Waiting for Devon

by Dee Stewart

  “Devon had every right to hate me, and for a while she did. But look at us now. We’re close friends and colleagues. A year ago, I never imagined we’d be here. You’re the father of her baby, and she’s in love with you. Everything will work out, I promise. Though why she loves you is still a mystery to me.” Jack couldn’t resist a barb.

  “Watch it, Jack. One more round and I would have knocked you out.”

  “Dream on, Cowboy.”

  After a smooth four-hour flight, Jack pulled into the driveway of Devon’s Victorian toward one o’clock in the afternoon. Reed stared at the structure and remarked, “It looks exactly like Devon described it.”

  “She always talked about owning a Victorian while we were married. Come on. Let’s get you settled before I head to the hospital to check on her.”

  Jack dreaded seeing Devon, not knowing how he was going to explain his black eyes, broken nose, cuts and bruises and split lip. He also had a few cracked ribs that hurt like hell when he breathed or moved the wrong way. His only consolation was that Reed looked and felt as badly as he did. Damn, it was a good fight!

  Devon lay propped against the pillows, awake and alert and exulted to see Jack when he visited her hospital room. “Jack! Where have you been the past two days? I have good news. Dr. Warren said my last ultrasound showed the danger has passed for now. I still have to remain on bedrest, of course, but the baby is going to be fine. For goodness’ sake, why are you wearing those dark sunglasses?”

  Wincing from pain, Jack carefully removed his sunglasses. “Don’t judge.”

  “What in the world happened to you?”

  “I took a dive face first onto the sidewalk outside your house.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah. I’ll be all right. I’m really happy to hear your good news.” He lowered himself into the chair next to the bed and grimaced.

  “I thought I had scared you away.”

  “Devon, you could breathe fire and it wouldn’t scare me away.”

  She smiled and reached for one of his hands. Noticing the bruises, her smile faded and she frowned. “Jack Taylor, tell me the truth. You got into a fight with someone.”

  “It’s no big deal. You know that fight club down in the warehouse district? I treated one of the fighters in the ER, and he invited me to a match. I needed to blow off some steam.”

  “Don’t ever do that again. There are other far less dangerous ways to blow off steam,” Devon chided.

  Jack brought her hand up to his lips. “I haven’t had sex in a really, really long time,” he murmured.

  “Huh. Seems like I remember you accusing me of that not too long ago.”

  “Very ungentlemanly of me. I’m sorry.”

  “Have I told you lately how grateful I am for your friendship?”

  “No. But you don’t need to. I’m the one who’s grateful to be this close to you again.” He rose to his feet and gasped a little. “Not gonna lie. My ribs are killing me.”

  “Go home and get some rest, Jack.”

  He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “You, too. I’ll check on you later.”

  Jack let himself into Devon’s house. He sank onto the sofa and emitted a soft groan.

  “Hurts like a bitch, right?” Reed asked as he shuffled from the kitchen and sat in a rocker-recliner adjacent to the sofa.

  “You pack a wallop, Barrington.” Jack leaned back and closed his eyes.

  “So do you. Hungry?”

  “Yeah. You cooked?”

  “Nothing too fancy. A pot of spaghetti and garlic bread.”

  Both struggled to their feet and laughed a little at each other.

  “I hate you, Barrington,” Jack said, his voice amiable. “Don’t think you can weasel your way into my good graces just because you cooked dinner.”

  “I don’t give a damn about trying to get on your good side. For the record, I hate you more, Taylor.” Reed flashed him a crooked grin.

  Jack set two bottles of beer on the kitchen table as Reed served the spaghetti and garlic bread. They gingerly took bites of the food, babying their sore mouths.

  Halfway through their meal, Reed asked in a quiet tone of voice, “How’s Devon?”

  “She’s much better than when I left her two days ago. Her spirits are good, and she’s out of danger for the time being.”

  “Can I see her?”

  “I’ll sneak you into her room later tonight when she’s asleep. I still think it’s best if you remain a secret until she’s released from the hospital.”

  “Any idea when she’ll be released?”

  “In a few more days. Christmas Eve.”

  “A night for miracles.” Reed looked down at his plate. “I’m going to need one.”

  “You’re not kidding. But I suspect Devon will take one look at you and forgive and forget your stupidity.”

  “We make quite a pair, Taylor. Dumb and dumber.”

  “You’re dumber, by the way.”

  They clinked their beer bottles.

  Devon’s charge nurse, who worked the night shift, admonished Reed and Jack in no uncertain terms not to disturb her patient. Jack turned on the charm, practically guaranteeing the nurse a date if she kept their presence a secret. The pretty brunette blushed and offered him a coy smile. Reed guessed she’d force Jack into it. He recalled Blair forcing him into a date with Lara and snickered.

  Jack checked Devon’s chart and left Reed alone in the room with her. Reed sat in the chair next to the bed and watched her sleep. Dark circles under her eyes attested to her recent ordeal. Hot shame and regret washed through him, depriving him of his breath. Tears burned in his eyes. He had done her wrong, breaking faith with her time and again. During most of their relationship he’d sent her mixed signals, desiring her one moment and pushing her away the next. It’s little wonder she fell in love with him at all, let alone feel safe and secure enough to confide in him. Now that he had time to consider it, he never acted as if she could trust him. Quite the opposite, in fact. Blaming her for not trusting him or giving him a chance to prove his love was an excuse for his own failure as a man.

  Even worse, Reed acknowledged to himself that he had manipulated her into making love with him instead of waiting to win her trust. He never told her that one night with her changed his life. It spoiled other women for him. Though he had started dating indiscriminately, he didn’t sleep with any of those women. He couldn’t. Reed’s heart lay with only one woman. Devon.

  Too scared of touching her and rousing her, Reed lowered his head and whispered close to her ear, “I’m here, Devon. My love. My heart. Forgive me for being the Devil’s own fool. If anything happens to you or our baby, I won’t be able to live with myself.”

  Images of Devon in that tin shack and at the mercy of Digger Sharpe flashed in his mind. What an asshole he’d been. He’d been frightened out of his wits when Jack came to the ranch to tell them she was missing. Instead of raising hell to find her, he allowed Jack to be his voice. Fuck. He deserved the ass-kicking Jack had given him.

  “I promise from now on I’m going to be the man you need and want. I’ll sacrifice everything for you and our baby. I’m at your mercy, Devon. Scream at me. Hit me. Call me names. I can take it. I won’t abandon you again. And I will spend the rest of my life proving that you can trust me and that I am worthy of your love.”

  It might have been his imagination or a trick of the dim light in the hospital room, but Reed swore Devon smiled at him.

  Chapter Twenty

  Dr. Warren thrilled Devon when she announced her release on Christmas Eve. “Now, Devon,” she began in a serious tone. “You’re going to need help. You can get up long enough to take a shower and use the bathroom, but regular physical activity such as housework and cooking are out of the question. I won’t release you until you have a plan in place.”

  “My sister will be staying with me until after the first of the year, and then…”

  “I’ve got it covered,” Jack interrupted. “Y
ou don’t need to worry, Dr. Warren. Devon will be well cared for, I assure you.”

  They spoke for a few more minutes before Dr. Warren left the hospital room. Devon turned to Jack with brows raised in suspicion. “What have you done now, Jack?”

  “Just what I said. I’ve made arrangements for you to be taken care of, so all you need to do is rest and concentrate on having a healthy baby.”

  It grew dark as Jack drove Devon home from the hospital. For her convenience he’d built a ramp leading up to her porch. She leaned on him as they stepped into the house. Inside, a warm blaze crackled invitingly in the fireplace as lights twinkled on the Christmas tree. Incredible smells coming from the kitchen wafted through the house. Devon’s mouth watered. During the past nine days, she’d grown weary of hospital food. Peace and comfort surrounded her.

  As Jack settled her on the sofa, she said, “You and Emmaline have outdone yourselves.” She glanced at the number of gifts under the Christmas tree. “Thank you for doing the rest of my Christmas shopping. Are Caleb, Robin, and the kids still planning on coming tomorrow?”

  “Yes. Caleb said their flight lands around four o’clock.” Jack touched her shoulder. “I think it’s time to give you one of my Christmas presents. Look.” He pointed toward the shadowy entrance to the kitchen.

  Reed stepped into the light cast by the fire and the Christmas tree. “Merry Christmas, my love,” he greeted her in a soft, expectant voice.

  Their gazes locked and held. A painful lump rose in Devon’s throat, and hot tears stung her eyes. She couldn’t breathe. Images of the last time she saw Reed flooded her mind. She would never forget the expression on his face when he rejected her.

  Jack’s hand was still on her shoulder, and she reached for it. Her stomach clenched with a soul-searing sickness. “Jack,” she whispered.

  He squeezed her shoulder. “Talk to Reed. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He and Reed shared a meaningful look.

  Reed joined Devon on the sofa and gazed with yearning into her eyes. Silence descended between them as she drew a deep breath and steeled herself. She wasn’t going to make this reunion easy for him.

  “Why? Why are you here now after all this time?”

  “Jack came to see me. He told me you were pregnant and in danger of losing the baby.”

  “Well, that explains his battered face and broken ribs. I hope he gave as good as he got. So, are you here out of pity or obligation or what?”

  “None of the above. And, yes, if it makes you feel better, he beat the hell outta me.” Reed studied her face. “Why didn’t you tell me you were carrying our child?”

  “I didn’t see the point. Blair told me you didn’t even bother to read the letter I left for you.”

  “That is the point. You left. You didn’t trust me enough to handle the truth. You didn’t trust in my feelings for you. Above all, you knew I’m not the type of man who gives his love lightly. When I said I loved you, I meant it.” At the hard look she shot him, he continued, “And I accept full responsibility for that. I never made it clear I trusted you or gave you a reason to believe in me.”

  Reed tilted her chin toward him. “Now, be honest with me. Why didn’t you tell me about the baby?”

  Devon lowered her eyes and covered her belly in a protective gesture. “Because I was afraid and I still am. I’m afraid I won’t be able to carry this baby to term. If I lost it, it would be my loss to bear and not yours. I saw firsthand what losing his child did to Jack. I lost my husband and my child all at once. I couldn’t go through that kind of pain again.”

  Reed took Devon’s hands in his. “I’m not Jack. If you had been married to me, Doc, I never would have abandoned you. Now you’re carrying my baby. You can start over. With me. I won’t leave you. I love you. I love you with my entire heart and soul. And I am begging you to forgive me.”

  Tears streamed down Devon’s cheeks, and she withdrew her hands from his. “You didn’t care when I’d been kidnapped. I watched Digger Sharpe murder Harry and Smitty in cold blood in front of me, and you didn’t care. He planned to do horrible things to me, and you didn’t care. Why should I forgive you? Why should I even love you?”

  Shock and regret darkened Reed’s sapphire eyes. He rose to his feet and ran a hand through his golden hair. Without warning, he dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist. He laid his cheek against her rounded belly and cried. His tears soaked her blouse, and his body shook.

  Devon’s heart broke with love for him. She caressed his head and slipped off the sofa and into his arms. They cried together and murmured fierce words of love and comfort.

  “Oh, God, Doc!” he mumbled against her neck. “I did care! I was frantic with worry. I swear I won’t ever fail you again. I won’t fail you or our child. Please, please forgive me.”

  “I love you, Reed,” she sobbed. “I love you and I forgive you. God help me, I’m in love with you. Do you forgive me, too?”

  “You don’t even need to ask.”

  Months of separation, longing, and desire exploded in a fiery kiss. Their mouths clung together. Reed kissed her hard, demanding everything and promising even more, assuring her of his love for her and their baby. They sat on the floor for a long while, entwined in each other’s arms, kissing and connecting on a deeper level than they had before.

  As Devon reclined in his arms, Reed murmured in a husky voice, “Marry me, Doc.”

  She let out a half sob, half laugh. “So, I’m going to be a Barrington bride after all.”

  “Is that a yes?” He pressed a kiss against her temple.

  “That is a hell yes.” She brought his head down to meet her upturned lips, kissing him with gentle and tender passion.

  When he lifted his head, he said, “Good.” Reed reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black velvet box. “Go ahead. Open it.”

  Devon opened the box and gasped in delight. Inside lay an exquisite princess-cut diamond ring. “It’s lovely.” Meeting his eyes, she couldn’t resist teasing him. “Awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you, Barrington?”

  Reed slipped the ring onto her finger. “Uh, no. I prayed extra hard for a Christmas Eve miracle tonight.” He brought her hand up to his lips. “I don’t want to wait to get married. Is New Year’s Eve too soon?”

  She shook her head. “No. It’s perfect. A new beginning, a new year, and a new life.” Devon hesitated as she stared into his beloved face. “This is my second marriage, but it’s your first. Don’t you want to get married in a church with your family and friends present?”

  “And six bridesmaids and groomsmen, a flower girl, ring bearer, and a twelve-piece orchestra? Of course, I do,” he teased.

  “I’m serious, Reed.”

  “So am I. I’ll tell you what we’ll do. After the baby is born in June, we’ll have a second wedding in Dallas. How does that sound?”

  “Wonderful.”

  “Afterward, I’ll take you around the world, if that’s what you want.” Reed kissed the palm of Devon’s hand. “I’ll give you the world, Doc, because you’ve given the world to me.”

  “Not true,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She took his hand and placed it on her gently rounded abdomen. “You gave it to me first.”

  “God, I love you. From the moment I saw you.”

  As they kissed this time, Reed’s hands wandered over Devon’s body. “Hey, Doc, is sex totally off the table?” When she grew still in his arms, he tipped her face up to his. “I didn’t sleep with anyone else while we were separated. I swear.”

  “I believe you.” She cupped his face. “Traditional sex is off limits, but…”

  Reed groaned and helped her to her feet before he swept her into his arms and carried her into the master bedroom.

  Jack amused Devon and Reed when he insisted on planning their New Year’s Eve nuptials himself. He arranged for a minister to perform the ceremony at seven o’clock, hired a cheesy wedding singer, ordered poinsettias to adorn the living room, and beautiful b
ouquets for Devon and Emmaline to carry, along with boutonnieres for himself and Reed. Jack also hired a caterer to provide the food and a wedding cake.

  The three of them laughed at the irony of Jack serving as Reed’s best man. Though Reed had called his family to let them know he and Devon were getting married, the Barringtons agreed not to overwhelm his fiancée in her delicate condition. The few guests included Devon’s family, Jill, and other close colleagues from the hospital. Jill came early to help set up everything, and Devon noticed how she and Jack flirted with each other.

  Reed came up behind Devon and rested his chin on her shoulder. He heard the flirty banter between Jack and Jill and smiled. “I’ll be damned.”

  “They’re good together. I hope it works out for them.”

  An hour before the ceremony Emmaline helped Devon into her strapless, white sarong-styled wedding dress. She curled her sister’s hair and swept it into a fancy updo with baby’s breath. In a touching gesture, Blair had sent her mother’s string of pearls with matching earrings for Devon to wear.

  As the sisters studied Devon’s reflection in a cheval mirror, Emmaline gripped her shoulders. “Happy?”

  “Blessedly so. I finally feel whole. I just hope and pray my baby survives.”

  “It will. Well, are you ready?”

  Devon smiled at her sister. “Oh, yes, I’m ready.”

  Jack insisted on walking Devon from her bedroom to the living room to prove he honored her love for Reed. Six months ago, she never could have foreseen this in her future. Jack kissed her on the cheek, whispered, “Be happy,” and placed her hand in Reed’s.

  Trembling with joy, she and Reed repeated their traditional wedding vows in clear voices, promising to love and cherish each other all the days of their lives. When the minister pronounced them husband and wife and told Reed he may kiss his bride, Reed’s mouth captured Devon’s in a tender but deep melding of their lips.

  As he lifted his head, he whispered for her ears only, “I will never abandon you, my love. If death ever separates us, I will come to claim you. I promise.”