by Tina Leonard
He raised up on an elbow to stare at her. “Look. I have stress-related angina. I don’t need our parents back here stirring things up. We haven’t had enough time alone.”
Maddie pushed him back onto the pillow. “Breathe deeply, Sam. Relax. I’m going to spring you out of here in just a few moments.”
“You’re not answering my question.”
Sighing, she eased herself to a sitting position and stared down at him. “I didn’t know what to say to her, Sam. I knew if I didn’t call her back immediately, she and my mom would start wondering why we weren’t at home with the babies. The message was left hours ago. They know the babies would be at home for naps. I had to call.”
“And so? What did you tell them?”
“Nothing,” she said softly.
“You’re pulling my leg.” His deep blue eyes held a worried expression.
“I didn’t know what you’d want me to say. I told them everything was fine.”
He covered her hand with his. “Most of it is fine.”
She raised a brow. “What isn’t fine?”
“You and me.”
When she didn’t say anything, he sighed. “We need more time.”
“We’re not going to get more time if you die of a heart attack on me.”
“It was angina brought on by worry and exhaustion. I’m forty-two, not a GQ cover model in my studly twenties. It’s an unwieldy fact I’d rather not face, but…you should be home with the babies. You shouldn’t be here.”
“Shh.” She put her head down on his chest and listened to the steady sound of his heart. “It sounds all right in there.”
“It’s the heart of a chicken, obviously.”
“It’s the heart of a man who would do anything for his family. I’d call that more lion than chicken.” She raised her head to look at him once more. “But even lions get tired, Sam. The truth is, I should call your mother back and—”
“No!” He held up his palms. “I realize I’m being a little selfish, because you could use better assistance than mine, but—”
“No, I actually couldn’t.”
They looked at each other for a long time.
“You scared me to death,” she finally told him. “I thought you were going to leave me here with two young sons who would never know their father.”
He snorted. “Not a chance. I’m an almost perfect physical specimen.”
“Who needs to exercise more, rest more and stop worrying so much.”
“See?” he said, his hand closing over hers. “Sex is the best exercise in the world. It will help me rest. And then I’ll stop worrying. I think you’d better move me back in with you permanently.”
She smiled, dropping a kiss on his forehead. “Sam, I have a couple of things I have to tell you, but now is not the time.”
A frown drew lines in his forehead. “I have something to tell you, too. Mine’s not good,” he warned. “What’s yours?”
“Not good, either,” she admitted. “But I’m afraid if I tell you, you’ll…not take it well.”
“Sam the baby. Baby Sam. He’s going to have a little chest pain if he hears bad news. Nothing could be that bad.” Especially compared to what I have to tell you, which is going to do more than stir up a little angina.
Dr. Maitland’s advice against another surgically assisted pregnancy.
It was going to break her heart.
Chapter Fourteen
“I guess you could say our parents have taken a shine to running your winery,” Maddie said as rapidly as possible. If she summoned her flagging courage and forced herself to tell him quickly, maybe the whole matter would blow over that much sooner.
Sam rolled his eyes. “If it keeps them out of our hair, huzzah. How much damage can they do in a week?”
Maddie swallowed. “Your mother wanted to know if we needed her—”
“The answer is unequivocally no. I hope you told her as gently as possible.”
“I did. I said they should stay in France as long as they liked.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Stay in France? The plane tickets were for one week.”
“And they wanted to know if you minded them cashing in the return section of the tickets. They’re not ready to come home yet. They’ll pay to get themselves home.”
“Well.” Sam pushed himself up in the bed before swinging his legs over so he could put on his shoes. “I’m surprised. Bless Vivi and Martin for being such good hosts.”
Maddie wrinkled up her mouth and scrunched her nose, contemplating Sam’s good humor. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him, but he was going to find out sooner or later. “Sam, apparently our parents are causing a bit of a sensation in the land of supreme vintage.”
“If you’re trying to tell me in a roundabout way that my folks and Joey have passed out under picnic tables somewhere along the Seine due to their consumption of excellent wine, it’s fine, Maddie. I’m not going to have a massive infarction over my folks enjoying themselves.”
“They’re going to be on the cover of Wine magazine,” Maddie said miserably.
Sam stared at her. “The cover?”
“Apparently they’re quite a hit. The article was titled something like ‘Brash and Wealthy Texas Family Pulls a Corporate Coup and Finds Themselves Romanced by France’s Most Famous Winery.”’
A tiny smile tugged at his face. “You’re not serious.”
“Well, perhaps I don’t have the title quite right,” Maddie admitted. “But that was the gist.”
Sam began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” she asked suspiciously.
“That. It’s funny. I don’t know why. I can see our moms on the cover with little cap pistols and our dads waving cowboy hats.”
“I see nothing funny about being a laughingstock,” Maddie said stiffly. “They’re ruining the company you wanted so badly.”
“It’s good PR. I probably couldn’t have bought that kind of publicity.”
Maddie shook her head, amazed by Sam’s attitude. “I feel embarrassed.”
He shrugged. “You shouldn’t. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll talk to Vivi and Martin and make sure our folks aren’t causing more trouble than good.”
“I would appreciate that.” She saw nothing good about the matter, but the possibility of upsetting Sam had given her the most concern. “I just don’t understand why my parents can’t go on a simple vacation without stirring things up. Why can’t they be normal parents? Is it too much to ask that they sit demurely on an airplane somewhere and show off photos of their grandkids? They could go to France and behave like normal tourists, snapping pictures of the Eiffel Tower and trying French phrases on the locals. But no. Not my parents.”
“I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, my parents are in it up to their ears. I think they make a fun foursome.”
“Joey is supposed to keep them out of trouble,” Maddie said sternly. “According to your mother, the interviewer loved my brother’s beefy bod. He posed with a wine bottle, wearing only a towel, for the inside section of the magazine. Like a centerfold, darn it.” She ground her teeth. “But even worse, apparently, Joey and the interviewer are now engaged in the hottest romance France has seen in quite a while.”
“Nah. France has seen so many hot ones the people are used to fanning the flames.” Sam’s chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh. He laughed so hard his face turned blush-red along the cheekbones and so did his neck, upsetting Maddie all over again.
“Mother even mentioned that they might split the purchase of a small château with your folks, Sam. They’re going way over the line.”
“Actually, that would be much nicer than staying in a hotel.”
“Sam! It’s awfully flighty of them, don’t you think?”
“No. We heard them say they wanted to do fun things in their retirement. Splitting the cost of a château would give them someplace nice to visit when they liked. Frankly, it’s a great idea, honey. We could have a pla
ce to stay when we go over there on business. My flat is fine for one, but with the babies, we’d be better off with more room.”
She frowned. “It just seems like they’re jumping in with both feet.”
“Yeah, well, maybe you’re just envious. We haven’t done any jumping with both feet in some time. To be honest, we should probably offer to go in on whatever house they choose. That way the cost would be split in thirds. Time-sharing is cost-effective, anyway.” He shrugged. “Maybe it’s time we think about a vacation ourselves. The babies are nearly six weeks old. They’ll start to settle into a rhythm soon and we can take them with us. What do you say?”
“Let’s just get you home for now,” she stated, suddenly all-business. “Any more news flashes from our parents and you’re going to spend the extra time they’re gone in the hospital.”
His grin slipped from his face and he stared at her for a long moment.
“Are you all right?” she demanded.
Waving her concern away, he said, “I’m fine. Just take me home. We need to talk.”
Her heart started beating uncomfortably in her chest. He looked so serious Maddie became worried again. As it was, she felt like a year had been taken off her life—Sam had scared her with his sudden chest pains.
The nurses had fed the babies some formula when they’d gotten hungry, which had filled their stomachs so that they slept like lambs. Maddie resolved to cease breast-feeding so the babies wouldn’t get up every two hours, which would help with the sleep deprivation she and Sam were suffering. And she promised herself to get a mother’s helper if they needed one. She’d leaped at the opportunity to keep their parents in France where they were out of their hair, though not totally out of trouble.
What could make Sam look so sad?
Maybe he’d gotten bad news on one of the medical tests. Her blood ice-cold, Maddie shook her head. “You have to do nothing but rest when we get home.”
“After we talk we’ll both try to get some zee’s. But this is important, Maddie.”
“AMAZING,” Maddie said. “Maybe they’re worn out from all the extra attention they received. And from being up all last night.”
The babies lay in their cribs, their bodies motionless for once as they slumbered. They hadn’t awakened in the car, nor during the transfer from car seat to crib. “I’d like to see you tucked into bed like them,” she added to Sam.
“Don’t baby me, Maddie. I know you’re concerned, but there’s more to think about than some minor exhaustion and stress.”
She tugged his hand so that he’d follow her down the stairs. Steering him into the bedroom, she edged him toward the bed. Without much prodding, he stretched out there, but he pulled her with him, almost on top of him.
“Now this would make me feel better,” he said, nuzzling her.
“Stop!” she said, laughing as she tried to push him away. “You need to sleep, Sam.”
He nipped at her shoulder and rubbed a swift hand over her blouse. “These clothes must come off. And be aware that I know you’re trying to sidetrack me.”
“I’m trying to sidetrack you!” she cried with a yelp as he helped her out of her trousers more swiftly than she was expecting. “I think you’re trying to get out of following doctor’s orders.”
“He said to exercise and to try to decompress.” Sam swiftly removed her blouse so that she was wearing only a bra and panties. “There’s only one way I know of to achieve both those goals at once.”
“Is that so?” She tugged off his shoes and then his khakis before helping herself to his shirt. He had a wonderful chest. How could that magnificent body be covering up a heart in pain? “Sam, you should have told me you weren’t feeling well today. I knew you were worn-out, but you never mentioned chest pain.”
“And you never mentioned the two little things sleeping upstairs, little woman, a fact I grappled with and got over.” He kissed her on the nose. “I didn’t keep it from you purposefully. To tell you the truth, I thought it was indigestion made a bit worse by the fact that I’m somewhat crazed from lack of sleep. I want to forget about it, Maddie. Let’s get down to decompressing.”
She shook her head. “I want you to go to sleep.”
“I want to have some fun. I want to laugh for a change, Maddie. With you. I want to see you smile. I want us to jump into the joy of life with both feet. I think our parents are on to something.”
He looked so sad and serious Maddie’s heart nearly broke. “Okay,” she said, taking hold of his hand. “Come on.” She pulled him up so that they were standing on the king-size bed.
“What are we doing?”
“Decompressing. Go!” She began jumping up and down maniacally.
He watched her for a moment as the bed shifted erratically under her feet.
“Come on!” she exclaimed.
When she landed a flat-bottomed seat drop and flew back to stand on her feet, Sam decided she was having too much fun. “Okay. Watch the pro,” he bragged, jumping so high he nearly bounced her off the bed.
She shrieked with laughter as the challenge began in earnest. They took turns trying to see who could out-bounce the other, chasing each other around the bed like boxing partners.
“This is what the doctor had in mind,” Maddie gasped breathlessly, “when he told you to decompress. Jumping on the bed is forbidden by parents, it’s good exercise and it takes you back to stress-free childhood days.”
Still jumping, Sam said, “I’m pretty sure it would be even more fun if you were completely naked. I still say we should always exercise without constricting garments.”
“Never!” Maddie jumped far away from him, clear to the opposite side of the bed so that she could hop onto the carpet. “Jumping on the bed is immature enough. We don’t have to make a nudist sport of it.”
He made a ferocious leap, clearing the bed and landing beside her so that she squealed. “Sam! You’re going to have a heart attack if you’re not careful!”
“My arteries are clear. My heart pumps just fine.” He grabbed her, picking her up in his arms like Tarzan carrying Jane from the jungle. “I just need to get inside my wife and I’ll be cured. The doctor said sex was the best exercise I could indulge in, and it would help me sleep. Doctor’s orders.”
“It wasn’t! The doctor said no such thing.” But she looked at him saucily, her heart beating hot and fast, and not just from the sudden workout. “I thought you had something you wanted to talk about.”
His gaze shifted instantly away from her, the fun in the moment evaporating like steam.
“What’s bothering you, Sam? You have to tell me. We have to learn to lean on each other.”
He shook his head after a moment. “You know what? I might be a little sleepy. Let’s get some shuteye while the tots are getting theirs.”
They got in bed, and Sam pressed up against her back.
A few seconds later, he snored. Maddie was thrilled he was going to get some rest, but a nagging thought ground away at her. Sam had never, ever gone to sleep pressed up against her back when she wore only a bra and panties. They’d had a great sex life before they’d tried to start having children. It was the routine and the disappointments that made making love a chore had helped to shatter their marriage.
She bit her lip. Something was bothering Sam deeply. It was either his health or something more sinister. He’d said they needed to talk.
The bed-jumping had been the most exuberant and spontaneous fun they’d had recently, a badly needed moment of shared happiness.
The instant she’d reminded him that he had something to tell her, he’d lost his smile. He’d closed off from her almost totally.
It bothered her terribly, and hurt her, too, that Sam had a problem he didn’t feel he could share with her. Which was what she’d been afraid of all along—that they were only making their relationship work because of the children, and their marriage couldn’t survive another major roadblock.
She didn’t think she could stand the h
eartbreak. When Sam had gone so suddenly pale as he’d sat next to Dr. Maitland, she’d known something was wrong, even before Mitchell had called for a nurse to help Sam to an examining room.
Maddie’s own heart had seemed to nearly explode with fear. When the doctor called for a cardiologist, Maddie had struggled not to faint. In that split second, it had hit her with crystal clarity how much Sam mattered to her. Everything that had happened in the past fled her mind, and none of it mattered: not the disastrous feelings of inadequacy she’d suffered, not the long months of separation. Sam had come back to her, and she had known hope again. Her soul had been in agony that he might be suffering a heart attack that might take him away from her.
Now he was pushing her away emotionally if not physically—and she felt lost beyond words.
They were under one roof together—and yet somehow still alone.
Chapter Fifteen
“You’re doing fine,” Dr. Abby Maitland told Maddie after her six-week checkup. “You have a clean bill of health physically.”
Maddie smiled as she sat up on the table. “Are you quietly making an observation about my mental health?”
Abby shook her head. “You’re doing fine.” She picked up a pen, wrote some notes on a chart and closed it. Then she turned back to face Maddie. “Why don’t you get dressed? I’ll be back in to chat with you.”
“All right.” Maddie watched as Abby left the examining room. Vague unease prickled her, but Abby was so thorough, so caring as a physician. Likely the comment only unnerved Maddie because she was feeling torn about last night’s realization that she and Sam were farther apart than ever.
She dressed quickly, eager to hear what Abby had to say. When the knock on the door came, she was ready. “Come in.”
Abby walked into the small room bearing a cup of tea for Maddie. “It’s sweet, but one of our nurses brings it from home, and if you’ve never had her peach tea, I think you’ll find it refreshing.”
Maddie tasted it. “It is delicious. I have to say, though, that I feel as if you’re offering me some comforting tea in case I need some bracing.”
