”
Daisy loves this euphoric version of David even more than the quiet, thoughtful, caring man she’s come to know. She nods, willing to give him anything he needs.
“I’ve been walking around in a daze for two years.
It’s been like dragging my feet through quicksand, you know?
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to find my way out of it.
It wasn’t even about Janey anymore. That was over such a long time ago.
It was about me and about finding my way.
No matter what I did, I couldn’t find a way out until I found my way to you. ”
He reaches for her hands and bends his head to kiss both sets of knuckles.
“Today I realized I have a very real purpose. I’m here, on this island where I grew up, to save people who matter to me.
I saved Janey’s life. I probably saved her baby, too.
I was meant to be here so I could do that for her today.
I was meant to be here the day Chris Allston cut off his finger while trimming his bushes, and when Mrs. Murtry had an allergic reaction.
I was meant to be here to help Paul and Alex through this journey with their mother and to make it possible for them to keep her at home for as long as they can.
I was meant to be here the night Sarah Lawry showed up battered and broken, and when Hailey McCarthy came into the world blue and unresponsive. ”
Deeply moved by his words and the emotion behind them, Daisy says, “You were meant to be here the night I ended up in your clinic after Truck tried to kill me.”
“Yes, and I was meant to be with you just about every night since then. When I went to your house today and saw what he’d done, all I could think about was getting to you. The fog had lifted, the daze was gone and what matters to me—who matters to me—became very, very clear.”
She blinks back tears. “David…”
“When I said I love you, I hope you know I meant it. I didn’t say that because I’d hurt you by leaving you to take care of Janey.
” He props his head on their joined hands.
“I said it because when I realized you could’ve been hurt or worse…
All that mattered was you and being with you and protecting you and making sure no one ever hurts you again. ”
She moves onto his lap and wraps her arms around him, bringing his wet head to rest against her chest.
“Don’t take that house, Daisy. Move in here with me until we can buy our own place together. I want to wake up with you every morning and come home to you every night and… and I need you. I need you. Just you.”
She couldn’t believe what he was saying.
He looked up at her. “I need you to keep the fog away. I need you to show me the way.”
“But that house… It’s my security for the future.”
“When we buy a house together, we’ll put it in your name. If anything happens between us, you’ll keep it.”
“You can’t do that! Most of the money to buy it would be yours.”
“I want you to feel safe and secure. I want you to feel completely at home wherever we are. I don’t care what I have to do to make that happen.
I just want you with me.” He looks up at her imploringly.
“I love you, and I want to move forward with you by my side. Will you come with me and live with me and be with me?” His sweet words are punctuated by sweeter kisses.
She knows she ought to think before she leaps, but he’s offering her all the most important things. How can she say anything other than, “Yes, I’ll come with you.” Placing her hand on his face, she kisses him to seal their deal.