by Ivy Layne
It was easy to find Clay's number since he was at the top of the call list. I tapped his name, nerves fluttering in my belly. A low male voice answered, warm with welcome. “Hey, I didn't expect to hear from you tonight, thought you had plans with Daisy.”
I cleared my throat. “Uh, this is Daisy, actually. Sorry to take you by surprise but, uh—”
“What's wrong?” he asked, his warm voice sharp with a thread of worry.
“J.T. and I were attacked. He was stabbed. He's in surgery. I thought you'd—”
“What hospital?” Clay demanded.
“County Regional. I'm in the ER right now, but as soon as I can I'll head to the waiting room closest to where J.T. is. I'll text you as soon as I know where that is.”
“I'll be there in an hour.”
“Hey, Clay!” I called, knowing he was about to hang up.
“Yeah,” he barked, impatient. I got it, but I had to say one more thing.
“Drive safely. Seriously. J.T. will kill me if you rush and get into an accident on the way here. He's hanging in there, and he'll be in surgery for a while. Drive safe.”
“Yeah,” he grunted. “See you soon.”
“He's still going to speed,” I murmured as I set the phone down.
“Probably,” Royal agreed. “I would. But since you reminded him, he'll be more careful.”
The curtain on my room slid open and Hope was there, Griffen behind her, a stack of clothes in her arms. “I have your things.” She turned an eagle eye on Royal and then Griffen. “Get out, you guys, and let her change in privacy.” Royal started to object. Hope leveled a sharply pointed finger at him. “Go.”
He grumbled as he kissed my cheek, but he went. “I'll be just outside.”
“I won't be long,” I promised.
Chapter Forty
Daisy
I was still struggling to sit up when Hope wrapped her arms around me in a long hug.
“He's going to be okay,” she said, her words more a prayer than a promise.
“I know,” I lied, holding on to her with everything I had.
I didn't know. We knew nothing except that we loved J.T., and he was clinging to life. All we could do was wait.
Hope helped me change into jeans and a t-shirt, urging me to add a sweatshirt despite the warm temperatures outside. “It's freezing in here. They have the AC cranked like it's July. If you get hot, you can always take it off.”
It felt good to be in clean clothes. Hope handed me a fresh scrunchie and I redid my bun for the second time. It wasn't the fashion statement J.T. had made it, but it would do.
Royal was waiting when I came out. “No news on J.T., but I found out where we can wait.” I wasn't expecting Griffen and Hope to follow us.
“Hope, you should go home. This could take a while. I'll call as soon as we know anything,” I said.
“No way. We're staying.”
“Tenn is on his way,” Griffen added with a nod at Royal. Tears sprung to my eyes at the way Royal's family was here for him. For us.
I couldn't bear to think of my own family. My father and mother gone, leaving Grams heartbroken and betrayed.
Grams. She'd want to be here. She loved J.T. like he was her own. I still didn't have my phone, but I had his. I tapped the screen, waking it up and then clicking it off as I thought about what I had to do.
I was still angry at Grams, but J.T. was far more important than my anger. I had to call her.
I was still thinking when Hope asked, “Are you hungry? Or do you want tea? Chocolate? We're going to the cafeteria to get something.”
I shrugged. I was vaguely aware of being hungry. J.T. and I had never gotten around to eating dinner, but the thought of food wasn't appealing. I was too worried to eat. Hope wasn't interested in my denials.
“I'll get you something anyway. You can always eat it later.” They left, Griffen's arm around Hope, her leaning into him, talking softly.
Royal took my free hand in his. “When are you going to call Grams?”
“As soon as I work up the nerve,” I admitted.
“She loves you, Daisy.”
“I know. I love her too. I'm just—” Scared. Pissed off. Overloaded. Totally without words. What did I say to her?
In the end, I kept it simple, clicking open J.T.'s phone and dialing before I could chicken out.
Grams sounded tired when she answered. “Hello? J.T.? Is everything okay?”
“Grams, it's me. I need you.” Words spilled out about J.T., and where we were, and what had happened. Once I heard her voice, a dam broke loose inside me. I was still hurt, still pissed, but I loved Grams more than anything. Even with Royal by my side, I needed my Grams, and she needed me.
I hung up, telling Royal, “She's on her way.” That done, I texted Clay directions to the waiting room we'd taken over. Hope and Griffen were still gathering provisions from the cafeteria, but Tenn showed up just after I hung up with Grams, his eyes worried when he saw us.
“Any news?” he asked as he slouched into a chair near Royal.
Royal shook his head. “Not yet. Might be awhile. Griffen and Hope went to get food. If you want anything, just text them.”
“No, I'm good. Everyone sends their love.”
“Everyone?” Royal asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, not Bryce. But everyone else,” Tenn admitted, the side of his mouth curving up. After a moment, he sighed. “I should have talked to Vanessa, given her some money.”
I was already shaking my head as Royal said, “Don't. Don't second guess. This wasn't just about money. Vanessa told Daisy someone ordered her to go after me. We don't know who, but this afternoon she told me she knew who killed Dad. Not too much of a stretch to think it's the same person.”
Wait, what? Why hadn't he mentioned this earlier? “She told you she knew who your father's killer was?”
“She claimed to know and said she'd tell me for a cool million. Cash.”
I whistled. “Do you have a million in cash?” I had to ask.
Royal's teasing grin was the sweetest thing I'd seen in ages. “I could get it, but even if I did, I wouldn't give it to Vanessa. And now, I think the money was more about getting me alone to make the exchange. Somewhere she or whoever's behind this could get to me.”
I shivered. What had happened to J.T. was bad enough. I couldn't stand imagining the same thing happening to Royal.
Grams made it to the hospital before Hope and Griffen got back from the cafeteria. Still wearing her house slippers, hair falling out of its usual braid, gray eyes bleak, she made a beeline straight for me, arms outstretched.
I jumped to my feet. My heart broke as Grams dropped her arms and stopped, uncertain of her welcome. Whatever problems we had, they weren't bigger than this crisis, and they absolutely weren't bigger than our love. This woman had raised me, been there for me at every hard moment in my life until the last few weeks. I wasn't going to turn from her now. No way.
I barreled into her arms, my head on her shoulder, exactly where it had fit so perfectly since I was a little girl. She smelled of lavender and vanilla. Grams. Her strong arms came around me, hesitant at first, then closing tightly, holding me to her as her breath hitched.
“Oh, Daisy, my girl, my sweet girl.” She rocked me from side to side, murmuring, her tears falling down her cheeks to drop on mine. Drawing in a deep breath for strength, I hugged her tight, my arms steel around her.
It struck me that this time Grams needed me to comfort her. We had issues to work out, but none of that mattered right now.
For the first time in memory, Grams was fragile, on the edge of breaking, her heart too sore to comfort me. After all these years of love and support, it was my turn to comfort her.
My heart swelled as I rocked her, stroking a hand down her braid, murmuring, “It's al
l going to be okay, Grams. Shh, it's okay. J.T.'s going to come through this, and we're all going to be okay. I promise.”
We both knew I couldn't promise any such thing, but I said the words anyway. J.T. was going to be okay. He had to be.
When she was cried out, I settled Grams into the seat beside me, handing her the honeyed tea Hope brought me. Neither of us wanted the turkey sandwich, but Royal and Hope glared at me until I ate half. I knew better than to think I could fight both Royal and Hope if they were teamed up against me.
The sandwich was dry and had too much bread, but I felt better once my stomach was full. The cookie wasn't one of mine, but it didn't hurt either. Done eating, Grams still sipping her tea, we sat in silence for a while, everyone tensing every time the door at the end of the hall opened. None of the white-jacketed doctors were there for us. Ditto for every figure in scrubs who strode through. We sat, and we waited, worry winding tighter with every quiet minute that passed.
When her tea was empty, Grams rose to throw out the cup, standing so slowly I imagined I heard her bones creaking. She'd always been so vibrant, but now I saw the weight of age dragging her down. I hated my parents for bringing her to this.
I was going to be fine. I had myself and my friends. Most of all, I had Royal. I couldn't see the future, but I knew Royal would be a part of it. This love was forever. I didn't know what was going to happen next for me considering I was homeless and unemployed, but I knew Royal and I would get through it together.
Grams sat slowly, easing herself into the chair. “Daisy,” she said, hesitant. I hated hearing that reserve in her voice. We'd always been so open with each other.
Chest aching, I took her hand in mine and squeezed gently. “Grams, it's okay.”
“It's not,” she retorted, a little of her usual fire sparking in her voice.
“Grams—”
“No, let me say my piece.”
“Okay,” I conceded, stomach twisting with sudden nerves. I wasn't ready to talk about my parents or what they'd done. What my father had done. Beside me, Royal took my other hand in his, anchoring me. I let out the breath I'd been holding, ready for whatever Grams had to say.
“I didn't do right by your father,” Grams started. I shoved back my instinct to disagree. Biting my lip, I forced myself to stay quiet and let her speak.
“I see you biting your lip, little girl. I know you want to stick up for me, but this time, you're wrong. I did a better job with you, but I didn't do right by your father. I was so young when I got pregnant with him. Young and foolish. I thought I could make it work, and I did, mostly. But I was more a playmate for him than a mother. I gave him everything he wanted that I could afford, and by the time I realized it hadn't done him any good, it was too late. I ruined that boy.”
I couldn't stay quiet any longer. “Grams, his choices are not your fault. Maybe you spoiled him, and maybe you weren't the best mom at sixteen, but he's a grown man. He has a wife and a child of his own. He is not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
A little voice in my head reminded me that she was going to cut me out of the bakery. Maybe that part was her fault, but it was her bakery. I wasn't going to throw out a lifetime of love over one bad decision.
Chapter Forty-One
Daisy
I knew too well how my father could talk a sensible woman into total idiocy. Hadn't I fallen for his act, too? All he had to do was put on a suit, show me a few spreadsheets, and I'd written him a check for money that wasn't really mine. So freaking stupid.
I'd be the biggest hypocrite in the world if I blamed Grams for falling for his crap when I'd done exactly the same thing.
Grams started to speak, but I cut her off. “Is he sorry for everything he did to you? Did he apologize? Leave a note? Express remorse in any way?”
Grams shook her head.
“Then I don't think you should be beating yourself up for any mistakes you made years ago. This isn't on you.”
Her head shook again, a tiny rueful smile on her lips. “Oh, Daisy girl. You'll understand when you have children of your own. Your father's made some bad choices, and he's not welcome in my home any longer, but he'll always be my boy.”
I sighed. “I know.”
“But if I see him, I'm calling West. He's my boy, but I'm not protecting him. Not anymore.” She leaned past me to look at Royal. “I didn't know, Royal. I swear to you, I had no clue what he was up to. I'm so sorry—”
“Eleanor, don't. You don't have anything to be sorry for,” he said, his eyes kind.
“I do. But we can talk about making that right later.”
“Later,” I agreed. “We need to get through tonight first.”
The doors at the far end of the hall slid open. We all leaned forward, hope and terror warring inside us. Not a doctor. A man, tall and broad, with messy blond hair and golden stubble on his cheeks. I instantly recognized him from the pic on J.T.'s phone.
Rising to my feet, I crossed the waiting room. “Clay? I'm Daisy.”
He looked down at me, his throat working, hands hanging loosely at his side. On impulse, I leaned in and hugged him. “No word yet. We're still waiting. Come sit with us.”
Clay returned my hug with a squeeze of one arm, clearing his throat. “I don't want to impose—”
I ignored his protest, taking his hand and leading him to a seat beside Grams. Pointing around the room, I made introductions. “This is Grams, Royal, Royal's brother Tenn, his other brother Griffen, and Griffen's wife Hope—who should be home in bed but refuses to leave.”
“You're all here for J.T.?” Clay asked, sounding a little dazed.
“He's Daisy's,” Royal said simply. “Makes him family.”
“Clay is J.T.'s,” I explained to the group, nudging Clay into the seat beside Grams.
As I expected, Grams' eyes lit. Giving Clay a brilliant smile, she raised an eyebrow at me. “Why didn't I know about this?”
“Because J.T.'s a dork.”
That was all the explanation Grams needed. Turning to Clay, she took his hand and squeezed. “I hate the circumstances, but I'm so glad to meet you. That boy and his secrets.”
“I've heard all about you and Daisy.” Clay swallowed hard. “J.T. loves you a lot.”
“It's mutual,” Grams said. “Daisy brought him home when they were thirteen, and he's been mine ever since. Tell me how you two met. Are you in the culinary program at Tech, too?”
“No ma'am. I've been working in the small business incubator they have there, first with my brewery and now as an advisor. We ran into each other on campus and hit it off.”
Grams' smile was almost blinding. I knew she wouldn't care that J.T. had a boyfriend, she'd only care that he was happy and loved. Based on the way Clay had rushed to be here, I knew J.T. was both.
I leaned into Royal, resting my head on his shoulder. “I hate the waiting,” I said, keeping my voice low so I could eavesdrop on Grams and Clay.
“I know. Try to close your eyes, get some rest.”
I made an inelegant sound in the back of my throat. A nap was not going to happen. I was drained from everything, and I'd been up since before dawn. I still wasn't going to sleep.
“Fine, then tell me about your packed bags. Are you going to move in with me?”
I glanced up to see his blue eyes trained on my face, emotion swirling through them. Nerves, humor, hope, and love. Royal felt it all and I wanted to give the same back.
“I was planning on it. Thought I'd bring a pie to bribe you.”
“I can always be bribed with pie. Or cake. Cookies…”
I squeezed his hand and laughed. “I know. I figured I'd sweeten you up with the pie before I asked for half of that closet.”
I was mostly joking. First, I didn't have nearly enough clothes to fill half of Royal's closet. Neither did he. His suite wasn't th
e most luxurious in Heartstone Manor—he claimed that honor belonged to Griffen and Hope—but it was larger than my own place by far. I wondered if Savannah and their cook would let me play in the kitchen. I'd figure it out later.
I opened my mouth to ask when the door at the end of the hall opened and a tall, thin woman in scrubs came out. She looked strained and tired. “J.T. Swift?”
I stumbled to my feet, Royal standing beside me. Everyone else did the same. “That's us. We're here for J.T. Is he okay?”
At that moment, I was afraid to hope, terrified she was going to say he was dead. I couldn't read her face, saw only the lines fatigue had drawn into her forehead, the circles beneath her eyes.
Please, please, let him be okay.
“He's stable.” My heart kicked back to life and I took a breath. Stable. He was stable. Stable was good.
She went on. “No visitors yet, he woke from anesthesia, but he's asleep now. You can see him in the morning.”
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked.
She gave me that measured doctor look that told me she wasn't going to make any promises. “He came through surgery well. The knife made a mess but didn't damage anything vital. He lost a lot of blood, and he's going to be off his feet for a while, but, assuming things go well over the next twenty-four hours, he should make a full recovery.”
I sagged with relief, Royal's arm the only thing holding me upright. “When can we see him?”
“Come back after nine am tomorrow. He needs to rest and I want to take another look at him before we move him to a regular room. Then he can have visitors.”
Grams turned to Clay. “You can come home with me and stay in J.T.'s old room, or Daisy can give you the keys to the apartment over the bakery.” She tilted her head at me. “You're going home with Royal?”
“That's the plan,” I confirmed. To Clay, I added, “I can give you the key to the apartment, but you should go home with Grams. She'll be coming straight back here in the morning, and she makes a killer breakfast.”
Grams nodded in agreement. “I will and I do.” Turning to me, she said quietly, “I'm going to stop by the bakery on the way home, put up a sign saying we're closed tomorrow. After we see J.T., can we find some time to talk?”
