Broken Ties (The Healing Series Book 5)

by Kelly Seibold

  "I've been staying..."

  "Don't lie to your father. You're sleeping in your office, aren't you?"

  "Dad."

  "Listen. I know you think you can handle things on your own, but it's all right to ask for help. It doesn't make you weak. I've had to learn that the hard way. Now, your mom says you probably aren't eating, so make sure you eat and sleep. She is close to coming up there and force-feeding you if she has to, and you know she absolutely will."

  "I know."

  "Why didn't you tell us about your friend Stephanie? Jake, I know you liked that girl in school, so you must be upset."

  "You knew I liked her?"

  "Yes, well, I didn't. Your mother knows all, and you just proved her right, and I owe her dinner now."

  Jake chuckled.

  "I have to go, son. I'll call you later. Oh! Someone looked at the house today, so we may be able to move quicker than you think. See ya soon!" The phone clicked off, and Jake put it down on his desk.

  Elizabeth knocked on the frame before entering with a bag of food. She placed it on the corner of his desk.

  "What's this?"

  "Eat, Jake. Here's your blood work back." She laid an unopened envelope on his desk. "And Layla told me about your low blood sugar."

  "My staff needs to keep their yappers shut!"

  "Your staff cares about you. You know that."

  They were interrupted when Jace knocked on the door. "Oh, hey, Elizabeth, how goes it?" he asked her as he handed Jake the paperwork from the hot tub job. "I'm glad you're still here. I know it's late. Do you have time to sign off on this?"

  "Yeah, I do." He stood and walked around his desk.

  "I'm good, Jace. The house is perfect. Thank you again," Elizabeth answered his earlier question.

  "I'm glad. Call Daisy if anything goes wrong, okay?"

  "Sure thing."

  "We will talk later." Jake glared at her and followed Jace to the door.

  "Eat when you get back to your desk. I mean it."

  Jake rolled his eyes, went out into the hallway, and walked side by side with Jace to the physical therapy department.

  Matt was rolling up mats in the corner and smiled at the two guys as they walked through the doors. Jake gave him a tight smile and continued to the back room, where Dylan and Damon picked up their tools. "How does she look?" Damon asked him.

  "Great."

  "All she needs is water. The heat and the jets are on the panel here to make it easier for patients to control that themselves. And there are walk-in stairs with the rail. If you want us to help those that can't walk at all, we can put the contraption that lowers someone in the water."

  "I'll be in touch about that."

  "Good deal. Sign this." He handed him a clipboard. "Any more questions?"

  "No. Thanks, guys."

  "No problem. Let us know if you see any leaks or anything." They went about gathering their things.

  "Hey, will you show Matt out there how to work this? It's his department." Jake wasn't sure he could talk to him without connecting his fist to his face.

  "Sure thing. Will tell him before we leave."

  "All right. Thanks again. I guess I'm going to go eat before Elizabeth yells at me."

  "Bossy thing, isn't she?" Jace asked as he grabbed a toolbox and put the strap across his shoulder.

  "Only to me. I'll see you guys." There was a side door, and Jake used a key to unlock it and walk out into the hallway and back to his office. He didn't trust himself not to punch Matt in his model-like mug. That would wipe that constant smirk that dude had. Did girls really go for that?

  He reached his office, shut his door, and loosened his tie. He'd shed his jacket hours ago. His jaw clenched tighter, thinking of that man's hands on Stephanie's hips.

  The tub would be so helpful with her pain, but he sure as hell didn't like the thought of Matt seeing her with less clothing or helping her in or out of it. There wasn't a rule about dating patients, and he couldn't change it, or it would exclude himself.

  His stomach growled as he walked to his desk. It looked like Elizabeth had gone to a sub shop. He grabbed the food, and the envelope with his blood work fluttered to the floor. He bent and retrieved it and put it on his keyboard. He took off his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt before rolling up the sleeves and sitting in his office chair so he could check his email and eat at the same time.

  He checked his watch when finished, and it was after nine PM. He hadn't talked to Stephanie since Elizabeth had rolled her to her room on Sunday morning when they returned from the hotel. That had become awkward because of him. Why couldn't he just tell her he had insomnia? She would understand.

  She accused him of looking at her with pity. Maybe he was afraid of the same thing. He ripped open his blood work. Everything was normal, except for the sugar test, of course. Man, he hated those things.

  He took off his shirt and threw it on a pile of clothing that was on his couch. He rummaged through his duffel bag and found a T-shirt and jeans before going to the restroom and changing clothes. He slipped on his tennis shoes, grabbed his hoodie, and went out the door.

  Low voices were coming from Stephanie's room. The door wasn't closed all the way, and he paused when he heard her voice. Her beautiful voice. "I don't want them to know."

  "Okay. I'll email you the information. Be careful."

  "I will. Thanks again, Sam."

  "Any time. I have to go."

  "I'm sorry I kept you away from Dylan and Drew."

  Sam sighed. "I really need to go. Do you need me to do anything before I leave?"

  "I'm good. Layla is bringing me some pain meds so I can sleep."

  "I'll see you."

  "Bye."

  Jake took a step back when the door opened, and Sam smiled at him before heading down the hallway.

  Stephanie's eyes were closed when he entered the room and, were those tear streaks?

  "Baby?"

  Her eyes snapped open and settled on him.

  He was at her side instantly, and he put down the rail before sitting on the edge of the bed. He cupped her face, and more tears rolled down her cheeks. "What's wrong?" he asked softly and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

  "I-I think Sam found my birth mom," she hiccupped.

  "What do you need from me, Annie?" His hands dropped off her face and grabbed her hands.

  "I don't know. I don't know how I feel about anything. I'm so tired, Jacob. I'm the one who’s supposed to be helping people, and I feel helpless. I could probably open my practice back up, but I feel like I couldn't help anyone now even if I tried, and I'll make things worse for someone who needs me."

  It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her he needed her.

  Her head dropped back on her pillow. "I'm in so much pain right now," she whispered. "I hate therapy days and nights."

  "When's your next session?"

  "Friday."

  Jake's thumbs were rubbing the back of her knuckles and continued to do so even when Layla entered with the pain meds Stephanie had requested. She went about fixing her drink and left as quickly as she came.

  "Do you want to tell me about the adoption thing?" he asked after she had swallowed the pills.

  "It turns out she didn't tell me about your dad because during that time, my birth mother tried to contact me, and she was distracted. It's an excuse! Why would she keep that from me? I feel as if my entire life is a lie."

  "That's a huge bomb to drop on someone. I'm sorry, baby."

  "Why do you keep calling me that?"

  "Calling you what?"

  "And why are you here?"

  "Because-because I-I wanted to see you."

  "Are you really here every night?"

  He looked down at his hands.

  "You aren't going to answer me, are you? You kiss me and act like you want to fuck me, but talking to me is out. I'm not okay with that!"

  "Annie."

  "Don't Annie me right now! My
life is falling apart, and all you do is..." She stopped, seemingly not able to find the words she needed, and waved her hand in the air. "If you're not going to talk to me, just go! I don't want you here. I sure as hell don't need you here! I haven't needed you for fourteen years. I've done well with my life without you, and I'm sure I will again."

  He met her with silence, and she stared at him, her chest moving up and down with her rapid breathing before it caught completely as her legs drew up, and she let out a scream.

  "Fuck!" He pushed the emergency button. "Where?"

  "Ba-back. Fuck you!" she yelled at him. He ignored her and rolled her, finding her back knotted up.

  "I'm going to kill Matt," Jake muttered as he pushed his hands and fingers on the knot. Nurses ran into the room. "Get me a heating pad," he ordered. They left quickly, and he continued his massage.

  "I don't need you," she whimpered.

  "Do you remember when that girl knocked you into the scoring table your junior year of college, and your knee hit the replay monitor? You landed in a heap on the other side of the table, and I don't know how I didn't run onto the court to help you. The medical staff ran over there, and after they helped you up, blood was running down your leg, and you asked if the other girl was all right. I knew right then that I would never be good enough for you because if that had been me, I would have punched that girl as soon as I got back on my feet."

  "You were there?" she rasped out.

  A nurse returned, and he let the heating pad replace his fingers on her lower back.

  "I went or taped every one of your games. I saw you in Elite Eights and Final Fours. I saw you cry when you hit a winning basket or when you missed the game-winner."

  Her breathing slowed. Her hand that was gripping the sheet relaxed its hold. "I don't understand."

  He let out a deep breath and climbed off the bed. He slumped down in the chair and rubbed his hands through his hair. "I was twenty years old, and my dad told me to change the brakes on my car. I mean, he hounded me about it, but there was this girl. I didn't like her, not really, but I heard that she was easy, and the guys on the football team were ragging me about being a virgin."

  He took another deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "I took my dad's car to meet this girl. I didn't ask, but I knew my car had terrible brakes, and I hadn't changed them yet. Dad needed the car that night, and since I took his, he took mine." A tear dropped down his cheek. "The brakes failed, and he got in a wreck and almost died. He lost both legs. My strong dad who could have played in the NFL one day, which was my fault, too, because I was born." His voice broke, tears tracked down his cheeks, and he swiped at them.

  "Jacob," she whispered as tears filled her eyes.

  "And I haven't been able to sleep since. I take pills, but with everything going on, I forgot to have them refilled. And you may not need me, Stephanie Waterford, but I need you. So please, don't give up on me."

  Chapter 14

  "Hey, boss," Matt Adams said at the same time he knocked on the door frame.

  Jake looked up from his reading and bit back a sigh. He really didn't trust himself around this guy. After his emotionally draining confession to Stephanie a couple of days ago, her pain pills kicked in, and she fell asleep before she could respond. And, of course, he got called away to Seattle for another meeting the following day.

  "Come in, Matt."

  "Thanks." He had a book under his arm, and Jake pointed to the chair in front of his desk, all the while reminding himself to keep it professional.

  "What do you need?"

  "Stephanie, I mean Dr. Waterford." Jake bit back on his molars. "I am aware that her back seizes up after every session. We have tried warming up before, warming down afterward, doing both, skipping both. We are testing the hot tub today."

  "What-what do you want to do?"

  "Nothing. I guess I just wanted you to know that I'm aware, and I'm researching." He held up a book about spine injuries. "I'm going to figure it out."

  "Thanks, Matt."

  "All right, well, I promised her I'd roll her over today. I'll see you." He stood and made his way out the door, and Jake scrubbed a hand across his face.

  His computer dinged with a message from Cheyenne next door telling him his first interviewee was here for the chief of staff job. He would be busy with these all day. Plus, he had to meet with J.D.'s construction firm and go over plans for the kitchen, and as usual, he wouldn't get to see Stephanie until later. That is, if she wanted to see him. She'd probably be asleep anyway.

  Cheyenne led in the first applicant, and Jake forced himself to stand and greet him. They exchanged pleasantries and got down to business.

  *******

  Stephanie was asleep when he got to her room late that night. Tootsie Roll wrappers were scattered on the tray that was still over her bed. A fast-food bag sat there as well, along with two Coke cans. She must have had a junk food night. He gathered her garbage and threw it away, and when he turned around, she was watching him with glazed over eyes. "Hey," he said. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. Why was he so nervous?

  She licked her dry lips to wet them, drawing his attention there. "Hi." Her voice was raspy from sleep. Good grief, she sounded sexy. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and stared at the ground. "Come here, please."

  He was at her side in an instant, and she grasped his hand, pulling him down to sit.

  "I need out of here. I found—well, Sam found her, and I want to see her."

  "Stephanie, we..."

  "If you don't, I'll get Matt. He's off this weekend, and he would love to take me. He said so."

  "Hell no," Jake growled.

  "Down boy," she murmured. Her eyes closed briefly, and Jake thought she'd fallen back asleep.

  He touched her face, and her eyes opened again, but they weren't focused.

  "I'm loopy," she announced.

  And Jake chuckled lightly.

  "They—I think they gave me new pain meds. Don't remember much, but I feel good, and you are so cute. You've always been cute."

  "You too."

  "Really?"

  "Yep."

  Her hand reached up to touch his face and missed, and she hit nothing but air.

  Jake laughed and grabbed her hand, laid it against his cheek, and held it there.

  "I've wanted to touch you forever," she mumbled, her eyes closing. "I snuck into the boy's locker room once," she confessed.

  Jake's eyes widened, and he gently lowered their hands from his face.

  "I didn't see anything. I got caught before the showers started up. Darn it."

  "That's good."

  "Was it really? I wanted to see you naked." She raised her eyebrows up and down.

  "How old were you?"

  "Sixteen. I got grounded but not suspended. They needed my, um...my-my skills, yeah. On the court." She made a basketball shooting motion with her hand and let out a yawn. "This stuff. Get the name of it, and take it with us on our trip," she said on another yawn.

  "Did you have a crush on me? Why did you want to see me naked?"

  "I had planned our wedding and named our kids," she answered, more sleepiness taking over.

  Jake's eyes widened. Goodness, high on narcotics, Stephanie wouldn't stop talking. What else would she confess? How did he not know she liked him? Maybe because she always had a boyfriend. "How come you didn't tell me you liked me?" he asked.

  "I did try that day. You were with someone else. Your hands were everywhere on the whore. I never saw you again. You broke...you broke my heart."

  "I didn't know," he said softly.

  "Guys are dumb-dumbs."

  "I couldn't agree more," he mumbled.

  "JAKEY!" She squinted one eye and booped him on the nose. Actually, she almost stabbed him in the eyeball with her finger. She smiled dreamily in his direction. What would he give for her to look at him that way when she wasn't under the influence of pain medication? "Hey," she whispered.

/>   "Yes, baby."

  "I like it when you call me that."

  "I like calling you that."

  "Why?"

  "Because I like you."

  "You do?" she whispered-asked. Her eyes opened comically wide.

  She wasn't going to remember any of this, was she? "I've always liked you," he confessed.

  "You're a liar, Michael Jacob...No." She wrinkled her nose. "That's not right. Jacob Michael." Her eyes drifted closed, and she squeezed his hand. "Why did they lie to me?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes.

  "I don't know. Have you thought about asking them?"

  "Just every day of every minute. That's not right. You know what I mean."

  "I'm sorry, Annie."

  "It's okay, Jacob. I'm going to go now. I mean, I'm going to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

  She didn't say anything else, and her hand began to relax in his as she fell asleep. He realized he hadn't agreed to anything but was not letting Matt take her somewhere alone. Not now. Not ever.

  He moved her hair off her face before standing and straightening her blanket. He kissed her forehead before leaving the room.

  *******

  The Next Morning

  Stephanie was laughing. Matt's laughter rang out over hers. He cracked another joke, and she hit him in the chest just as Jake strode through the door. His eyes narrowed on her hand like laser beams were shooting out of them. Matt was just cocky enough that he didn't care and didn't make an effort to move away.

  "Are you ready to go, Annie?"

  "What?" She did look confused. Did she not remember last night at all?

  "I'm taking you out of here for the weekend."

  She glanced at Matt with a question on her face. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear, and Jake's fists clenched at his sides. "I'll catch you later, Steph." He placed a kiss on her cheek, and Jake's jaw locked shut. If he touched her one more time, Jake would lose his job for punching an employee.

  "Jacob." She rolled up to him. "I don't remember what we talked about last night."

  "I'm taking you to your birth mother. Do you have the information?"

  "Yeah. Sam emailed it, and Elizabeth printed it out for me. I could have just left it on my phone, but I wanted it bigger. It's in my backpack."