by Marie Force
“Take care of your family, man. I got you covered.”
“Thank you. I’ll be in touch. Call me on this number or at home if you need me.”
“Copy.”
Noah ended the call, hating himself for missing Miguel. Carlo was a good dude, but Noah didn’t have the same confidence in him that he’d had in Miguel. That two-faced son of a wife-fucking bitch. All this time later, Noah still didn’t know when the two of them had become more than friends or how long they’d been going at it before Noah caught them.
He’d shut down any conversation with them after the dreadful day when he’d returned home from an overnight search and rescue with his cousins to find his foreman sleeping naked in his bed with Noah’s wife. What did it matter to him how it started or how long it had gone on?
His two-year marriage had ended in the split second that Noah realized his wife had another man in their bed. And not just any other man, but Noah’s closest friend and most trusted employee.
Why was he even thinking about this shit? Talking about Melinda with his mother and then Brianna had stirred it all up again. He wished he could stuff it into a trash bag and toss it into an incinerator, so he’d never have to think about either of them again.
He was about to rejoin his siblings in the ICU waiting room when Ally’s phone rang with a call from a local number. Hoping it was Brianna, he took the call.
“Hey, it’s Brianna. I heard about your sister, and I’m so sorry. How is she?”
“She’s in rough shape, but they say she’s going to be okay eventually.”
“That’s a relief. How are you?”
“I’m very, very sorry I didn’t show up last night. I had no way to call you, and to be completely honest, the minute I heard about Izzy, I forgot everything else. I feel terrible about it.”
“Please don’t. I understand.”
“Were you upset about me not showing?”
“Of course not.”
“Are you lying?”
She chuckled softly. “Maybe a little. I hate that something so awful happened to your sister, but I’m glad you didn’t just blow me off for no good reason.”
“I didn’t. I wouldn’t do that to you. I swear.”
“I believe you. What can I do for you?”
“Keep things moving at the site. I’ll be back to work in a day or two.”
“Don’t worry about a thing. We’ll take care of everything.”
“Thank you.”
“Can I check on you later to see how your sister is?”
“Sure. That’d be nice.”
“Give me your number, and I’ll call you tonight.”
Noah recited the digits to his home number. “I’ll try to be home by nine.”
“If you are, you are. If not, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll let you get back to your family, and I’ll pray for your sister.”
“Thanks. Hey, Brianna?”
“Yes?”
“I had a great time with you the other night. I never would’ve blown you off.”
“I had a great time, too, and that’s good to know.”
“I’ll talk to you tonight.”
“Okay.”
He didn’t want to end the call and got the feeling she didn’t either. “Go to work, Brianna.”
“Go to your family, Noah.”
Laughing, he pushed the button to end the call and looked up to find his brother Grayson watching him with a strange expression on his face.
“What?”
“You were laughing. I haven’t seen that in so long I wondered if you still could.”
“Now you know.”
“It was nice to see.”
Noah honestly hadn’t given much thought to how his reclusive behavior had affected the rest of his family. He’d been trying to move past the nightmare with Melinda and Miguel and had no time to be worried about anyone else.
“So, what were you laughing at?”
“Nothing, just something from work.”
“How’s the inn coming?”
“Right on schedule.”
“Heard you’re locking horns with the architect.”
“Is everyone talking about that, or does it just seem that way?”
“It’s winter in Butler, Noah. What else is there to talk about?”
Noah rolled his eyes at his brother. “You think you’re so funny.”
Grayson grinned. “I know I am, but I also know it’s great to see you smile. It’s been too long.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. You went through some rough shit. Or, well, I assume it was rough.”
“It was.”
“I hope whatever it was is in the past for you now.”
“I think it might be.” And he had Brianna to thank for that, in part. The evening he’d spent with her had been a realization of sorts that while his last relationship had blown up spectacularly, that didn’t mean he wasn’t capable of maybe trying again with someone else.
Even having that thought was a huge deal for Noah, because when the shit first went down, he’d been sure that part of his life, the part in which he willingly gave someone else the power to hurt him, was over for good. That wasn’t to say he was ready to jump all-in to something new, but the door to that possibility had cracked open ever so slightly.
“I was going to call you today to ask if you could stop by when you get a minute,” Gray said.
“What for?”
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“Okay…”
“Emma and I are getting married in June.”
“Oh, cool. I hadn’t heard you’d set a date.”
“That’s a recent development. I was wondering if you might be my best man.”
Noah stared at Grayson, wondering if he’d heard him right. “I, uh…”
“I know you’re probably not a big fan of marriage, but I’m so happy with Emma, and I can’t wait to take this next step with her and Simone.” The rush of words was unusual for his brother, but anyone could see the happiness in him since Emma had come into his life. “Did you hear I’m adopting her?”
“No, I hadn’t. That’s awesome, Gray. I’m happy for you on all counts, and of course I’ll be your best man. I’m honored you asked me—and surprised.”
“Why’re you surprised? Didn’t we grow up together and go through all the shit together?”
“We did.”
“Then who else would I ask but you?”
“Thanks for asking.” Noah was strangely emotional to know his older brother wouldn’t have asked anyone but him to be his best man. He and Melinda had eloped, so he hadn’t had a best man, but Gray would’ve been his first choice, too.
“We’ve both been around the block a few times, had some highs and lows.”
“Ain’t that the truth?”
“The one thing that never changes is this.” Gray gestured between the two of them and then toward the waiting room where most of their siblings had gathered. “I don’t know about you, but I take comfort in that.”
“Yeah, for sure.” His siblings were always right there if he needed them, not that Noah needed them often. They’d been through a lot together and shared a bond none of them would ever have with anyone else. Gray was right. There was comfort in that.
“Mom wants us to call Dad about Izzy.”
“I’ll do it,” Gray said.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
“It’s fine.”
Their aunt Molly and uncle Linc came through the doors to the ICU, stopping short when they saw Gray and Noah in the hallway.
“How is she?” Molly asked warily.
“Still holding her own.” Gray hugged them both. “She had a pretty good night.”
“That’s a relief,” Molly said. “And how’s your mother?”
“Hanging in there.”
The door swung open again with a loud bang as Ray came in. “Co
uld I please see your mother?” he asked Gray.
“Sure, I’ll take you to her.”
Ray nodded to Molly and Linc as he followed Grayson into the unit.
“I’m thrilled to see you, too, young man,” Molly said to Noah. “We had a long day yesterday wondering if you were all right.”
Touched by her concern, Noah hugged his aunt. “I’m just fine.”
“Thank God for that,” Molly said.
Hannah heard him before she saw him. She smiled when she heard him tell Grayson to take him to her right away. Since Izzy was sleeping after a restless hour, Hannah left her post by Izzy’s bed to meet Ray in the hallway.
He came right to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her so tightly that Hannah almost couldn’t breathe. Not that she was complaining.
“I would’ve stayed with you here last night.”
“No sense in both of us going without sleep.”
“No sense in you going through this alone.”
He’d been with her when she got the call about Izzy’s accident, but Hannah had sent him home to get some rest late last night.
“I’m glad you’re back.”
“I didn’t want to leave in the first place.”
Hannah leaned into his solid chest, taking comfort from a man for the first time since her husband left so many years ago. It’d become her habit to go it alone, but Ray had shown her she didn’t need to do it that way anymore.
“Your sister and brother-in-law are here.”
“I’ll see them in a minute.” She tightened her hold on Ray. “Could I have a little more of this first?”
“You can have as much of this as you want for as long as you want.”
“Might be a while.”
“I’ve got all the time in the world for you, sweet Hannah.”
She pressed her face against his flannel shirt and breathed in the scents of soap and fabric softener that she associated with him. They’d become the scents of comfort in recent months. She’d thought that part of her life was over and done until he came along to show her otherwise, and now she felt like a giddy teenager in the throes of first love when he was around.
“Whatever you and your daughter need,” he said gruffly, “I’m here for you, Hannah. I hope you know that.”
“I do. Thank you.”
He kissed her right there in the busy ICU. “Sorry,” he said when he seemed to realize what he’d done. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
She smiled up at him. “I’m glad you did.”
Chapter Ten
“Never to suffer would never to have been blessed.”
—Edgar Allan Poe
With his aunt and uncle settled in the waiting room, Grayson took the cell phone he rarely used anymore with him when he went down to the lobby to call his father. He hadn’t talked to him in almost a year, since he’d donated the bone marrow that had saved his father’s life. He’d heard from others that Mike was doing better and in remission, but other than a note he’d received in the mail a month after the transplant thanking him for the life-saving gift, Grayson hadn’t had any further contact.
And that was fine with him.
Yes, he’d donated to save his father’s life, but that was the end of it as far as Gray was concerned. He’d never forgive Mike for abandoning their family when Gray was sixteen or the changes that action had brought about for all of them, but mainly their mother, him, Noah and Izzy. As the three eldest, they’d had to take on way more responsibility than any of them should’ve had at sixteen, fourteen and thirteen.
Before he could talk himself out of making the call, he pressed the single word on his contact list: Dad.
“Grayson?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Is everything all right?”
He had to give Mike credit for knowing there was no way he’d hear from any of his eight children unless something was wrong.
“Izzy was in a bad accident the night before last. She’s in the ICU.”
“Is she… Will she be all right?”
“Eventually.”
“Which hospital?”
“Northeastern. There was some talk yesterday of transferring her to UVM in Burlington, but they were able to treat her here.”
“Is she stable?”
“She is after surgery to remove her spleen and repair some other internal damage. She also broke her arm and two ribs. Her face is banged up, too.”
“Poor Izzy. How upset you all must be.”
“We are.”
“Could I… I mean, would it be okay if I came by to see her?”
“I suppose so but let me know when you’re coming.”
“I’ll try to get there today or tomorrow, and I’ll give you a heads-up. Thank you for calling, Gray.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
He ended the call and sat in the busy lobby for a long time, trying to contend with the emotions that always came from hearing his father’s voice. People talked about “triggers.” Mike Coleman’s voice triggered Grayson and took him right back to an awful time in his life that he’d much sooner forget than relive.
“I wondered where you’d run off to.”
Grayson perked up at the sound of his favorite voice in the world, smiling at his fiancée as she took the seat next to him and reached for his hand. How had he ever lived before he had Emma and Simone to love him and be loved by him? He could barely remember what life was like without them, and that was just fine with him.
“I had to make a call for my mom.”
She looked at him the way only she ever had. “Why do you seem wrong in the eyes?”
“The call was to my father.”
“Oh.”
Emma knew better than just about anyone how difficult his recent interaction with his father had been for him. When they’d discovered he was a perfect match, he’d donated the bone marrow and acted like it was no big deal. But Emma knew how gut-wrenching the entire thing had been for him, how Gray had briefly considered declining the donation request. In the end, Gray hadn’t been able to deny his father a second chance at life, even though he had every reason to.
“How was it?”
“No biggie. I just told him about Izzy.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked if he could come to see her.”
“Are you going to let him?”
“My mom said it was okay with her if he wanted to. Not sure Izzy would want to see him, but we’re not going to bar the door. We’ll see if he even shows up. He’s the king of good intentions that never pan out.”
She reached for his hand and curled her fingers around his. “I hate the way he steals your joy every time you have to deal with him.”
“Aw, baby, he can’t steal my joy when I get to look at your beautiful face every day and kiss your sweet lips and sleep with you in my arms.”
Her small, satisfied smile lit her up eyes. “You do have a way with words, Counselor.”
“I have the best muse to inspire me. Thanks for coming to be with us.”
“Of course we came to be with you. We love Izzy and you and your family.”
“They love you and Simone, too.” He kissed the back of her hand. “I finally got a chance to ask Noah to be my best man.”
“What did he say?”
“He seemed shocked that I’d asked him, but he said yes.”
“That’s great. And you’re still good with just having Noah and Lucy?”
“It’s either two or twenty, and twenty is too many. I wouldn’t know where to stop asking siblings and cousins.”
“I know, and I agree it’s just simpler this way.”
“I wish we didn’t have to wait five more months to tie the knot. That seems like forever.”
“It’ll go by so fast you won’t believe it.”
“You promise?”
“I do, and you know I’m always right.”
Grayson laughed at the sassy look she gave him. “Yes, dear, you’re always rig
ht.”
“See that? You’re so ready to be a husband.”
“Only because I get to marry you.”
If he had to see his father, he’d be okay because he could go home to her afterward, and she’d give him everything he needed and then some. He was thankful for her every day, but never more so than at times like this when his painful past reared its ugly head. Knowing he had her—and Simone—made everything better.
Noah drove home just after eight, bringing his sisters Sarah, Ally and Vanessa to spend the night at his house. Henry was going to stay at their mom’s but had promised to come over to hang out with the rest of them at Noah’s. For once, Noah was glad to be surrounded by his younger siblings to help keep his mind off the stressful day at the hospital.
Izzy was doing okay, but she looked rough. Her face was bruised and swollen, her bottom lip split open, and her left arm broken. And those were just the injuries they could see on the outside. The internal damage had been of far more concern initially. The nurse had told them that Izzy would probably leave the ICU in the next couple of days if she continued to improve.
That was the good news.
The bad news was that she faced months of recovery that might include inpatient rehab.
“I feel so bad for Iz.” Vanessa’s soft words broke a long silence. “She won’t be able to work for months.”
“I know,” Sarah said. “It’s terrible, and I hate that I can’t stay to help her when she gets home. I have to get back to Boston soon. I can’t miss any more classes, or I’ll never catch up.”
She was a nursing student at Northeastern, in the fourth year of a five-year program.
“You can take my car,” Ally said. “I’m going to stay for a bit. I can work from anywhere.” As an account executive with a marketing firm, she had a lot of leeway.
“I’m going to stay, too,” Vanessa said. “I’m job hunting, and I can do that from here.”
“What happened to your job?” Noah asked.
“Her boss got handsy with her, and when she reported him to HR, he tried to have her fired, so she quit,” Sarah said.
“What?” Noah asked. “Did you tell Gray about this?”
“No,” Vanessa said with a sigh. “I’ve barely told anyone. It’s all so embarrassing. I was just trying to do my job, and he wouldn’t leave me alone. But he’s a VP, a rainmaker, they call him, and I’m just a lowly admin, so they weren’t about to take my side.”
