by Force, Marie
She pressed the morphine button, hoping enough time had elapsed to allow her another dose, but the machine beeped to let her know that wasn’t the case.
Gritting her teeth, she tried to find a more comfortable position in the bed and instantly regretted the movement.
“Izzy.”
The familiar voice had her turning toward the door and wondering if she was hallucinating from all the meds she was on. Was that Cabot? In her hospital room? And was he coming toward her with concern and affection and dismay in his expression?
“Cabot.”
“I got here as soon as I could. I was in New Jersey when Linc and Mia called me.” He came to her bedside, took hold of the hand on her uninjured arm and kissed the back of it, being careful to avoid the IV needle. With his other hand, he swept the hair back from her face. “You gave us such a scare, my sweet girl.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m just so glad you’re okay, or that you will be.”
“Hurts.”
“I’m sure it does. Can’t they give you anything for that?”
She held up the morphine pump. “I’m maxed out for now.”
“What can I do for you?”
Before she could answer that question, a nurse came into the room. “I’m sorry, sir, but visiting hours are over.”
“I drove six hours to see her,” Cabot said.
“Please let him stay. I’m wide awake and in pain. I could use the company.”
“I won’t be any trouble,” Cabot said with the same charming smile that had turned Izzy’s head at her cousin Wade’s wedding.
Like her, the nurse was powerless to resist him. “I want her to rest.”
“She will. I promise.”
“He’s a charmer, this one, isn’t he?” the nurse asked Izzy.
“You have no idea.” Izzy had been thoroughly charmed by him at the wedding and had hoped something more might come of their flirtation, but to her disappointment, she hadn’t heard from him in weeks.
“I’m going to check in with the doctor about your pain management,” the nurse said. “I’ll be back shortly.”
“Thank you,” Izzy said.
Cabot walked around her bed and sat in the chair her mother had occupied all day. “Phew, I’m glad she let me stay.”
“I am, too, but I have to admit I’m surprised you’re here. I didn’t think you were, you know, interested in me.” The medication had loosened her lips and her inhibitions. Normally, she’d never say such a thing to a man. She liked to let them chase her, not the other way around.
“I’m interested in you, Izzy, even if I’ve done a poor job of showing you that.”
“I thought I might hear from you after the last time we saw each other.” In October, she’d been in Boston to shoot a friend’s wedding and had called to invite him to dinner. They’d had a wonderful evening that had ended in him walking her back to her hotel and leaving her with a chaste kiss on the cheek. She hadn’t heard from him since.
“I’d planned to call you. I thought of you every day. I’m just…”
“What, Cabot? I hope you know you can talk to me about anything.” They’d had the best conversations at the wedding and the night they had dinner in Boston. That’d been the thing she liked best about him, how they could talk for hours about anything and everything and never run out of things they needed to tell each other.
“I do know that, and I appreciate it so much. More than you could ever know.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s me.”
Izzy rolled her eyes. “If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a guy say, ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’”
His brows lifted in surprise. “Men say that to you?”
“More often than you’d think. I’m starting to believe it might be me.”
“It’s not you. You’re… You’re beautiful and funny and talented and sweet and so sexy, you make my heart beat fast.”
“I do?”
He reached for her hand and placed it on his chest. “You do.”
She could feel the fast gallop of his heart under her palm. “Even when I look like I got hit by a truck?”
“Even then, and PS, you don’t look like you got hit by a truck.”
“You’re silly. I look terrible.”
He shook his head. “You look beautiful, as always.”
“All this flattery could go to a girl’s head. She might start to get ideas about the man who says such lovely things to her.” Funny how the pain had subsided since he arrived and gave her something else to think about.
“She probably shouldn’t do that,” he said, his smile dimming. “He’s kind of a mess underneath it all.”
“He is not.”
“He is. You see, once upon a time, he married a woman he loved with all his heart. They had a beautiful little girl who was the best thing to ever happen to him. And then one day, he came home to find them gone. He never saw either of them again until he finally found his precious daughter, who was now an amazing woman married to a wonderful guy. He missed everything with her, and his bitterness and resentment toward her mother are deeper than the ocean.”
Of course, she knew the story of how Mia had found her long-lost father by accident when she joined the family business, and Hunter discovered her Social Security number was a fake. Her mother’s scheme had come unraveled after that, and Mia had learned her father had been looking for her the entire time she’d been “missing.”
“You see,” he said, “it wouldn’t be fair to burden someone as special as you are with all that bitterness and resentment.”
“Well, at least now I understand why I didn’t hear from you when I was so sure I would.”
“I’m sorry for that. I’ve wanted to call you. So many times, I thought of something I wanted to tell you or a funny thing that happened that I wanted to share with you. I wish you knew how much I’ve thought of you.”
“I’ve thought of you, too.”
“And when I heard you were hurt, getting to you as quickly as I possibly could was my top priority.”
“That’s very sweet of you.”
The nurse came in and injected something into Izzy’s IV that had an immediate calming effect. “That ought to help you get some rest tonight, honey.”
“Thank you so much.”
“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”
After she left the room, Cabot picked up the thread of their conversation. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. I left as soon as I could get free of the meeting I was there for.”
“I can’t help but wonder…”
“What do you wonder?” he asked as he ran his fingers through her hair as if he couldn’t resist touching her in some way.
“If you’re nothing but bitterness and resentment, why was seeing me your top priority?”
His slow smile unfolded across his handsome face. He was twelve years older than her but didn’t look it. His hair had gone gray early, but everything else about him was youthful, except, it seemed, the heart that’d been broken decades ago by the woman who’d left him and taken his beloved daughter. “I’m not sure why. It just was.”
“Hmmm.” Izzy couldn’t keep her eyes open. Whatever the nurse had given her had finally dulled the pain. Thank God.
Cabot’s fingers skimmed her forehead as he continued to stroke her hair.
She wanted to ask him what it meant that he was there, that he’d needed to get to her as fast as he could, that he was stroking her hair. But her questions would have to wait.
For now, anyway.
Chapter Thirteen
“If we aren’t capable of being hurt we aren’t capable of feeling joy.”
—Madeleine L’Engle
Cabot watched her drop off, finally able to rest thanks to whatever magic potion the nurse had put into her IV. He’d had to hide his shock from her when he first saw the bruises on her face, the bulky cast on her arm and her fragile
state. She’d had a close call, and the thought of how close he’d come to losing her had sparked something fierce and terrifying in him.
She was terrifying. She had been since last June when he met the groom’s cousin at his daughter’s wedding and had been truly interested in a woman for the first time since his long-ago marriage ended in disaster.
Since then, he’d lived almost like a monk, barely dating at all and hardly ever having anything to do with women. It was like that part of his life ended the day his wife left him and took the daughter he loved more than life itself. She’d kept Mia from him for more than twenty-five endless, horrible years during which he’d tried to go on with his life while nursing the gaping wound in his heart that’d never healed.
The wound was still there, even after the miracle of Mia uncovering what her mother had done and coming to see him that same day.
His beautiful daughter had been back in his life for a year now, but she’d left as a little girl and returned a fully grown adult. Thus, the boiling cauldron of bitterness and resentment he’d mentioned to Izzy. He was so angry over what he’d missed with his only child. That anger was a constant, tangible presence in his everyday life, so much a part of who he was, he couldn’t imagine himself without it.
He loved every minute he’d gotten to spend with Mia and her wonderful husband, Wade. He adored Wade’s family and all the new people who’d come into his life along with his sweet daughter. Mia had bent over backward to accommodate him in every way she possibly could. She’d even come to Boston the week before Christmas—her busiest time at the warehouse she helped run for Wade’s family business. He’d wanted her to attend his annual holiday party and meet more of the people who’d kept him going during the rough years.
She did anything he asked of her, and he knew it was because she genuinely cared for him. The bond they’d shared when she was little was still there after the long years of separation. But he knew she also felt guilty over what her mother had put him through and was trying to make amends. Not that she owed him anything. She hadn’t known he existed until Wade’s brother had discovered her Social Security number was a fake.
Thank God for Hunter Abbott and his obsessive attention to detail.
That was a thought Cabot had every day since that miraculous day last winter when his daughter suddenly reappeared in his life.
What if Hunter hadn’t run her SSN? He might never have seen her again, which was another part of the angry cocktail of emotions that constantly swirled in him.
That was why he’d kept his distance from Izzy, even though he thought of her constantly. He’d wondered where her work was taking her and if or when he’d ever see her again. Sure, he was permanently attached to her family, but that didn’t mean their paths would cross with any regularity. Unless they made that happen, and he’d had no intention of making it happen until he’d gotten a call from Lincoln Abbott about the accident as well as a message from Mia to call her as soon as he could.
He’d emerged from day-long meetings and had panicked when he got Linc’s message. He returned Mia’s call immediately, hoping she had more information. She’d told him Izzy was in ICU and that they hadn’t been sure he’d want to know.
Hell yes, he wanted to know.
After getting that call and the details Mia had available—which weren’t nearly enough for him—he’d cut short his business, rented a car and driven to Vermont, breaking every speed limit to get to her as fast as he possibly could. His assistant in Boston had done the math for him and determined driving would get him to her faster than flying. He’d missed the last shuttle to Burlington, which would’ve been two hours from her once he got to Vermont.
Six of the longest hours of his life later, he was by her side and wondering what the hell he was doing there. He couldn’t explain it. He just needed to see for himself that she was all right and offer whatever comfort he could while she recovered.
Since she was asleep, he pulled out his phone and sent a text to his assistant. Clear my schedule for the next little while.
Even though it was nearly eleven p.m., she responded right away. Define next little while.
In deference to Izzy’s significant injuries, he responded with, Two weeks.
She came back with bug-eyed emojis and question marks.
A close friend has been in a bad accident. I need to be with her while she recovers. As he typed those words into his phone, he had no idea if he’d be welcome in Izzy’s recovery or if he had any business making plans that included her. Despite those reservations, he didn’t change his directive to his assistant.
I’ll do what I can. What about the council?
I’ll let them know I’m going to be away for a bit. I might need you to get with my sister to send me some clothes and stuff.
Is it okay to ask if you’ve lost what’s left of your mind?
Cabot laughed. Rachel was fantastic and always spoke her mind to him, which he appreciated. While looking for his missing daughter, he’d kept himself frantically busy and overscheduled to the point of madness. That’d been intentional, to try to keep his mind off the nightmare that was so much a part of him, no matter how busy he was. Having Mia back in his life hadn’t changed the pace at which he lived. It was no wonder Rachel was astounded at his directive to clear his formidable schedule.
It’s okay to ask, as you know. I appreciate your help with this. I’ll be in touch.
Um, you’d better be!
Next, Cabot texted his sister, Emily, who’d been his staunchest supporter during the long search for Mia. Hey, sorry to text so late. I wanted you to know I’m going to be in VT for a couple of weeks. My friend Izzy was in a bad accident, and I want to be here for her. It will be nice to spend some time with Mia and Wade, too. I might need you to send me some stuff from the house.
Emily wrote right back. So sorry to hear about Izzy. Is she going to be okay?
Yes, in time, but she’s pretty banged up.
Glad she’ll be all right, and let me know what you need from the house. Happy to send it. So um, you’re in Vermont with your “friend” Izzy. What’s that about?
I have no idea.
She responded with laughing emojis. You’re funny, Cabot. It’s okay to LIKE Izzy, you know.
Is it?
YES
I like Izzy, but…
No buts. Put the past where it belongs and start looking toward the future. That’s all you can do.
I hear you. Maybe by supporting my friend Izzy as she recovers, I can start to figure out a way forward.
Maybe so. What happened to you was the worst thing that’s ever happened to anyone I know. It was a fucking CRIME. But if you deny yourself the chance to be happy again, she wins. Don’t let that bitch win. Do you hear me?
He smiled at the intensity that came through in her text. Sometimes he thought she hated what Mia’s mother had done more than he did. I hear you.
Enjoy the time in Vermont, Cab. If anyone has earned the right to enjoy himself, you have.
Thank you. You’re the best. I’ll text you tomorrow.
Give Izzy my best and xoxo to you.
Will do. Xo back to you.
He was so thankful to Emily and his brothers, who’d stood by him through every devastating twist and turn of his desperate search for Mia. They’d held him up when the burden became too much to bear and had celebrated with him when Mia had turned up out of the blue and made him the happiest dad who ever lived.
Cabot hoped that in time he could contend with the residual bitterness. Mia had no idea how deeply that bitterness ran through him. He went out of his way to hide that from her. What’d happened between her parents wasn’t her burden to bear, and he was always mindful of that.
He dashed off a text to his beloved daughter, still thrilled to be able to talk to her any time he wanted. She and Wade lived in a farmhouse they were renovating just outside the Butler cell phone blackout zone, so she could receive texts there with and without Wi-Fi. I’m at the ho
spital with Izzy. I have no idea what I’m doing here, but I’m staying for a bit. Just wanted you to know.
When she didn’t reply, he suspected she was already asleep and would get back to him in the morning. Waiting to hear from her gave him something else to look forward to. He loved every text, call, FaceTime and visit they got to have. She probably thought he was a freak show for the way he hung on her every word, soaking up the joy of her presence like a starving man who’d just stumbled upon an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Thankfully, she didn’t seem to mind that he was a mess where she was concerned.
Law enforcement had given him the choice of whether to have her mother criminally charged for the ordeal she’d put him and his family through. Out of respect for his daughter, he’d declined to press charges. But Jesus Christ alive, he’d wanted to. He’d wanted to ruin her life the same way she’d destroyed his.
Emily had helped him see that revenge wasn’t in his daughter’s best interest. An ugly, protracted legal proceeding that held her mother accountable for what she’d done would devastate Mia, and in the end, he just couldn’t be part of something that would hurt the daughter he loved more than anything. So, he’d let it go, and that’s when the bitterness had set in.
He’d thought about suing her, but had scuttled that idea, too.
A year later, he was still working on living with the outrage of it all, which was why he hadn’t pursued a relationship with the lovely, talented, delightful Isabella Coleman. She deserved a man who could be fully available in the present. Not someone mired so deeply in the past that he had no space for anything new.
But then he’d heard from Lincoln Abbott that Izzy had been badly hurt in a car accident. Getting to her as fast as he possibly could had been his only thought. He had no idea what that meant. All he knew was that he intended to be there for as long as she needed him.
* * *
Noah’s first alarm roused him out of a dream that had left him hard and reaching for Brianna, who wasn’t there. Of course she wasn’t there. They’d had a one-night thing, and it wasn’t going to be anything more than that. In the gloomy morning light, he stared up at the ceiling as he tried to settle himself after the arousing dream.
