The woman spoke up this time. “We have reason to believe he’s connected to the paparazzi that caused the accident.”
My ears perked up. The news apparently came as a surprise to everyone but Derek, who stood up and said only three words, “Call my lawyer,” before handing himself over to police custody.
“We’ll figure this out, Derek,” Mrs. Byers said. “I’m sure it’s all a big misunderstanding.”
Derek nodded and walked out of the hospital, leaving the three of us alone. I felt like such an outsider standing there. We came from different walks of life, and yet, we were all there for the very same reason.
“Sit down,” Mr. Byers said, giving me a harsh look. “I imagine we’re going to be here awhile.”
I accepted his invitation to join them, sitting down next to him, where Derek had been moments before. We were all quiet for a long time, until her dad turned to me and said.
“You saved my daughter’s life back there, I’m sure of it.”
It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t answer him. Maybe I had. Maybe I hadn’t. It was still too early for us to know if she’d make it or not.
“Thank you for that,” he said.
“No need to thank me,” I said. “She’s an amazing girl.”
“That she is,” he said softly, showing emotion for the first time since the whole thing had started.
ooo000ooo
Eventually, we were escorted to a private waiting area, away from the prying eyes of the press. Others had joined us too. Friends and family of Maddy, people I’d never met before in my life. I stayed in my little corner, not sure where I belonged exactly.
We waited for what felt like an eternity. Random updates came through now and then, but for the most part, we were in limbo for many long hours and late into the night. Only a few people stayed the entire time, one of which caught my eye.
A petite redhead was also standing on the outskirts. She was pacing, back and forth, biting her nails. She kept checking her phone and looking toward the door, as if she wasn’t sure if she belonged or not. Knowing what it was like to be out of place, I walked over to her.
“Jax,” I said, reaching out my hand.
“Julia,” she said shyly.
“Friend of Maddy’s?” I asked.
She nodded, but then stopped. “Well, I used to be. I’m not so sure she’s going to want to see me now,” she said.
“Why’s that?”
“She blames me for telling the press about the pregnancy,” she said. “Even though I had nothing to do with it.”
“Well, I don’t know what’s going on with that,” I said. “But I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”
She flinched as if I’d slapped her. “I highly doubt that, but I couldn’t stay away. She was my closest friend, and if something happens to her--”
Tears streamed down her face. It wasn’t the face of someone who’d betray her best friend, that much I knew. Something else had to be going on, and while I didn’t have all the answers, all fingers seemed to be pointing at Derek. At least in my mind, they were.
The same nurse from earlier stepped into the room. She didn’t go up to Maddy’s parents, instead, she sought me out. Probably because I was one of the only reasonable ones there. Her parents gathered around.
“Madeline is in stable condition. Only minor breaks and a concussion,” she said. “She’s going to be sore for a while, and we’ll want to keep her here for monitoring for a day or two.”
What a relief. It felt like the entire room let out a collective breath.
“What about the baby?” I asked.
“We’re still monitoring the baby,” she said. “But so far, everything looks good. We’re going to continue to make sure it stays that way.”
“Can we see her now?” her mother asked.
“Yes, but only two people at a time,” the nurse said.
A hand patted me on the back, and I turned to find Mr. Byers standing there. “You should go first,” he said.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes, you saved her life,” he said. “Go, talk to her.”
Her mother started to protest, but I didn’t wait around for anyone to change their mind. I followed the nurse out of the room and down the hallway, my palms sweaty as we entered the room. Even though everything sounded good, I was still scared shitless. I thought I might lose her, and the reality of that situation hit me hard. I couldn’t lose her. I might not know her that well yet, but I wanted to change that. I wanted to be part of her life, not just the baby’s.
When I stepped past the curtain and saw her there, my heart literally broke. She was cleaned up, no longer bloody, but her face was bruised. Her arm was in a cast, and she was hooked up to so many machines. Her eyes were closed, at first, and I thought she might be sleeping.
“Someone’s here to see you,” the nurse said.
Maddy opened her eyes, and when she saw me, she actually smiled. Even through all the pain and chaos, she was happy to see me.
“Jax,” she said. “Was I imagining things, or were you the one who pulled me out? It’s all a blur.”
“I was there,” I said, stepping closer. I reached for her hand, and she gave it to me, willingly. Kissing her knuckles, I stared deep into her eyes. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“All because of you,” she said. “My hero.”
I gave her hand a quick squeeze but didn’t let it go.
“The doctors told me that I’m fine, and the baby is going to be okay too,” she said.
“Yeah, that’s what they told me too.”
She averted her gaze, but only for a second. “Is my family here?”
“Yes,” I said. I left out the part about Derek, not sure if it was the right time or not.
“I was also told by a couple police officers that the paparazzi might have been hired to follow me closely. Is that true?”
I nodded. “It’s possible. That’s what we were told. That Todd guy was in the car that hit you first.”
“So he was the one who leaked everything. He knew because he was stalking me, watching my every move,” she said, as if putting the pieces together herself. “Which means-- Oh God, Julia--”
“It’s alright,” I said. “She’s here.”
“She is?” Maddy looked surprised.
“Yes, she’s in the waiting room. She wasn’t sure if you wanted to see her or not though.”
Maddy’s eyes welled up with tears. “I can’t believe she came after what I accused her of. I was awful to her.”
“Well, I don’t know about all that, but she’s here. She cares about you, Maddy.”
“I need to apologize to a lot of people,” she said, sighing. Her eyes were growing heavy, and she looked exhausted. “Like you, for one.”
“Me? Why me?”
“For not telling you I was pregnant, for cutting you out of my life. All because I was worried what my parents would think,” she said.
“I think your parents might be more open minded now,” I said, chuckling.
“Why do you say that?”
Thinking back to how her father invited me to join them in the waiting room, then told me to see her first, I said, “I just have a feeling.”
We shared a smile, and deciding not to deny myself any longer, I leaned down and kissed her. She kissed me back, her good hand entangling in my hair. She was going to be okay, and so was our baby. Maybe, just maybe, we could make it work, I thought.
A knock at the door pulled us from the kiss.
“Sorry to interrupt,” a female’s voice said softly.
“Allison! What on Earth are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be back for a few more days,” Maddy said, smiling even larger than before.
“When I heard my best friend had been in an accident, I got the first flight home,” Allison said.
Allison was tall and lean with long, dark hair. She didn’t so much as walk over to Maddy as waltz over to her. She was so smooth and quick on
her feet, and I stepped back to give them a moment.
“And who is this?” Allison asked, giving me the once over with an approving look.
“That’s Jax, he’s the father of my baby,” Maddy said. Then she laughed. “God, that sounds so awful.”
“Baby?” Allison said. “How did I not know about this?”
“Well, to be fair, you were on the other side of the world, doing your own thing,” she said.,
“But phones exist, Maddy! And a new boyfriend too? Since when?”
Boyfriend?
Maddy and I shared a look, and I could see it in her eyes. The rules we’d started out with no longer applied. So much had changed. There was no way we could be casual about this.
“Since now,” I said with a grin.
Maddy smiled back at me. “Yes, since now.”
Epilogue
Madeline - A Year Later
“Are you free tonight, babe?” I asked as I finished pulling my hair back into a bun. Jax was sitting on the bed, watching me, our daughter curled up in his arms.
“I’m thinking of going out with Julia and Allison tonight, if you don’t mind babysitting Violet,” I said.
“It’s not babysitting,” he chuckled, “She’s my daughter. And of course I don’t mind. Go out, have fun with your friends.”
My heart nearly burst from my chest every time I looked at the two of them. Violet was only a couple months old, but she was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen. I couldn’t have asked for a better child.
I slipped my engagement ring back on my finger, remembering the night Jax asked me to be his wife. It had only been a couple weeks since he proposed, but we were eloping the following month. No need for a big party, it would just be the three of us and my two best friends. Oh, and my parents too, of course. He had a few guys coming along too, but that was it. No press. Nothing.
Ever since the whole ordeal with Derek, I stayed out of the press as much as possible. Having a PR firm on hand helped a bunch, and while I was initially skeptical of Liam and his desire to label my family as a brand, we eventually worked things out. He kept my name out of the papers as much as possible, and I paid him to do so. It was a nice arrangement, and so far, it was working out well, with a few exceptions.
Even he couldn’t keep some pictures from showing up, but thankfully, once word got out that a paparazzi nearly killed me and my unborn child - and who ended up causing a major traffic accident that killed others - my private security firm made sure no one got too close to us. It was still hard, and I knew Jax was struggling with his brush at fame sometimes, but we made it work.
I kissed him quickly, apologizing for rushing out the door.
“Go, you have a meeting with Pierre, I know,” he said. “I’ve got everything under control here.”
Jax still kept his job at the firehouse, and eventually went back full time. He was still in therapy, but according to him, saving me - and knowing that he couldn’t save everyone - really helped him to see that he was only human. He wasn’t a superhero, but he could still save lives. Every life he saved helped him remain strong for the times when he couldn’t save someone. And of course, I was always there too. He was my hero, but I was still strong enough to be there for him when he needed me too.
“Don’t forgot my father’s retirement party on Friday,” I called out before leaving the penthouse.
My parents were beginning to accept us. Him saving my life helped a lot. Liam even explained to them that our story was actually good PR - who wouldn’t appreciate a love story where the hero saves the girl’s life? Even if we came from different walks of lives, who cared?
My poor mom struggled the most, but only because she still couldn’t believe Derek was a monster. Him being sentenced for hiring the paparazzi to stalk me and report on my private life was helping though. That and seeing how good Jax was with Violet too.
I was already in the elevator, when I realized I forgot my phone. Groaning, I pushed the elevator button to go back up to the penthouse. Pierre was thankfully patient with me. He had Julia to keep him company, and from what I’d been told, their story was really starting to heat up too. I had to face the reality that my assistant might one day marry her prince charming and run off to France. While I was sad at losing my assistant one day, I was happy for my best friend. She deserved it. She’d worked hard her entire life, always did whatever it took, and finally, she would get her own happily ever after.
I ran into the penthouse and found Jax talking to Violet. He hadn’t heard me come in, and I stopped in the doorway to bedroom and watched as he got her dressed for the day. I smiled, feeling a warm glow surrounding me. I knew I was just going to be later for my appointment, but I couldn’t stop watching the two of them together.
“There you go,” Jax said, putting a bow in her hair. “It’s purple, because your name is Violet.”
Our daughter wiggled in his arms, gurgling happily. Jax smiled down at her, entranced by the little person in his arms. God, I really didn’t want to go into work that morning. I wanted to spend all day with them.
Jax turned around and saw me standing there. “Well, hello,” he said. “I thought you’d left.”
“I forgot my phone,” I said, pointing to it on the dresser.
“Ah, yes,” he said, picking it up and walking it over to me. “A CEO can’t be without her phone.”
I stood on my tiptoes, pressing my lips to his. Yes, I had meeting to get to, work to do, but it had been too long since I’d taken a day off and spent it with my family. I knew what I had to do.
“I’m taking the day off,” I said. “We’re going to the zoo as a family.”
“Are you sure? Won’t your dad be mad?”
“Nah, he’s only my boss for a few more days,” I said. “And Julia can handle my meeting with Pierre. I’m going to enjoy one of the perks of being the CEO’s daughter for a few more days, before I’m the one in charge.”
Jax leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine. Our daughter was between us, snuggled up close to both of our chests.
“I’d really like that,” Jax said. “And I think our daughter would too.”
My career had always been the most important thing to me. I’d put everything into my job for so long, and what did it get me? Sure, it got me the position I’d always wanted, but it almost cost me the man I loved more than life itself. The accident and everything that happened afterward put things into perspective for me. I didn’t want to miss out on my daughter’s life like my own father had done.
I’d find a balance. I’d make it work. For the first time in my life, there was something more valuable than running my father’s company.
I had a family, and they would always come first.
Always.
Bride and the Beard (Preview)
Harley
I am going to tell them all about it this morning, I said confidently to my reflection in the mirror. And they are going to agree with me.
I knew that my proposal was a really good idea, not only because it was my idea, but because it was as beneficial to the resort as it was for myself. And it was about time that I expressed my opinions around there. Time that I told my brothers about my plan and how I truly felt. I was part owner, after all.
But how did I really feel? Bored? No, not bored. I loved the resort.
Restless? Yes, restless with the need for more. That sounded about right to me.
Being restless was something that my family could easily understand about me. I was spontaneous, always on the move, and I’d enjoyed looking for ways to improve the resort in the past. But I had never proposed something this big. I knew that it was a risk. A risk well worth it though.
I just needed to find a way to explain it to my family. I needed to make them understand that the idea had been a dream of mine for a long time now. That I had thought it out long and well. Then they would have to understand --and agree --right?
Wrong.
Unfortunately, my brothers were
very set in their ways. Old fashioned, even. None of that was of any help to my cause.
I jumped at the sound of the loud rattling on my dresser. Tearing my blue eyes from their own reflection, I glanced at the object causing the racket. I reached and grabbed it right before it buzzed off the edge. Glancing at the screen, I saw that it was almost seven a.m. Shit, I thought. Almost time for the meeting.
“Hi, Dax,” I answered one of my older brothers.
“Are you going to do it today?” he asked me.
With Dax being only a couple of years older than me, and a savvy Tech genius, he got me more than our two older brothers, Brad and Cole, did.
“I’m gonna do it,” I grinned into the phone.
“Good. I called to wish you luck. I hope that they listen to the voice of reason.”
“Me too. Even though I have my doubts. Those old men are stuck in their ways,” I joked.
Dax chuckled. “Yeah. That’s for sure. But it’s a great idea. A spa addition to the resort would give me some fresh advertising material to work with. I already got some ideas. Plus, it will bring in new guests, if you ask me.”
“So, when Brad does ask you for your opinion, you will tell him that?” I prodded him.
“Just like I promised you I would,” Dax assured me. “Whatever I can do to help. And, if you ─ we ─ can convince Brad, Cole will eventually get on board,” he added.
“I think so too. Great. Thanks, Dax. See you in a bit.”
“See ya there.”
I hung up and I took a deep breath. I already knew what Brad’s argument would be. We are a mountain retreat. A ski resort, not a day spa. I was glad that Dax got it and was on my side. Brad respected his opinion.
But when it came down to it, most five-star resorts did have a spa. That’s what I wanted ─ needed ─ Brad and Cole to understand. Technically, Hunter’s Mountain Ski Resort was a five-star resort. Even if our guests preferred skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, and fishing, we still should offer a five-star spa experience.
Playing With Fire: Firemen of Manhattan Series Page 14