“Thanks,” Cade had both hands up, scraping heavily over his face.
“I can’t lose her, Cade…I…the last time…I wanted to die with them…” Mac got up and moved to the window, his hands on the ledge. “I can’t…Christ, my brain won’t even think…I just keep seeing her lying there…”
“Mac?” Chloe came around the corner of the waiting room, immediately throwing her arms around his neck, holding him close. Simon rounded the corner a little slower. “How are they? Where are they? Simon told me…” Concern filled her features, her hands on his face, firmly holding it in place when he tried to move. She stared fiercely into his eyes. “No. You listen to me. She’s going to be okay…you have to believe that…do you hear me? This is not like last time! There’s a lot of differences!”
“They’re in the emergency room, Chloe,” Cade sat down and leaned back, his eyes closed, wanting to block it all out. Wanting just to be at home with Abby. “Pembrook is keeping up with what’s happening.”
Simon stepped forward, putting his hand on Chloe’s arm when Mac turned away, staring blankly out the window. He shook his head slowly, pulling Chloe back against him, holding her close.
“Cassidy was doing her job,” Mac said quietly. “She’s damn good at her job…Abby got caught totally unawares…”
Pembrook came around the corner, her hand out to touch Mac’s shoulder lightly. “We had to remove this before they could operate,” She lifted his hand and let the silver chain and ring fall into the center of his palm, her fingers closing his hand tightly. “You should hold it for her until you can put it back on. She’s okay…she’s strong and that’s good.”
She moved to Cade. “Come out here a minute,” she turned and walked into the hall.
Cade was on his feet behind her. He could feel his heart in his throat.
“We’re waiting for the anesthesia to take effect,” Pembrook ran a hand over her neck. “She’s fighting it…she’s asking for you. I need her to relax, Cade.”
“Alright,” Cade followed her, swallowing hard. His hands were damp, his heart thudding. Then he felt his heart come to a stop. She looked so pale lying on the gurney, an IV running into the back of her hand. “Hey…you’re supposed to be sleeping,” he said quietly, taking the free hand in his and carrying it to his lips.
“I had to see you,” Abby blinked, inhaling slowly and fighting the fog. “I…I love you…I know…you’d never…I was so confused, Cade…I’m sorry…I needed some time to think…”
“Abby…honey…it’s okay…I goofed…but I need you,” he whispered hoarsely, bending down and kissing her softly. “God, I need you…go to sleep, please, Abby. They need you to sleep…”
“I had to tell you…I had to,” she breathed deeply, her head falling to the side, eyes closed and breathing level.
“Good…get her in there now,” Pembrook ordered loudly, giving the gurney a shove and nodding to Anya. “Thanks…..”
Cade didn’t say anything, his feet mindlessly taking him back to the waiting room and the instantly alert friends. He struggled to find a half smile.
“She wouldn’t go to sleep…she was fighting the anesthesia. Pembrook wanted me to talk to her…try and make her sleep…”
“They’re a stubborn pair,” Mac said tiredly. “Take her home, Simon. I’m okay…”
“Sisters worry…it’s our job,” Chloe said softly, wishing she could take the pain from his eyes and knowing she couldn’t. “But I’ll go…” She hugged him. “Call me if you two need anything…anything,” she repeated firmly, hugging Cade and letting herself be wrapped up tightly close to Simon as the tears ran down her cheeks.
Logan checked with the main desk, striding with Sam and Elizabeth to the emergency room waiting area. Elizabeth stopped them, her head shaking.
“Why don’t you get us some coffee,” she told them, walking in and sinking into one of the chairs. She watched Cade and Mac with the eyes of a caring mother. “She’s a very brave girl, your Cassidy. Poor Abby…didn’t even know what she walked into…but they’re strong, both of them. Strong enough to handle you two, at least,” she was relieved when they at least sighed.
“Have you phoned Abby’s mother?” She continued quietly. “I know it might not be what you need, but…” She watched Cade nod and pull his phone out, getting up wearily to walk into the hall. “You want to hit something,” she said softly, touching Mac’s arm lightly. “It’s okay, you know…the anger. It’s healthy. I don’t know Cassidy well…but I think I know she’s going to be angry at herself for making an error that got someone else hurt. We can deal with getting ourselves, hurt…it’s when it involves others…boy, do we get annoyed.”
“Yeah…that’s Cassidy,” Mac turned from the window and sunk into the chair. “We had this…stupid…stupid…argument…the last couple days…”
“Ahhh…” Elizabeth winked at Sam but shook her head slightly, nodding when Logan and Sam went to stand in the hall. “Cassidy is pretty smart. And very good at her job, I bet…so young…”
“I was stupid…”
“Is that what Cassidy would call you?” Elizabeth asked gently.
Mac hung his head over his knees. “No…no…but it wasn’t even an argument…just a stupid disagreement…a misunderstanding…”
“Oh, I know us girls make you guys nuts from time to time, and once we throw a few things and make you grovel a little,” Elizabeth met his slow smile with a wink. “We get our lives back on track again. We aren’t so very different from you, you know. We have pride. When we trust, we give so much of ourselves…it hurts terribly to think we might be wrong.”
Cade dropped onto the cushions, his head back until he heard his name. He was up again in time for Janet Parker to rush into the waiting room, her arms up and circling his neck with a tight hug.
“Oh, Cade! Are you okay?” Janet stepped back, shaking her head. “Abby will be fine. She’s strong and healthy,” she said firmly, glaring at Cade. “And she would be furious if she knew you were moping around, both of you. We had such a grand time yesterday evening,” she extended her palm to Elizabeth. “Hi…I’m Janet Parker, Abby’s mom.”
“Elizabeth Elliott…friend of the boys…”
“We went for pedicures last night and had a regular fun girls evening,” Janet told them. “Thank you both for sharing them with me.”
Cade half listened to her. So that’s where Abby and Cassidy were last night. “I spoke with the doctor, the girls are in very good hands and I believe they will be fine,” Janet looked from Mac to Cade and sighed. “I know you won’t listen to me…but I’m a positive kind of girl…I have to go to class. I will call Abby later and talk to her. You two need some food.”
“I’ll look after them,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “Guys always think they’re tough…”
“Thank you…” She stood in front of Cade. “She will be fine and home with you in no time,” she told him firmly, hugging him before moving to hug Mac, ignoring the stiffness in them both.
Sam moved into the room, sitting next to her mother and ignoring the tears that fell down her cheeks. Her hands held onto her mother’s and she curled into the seat, her head resting on her shoulder.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake…” Elizabeth stood up abruptly. “Look at you four! This is the fault of that idiot politician! It is not Sam’s fault and it is not yours!” She shrugged one shoulder. “I should have been a little brighter,” she said with a negligent wave of her palm. “But that’s over with. You, I know I raised you to have a better attitude and outlook,” she tugged Sam’s palm and hugged her tightly. “I am fine. Cassidy and Abby are fine. So they have another little scar, but hey, they have doctor’s for that,” she patted Sam’s cheek when she smiled. “That is much better. Now…” She sighed. Resolutely, she pulled on Mac’s hand and then Cade’s. “It’s been a very long time since I was escorted by three such handsome men to lunch. But it’s never too late, I always say.”
“It would be my pleasure,”
Mac announced firmly. “You’re right…Cass would be out here kicking me into next week if she saw this…”
Cade met Logan’s eyes and only got a shrug and a half smile. “Yeah…and Abby wouldn’t shut up or stop pacing…okay…food…”
An hour later, Cade sent Sam, Logan and Elizabeth off, promising to keep them updated. They had barely sat down when Anya came around the corner, cotton mask still dangling from her face, the off blue gown tied at her waist. She looked from one to the other.
“Gentlemen…” She chuckled, their senses immediately alert and their bodies upright. “Alright…first…you are not to upset my patients,” She reached out and took each of their hands in hers, walking slowly along the corridor. “I have it on very good authority that you have eaten, so that is one thing I do not need to worry about. They are being cleaned up and moved to a room. I will take you there. Cassidy is almost awake,” She sighed thickly. “Abby will be out much longer. She was fighting me all the way…she is very strong woman. No matter. They are fine. They will both have to use a…a most annoying sling for ten days…two weeks…and I will give you exercises to help them with. Provided there are not problems tonight…you may take them home tomorrow. Questions?”
Both men shook their heads as they entered the elevator.
“I will have some water proof patches so they can shower. As someone who recently battled this same issue…make them wear the sling,” she sighed. “It helps a great deal.”
“And she knows the stubborn breed first hand,” Ian said ruefully, his hand snaking around her waist and pulling her against him outside the elevator. “But she does learn from experience…it’s one of those doctor things,” he kissed her. “Go get cleaned up and I’ll take them to the room.”
“Take care, guys,” Anya nodded and wandered off, untying her surgery gown as she walked.
“Anya was shot?” Cade asked as they walked.
“Three times in her life,” Ian admitted quietly. “The last one a month ago when some nutcase from Jane’s past showed up. Almost the same kind of wound, only Anya’s went straight through. These two were a little more complex because they didn’t exit. I’ve already turned the bullets over to the police, along with the surgery video of them being removed.”
Ian looked from one to the other as they stood outside the large hospital room. He focused on Cade. “Did Anya tell you about Abby?”
“That she fought the anesthesia? Yeah…now there’s a surprise,” Cade shook his head ruefully.
“Okay…” Ian gestured to the window side of the room. “She’s over there.” He motioned Mac on the other side of the thick, sliding wall between them. He put a palm on Mac’s shoulder. “She really is okay…and she should be awake. If you need anything, you have my number, Mac.”
“Thanks, Ian…seriously thanks,” Mac said absently, his feet carrying him into the room. He pulled the chair from the side and put it next to the bed, his hand shook as he reached out to touch her palm.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Pale lashes fluttered, sparkling gray eyes slowly opening to peer at him. She smiled at him and he felt like he was falling into the most wonderful life giving lake.
“Hi…” Her fingers curled tightly around his.
“Hey…” Cassidy fought the last webs of fog around her, her tongue out and trying to moisten her lips. “Water? Anything…Abby? Where’s Abby?” Came the worried demand. “Is she alright?”
“In the bed beside this wall,” Mac answered immediately, watching her eyes close as relief flooded her face. “Anya says she’s fine…just out a little long ‘cause she was fighting the anesthesia.”
Mac felt suddenly out of his element until he noticed the glass with the bent straw next to her on the table. He held it for her, watching her eyes as she almost drained the entire glass. He poured more but she shook her head. He moved the chair as close as he could, sinking down and surrounding her palm with both of his. Standing up the next instant, one hand reaching into the pocket of his shirt.
“I have something for you,” the promise ring dangled from the silver chain. “They had to take it off to…operate…” He felt his insides twist when a tear ran out the corner of her eyes. He swallowed hard, spreading the chain. “Can I…” She nodded quickly, lifting her head to let him slip it over her hair, his hands gently arranging the long silver strands around the necklace.
“Thank you,” Cassidy reached for it, holding it tightly in her palm. They stared at one another for a long minute.
“I…”
“I…”
Their laughter was soft. She reached for his palm, finding his warm hands immediately surrounding hers. “I’m sorry, Mac…I…I know better than to…to think you would deliberately deceive me. I know you better than that. But…I was so angry and…hurt…”
“I think I could have handled it better,” Mac said quietly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Came the plaintive request.
“How, Cass? In what context? In all honesty, and it might sound stupid, but I don’t think about it. It’s just…oh, hey, by the way, I made a bazillon dollars coding and creating games…when I was fifteen…” he stopped himself and dragged in a long breath. “I started college when I was twelve…finished about fifteen. I met Jimmy Fletcher and Mark Jeffries in computer classes…I was gawky and had braces and awkward…they weren’t and they weren’t jackasses, either. And I told you, they kind of adopted me.”
Cassidy listened, her fingers weaving with his with a gentle squeeze.
“Chloe was part of their computer scheme…me and Chloe came up with these nutty ideas for games and the four of us programmed in between classes. We formed our own company and things went through the roof. They met Bella and Kate through Chloe. They got married. They…” Mac felt the lump in his throat. “They died seven months later in a drive by shooting…in a parking lot.”
Cassidy felt his hand tighten.
“Mark…I was at his side, between them…he made me promise to learn how to drive and take care of his baby…that’s how I got the car I have. I sat there crying like a kid…”
“It’s not shameful to feel pain, Mac…”
“Me and Chloe finished the games we had in the works, sold the company, made a crap load of money and I dropped my first name and went to using Mac. I…the money…for so long, just sat in investments. I felt…wrong…like it was blood money. So I didn’t touch it. I’ve had residuals and other projects with various companies since then. I…I have an accountant that deals with all that. Then about a year ago, I met Logan and Cade through a mutual friend and we started brainstorming. It seemed like the perfect project for the money. Washington was just getting on the band wagon with making gambling places legal off Indian property. Logan took the lead and when it finally happened, he already had the sight picked out. We spent a lot of time with Kate working out the corporation details and the amount of money it would take.”
“Mac…I love you…I don’t care about any of that,” Cassidy waited for him to breathe and reach for the glass of water. She watched him drain it and refill it from the pitcher.
“Huh…you know…in the game, we’ve often talked about your timing issues…” Mac leaned over, kissing her firmly. “Telling a guy you love him after you’ve been shot has a tendency to send the wrong message,” he said raggedly, his palms up and framing her face. “Christ, Cassidy…I haven’t been that scared…” He dropped his forehead to hers, his eyes squeezed tightly closed.
“This is not how I planned to spend my day, trust me,” Cassidy said with a long sigh. “I think I could have talked him down…but it doesn’t matter now. The police have him?”
“According to Logan, they have him, no bail and a psych eval up next,” Mac sunk into the chair again, his head falling to the side of the bed. He felt her palm on his neck. “You know…since this shit hit the fan, I’ve been tossing the question around in my head, trying to figure out…where the hell my head was…”
“Mac…”
“No…listen to me…because in the back of my mind, when I moved here in the middle of all our talks, I never said a thing about the resort. I never said a thing about living out of the resort…I think I was afraid to, Cass…I like just being us. I didn’t want anything stupid like…like reputation or society’s opinion about me to get in the middle. I like just being a programmer…designing the arcade and implementing all the games and possibilities is something that will continually grow and change with technology. I knew we shared similar values about community and altruism and…and helping…and I can’t figure out what I was afraid of…that it would change something with us…and I don’t want to lose that…I didn’t want to lose you,” he whispered hoarsely, lifting his head to peer into the watery gray eyes. “Am I making any sense here at all? My brain hasn’t exactly been at top game since this morning…”
“I think I understand, Mac…and I think that’s part of what hurt…if…if it was important enough that I not know…what if it made a difference? I liked that we were each self-sufficient…that all that was never part of it and yet it…gave me a headache for a couple hours,” Cassidy sighed thickly. She peeked up through her lashes at him. “Then we went shopping, had some wine…and plotted.”
Mac lifted her palm, his lips kissing the soft center. “Yeah…you’ve made Logan’s day…”
“You’re very photographic,” she complimented with a cheeky grin.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cade had kicked back in the padded chair, arms crossed over his chest and feet on the lower rail of the bed. His senses were wide open the instant a soft groan came from the woman in the bed. The chair legs hit the floor, his neck crooked from side to side as he forced his eyes to focus from the fog of sleep.
“You still have the most beautiful eyes,” Abby whispered hoarsely.
“I love you, Abigal Murray.” Cade stood up and leaned over, kissing her softly. "Anya said you gave her a pain in the neck…”
WindSwept Narrows: #2 Cassidy, Abby & Mia Page 18