“It’s just outside the door. I’ll let them know you’re there.” Paolo led her out to a long wooden bench. He unwrapped a prosciutto and mozzarella panini sandwich and handed it to her along with a thermos of hot coffee. “Eat. I’ll be right back.”
“Thanks.” Chefs never ate during a catering event, often going home to eat a bowl of cereal before crashing in bed. Paolo had known that and brought her sustenance. His thoughtfulness made her tear up again as she swallowed a bite of the sandwich.
Michaela gave Paolo an expectant look when he returned shortly. “What did they say? Can I go in to see them?”
“Not yet. Your aunts have already had a CT scan and an MRI. Now they’re getting X-rays taken.”
“It’s so frustrating. I’ve only been able to get bits and pieces of information since I got here!”
“How did the accident happen?”
“All I know is that the other driver was a teenager. He ran a red light and crashed against the driver’s side. Aunt Willow’s side. Her vintage Volkswagen beetle was totaled.” Terror welled up inside Michaela. “I can’t bear to imagine what shape she’s in.”
“Then don’t. No sense in imagining the worst scenario until we have the prognosis.”
“You’re right.” Michaela felt comforted by Paolo’s strong, unruffled manner. Earlier he had looked ready to throttle Bernice when she had dared to fondle him. He had not been too happy with Michaela either, as she recalled. But now he was being incredibly supportive when she needed it most, making sure she knew he had her back. It impressed the heck out of her that he could let go of his earlier irritation so easily.
“Where is your family?” Paolo asked quietly.
“My parents are out of town and I can’t reach Tiffany. I left her several messages, but she hasn’t returned my calls or text messages.”
“I’m sure she’ll be in touch as soon as she hears your message. It’s Friday night. She might be out.”
“Yeah, could be. I’ll kill her when I see her though! She has a bad habit of forgetting to charge her cell.” Michaela took a breath to calm down. No sense in taking her frustration out on Tiffany. She handed Paolo the uneaten half of the sandwich. “Do you want it? It was delicious,” she said gratefully, “but I can’t eat anymore. I’ll bet you haven’t had anything to eat all evening.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m not hungry.”
“How did the meal go tonight?” she asked, changing the subject to distract her from the anguish eating at her.
“I’m sure it went great. I left Gil in charge and then went home to check on Claudia and Mikey before heading over here.”
“How are they? I miss them,” she admitted in a soft voice.
Paolo grinned proudly. “Mikey is getting big and strong. He smiled for the first time yesterday. Claudia was thrilled. So was I.”
“Aw, he must look so adorable smiling. I want to see it.” Michaela took Paolo’s big hands in hers and squeezed them, drawing strength from him. “Thank you…for everything…the sandwich, coffee, for being here with me,” she said, her voice clogging with gratitude. “I hate hospitals.”
“Me too,” Paolo admitted ruefully. “I don’t like the sterile smell and all those machines. It brings back bad memories.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Michaela rested her hand against his jaw.
Paolo smiled at her. “It’s okay, corazón. I can handle it.”
He had never called her his heart and Michaela liked hearing it—almost too much. “We should go inside now,” she said, finding her voice after a few moments.
Another hour passed. Paolo and Michaela sat quietly, his arm slung around her shoulders and her head resting against his chest. She was grateful for the solace of his presence. The solid weight of his arm around her shoulders made her feel safe. She had already tried to send him home, claiming she would be fine, but Paolo had adamantly refused to leave, giving her a stubborn look that held no room for negotiations. She was more than thankful for that. She had lied when she said that she would be fine. The only thing keeping her scattered nerves together was having him at her side.
Pressed close to him on the vinyl couch, Michaela marveled over how Paolo seamlessly separated his business from his personal life. She was deeply touched by everything he had done for her tonight—leaving the party beforehand, bringing her food, staying with her. He had even thought of bringing her his warm-up jacket, which she proudly wore, engulfed in its warmth. She couldn’t stop thinking about how he had come through for her in her time of need.
“Is Michaela Willoughby here?”
Michaela’s head shot up when she heard her name called out by a harried young doctor entering the waiting area.
“Yes, that’s me.” Michaela rushed to him. Paolo got up and followed her.
“I’m Dr. Jackson.” He shook her hand and then Paolo’s. The tall doctor’s arresting green eyes had purple shadows underneath. He looked as if he had been on a long rotation without a break.
“How are my aunts?” Michaela asked, her anxiety so acute her heart hurt.
“They’re resting now, but they’ve been through quite an ordeal. Magda sustained a fractured rib and got some glass in her eyes from the windshield, but we flushed it out and her eyes appear to be okay.”
“Thank God!”
“Her vital signs are normal now,” Dr. Jackson continued. “With adequate rest, she should be fine.”
Michaela sucked in a shaky breath. “What about Aunt Willow? Is she going to be okay too?” Serene Aunt Willow was a different story than Aunt Magda. Willow‘s health was more delicate, even if she exuded peacefulness most of the time. She lived with the deep-rooted sorrow of having lost her beloved Stephen at an early age and she compensated by helping others and seeking happiness in the beauty of nature.
“Willow’s condition is a bit more complicated. The sonogram showed that her kidneys are bruised and there was evidence of some internal bleeding. She has a catheter in now until the urine runs clear. Other than that, she has two fractured bones on the left side of her back and two cracked ribs.”
“Oh no.” Michaela’s hopes plummeted. Not dear Willow! She was sure to be upset over being poked and prodded by machines. She was such a naturalist, she probably felt like a caged animal in the hospital. Paolo’s arm slid around her waist, reassuring her with his solid presence. “Are you an orthopedic doctor? How serious is it? I mean, will she have to be in a body cast?”
“I’m an orthopedic trauma surgeon. Willow’s broken bones will heal on their own. No need for a cast,” he said. “She’ll probably have to wear a brace for a while. With proper care, she should make a full recovery. The next twenty-four hours will be crucial to see how her kidneys are doing.”
“Can I go in and see them?” Michaela asked Dr. Jackson.
“Yes, but keep it brief. They were given a sedative and might be asleep already. Given your aunts’ ages and the shock of the accident, I have recommended that they remain overnight. Tomorrow morning, we’ll assess when they can go home.”
Just then, Tiffany flew in and landed before them like a leggy flamingo in a hot pink sequin mini dress and silver stiletto sandals. Her long blonde hair was a tangle of curls on bare, tanned shoulders. “What happened, Mic?” Her frightened blue gaze lurched from Michaela to Paolo to Dr. Jackson. “Are my aunts going to be okay?” she asked Dr. Jackson, her voice choked.
Dr. Jackson repeated what he told Michaela.
“Can we see them now, doc?” Tiffany cried, bouncing with nervous tension.
Dr. Jackson straightened his broad shouldered physique as his eyes flicked over Tiffany. On the outside, Tiffany looked like a wild South Beach club hopper, but what he didn’t see was the big-hearted person beneath her party girl get-up.
“I’m working as fast as I can,” Dr. Jackson said, his voice laced with irony.
�
��Please take us to see them,” Tiffany said, not hiding her impatience.
“Chill, Tiff. Dr. Jackson already said he would,” Michaela said wearily. The last thing they needed was for Tiff to get overexcited and annoy the overworked doctor.
“I’ll wait here and follow you home when you’re ready.” Paolo’s tone was so calm and reassuring, Michaela could have kissed him.
“You don’t have to wait for me,” she said.
Paolo smiled at her. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Thank you.” Michaela heaved a sigh of relief. The sincerity in his dark eyes was a balm to her nerves. She did not want him going anywhere without her. Even though Tiffany had arrived, Michaela still needed him with her.
Turned out, Dr. Jackson was right. Both aunts were asleep when Michaela and Tiffany checked in on them. It was distressing to see them laid up like that. Aunt Magda, usually so vocal and dynamic, looked defeated on the narrow hospital gurney. Michaela went in to see her first so she could spend more time with Willow, who was in worse shape. Seeing she was sound asleep, Michaela gently kissed her aunt’s cool forehead before she left, whispering, “Feel better, Aunt Magda. Tiff and I are pulling for you and we love you.”
Tiffany gave her a peck on the other cheek. “Ditto everything Mic said. I love you too.”
Aunt Willow, the older of the two, appeared even more crushed than Aunt Magda as Michaela and Tiffany approached her side. Willow’s usually rosy complexion looked oyster white and her fine features were drawn. Michaela carefully laid her hand on her aunt’s wrinkled one. Sunspots stood out in harsh relief on Aunt Willow’s translucent skin, reminding Michaela of all the weekends she had enjoyed with her at the beach.
Michaela bent forward and whispered softly, “Aunt Willow, as soon as you get better we’re going to the beach to celebrate. You, me and Tiff, just like old times. We’ll stay and play until the sun goes down. Feel better, dear auntie. I love you,” she said, choking up.
“Stop that, Mic. She’s going to be just fine,” Tiffany stated with certainty. Michaela appreciated her sister’s attempt to be optimistic, but she had never seen Aunt Willow look so pitiful. The accident had absolutely trounced her. “I’ll stay here until they’re both settled in a room.” Tiffany’s eyes suddenly glinted with a look Michaela was all too familiar with. “Maybe that cute Dr. Jackson can arrange for the two of them to share a room.”
“If anyone can pull it off, it’s you, Tiff,” Michaela said wryly. “But just don’t try to railroad him. He looked a bit tired and might be out of sorts.”
“This calls for a big dose of honey,” Tiffany said, smiling confidently. Her blue eyes clouded with a look of contrition as she touched Michaela’s shoulder. “Mic, I’m really sorry my cell was off and you couldn’t reach me. Truth is I was on a heavy date tonight.”
“So you turned it off not to be disturbed,” Michaela surmised.
“Yeah.” Looking troubled, Tiffany gave a profound sigh and shrugged in a helpless gesture. “Unfortunately, after everything was said and done, I had to break things off with Javier.”
“Who is Javier?”
“He’s the tennis pro at Mom’s country club.” Tiffany grimaced. “It’s a long story. I’d rather not get into it now.”
“I understand.” Michaela vaguely remembered her mom’s phone call a while back about Tiffany dating a guy whom Mom had rudely referred to as a wetback wanting a green card. “We need to catch up at some point, Tiff. We’re due for a long chat.”
“Yep, when things calm down a bit.” She looked at Michaela with concern. “Please go home.”
“I can’t go yet.”
“You must. You’ve had a long day. There’s no sense in both of us staying here.”
“I don’t feel good about leaving.”
“Nonsense, you’ve been here for hours. It isn’t fair to Paolo. He is not going to leave unless you do.”
“That’s true,” Michaela said, wavering.
“Don’t keep him waiting any longer. They’ll be asleep for the rest of the night. I’ll call you if anything comes up. I promise.”
“Okay.” Michaela didn’t have the strength to argue anymore. She was exhausted, emotionally and physically spent. “I’ll come back in the morning to check on them. At least their conditions seem stable.” She draped Paolo’s warm-up jacket over Tiffany’s shoulders. “You can wear Paolo’s jacket while you wait. It’s warm and comforting.”
“Just like him,” Tiffany said with a smile.
Michaela nodded. She handed Tiffany the brown paper bag. “Here’s a thermos of coffee and half of the sandwich that Paolo brought me.”
Tiffany’s eyes widened. “Mic, I hope you realize that Paolo is a treasure,” she said passionately. “Seriously.”
“Oh, I do, Tiff. Believe me, I know he’s a treasure.”
Chapter Twenty
True to his word, Paolo was waiting for Michaela when she returned. Concern was etched in his dark eyes as he rose immediately and headed toward her. The full impact of her feelings for Paolo hit her like a tsunami wave. Oh, God, she thought, I love this man. I’ve been a fool not to hold on to him.
Her eyes lovingly studied every detail of his face as he bent toward her with concern. She adored Paolo’s strength and generosity, his warm-hearted loyalty to his family, his sense of humor and the way he handled challenges with ease. He was grace under fire in all things, from providing shelter for Claudia and her baby to the pure grit of enduring Bernice’s passes earlier without telling her off.
“Are you okay?” His brow creased as he studied her face.
Michaela didn’t trust her voice just yet, so she nodded.
He put a strong, supportive arm around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze before releasing her. “How are your aunts?”
“They are both sleeping. Sorry I took so long.”
Paolo rubbed the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders, working out the kinks. “No worries. I told you I wasn’t going anywhere.”
“I know, and I appreciate it.” Michaela gave him a grateful smile. “I wanted to make sure they were settled in their rooms, but Tiffany pushed me out of there. She insisted on staying with them so I could go home and rest a bit. And she promised to call me if anything came up.”
“Good. I agree with Tiffany. Rest and then come back. Let’s go.” He took her elbow and led her out the sliding glass doors toward the parking lot into the warm night air.
“Wait a minute. I’m parked on the other side,” Michaela said, trying to slow his progress, but Paolo didn’t break stride. He reached the passenger side of his car and opened the door, paying no heed to what she had just said.
“I’m taking you home.” He quietly uttered the statement as a fact. “I’ll come back early tomorrow and drive you over so you can pick up your car.”
“But…”
“Don’t argue for once, Maki. You are tired and have had a rough day. You shouldn’t be driving. Now, please, get inside.” Paolo helped her into the car and leaned over to buckle her in before going around to the other side. She wondered at the way he was treating her as if she were fragile cargo. Gone was his usual deep-dimpled grin and sexy Latin drawl, replaced by a serious, reflective manner.
The drive to her apartment didn’t take long, but emotionally it felt like a lifetime as she reveled in the fact that she loved him. Paolo had generously stayed beside her all evening, bolstering her spirits with his upbeat, comforting presence during one of the loneliest, most anguished moments of her life. He had moved her deeply by showing how much he cared for her. For the first time ever, Michaela felt cherished and protected by a man and the feeling was utterly intoxicating, especially since that man was Paolo.
She didn’t want him to leave and come back in the morning. She wanted him to stay with her all night. If he did, they would surely be intimate and the heady
anticipation made her jittery with excitement, wondering how it would all turn out. Paolo’s lovemaking would lodge him deep inside the private place she had kept shuttered, protected from anything or anyone who might hurt her as badly as Jeff had. Once she let Paolo in, there would be no turning back.
She stole a sidelong glance at his shadowed face as he drove quietly, his attention focused on the highway ahead. When they arrived at her apartment building, he parked the car and turned to face her. His eyes glowed like coals in his taut face. “I did a lot of thinking while I waited for you to come out tonight.”
“What did you think about?” she whispered, her throat clogging with emotion.
“You…and me.” He dragged a hand roughly through his thick hair. “Maki, I’m through playing games. As far as I’m concerned, you’re mine.”
Michaela gazed into Paolo’s stunning eyes, touched by the ardent way he had said she was his. She already knew this; there was no denying it now. She reflected on how fleeting life could be, evidenced by her aunts’ untimely accident. Dear Aunt Willow was right. Without the lovin’, life ain’t worth livin’.
Taking a deep breath and a leap of faith, she asked, “Will you stay with me tonight—all night?”
“I’d like nothing more,” he said gruffly.
“Good, because I don’t want you to leave.” Sitting beside this gorgeous man, breathing in air laden with honeyed sexual tension, she knew she had made the right decision.
“If I stay with you, querida, there will be no getting rid of me,” he warned her softly, a slow, sexy smile spreading over his face.
Paolo’s passion was so palpable, it saturated the air and robbed her of oxygen. Michaela’s heart fluttered riotously and she gulped deep breaths, sucking weighted air into her suddenly constricted lungs as she imagined the deliciousness of complete surrender to him.
“As far as I’m concerned, you’re mine,” she repeated his words to her with a tender smile.
When they reached her apartment door, Michaela fumbled with the lock, letting out a near-hysterical yelp when it wouldn’t budge. Paolo covered her hand with his and with a soft click, the door gave way. She gasped when his warm, engulfing touch sent wild vibrations skittering inside her. She wanted him so badly, she almost flung herself at him right there at the threshold.
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