He grabbed a plastic chair, dragged it across the room, and reached for both her hands.
He whispered into the darkened room, “The doctors wouldn’t tell me anything. I had to call Olivia.” His eyes lingered on hers with a big open question mark. “Are you really okay? The baby?”
“We’re okay.” She squeezed his hand and tried to find a reassuring smile. She swallowed hard to hold back the tears burning her eyes.
“Thank God. I’ve been so worried.” He buried his face in her hand.
They sat like that for the longest time. She couldn’t believe she’d allowed herself to live without him so long. “I’ve missed you…”
“I know.” His voice cracked. Was he crying?
It was too dark in the room to tell and her hands were wet from her own tears.
“I didn’t mean it when I said I wanted you to leave me.”
Jack struggled to put down the side rail, then sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to his chest.
“I didn’t mean any of it. I was just being stupid.” She’d forgotten how he smelled of firewood and ocean. Being in his arms was like coming home. “I’m so sorry about everything. I really suck at relationships.”
“No. I screwed up. I’m the ass. Diane’s the only therapist I know and she’s really good at what she does. I had no idea…I was worried about you but I handled it all wrong.”
He pushed her hair off her face and kissed her tears away until he found her lips.
God, she’d missed his lips.
When they came up for air, she asked, “So where do we go from here?”
“What do you mean?” He frowned. “You’re coming home with me. Where you belong.”
Zoe stared at the dark dotted hospital ceiling and tried to group them into sets of five for counting.
“That’s the problem, Jack. I don’t belong. I buy my jeans and sweatshirts from a second hand store, and until the other night, I never had more than lip gloss on my face. Park Avenue people are picture perfect. Your family? Olivia? Diane? All picture perfect.” She shook her head and blinked hard. “I’m a mess. When that woman said you were a thing–”
“Wereis the operative word, angel. Were. We haven’t been together for over a year now. She lied. That’s where you’re different.” His eyes glowed with intensity in the semi-dark room. “It’s not about the clothes and the stuff on the outside. It’s who you are inside.”
Just outside the door, nurses were changing shifts with hellos, goodnights, and status on patients. What a cluster-fuck. She was going to have to lie to him, too, to get to Romania and save the baby. He’d never let her travel alone and he couldn’t come. They would know. They’d see his aura a mile away.
“You’re thinking.” He tilted her chin up with his thumb. “What’s wrong?”
Zoe paused and counted fifty more dots on the ceiling before she whispered again into the silence of the dark hospital room. “You said you loved Diane…I want to be loved, too.”
Jack moaned and hugged her tight. “I want that for us, too, angel. Don’t give up on me.”
Don’t give up on me after I do what I have to do.
“We’re good. Really. Could you do me a big favor?” She gave him a big smile and hoped he didn’t catch that she was faking. Thankfully, the room was dark.
“Sure, Zoe, anything.”
“Can you give me minute? I need to clean up a little. And can you get me just a small cup of coffee? Half decaf and half regular. Lots of cream. No sugar. And a donut?”
He searched her eyes, then nodded.
Oh God, he was never going to forgive her.
When he left, she opened the dresser, threw on her clothes, and peaked out the door. Sitting down the hall facing her room was Hands still wearing sunglasses. She had no idea if his eyes were on her door. He could be sleeping or highly alert.
In her darkened room, she spun a small vortex in her palm and prayed she could keep it under control. Inside, a small flame burned brightly. Wishing she had played more softball as a kid, she lobbed the tornado at the fire detector right over the nurses’ station and hit it dead on.
