Still no answer.
She’d made sure his bedroom door had no lock for moments such as these. Letting herself inside, she spotted her brother seated at his desk, one arm folded on top of an open textbook, his head resting on his arm.
He’d fallen asleep.
She crept across his messy room, as she’d done countless times since she’d become his caregiver, to make sure his chest was rising and falling.
It was.
From this closer vantage point she could see that while he might be sleeping on his textbook, the thing he’d actually been workingon was a drawing. Beneath his lax fingers, a detailed drawing of a Spartan warrior scowled up at her.
Difference number two hundred between herself and Dylan: He was talented at art.
With tenderness, she considered the contour of his cheek and the way his curly hair flopped toward the desktop. Then she tiptoed from the room, struck a match, and lit the three-wick Hawaiian beach candle resting on her coffee table. She changed out her four favorite candle fragrances with the seasons. This one smelled like ocean, pineapple, coconut, and sunshine.
The trio of flames danced.
On the phone a few minutes ago, Sebastian hadn’t told her that he’dattemptto set up a meeting with the administrator of Magnolia Avenue Hospital. He’d informed her that he would set up a meeting.
Leah had come across plenty of students and adults during the past ten years of her career who’d talked big and made confident claims, then utterly failed at following through. But Sebastian’s focused demeanor the day of the farmers market and his unhesitating manner over the phone just now gave her reason to believe that he’d find a way to do what he said he’d do.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sebastian did indeed follow through.
He’d texted Leah to ask if the day and time of the appointment he’d scheduled with the hospital administrator would work for her. When she’d said that it would, he’d suggested they meet immediately beforehand at Magnolia Perk, the hospital’s first-floor coffee shop.
Leah had concurred.
Her phone had predicted that it would take her one hour and thirty-eight minutes to drive from her house to Magnolia Avenue Hospital. Doused in mistrust in response to that estimate, she’d left herself a huge cushion of time and arrived twenty-seven minutes ahead of their eleven o’clock meeting. The sun had wrestled with grumbling gray clouds during her drive, but as she gazed out through the hospital’s foyer windows, she noted that it was now, strangely, both bright and drizzly.
She sat at one of the coffee shop’s square two-seater tables, absently drinking the chai tea latte she’d ordered. End of semester finals had concluded the day before last. Yesterday had been a teacher workday. And today was the momentous first day of her summer break. However, vacation ease had yet to arrive because she’d been too busy girding herself mentally for today’s potentially confrontational interaction with the hospital.
Sebastian Grant strode into view, walking purposefully from theparking lot toward the entrance doors, looking for all the world like a man unfettered by anyone else’s opinion of him.
She checked her watch. He was twenty minutes early.
He wore his dark hair cut short and stylishly. His white dress shirt was tucked into an exquisite pair of charcoal suit pants. Black wingtips and a simple black belt completed the look.
Based on his attire, he’d obviously made time in his workday to meet her here. Hopefully no babies with congenital heart defects were having to wait on him while he assisted her with this non-life-threatening pursuit.
He entered, his chin swinging in the direction of Magnolia Perk. She lifted a hand in greeting. He closed the distance, his charisma imposing.
She’d made the right choice when she’d opted to dress up for their appointment in a collared white blouse marked with rows of tiny purple and blue dots, a pencil skirt, and her best pair of heels.
He took the seat opposite hers, instantly dwarfing the table. “Hi.”
“Hello.”
His gaze was intent but not cold. In fact, it warmed her because it communicated resolution. Sturdiness.
“Would you like something from the coffee shop?” she asked. “My treat.”
“Thank you, but no. I’m fine.” He continued to study her. “How are you?”
“I’m well. I’ll be better and better over the coming days, now that the school year’s ended. That takes a lot off my plate.”
“Ben tells me you’re a math genius.”
