With This Kiss (Windswept Bay Book 3)

by Debra Clopton

  Chapter Four

  Shar was waiting when they wheeled Gage through the emergency doors at the hospital. She rushed to the gurney and covered his hand with hers as she hurried with them down the hall.

  He was pale, so pale. His eyes were closed. IV’s were hooked up to him and he had an oxygen tube at his nose. Tears formed in Shar’s eyes but she didn’t have time to cry. She could tell that Gage was not in a good way. “Gage,” she said past the knot of tears. “Gage, you hold on. Do not leave me. Can you hear me? Fight, baby, fight.”

  To her surprise his hand tightened in hers and though he didn’t open his eyes she saw him nod. Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell on their hands. And then his eyes opened and locked onto hers for one brief moment and Shar saw her life flash before her eyes.

  “Fight,” she urged, then brushed her lips to his. She prayed that with this kiss she could show her love and she prayed this wasn’t the last kiss they shared. “I love you, Gage Lancaster. And you will marry me.”

  His hand squeezed hers and then went limp.

  A nurse gently pulled her away. “You can’t go with him,” she said. “Let them do their job.”

  “I love you,” Shar called again as she relinquished her hold on his hand. And as he disappeared into the room they closed the door and her heart went with him.

  Shar was still standing there when her dad put his arm around her. “Come on, sweetheart. You come sit down before you fall down.”

  Shar couldn’t move. She stared at the door. The blasted door. But her father’s firm arm tightened around her.

  “Come now, over here.” He urged her to a seat where she could still see the door. Everything in the room seemed muted as if she were sitting alone at the end of a tunnel.

  Cam came and knelt down in front of her. “How are you holding up? Was he able to speak to you before they got him back there?”

  “He squeezed my hand. But he opened his eyes.” She forced a small smile. “He’s fighting.”

  “You fight too. Be strong, like you always are.”

  She stared at him. They all always told her how strong she was. Superwoman was her nickname. She felt weaker than a kitten right now.

  “Shar,” he shook her knees. “Focus. Do you hear what I’m telling you? He needs you strong.”

  She’d always been independent. Had always had an I-can-do-it-attitude. Had always felt she didn’t need a partner in life as long as she had her family and her friends…and she knew in her heart of hearts that she could make it through whatever life threw at her. But Gage had come into her life and she wanted him now. She didn’t want to think about life without him. They were just getting started. Today was supposed to be the happiest day so far in her life. Instead, she was here in a waiting room and Gage was in the next room fighting for his life.

  She sat a little straighter. “I’m okay, Cam. Just numb at the moment.”

  There was a commotion at the entrance and as if in slow motion she looked that way and saw the rest of her family hurrying inside. She looked from them to Cam and her dad.

  “I can do this.” Her voice was stronger. “He needs me strong. He’s going to pull though.”

  Her dad squeezed her shoulder. “That’s our Superwoman.”

  And there was the nickname her family called her. It came in part from when she’d been small, she’d put on a cape and jumped from a tree to fly. She’d broken her arm and learned flying was overrated. But it was used now because she was dedicated to rescuing endangered and hurt sea turtles. She and Gage had met saving a Loggerhead sea turtle.

  Cam patted her knee. “This is the girl I figure he fell in love with. Though, I barely met him, I figure any man who can have you falling in love with him must be some kind of man.”

  She smiled through still damp eyes. “He is. You’ll love him.”

  Before Cam answered she saw Levi and a man she didn’t recognize walk into the hospital. The man waited by the door and Levi came toward her as the entire family did. They’d been gathered together talking among themselves probably giving Cam and her dad time alone with her. Levi stopped and spoke to a nurse then came to her.

  She stood as he reached her. As chief of police maybe he could get her on the other side of that door. “Can you get me in the room with Gage?”

  He gave her a hug and a tight squeeze. “No can do, baby sister. They work best without family in their way. I will do what I can to get you updates.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Shar, I’ve brought the man with me who was with Gage when he was shot by the convenience store robber.”

  Her gaze went to the man standing almost at attention beside the door. He was turned and looking out the door. “Who is he?”

  The nurse went to the man and took him into an exam room. They left the door open but Shar couldn’t see him now.

  “He doesn’t want to intrude but I had to ask him questions so I had him ride with me And Shar, he and the gunman were struggling over a gun when Gage got on the boat and called out that he’d like to ask him some questions. He said the perpetrator told him to get rid of Gage and stood inside the cabin, hidden but with his gun on BJ, that's the man's name. He was basically rude and ended up demanding Gage leave the boat and go get married.” Levi paused, his gaze narrowed. “He said Gage wouldn’t leave. That he continued to say he needed to ask him some questions and then BJ thinks he realized someone was hidden and Gage moved toward the danger rather than run. BJ said it was odd. That he tried to get rid of him but the gunman moved into the line of sight and shot a bullet into the dock to warn Gage off. That shot is what was called in and alerted the police. BJ told us it was a later shot that was fired when Gage dove for the gunman. That shot hit Gage.”

  Shar’s breathing slowed. “I don’t understand? What was Gage thinking? Why did he stop?”

  “I have no idea. What could be so important that Gage stopped by to see a stranger on a boat when he was running late to his wedding?”

  Shar straightened, her heart stalled. “Brandon,” she thought and then realized she’d whispered it. “I...I need to see him.” She started toward the room.

  Cali took her arm. “Wait, Shar. If this is Brandon maybe you should let Gage tell him. Maybe you should wait until you know. Until you have proof.”

  Jillian and her mother agreed.

  “I need to see him. He was the last one to talk to Gage.” He was the last person who spent the last moments before Gage was shot with him. “Why was Gage on his boat? Why did he stop there before the wedding? Had he had car trouble? Why? I need to know.” She continued toward the room where the nurse had taken the man.

  Levi fell into step beside her. “Okay. But I can tell you he doesn’t know any of those answers.”

  Her brothers parted to let her by.

  “We’re here for you, sis,’ Jake said, giving her a killer smile of encouragement. “Gage is going to pull through. Remember, I saw him kissing you, he’s gonna want more of that.”

  Max elbowed him and scowled. “Cut it out, Jake. She doesn’t need you teasing her at a time like this.”

  Shar looked from Max to Jake, her adopted brothers that she loved as if they had her same blood. She thought of Gage and the bond he would feel for his half-brother when he found him. It would be a bond just as strong as hers to Max and Jake. “It’s okay. I love all of you too.”

  “Me too,” Trent added. “We’re all here for you.”

  “I know.” She paused, and looked around the room at the large family she was so blessed to have. “I know Gage. And there is only one thing that would have been powerful enough to make him late for our wedding. His missing brother. He’s never had what we have. If he got word that this was his brother then I feel like the pull and the need to find Brandon would have been too strong to let him pass right by and not stop.”

  Levi’s brow etched into his forehead as it so often did when he was thinking hard. “But Shar, that’s BJ McCall sitting in that room. And we’ve been looking
for Brandon Jackson for the last month.”

  That had her hesitating. Then without answering she pushed past everyone and entered the room. The nurse had a blood pressure cuff on his arm but BJ McCall turned his head to look at Shar the moment she entered.

  His gaze met hers and she gasped…the floor shifted as she found herself looking into the same eyes as Gage’s beautiful teal-blue gaze.

  “Brandon,” she gasped and then the world went dark.

  Chapter Five

  BJ shot off the exam table just in time to catch the bride before she hit the ground. Levi reacted also and together they moved her to the exam table.

  “What happened?” BJ demanded. “She looked at me and fainted.”

  Levi smoothed his sister’s hair out of her face as the nurse moved in and took her pulse. As a beautiful older woman moved into the room to stand beside Levi.

  “What happened?”

  “I think she fainted, Mom.” Levi looked over his shoulder at the crowd of people at the door. “The nurse will take care of her,” he said, and they waited outside giving the nurse room as she took the bride's pulse.

  BJ stepped back too. Giving the nurse and Levi and the mother room. He had seen the odd expression that had flashed in the bride's green eyes the moment his met hers.

  Something was going on here and all he could do was wait until whatever it was came out. Her eyes fluttered open and she searched the room until she found him.

  He wanted to know what was going on. Why was she looking at him like that? He didn’t ask though, not now. She had enough on her plate with worrying about Gage.

  She struggled to sit up. “I’m sorry. I never faint. But—” A doctor stepped into the room and Shar swung her legs over the edge of the exam table.

  “Hold on,” Levi said, grabbing her arm and holding her still.

  “How is he,” she asked and she looked as if she was ready to run to the room where Gage lay.

  “He’s been taken to surgery. They won’t know the extent of the damage the bullet caused until the surgery. Dr. Laura Burrows will be operating. She’ll give you updates upstairs in the surgery waiting room. Nurse, can you show them where they can wait?”

  “Yes, sir,” the nurse said.

  “Is she okay?” the doctor asked looking at Shar with concern.

  “She fainted earlier. But her pressure is normal now.”

  He nodded. “Understandable. But call me if you need anything.” He patted Shar’s hand. “Have faith.”

  “I do,” Shar said and looked at the nurse. “Can you show me where I need to wait?”

  BJ watched Shar’s expressive eyes flash with what he could only classify as determination. She pushed her shoulders back and with her spine ramrod straight she followed the nurse down the hall.

  He followed them out into the hall then stood outside the exam room and watched her go. Watched her family join her. He’d realized that the room full of men and women were her brothers and sisters. She had a huge family giving her support. He had one sister, Lilly, and suddenly he missed her.

  Both of them had wanderlust in their blood. He for the sea and she for anywhere but the sea. Last time they’d talked she was working at Yosemite National Park. But it had been a month since they’d talked and by now she might have packed her backpack and headed to the Grand Canyon. He thought that was on her list of stops but he couldn’t keep up. He and Lilly had been on their own for much of their life after their parents were killed when he was nearly eighteen and Lilly had just turned seventeen. His mother had married Lilly’s dad when BJ had been about four. His father was dead and Lilly's mother was dead and so their parents had made them all a family. While it had lasted it had been good. It just hadn’t lasted…his parents had died far too young.

  He needed to call her. It had been too long.

  “Br, I mean, BJ,” Shar had turned and was staring at him from down the hall. “Would you come with us?”

  Levi turned to him. “If you don’t mind, I can ask you more questions upstairs. I never finished.”

  BJ wasn’t sure how many more questions the police chief was going to ask him but he still couldn’t get the groom off his mind. He wanted to learn why the man had come on his boat and why Shar had fainted when she’d seen him. Because that was what it had felt like…their eyes had met and she’d passed smooth out. It had been seeing him not worrying about her fiancé that caused her to faint. He was certain of it.

  Why?

  “Sure,” he said. This had been the oddest day he could remember and he would see it through.

  Upstairs, Shar sat down in the waiting room, she clasped her hands tightly together in her lap and took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She would get through this. She would not fall apart, Gage would need her. When she got to see him after surgery she wouldn’t want him to see her tear streaked face. She had to be strong.

  Despite the pep talk she was giving herself her lip began to tremble and she bit it hard trying to stop it. She focused on the good times they’d shared. He would make it through, she wasn’t going to let herself think any other way.

  She watched as Brandon moved into the room and stood just inside the door. He probably felt out of place. He was a great looking man but the only thing about him that looked like Gage was his incredible eyes. As she studied him he shifted his gaze and met hers. She looked away, wondering how she should tell him. Or if she should tell him at all.

  Cali came to sit beside her. “We’re all worried about you but don’t want to overwhelm you. There are a lot of us.” She smiled and patted her knee. “I’m going to go get you something to drink. How would a cup of warm tea be? Or a cup of coffee? Or a water?”

  “I don’t need anything.” Shar shook her head.

  “But you do.” Jillian sat on the other side of her. “How about warm tea with some honey for energy? You’ll need your energy.”

  “Okay, then tea would be nice.” It did sound good. And she understood her sisters need to do something for her. She would be doing the same thing if it was one of them in this spot.

  Cali hugged her. “He’s going to be okay, Shar. We are going to believe that.”

  “Yes,” Jillian reinforced Cali’s words.

  Everyone needed to reassure her and she got that too. “Thank you both."

  As her sisters left in search of warm tea the seat beside her was taken by one brother after the other. She loved her brothers. There hadn’t always been unity growing up but there had always been love. Teenage years for nine kids couldn’t help but have some strain and yet they’d all made it and had a strong bond.

  Gage had none of that. And now, he’d found his brother and he had to survive so that he could form a bond with Brandon.

  Levi was talking to Brandon now and she rubbed her temple as again she wondered what to say to him. She’d asked him to come to the waiting room because she hoped that somehow, Gage would know his brother was near. And also so she could figure out what her next step should be. She stood and forced her weak knees to carry her across the room to Brandon and Levi. They stopped talking and she saw questions in Brandon’s eyes.

  “Can I have a few words with you?” she asked and her heart fluttered as she stared into eyes so much like Gage’s eyes. Eyes that reminded her of what she would lose if Gage didn’t make it through surgery. She pushed that thought away. She would pray and believe and that was that.

  “Shar, maybe you should wai—” Levi started to say, but she cut him off.

  “It’s okay, Levi, I won’t keep him long. He was just the last person who was with Gage. I want to know about those moments before the shooting. I need to move around a little bit. Would you walk with me?”

  He stared at her with kindness despite the fact that he must be overwhelmingly curious about what was going on.

  “Sure,” he said. “I’d be happy to walk with you.”

  Shar began walking and he fell into step beside her. This was Gage’s brother…and that meant, though Brandon or BJ
didn’t realize it, he was part of Gage. And that comforted Shar.

  Cali stopped beside Grant and he smiled gently at her and pulled her into his arms. “Is she doing okay? Anything we can do?”

  “She’s holding her own.” She laid her head on his shoulder and breathed in the scent of him and the blessing of being in his arms. “I love you, Grant.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “And I love you. I needed to hold you for a minute.”

  She hugged him then kissed his jaw. “I needed it too. We’re going to go to the cafeteria and grab her a cup of hot tea and honey. And one for ourselves too. Waiting is horrible. Can we get any of you fellas anything?” She looked from her husband to her brothers who had conveniently ignored her and Grant’s show of affection. Normally they might have teased them about it but not today.

  Trent who was standing closest to Grant and who had given Jillian a hug, smiled. “We can take care of ourselves. You two girls take care of Shar.”

  Jake, Max, and Cam agreed.

  “So there you have it,” Grant said. “Do y’all need help?”

  “We’ve got it.” She smiled. “We’ll be right back. If that doctor comes out before we get back call me immediately.”

  “Sure thing.”

  “Thank you,” Jillian said. “We won’t be long.”

  They hurried toward the elevator and pushed the button to the cafeteria floor.

  “She’s holding up,” Cali said. “But I knew she would.”

  “Always,” Jillian commented. “I wonder what BJ will think when they tell him their suspicions.”

  “I don’t know. Can you imagine finding out you not only have a brother but also that you are inheriting half of a multi-million dollar corporation?”

  “Talk about culture shock,” Jillian gave a dry laugh. “But then, you just married a man worth more than I can count.”

  Grant just happened to be a world famous Sea Life mural painter. Cali shot Jillian a sardonic look. “Hasn’t changed me a bit I hope.”