by Dani Wade
“Is everybody okay?” Willow rushed up behind them.
Ivy stood as they all talked over each other, trying to share what they knew and offer comfort. Though Jasmine still felt a touch of panic over Auntie’s condition, it was better with both of her sisters here. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Royce standing to the side, watching them. His expression was carefully neutral. With a quick squeeze of her sisters’ arms, she walked over to where he stood.
“Thank you so much for bringing me here. I didn’t intend to disrupt your day.”
A slight frown snuck across his face, but wasn’t there long enough for Jasmine to figure out what it meant. Ivy appeared at her elbow with a blinking Rosie. Jasmine smiled at the little girl and got a crooked grin in return. Taking her into her arms, Jasmine hugged her close for a moment. Then she turned her focus back to Royce. She definitely noticed how his gaze had settled directly on her, avoiding Rosie completely.
Without thought, she softly asked, “Why would your mother leave you alone?”
For a brief second, she saw a flash of pain in his expression that was so intense it took Jasmine back to the days and weeks right after her parents had been killed in the car accident. But within the space of a blink, the emotion disappeared. Had she imagined it? When he dropped his gaze to Rosie, it made her wonder.
Then a nurse called from behind him, “King family?”
Recognizing Auntie’s last name, she handed Rosie over to Willow and rushed to the edge of the waiting area. But the nurse wasn’t very helpful, and Jasmine found herself returning with a clipboard in her hand.
“What did she say?” Willow demanded.
Jasmine shook her head, blinking so tears wouldn’t well up in her eyes. “Just that they were waiting to take her to X-ray, and in the meantime they needed this paperwork filled out.”
Seven
Royce shifted uncomfortably as he watched Jasmine blink before looking at her sisters. He remembered the many brave faces he’d put on with no one there to take notice except his mother. Turning away from the reminder, he took a seat across from Jasmine’s sisters in the waiting room.
Jasmine settled into a chair and started on the paperwork. Her sisters studied him with varying degrees of interest.
“Is there a problem, ladies?” he finally asked.
“Why didn’t Jasmine take a cab?” Willow asked.
“It would have taken too long.”
“One of us could have picked her up,” Willow said.
This felt a little like a what-are-your-intentions interrogation, not that he had any experience with those. Or with anything in this situation, really. Long-fallow instincts had kicked in when he’d seen Jasmine in need, overriding his usual laser focus on business.
“That would have taken even longer,” he said, attempting to soften his clipped tone since they were just trying to look out for their sister. “Besides, my mother wouldn’t have appreciated me leaving a lady high and dry.”
The two women shared a look, one that should have made him very suspicious. But, like all good businessmen, Royce held his tongue. He knew better than to give them extra ammunition, especially when he wasn’t sure what the bullet was actually made of in this instance.
Suddenly both women glanced down. Following their gaze, he took in how Rosie was snuggled up against Ivy. Her eyelids drooped. He could see the softening effect the little cutie had on Ivy and Willow, and even felt an echo deep inside himself. He hadn’t dealt with so many emotions since his mother died.
Was it being in this place? The same hospital where they’d spent her last days? Or was it these women? Seeing their interactions, how they cared for each other, he found it fascinating. A little scary, too. Being the focus of their attention wasn’t comfortable at all.
Like his mother, they seemed to be able to see past the front he presented to the world to the actual man beneath. He could almost feel the crack in his protective wall. He wasn’t very comfortable with that.
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave.
He reached out one hand to rub it gently against Rosie’s chubby, flushed cheek. “She feels a little feverish.”
“She’s been teething,” Ivy explained. “Which means she’s often fussy and not sleeping well, poor thing.”
“Poor Mama,” Willow added, giving the little girl a loving look. “I don’t think Jasmine’s had a full night’s sleep in days.”
Which explained why Rosie was so tired today. But Royce knew absolutely nothing about babies and teething, so he switched subjects. Anything to distract himself from the memories whirling through his mind. “So, what do you ladies do for a living?” he asked, even though Jasmine had already told him the answer.
Willow jumped in easily. “I teach history at the community college.”
Royce nodded. “Any specialties?”
“American and local history. When you’re descended from a pirate family, you can’t help but immerse yourself in Savannah’s colorful past.”
“I’d imagine.” Somehow he wasn’t surprised to find Jasmine had some pirate blood in her. She certainly drove a hard bargain to get exactly what she wanted.
Ivy filled the pause. “I’m the executive assistant to Paxton McLemore.”
That was interesting. “Intense guy to work for, isn’t he?”
“At times, but I love it. Challenging but enjoyable.”
Obviously they were a family of very smart women who were very good at standing on their own two feet, making their way in the world after losing their parents. He could relate. Impressive.
But, unlike him, they weren’t focused only on making money. He thought over all the charitable causes for which Jasmine had coordinated events. The dossier his assistant had put together had been more than impressive.
As she rose and crossed the room to return the clipboard to a woman behind the desk, he couldn’t help but think of all she’d dealt with at home while she’d been pulling off those events. Unlike Royce, she didn’t go home, put up her feet and catch up on her rest after a hard day’s work.
No, she worked just as hard at home. If not harder. She kept her family together and fed. Took on the role of mother. And apparently offered hands-on help to the charity she’d chosen to support with his event.
Her life had turned out very differently from his.
The women across from him went suddenly silent. Royce followed their gaze to see Jasmine slowly approach from across the room. Before he knew it, her sisters were on their feet.
Royce watched the baby pass from sister to sister with a kind of bewilderment and an incredible calm. Until inevitably the baby was passed to him, and he found himself standing alone in the waiting room with the child snuggled carefully in the crook of his arm. He watched as the girls disappeared around a column and joined their sister.
He glanced down at the baby now in his arms. She was so small. Yet when she was awake and her eyes were open, that small body came alive with personality. Even at her young age.
As Jasmine turned back toward the hall, the child gave a shuddering breath, evoking sympathy for how miserable she must be at the moment. She probably wished she was home in her own bed instead of being carried around a noisy hospital waiting room.
Though he knew she couldn’t have heard it from where she stood, Jasmine froze. Then she whipped her head around to survey her sisters. “Where’s Rosie?”
As if passing the buck, both women pointed in his direction. Jasmine’s eyes went wide with shock. But as she glanced down to see Rosie still sleeping, the tears that she’d held back earlier finally overflowed.
* * *
As the women before him sniffled and hugged each other, Royce moved closer to stand outside their circle with the baby nestled in his arms. For a brief moment, something akin to panic welled up in
Royce’s chest. A feeling he hadn’t experienced since he’d first realized he was completely alone in the world. As if these people he barely knew had abandoned him.
Crazy.
A noise caught his attention. He glanced down, meeting wide dark eyes. The one difference between Rosie and Jasmine. The baby’s eyes were dark and oddly wise. But beautiful. Compelling. Royce found himself as mesmerized as he’d been by his first glimpse of her mother’s bright blue eyes.
Suddenly he realized that he was bouncing the baby slightly. It was a rhythm entirely seated in his bones, natural but unfamiliar. And he couldn’t stop.
“King?” a nurse called from across the room. “The King family?” He looked up.
The women before him seemed completely oblivious. Stepping closer, he adopted a firm, no-nonsense tone. “Ladies, let’s go see what the nurse has to say.”
Immediately their tears stopped and they started across the room. “Purses,” he reminded them.
They paused to rapidly scoop up all their stuff, then he ushered them across the carpeted floor to the staff member. She smiled, as if she were completely used to such a delay. He’d watched enough waiting room drama when his mother was sick to know she probably was.
Jasmine shifted impatiently as the nurse waited for all the sisters to gather around her. Then she said, “I wanted to assure you it’s just a sprain...” She glanced around, meeting everyone’s gaze. “It’s a bad one, though. The doctor can explain more, if one of you would like to come back and speak with him.”
“You, Jasmine,” Willow said. “You’ll remember more of the details than I will.”
The nurse nodded, but Royce stepped forward. He kept his voice low, but firm. “Is there any possibility we could all go back with you? I realize the rooms are small, but the little one isn’t going to do well without her mother.”
The nurse took one look at Rosie and Royce could see her refusal melt on her tongue. “Poor baby. Is it a fever?”
“Just a low-grade one,” Jasmine rushed in to answer. “From teething. She isn’t sick.”
“Oh, but that makes babies miserable, doesn’t it?” The nurse cooed at Rosie for a few moments, gaining a gummy grin; Royce spotted just a hint of a tooth breaking the front skin. “Of course you need to be with your mama.” Some semblance of a stern look returned to the nurse’s face, but it lacked conviction. “But if it gets full in there, you’ll have to wait across the hall.”
“Not a problem,” Royce said, eager to go now that he’d gotten his way.
The last thing he wanted was to split up the three women or find himself alone with the baby in his arms, which seemed to be drawing out all kinds of emotions he didn’t want to handle.
Rosie was really good while they met with the doctor and received his instructions. After all of his experiences with his own mother, Royce knew that physical therapy wouldn’t be easy for Auntie, but would be worth it for her to get fully back on her feet at her advanced age.
The half-jiggling, half-bouncing motion Royce’s body had adopted worked wonders, but before long a little whimper erupted. A streak of panic burned through Royce, but he refused to let it show.
It almost slipped through when he found the women watching him. Royce had an uncomfortable feeling they were finally evaluating his child-holding skills and finding him lacking.
“What?” he asked in a soft tone.
“Aren’t you the guy Jasmine said didn’t care about anything but business?” Ivy’s blue eyes dropped to the baby in his arms.
He wasn’t offended. “I’d say that would be an accurate description.” Did he owe them an explanation? Did he even have one for why he was here right this moment?
* * *
As they stood around the tiny cubicle where Auntie lay in the hospital bed, Willow dug into the diaper bag she held. “Here,” she said, holding out a ring-shaped toy. “Let’s try this. Want me to take her?”
Royce took the toy but shook his head. “Actually, I want you to go get your car and pull it around to the entrance.”
Willow glanced around. “But they haven’t discharged Auntie yet.”
“I’ll help your sisters take care of that,” Royce assured her. “You just bring the car around.”
Willow nodded uncertainly, then kissed Auntie and went for the car.
Jasmine watched her go. “Why is she getting the car so early?”
“Because we’re leaving,” Royce assured her. “I want you to get Auntie dressed.”
When she opened her mouth to question him, Royce simply shook his head. “Just do it.”
Turning away, he went to find the nurse at her station. She watched him struggle with the now squirming baby; her teething ring was no longer keeping her occupied. “I know you have a lot going on around here,” he said, “but we need to get this one home before we have a full-blown scene.”
His only knowledge of babies was of them crying in restaurants and stores. He had no idea what would set Rosie off, but he’d use her to their advantage in getting Auntie released sooner.
The nurse cooed at Rosie, nodding her head. So at least he was right in one sense.
“I have my hands full with the ladies...all the ladies,” he said with a smile. “Could you possibly help us out and get Ms. King released before things go downhill?”
Seeing the nurse snap into action, Royce had to wonder how much more he could accomplish in life if he had a baby as his wingman.
Less than twenty minutes later they were headed for the car. It was unprecedented in Royce’s experience with hospitals, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Willow was right up front, waiting for them.
The nurse who had wheeled Ms. King out got her settled into the front passenger seat with minimal effort while Jasmine supervised. Then Jasmine turned to look at him. She shook her head. “I can’t believe you managed that.” A gorgeous touch of pink lit up her pale cheeks. “And managed Rosie. That was incredible.”
“Only to be thwarted by something as simple as a child’s car seat,” he replied as he nodded toward the contraption in the back seat.
Jasmine’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Right. These things look way more complicated than they are. After all you’ve done, though, I think we’ll overlook your shortcomings on that score,” she said, taking the baby from him.
There was the sassy woman he’d come to know.
In two minutes, she had Rosie deftly strapped in and content with her pacifier. Closing the door, Jasmine again gifted him with a smile. Maybe he was tired after the morning drama. Maybe he was still feeling the effects from holding the tiny, innocent child in his arms. Whatever it was, this smile snuck through his usual defenses and hit his heart with unerring accuracy.
“I still don’t know how you managed it,” Jasmine said. “I was so focused on Auntie and my sisters and taking care of them. But we are very, very grateful.”
And that’s when he stupidly ran off at the mouth before thinking. “I’m glad to know all of my experience came in handy. My mother had a very long stay at this hospital before she died here.”
Eight
Jasmine sucked in a deep breath as she saw Royce slip through the coffee shop door. Her stomach churned, forcing her to leave her café au lait untouched. She had no idea how to act after their last encounter.
No idea how to return to business as usual.
The week he had been out of town since Auntie’s fall should have helped give her some perspective. Frankly, it hadn’t. Because her thoughts of Royce had turned very personal and she had no idea how to combat that. Except to only talk about business.
She could do that, right?
But his smile as he sat down wasn’t business as usual. It sped her heart up a little...okay, more than a little. This wasn’t right.
She glared at the green ring sparkling in the sunlight for a moment.
“Everything okay?” Royce asked as he sat down with his coffee.
“Sure,” Jasmine said, consciously forcing herself to relax. “I appreciate you coming.”
Reaching down, she pulled several small poster boards from her bag. “I’ve put together some visuals for you to see what the decorator is suggesting.”
“I’m amazed you’re only letting me view pictures, rather than insisting I attend an actual meeting with her.”
Jasmine froze for a moment. Was he complaining because she’d excluded him? “Well, with you out of town, then her going out of town, I just thought this might be easier.”
To her shock, his hand lightly covered one of hers. “It’s okay, Jasmine. I’m just teasing you.”
“Teasing me?” She almost swallowed her tongue, because teasing had never been on Royce’s agenda.
“Yes,” he said, drawing the word out. “After all, you’ve stuck to your stipulation that I attend every planning meeting pretty hard. I can’t believe you’re letting me slide on this one...”
Feeling like she’d stepped into an alternate reality, one that tempted her with the idea that Royce might actually be human after all, she grinned. “Well, everyone should get time off for good behavior.”
His laugh rang out, startling her. The sound was oh, so sexy. Over his shoulder, she saw several patrons glance their way, most grinning in response to his amusement. Only one didn’t seem amused, a rather dour, expensively dressed man at a choice table by the window overlooking the river.
Jasmine would rather focus on the man opening up right in front of her.
She pointed out the various options depicted in the photographs. The dark purple-and-black color scheme was her favorite, with highlights of white and bright red. The elaborate table schemes included taper candles and crystals to mimic the chandeliers. Lots of rich fabric and sparkling highlights.
Event planning was her passion, so she could have gone on forever, but noticed the minute Royce’s gaze started to glaze over. “Okay,” she conceded, “I think I’ve tortured you enough.”