With that, she surprises me and picks the bottle straight up before taking a drink.
We fall into easy conversation and I find I’m having a great time. She’s always got something to say and they’re haven’t been any awkward moments between us. Makes me seriously wonder why the hell she hasn’t found a man yet.
We’re just about finished the pizza when she looks up at me. I see indecision on her face before she goes for whatever it is she’s thinking. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” I say, wondering where this is going.
“Can you tell me about Sara?”
Oh shit. My heart instantly stops. Can I tell this woman about her without completely breaking down? I’m going to have to tell her about Sara at some point, she’s a massive part of both mine and Georgie’s life, so I take a breath and go for it.
“Sara was my high school sweetheart. She transferred to my high school when I was sixteen and the second I saw her, I had to have her. She was this blonde goddess and she blew me away. I’d never met a girl like that before. Naturally, she refused to go out with me because she wanted to settle in to the school, but I wasn’t taking no for an answer.”
“I can imagine,” Gigi says, listening to my story intently.
“I have to admit, I was a bit of a ladies’ man back in high school, so she caved pretty quickly, and the rest is history. I married her as soon as I could and two years later, she fell pregnant.”
“Then you had Georgie,” she says.
“And then we had Georgie.”
“Your message said that she passed during childbirth?” she questions.
I let out a breath as the memory of that day hits me. “Yeah, Georgie went into distress and she had to have an emergency Caesarean. Georgie was born and put on Sara’s chest and she instantly fell in love with her. It was honestly the best day of my life.”
“I had gone out to tell my family that we’d had a girl and came back in to find Sara unresponsive and bleeding out. Turns out the doctor had nicked something and couldn’t find the bleed in time.”
I finish off my story and look up at her, only her eyes are down and that crease between her eyebrow is there once again. “What hospital was this at?” she questions.
“Yours,” I tell her.
Her eyes close and she looks broken. “What’s your last name?”
“Waters.”
“Shit,” she curses under her breath.
“What’s going on, Gigi?” I ask, already dreading her answer.
She looks up at me with tears in her big eyes and her heart on her sleeve. She tries to blink the tears back but all that does is make them fall. “I remember it. I was working that day,” she starts. “Sara wasn’t one of my patients but I was there at the end.”
Fuck.
I don’t know what to say. The woman I want to date was present for the worst moment in my life. She was there when I fell to my knees and screamed for my wife. She was there when I broke down into tears. She was there when I refused to look at my daughter.
I feel fucking sick.
I bring my elbows up on the table and rest my head in my hands. I honestly have no idea how to feel about this. She witnessed it all. How am I supposed to move forward from this moment? Would something like this make a relationship stronger or should I just back out now?
“Are you ok?” her soft voice asks from across the table.
I raise my head out of my hands and look at her. “I, ah… don’t know,” I tell her honestly. “I think that’s just going to take a little bit to process.”
“Right,” she says, tightening her lips and pushing herself up from the table. She makes her way around and takes a seat next to me. she sits as close as possible without actually touching me and I find it somehow puts me at ease. “I’m sorry I said anything. I just thought it would be best to be up front with you, rather than find out later.”
“No,” I say. “I’m glad you told me. I was just blindsided by it. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Me either,” she says.
“I probably should have put it together, though. You work exactly where it happened. I was stupid not to consider it.”
“No, you weren’t,” she murmurs quietly beside me. “Do you need me to go?”
My eyes flick up to her and I realize that’s the last thing I want. I turn my body to face hers and reach out. I pull her hand into both of mine and look down at them connected. Her hand is soft and welcoming in mine and I find I really like it there. “No,” I tell her and then decide if she can be up front me with, then I need to do that same for her. I look up into her eyes “I like you, Gigi, and I’m not about to pretend that dating again after Sara is easy because it’s really not.”
She nods as she takes it in. “I might be being a little presumptuous here, but in case you haven’t noticed, I kind of like you, too and I feel like something is starting here,” she tells me as she indicates to the space between us. “Maybe we could take it slow?”
I study her for a moment before releasing her hand and reaching forward. My hand twines around the back of her neck and I gently pull her towards me. Her face slowly comes towards mine and I let her see my intention, giving her the chance the pull away.
I can’t wait any longer and press my lips against her. Her lips are soft and calling me in. They instantly start moving against mine and it’s almost as if our bodies were made for each other.
I find myself getting lost in our kiss when the feeling of betrayal slams into me. I know Sara is gone and I’m not doing anything wrong, but I guess it’s just going to take a little while. I pull back from Gigi but hold her close. My hand on the back of her neck comes around to the side of her face and my thumb reaches out. It rubs against her soft lips. “Slow,” I tell her.
She nods. “Slow,” she repeats with her lips moving against my thumb.
We sit for another hour getting to know each other and I tell her all about my parents and how we lost them which makes her tear up, so I pull her into my arms the way I’ve been craving all night.
Gigi tells me about her childhood and how she became such good friends with Mel. She then goes on to tell me about all the shit with her getting a speeding ticket from Tom and how Mel has been sleeping with him every night this week.
Honestly, the fact that he was sleeping with her friend doesn’t surprise me, but that he’s gone back for more, that does. I’ll have to suss out what’s going on there.
A deathly chill starts seeping into the air and her teeth begin to chatter. It completely bums me out knowing we have no choice but to bring tonight to an end. “Can I take you home?” I ask as I grab the pizza box and jam it into the closest bin.
She’s right in the middle of taking a sip from the wine bottle when she nearly spurts it out. “I thought we were taking it slow?”
“Huh?” I grunt before realizing she thought I was asking her to come back to my place. “Oh,” I cringe. “I meant, can I drive you home?”
Her cheeks instantly flush and I can’t resist touching them. “I have my car here,” she reminds me.
Right, I knew that. “Can I walk you to it?”
“I’d love you to,” she smiles up at me.
She slips her heels back on and takes my hand. Being the perfect gentleman, I walk her back to her car but that’s as far as my gentleman tendencies go when I pull her into me and kiss her again.
The feeling of betrayal is still there, but I fear that’s something that may never go away. So I test the waters and deepen the kiss. She moans into me and it has me wanting more.
Fuck this whole going slow thing. I know it’s what I truly need to help me feel at peace with being with another woman and when it comes down to it, I’d probably stop myself, but Gigi is one hell of a sexy vixen.
I tuck her safely into her car before I bend her over the hood and show the world what I’m dying to do to her right now. She flashes those beautiful eyes at me one last time and pairs it with a breath taking smi
le before taking off.
I can’t wait to see where this goes.
Chapter 14
Sean
I drop my glass of water on the floor as I take in my daughter in her bed, gasping for breath. “Georgie,” I cry as I race to her.
This can’t be happening, not again. I scoop my child into my arms and grab her inhaler. I put it to her lips and instantly puff the Ventolin into her mouth, only she can’t get a deep enough breath to send the medicine down her throat. I pocket the inhaler, just in case.
I rush down the stairs as fast as possible. I need to find a phone. I need a damn ambulance. Now. “You’re going to be ok,” I promise my baby who cries silent tears of fear in my arms.
I frantically search around, knowing every second counts. If I don’t get her help soon, it will be too late. I can’t lose her.
I find the phone by the oven and call an ambulance as quickly as possible before throwing my phone aside to focus all my attention on my baby girl. I need to calm her down. The more she panics, the worse it’s going to get. That includes crying. If she bursts out right now, it could be over.
I try my hardest to sooth her but she can sense the panic deep within me. “It’s ok, it’s ok, baby,” I attempt to soothe. “Slow breaths. Help is nearly here,” I mentally prepare myself in case I need to start breathing for her or perform CPR.
I get myself right by the door, ready to throw it open the second the paramedics get here. I lay Georgie down knowing this is the position the paramedics would want her in and drop down to my knees beside her. I see in her eyes that she’s begging me not to let her go, but I need to be smart here. I can’t be in the way.
I consider running her up to the front gate but I’m sure the frosty night air is not going to help her right now.
I hear the sirens in the distance and I thank God that they’re nearly here. I can’t fucking stand myself right now. I had to go and get a glass of fucking water. I was gone for all of two seconds and those two seconds have cost me dearly.
The paramedics come slamming through the door with the shot ready after I explained exactly what’s happening to the phone operator. The woman does all the same shit that Gigi had done a few weeks ago before confirming it’s an asthma attack and then administers the shot.
Georgie’s throat quickly opens up, allowing her to finally take a proper breath. It’s shallow but it’s enough. Endless amounts of relief pour through me as I resist squishing her into my chest so the paramedics can get in and do their job.
I fall to the ground behind me and hang my head as the relief overwhelms me. That was way too close. The paramedics go about checking her over and get her onto the gurney before loading her into the back of the ambulance. I climb in with them and sit as close as possible to my little girl, terrified of letting go of her hand.
She spends the whole ride in the ambulance with her eyes heavily trained on mine and fear radiating out of her. I try my best to soothe her but until she’s not riding in the back of an ambulance, that’s not going to happen.
We get to the hospital in record time and she’s wheeled inside before being transferred onto a bed. As her breathing has mostly returned to normal, it takes a second for the doctor to come in. While we wait, I take my chance to pull her into my arms. “I don’t know what I would have done without you,” I murmur, more for myself.
She cries silent tears that soak into my shirt and I hold her as close as possible.
The doctor finally comes in and checks her over before demanding she stay for twenty-four hours of observation. We discuss her long-term asthma plan as it’s clearly not working. The thought of putting anything stronger in her body kills me, but if it means it will save her life then I’ll take it.
The poor child is never going to have a normal life. She’s going to be battling this until her final days. It will get easier as she grows and will be able to recognize the symptoms, but for now, I have to do everything in my power to be there for her as much as humanly possible.
The doctor says we’ll discuss the options once he’s assessed her after the twenty-four hour observation period. With that, he’s out the door and a nurse comes waltzing in. With Georgie staying in for the next day, we’re moved from the emergency room up to the pediatric ward to help clear the room in case it’s needed.
I must say, I’m pleased to be in the pediatric ward as it’s going to be a lot comfier for Georgie and also has a couch for me.
Once Georgie is comfortable in her new bed, a nurse comes and attaches her to a monitor that will keep track of her breathing. I watch as the nurse then double checks the stock in the room for all asthma medications and feel reassured by her attention to detail.
After throwing my phone away at home, I haven’t really got much in the way of entertainment, so I climb in the bed beside Georgie and turn on the tiny television in the corner of the room. I turn the volume right down so she can get some proper rest and get make myself at home.
After one of the longest nights of my life, the sun finally shines in through the window. With the morning comes the nurses shift change and I’m surprised when Gigi’s best friend, Mel, comes strutting in. She takes one look at Georgie before turning to me. “Oh, hi,” she says, a little surprised to see me here.
I give her a smile as she walks deeper into the room and checks Georgie’s chart. “Hey, Mel. How are you?” I question.
The sound of my voice has Georgie stirring in her bed. “I’m good,” she says. “Yourself?”
“Could be better,” I say as she puts the chart back and comes around to Georgie’s side to check her monitor.
“I bet,” she murmurs before looking down at Georgie. “And how are you, miss?”
“Goowd,” she says with a beaming smile. “I went in ambuwance.”
“Oh, really?” Mel gasps, making Georgie smile wide and nod her head. Mel looks back up at me with furrowed eyebrows. “Gi didn’t mention you were taking up residence in my ward.”
“Yeah, no,” I say. “It was a rush getting out of the house last night. I left my phone at home so I haven’t been able to call my family or Gigi. I’ll have to call my secretary at some point, too.”
“Oh, here,” she says, digging into her pocket and pulling out her phone. She launches it across the room at me and I pluck it out of the air. “Just make sure you give it back.”
“Are you sure?” I question.
“Yeah,” she says.
“Is this because you’re still seeing Tom and you want to be placed firmly in my good book?”
“No,” she says with a slight blush coming over her cheeks. “I don’t need to get in your good book, I’m already there.”
“Really?” I question. “How so?”
“I’m the woman looking after your little girl today and I’m in charge of your discharge papers. Not to mention, you’ve been dating my best friend for the past two weeks, so technically, you should be busting your balls to get into my good book,” she gives me a wide smile before waltzing out of the room.
I get busy on her phone and dial Cassie’s number.
“Hello,” she answers with a question in her tone.
“Cass, it’s me,” I say.
“Oh, what’s up? Where’s your phone?”
“At home,” I grunt. “Listen, Georgie’s in hospital again,” I start. She gasps but I cut off her question. “We’re here for the day. Do you reckon you guys could drop off some clothes?”
“Oh, um, sure. Is she ok?”
“She is now. She’s just here for observation now.”
“Right, ok.”
“How’s your face?”
“Fine,” she grunts. “I’ll give the boys a call and let them know what’s going on.”
“Thanks, kid.”
“No problem,” she says. “We’ll be there soon.”
She hangs up and I immediately get started on calling my secretary. I let her know about Georgie’s condition and ask her to shuffle around all my appointments. As soon
as that’s out of the way, I head out to the nurse’s station and hand Mel her phone. “Thank you so much,” I tell her before heading back in and turning the television to the kid’s channel for Georgie.
After such a long night, I settle in for an even longer day.
Cassie and her bruised face comes and goes, the theme song to Sesame Street gets stuck in my head, I choke down the awful hospital food and the sound of Georgie’s monitor beeping away gives me one hell of a nasty headache. Today couldn’t be any worse.
The doctor comes and goes but gives me nothing in the way of actually helping my daughter. Though, at this stage there isn’t a lot we can do. She’s been on every type of medication. We’re just going to have to wait out the winter and hope it sorts itself out.
It all changes the second Gigi appears in the doorway. Seeing her leaning against the door with that beautiful smile is like seeing a ray of sunshine in the deepest pits of hell. “Hi,” she whispers as she takes in Georgie fast asleep in her bed. “Mel let me know you were here.”
I pat the space beside me on the couch and she instantly comes over and falls in beside me. “You doing ok?” she asks as I put my arm over her shoulder and pull her into me.
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know,” I tell her honestly. “Sorry I didn’t tell you we were here.”
“That’s fine, I get it,” she says. “Do you mind if I check her chart?”
“Go for it,” I tell her. She gets up and crosses the room to Georgie’s bed. She grabs the chart and instantly looks it over. “I left her to get a glass of water,” I tell her. “I was gone for all of two seconds.”
Gigi gives me a sad smile. “You can’t blame yourself for this, Sean,” she tells me. “How could you have possibly seen that coming?”
“She was having asthma attacks all night. She’d already had three.”
“Stop, Sean. You’re an amazing father, anyone can see that, especially Georgie. You need to give yourself some room to breathe. You’re not Superman, you’re a regular human, just like the rest of us.”
I let out a sigh and think it over. I know deep down that she’s right, but it’s going to take a while to come to terms with it. If I hadn’t left to get a drink, I could have avoided all of it. I would have heard the change in her breathing and I would have put a stop to it before it had progressed to anything else.
Sean: Denver Royalty (Book 3) Page 10