Bachelor Protector

by Julianna Morris

  “I don’t need a doctor.”

  “That’s a lot of blood.”

  “I’m fine.” He drew a calming breath. “Mom, you can’t go near Nathan when he’s having a nightmare.”

  “I know that, but it wasn’t a nightmare. He was just restless. It cools off in the evenings, and I was pulling a blanket over him.”

  Tyler would have beat his head on the wall if hadn’t already hurt so much. “I know you haven’t seen one of his nightmares, but that’s how they start. It doesn’t matter anyway. Nathan is an expert in hand-to-hand combat and reacts instinctively when he’s disturbed. The nightmares just make it worse because mentally he’s already in danger.”

  Tyler went back into the living room and saw Nathan was thrashing around again with agitated mutters.

  Nathan had never talked about the day he’d been injured, but he seemed to relive it in his sleep. Tyler shuddered. He’d had a few dark dreams himself in the past few weeks, but his memories of trying to rescue workers in a collapsed building couldn’t compare.

  He turned around. “Don’t worry about it, Mom, go to bed. I’ll keep an eye on Nathan for the rest of the night.”

  “You’re hurt.”

  “I’m fine—it’s barely a scratch. Besides, you have work tomorrow.”

  Even as the words left his mouth, Tyler felt a renewed sense of astonishment. He’d grown up with a mother who flitted from one charity event and fund-raiser to another, not one who reported to a job each day. He still suspected she’d get tired of it, but for the moment it was convenient. And maybe it was doing her some good. He was willing to admit his first reaction may have been a mistake.

  Rosemary finally nodded. “All right. Come get me if you need anything.”

  “I’ll do that,” Tyler promised. “Sleep well.”

  After she’d ascended the staircase, he reevaluated the cut above his eye. The bleeding had stopped, but his jaw was dark where Nathan’s first blow had connected. He was probably lucky to still have all his teeth.

  Tyler started a pot of coffee in the kitchen and stood watching the restive figure on the couch. If he’d stayed home instead of going to Italy, would his brother have left rehab?

  He clenched his hands, a familiar question rising—if he’d gone into law practice with his father, would Richard Prentiss be alive today? The thought had haunted him since the funeral.

  Tyler didn’t know the answer, but for some reason he wondered what Sarah would say about it.

  It doesn’t matter, he told himself bleakly. “Might have beens” were pointless. His father was gone, but his brother was still here, and Tyler would do whatever it took to ensure that Nathan recovered.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ROSEMARY SLEPT LITTLE the rest of the night, unable to let go of what had happened.

  She’d gone downstairs to make a cup of peppermint tea, only to find Nathan on the couch again. Glimmer Creek was located fairly high in the foothills, and it was cool at night. He had seemed restless, but he’d always been a wiggly sleeper. Even as a baby it was impossible to keep him covered; he’d kicked and squirmed and ended up in the craziest positions in his crib.

  Maybe she should have realized it was a nightmare. And maybe she should have tried harder to convince him to stay at the rehab center. Yet he’d been getting jumpier, refusing to eat, every little noise making him jerk. Shortly after Tyler had left for Italy, he’d announced he was checking out. Period. End of discussion.

  An aide in General Pierson’s office had already suggested a visit to Poppy Gold Inns when Nathan was released, so she’d called and they’d helped set it up.

  Finally Rosemary got out of bed and dressed for work. The reflection in the bathroom mirror was discouraging, and she made a face. Once she’d looked pale and delicate after a sleepless night. Now she simply looked older. When had that happened? She still felt like a girl. On the inside, she was the young woman in her wedding pictures.

  In the kitchen she found Nathan dressed and sitting at the table. Tyler was setting out plates and food containers. A dark bruise had formed on his jaw and around his eye. They weren’t talking, and the tension was so thick it made her skin crawl.

  “Did you boys argue?” she asked nervously.

  Nathan squeezed her hand. “It was simply a discussion. Tyler brought up going back east again, that’s all. I’m still not interested, but he’s right that you have to stay away from me when I’m asleep, Mom. It isn’t safe.”

  “I know—I wasn’t thinking. It won’t happen again. What are you doing this morning?” she asked, anxious to change the subject.

  Nathan gulped down a mouthful of coffee. “I’m going over to the Poppy Gold greenhouses. Kurt mentioned propagating plant cuttings. I don’t know why he enjoys that stuff, but he suggested I give him a hand.”

  “He’s proud of his work. The same as Sarah. I think one of the reasons they’re close is because gardeners and bakers have so much in common.”

  “Gardeners and bakers?” Tyler echoed, and both her sons looked at her as if she was insane. She didn’t elaborate, knowing they’d probably always see her as flighty. But there was a similarity. Yeast and other leavening made baked goods rise. Water and sunlight made flowers grow. What’s more, both required creativity, and both could smell heavenly.

  Well...it might be a stretch, but it felt right.

  Or maybe she just kept trying to find a reason she wasn’t close to her own sons—a reason other than her mistakes as a mother. Having nothing in common would be comforting, because that was simply human nature.

  “It was just an idea,” Rosemary murmured.

  “Mom?” It was Tyler, holding out a cup of tea.

  “Thank you, dear.” She tried not to look too closely at his bruised face.

  The silence at the table echoed in her ears, and her few attempts at conversation were unsuccessful. She finished as quickly as possible and left for work.

  The short walk was pleasant, and she called, “Good morning,” as she went in through the back door. A chorus of greetings followed, but she didn’t linger since the crew was getting the last breakfast orders ready for delivery to Poppy Gold.

  Rosemary decided a thorough inventory of supplies was needed, so she checked, then focused on filling out purchase orders. Ordinarily Sarah left notes if she noticed any supply issues, but she was on edge, waiting for the report from the building inspector. It was a relief to sort the mail when it arrived and find an official-looking envelope from the city of Glimmer Creek.

  Rosemary hurried into the kitchen. “Sarah, I think it’s here.”

  * * *

  SARAH WENT OUTSIDE to read the information Stephen Seibert had sent, not wanting the staff to worry more than necessary. They’d heard something big might be coming and it was a concern, no matter how much she tried to be reassuring.

  The morning air was refreshing, so she sat on the trunk of her car and drew a deep breath to clear her mind. It didn’t work. She still wasn’t sleeping well, even though she hadn’t gotten a silent call for a while.

  Somehow that had made it worse.

  She kept anticipating a call. Even though she’d turned off the phone, she couldn’t help checking to see if there were any silent messages. She also had to make sure her cell was charged and nearby instead of relying on the landline, which was another reminder.

  Still, the calls had stopped.

  She could relax and forget about them, stay uptight, or get a new unlisted number to give her friends and family. Of course, then her dad would overreact because he’d want to know why...

  Sarah shook her head and opened the envelope.

  There were a number of technical terms, but it mostly boiled down to needing more floor space, a new cooling-heating unit, and other requirements that would be less problematic but still
expensive. The new HEPA vac system alone would cost a fortune.

  Stephen had written a separate note, apologizing again that he’d been the bearer of bad tidings and to let him know if there was anything he could do.

  How about magically expanding my building? That would help. Sarah remembered the Harry Potter books where a tiny tent could be huge inside and a handbag could contain copious supplies. A solution like that would be wonderful. She could wave her magic wand and solve the problem.

  “May if I take a look?”

  The unexpected question made Sarah jerk so hard, she went sliding off her perch and might have fallen if Tyler hadn’t caught her elbow. Thanks to him, she landed on her feet. “Don’t sneak up on people,” she scolded.

  “I didn’t sneak. Why are you so skittish?”

  “You startled me, that’s all. And I’m okay now. You can let go.”

  Tyler hastily released his grip on her arm. “Right. Mom called and said you’d gotten the report. She’s convinced I can come up with a solution to the renovations you need.”

  “I’m afraid I need a miracle, not an architect.” Sarah gave him a longer look and blinked. “Omigod, what happened?”

  “It’s a long story. I’d rather not go into it.”

  Hmm. He looked as if he’d been in a bar fight, but they rarely had that sort of thing in Glimmer Creek. Anyway, Tyler didn’t seem the kind of man who got into bar fights.

  “You may need stitches,” she announced. “Rosemary can drive you to the clinic in my car.”

  “I don’t need stitches or to be taken to the doctor by my mother,” he returned coolly. “It just looks worse because it’s on my face. Anyhow, I’m taking Nathan to an appointment in Stockton later and don’t have time.”

  Why were men so stubborn?

  Sarah rolled her eyes and got her first aid kit from the trunk of her car. “Sit,” she ordered, pointing to the small loading dock.

  “I don’t need to be babied.”

  “That’s good, because I don’t intend to baby you. But you did a terrible job fixing that yourself, and you’re going to scare people, going around like Frankenstein’s monster.”

  “Is that how I look?” The corners of Tyler’s mouth twitched. “Then it’s a good thing I’m not sensitive about my appearance.”

  Sarah’s stomach flip-flopped as she cleaned around the cut. It also gave her a close-up view of the healing scar at his hairline...and the strong, sensual line of his jaw.

  Sensual?

  She was insane to keep thinking that way about him. Yet she couldn’t deny that even with a battered face, he was compellingly attractive.

  And his smile when he really let it go?

  She’d only see it the one time, but smiles like that could make a woman’s heart go wacky. It was endearing, almost vulnerable, and had turned her inside out. But while he might have a real, no-holds-barred, completely charming smile that could knock a woman silly, he obviously didn’t use it that often.

  “Where did you get this?” she asked, lightly touching the older injury.

  “In Illinois. The owner of the building that collapsed, Milo Corbin, asked me to come and see if there was anything I could do to advise the rescue efforts. My lawyer suspects the guy was already trying to shift blame.”

  Tyler’s expression didn’t reveal how he felt about the matter, but Sarah suspected it was chewing him up inside.

  “How would that help shift the blame?”

  “Corbin now claims he just called to tell me about the structural failure and was surprised to see me at the construction site. He’s given several interviews implying I came out of a guilty conscience.”

  A breath hissed between Sarah’s teeth; Milo Corbin sounded like a bully. “Feel free to tell me this is none of my business, but maybe you should sue the guy for defamation. Show him you have teeth. That ought to put a sock in his mouth.”

  “My lawyer has mentioned the possibility of a slander suit,” Tyler explained, “but worrying about my reputation seems petty compared to what those construction workers and their families suffered.”

  “Except if Corbin is responsible, he needs to be held accountable. Taking the high road is fine sometimes, but guys like that don’t even know there’s a high road.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “Good, but you still haven’t explained how you got injured.”

  Tyler shrugged, looking almost embarrassed. “The city engineer was on vacation, so I went in with rescue personnel to evaluate the best way to extricate trapped workers.”

  “And?” she prompted when he fell silent.

  “And there was a concrete wall I thought would hold, but instead it came apart. A load of debris came down on me and one of the firemen,” he continued in a tight tone. “But it should have held. The specifications on that wall were in my original plan, and it ought to have been fine even with twice as much weight on it.”

  “I suppose you’ve considered whether there was a flaw in the concrete.”

  The barest flicker of response crossed his face. “Yes. I’ve hired a Chicago law firm to protect my interests. I gave them a sample of the concrete that I managed to grab after I woke up. They’re having it tested, but regardless of the results, they’re reasonably confident about the outcome of the investigation.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “You are, aren’t you?” Tyler asked in an odd tone. “Yet you’ve only known me for a few days.”

  “I care about justice.”

  “You can’t be sure that I’m not at fault for those men being injured.”

  “Maybe I’m psychic,” Sarah returned lightly.

  She opened another square of sterile gauze, uncomfortable under Tyler’s intent, questioning gaze. It was hard to explain, but she was convinced that he wasn’t at fault, maybe because he hadn’t spoken about the financial cost of the ruined building or bragged about his role in rescuing the workers.

  Despite everything, she was starting to like him.

  She finished cleaning around the wound and applied a butterfly bandage.

  “I still think you should go to the clinic,” she said unhappily. “This is close to your eye.”

  “I’ll go if it gets worse. Honestly, you don’t have to worry about me, Sarah. It’s decent of you, but I’m okay. Now, about that report from the building inspector—do I get to see it?”

  “I’ll make you a copy. Wait here.”

  She grabbed the paperwork and went inside to the office. Rosemary looked at her anxiously. “What does it say?”

  “I’m still digesting everything. Tyler is here and I’m making him a copy.”

  “Oh. I hope you don’t mind that I called him. He might come up with something really innovative.”

  “We’ll see.” Sarah quickly ran the papers through the multifunction printer and tucked the original in her backpack. She hesitated, then asked, “How did his face get banged up?”

  Rosemary instantly looked miserable. “Nathan did it. He didn’t mean to, but he was having a nightmare. I thought he was just restless and went to cover him with a blanket, then Tyler yelled a warning and jumped between us. Everything seemed to go crazy, and Nathan hit him. Twice. I feel terrible.”

  Sarah patted her shoulder. “Don’t feel too terrible—Tyler may have put Nathan into fight mode when he yelled. Dad says the fight-or-flight instinct is exceptionally strong for soldiers, whether they’re asleep or awake.”

  “Really?” Rosemary brightened, only to have her face fall again. “Still, it wouldn’t have happened except for me.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” Sarah observed wryly. “Dad had PTSD, and he says a loud noise can trigger a cascade of memories. It’s probably worse for someone when they’re asleep.”

  “I suppose. Honestly, I don�
��t understand what makes either of my sons tick. Tyler has always been a mystery, and Nathan is like a different person since he was hurt. He was such a sweet boy, and so comforting after his father died. Don’t get me wrong, Tyler was just as helpful,” Rosemary added hastily. “He spent ages sorting out the finances and getting everything in order.”

  Sarah reflected that Tyler had offered practical support, and Nathan emotional encouragement. She wondered which one Rosemary had needed most.

  “I’m glad they were both there for you.” She held up the duplicates she’d made. “Tyler is waiting, I’d best get these out to him.”

  * * *

  ROSEMARY FINISHED ENTERING purchase orders on the computer and sent them to the sweet shop’s grocery supplier, but it was impossible to get her sons out of her thoughts.

  And her husband.

  Everything had changed in the months since Richard’s death; the certainties had vanished, leaving the regrets behind. If only I’d been stronger... It was like a sad, unending mantra.

  “You seem a million miles away,” Kurt said out of the blue.

  Rosemary yelped. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  “Hey, I cleared my throat, but you must not have heard.”

  “I have a lot on my mind.”

  He sat down and put his cup of coffee on the corner of the desk. “Anything I can do?”

  She smiled ruefully. “Actually, I may have too much help. As a matter of fact, I’m certain of it. My husband died almost nine months ago, and Tyler is still managing my finances. It was a relief to let him make the decisions in the beginning, but I have to start taking care myself. I just don’t know how to tell him.”

  “Does he still think you shouldn’t be working?”

  Rosemary pursed her lips. “I’m not sure. He might be waiting to see if I fall apart and need him to rescue me.”

  Maybe she wasn’t being fair, but Tyler didn’t understand... The place where she felt most confident was her job at the bakery. Her responsibilities weren’t that different from the fund-raisers she’d managed. Over the years she’d helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for important causes; so why had she freaked at the prospect of paying her own bills and balancing her monthly budget?