Читать книгу Not Quite Married - Christine Rimmer - Страница 9

Chapter Three

“Clara?” Dalton watched in horror as her eyes rolled back in her head and she swayed toward him.

Her face had gone dead white; her forehead and upper lip bloomed with sweat. He caught her automatically as her knees buckled, her body folding in over her big belly, gravity dragging her to the floor.

Stunned, he stared down at the top of her head. She was limp as a rag doll, out cold.

He knew terror then. Stark, raw terror. “Clara, my God...”

No response. She sagged in his arms.

Bracing one arm at her back, he bent to get her behind the knees with the other before she could slither from his grip. Then, hoisting her high against his chest, he carried her over to the gray velvet love seat under the window and carefully lowered her down onto it.

“Clara...” he whispered, and put his hand to her damp forehead. No fever. If anything, her soft skin was too cool. The scent of her drifted to him. Sweet as ever. He wanted to touch her stomach, to somehow reassure her and the baby within her that everything was going to be okay, that he would make it so.

But before he could move his hand from her forehead to her belly, she stirred and moaned. Her eyelids fluttered open.

“What am I...? Dalton?” She put her palm to her stomach—just as he’d wanted to do—and looked down the length of her own body, frowning. “How did I...?”

“You fainted.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and punched in 911.

She tried to sit up. “Listen, I—”

“Don’t.” He clasped her shoulder. “Stay down.”

“But I...”

“Shh. Rest.”

Wonder of wonders, she settled against the cushions with a long, weary sigh, lifting the back of her hand to cover her eyes.

The 911 dispatcher answered, “What is your emergency?”

“I need an ambulance at the Library Café.”

The dispatcher started in with her series of questions.

Simultaneously, Clara gasped and dropped her hand away from her eyes. She glared at him accusingly. “An ambulance? I don’t need—”

He put a finger to his lips and shook his head. It worked. She actually fell silent, though she did continue to glare at him as he rattled off answers to the questions coming at him from the other end of the line.

When the dispatcher let him go, he stuck his phone back in his pocket. “They’ll be here within five minutes.”

She had her hand over her eyes again and she grumbled, “I agree I should see my doctor, but an ambulance is overkill.”

“Have you ever fainted before?”

“Never in my life.”

“Think of the baby, then, and humor me. You’re going to the hospital.”

She made a low, unhappy sound. “If I’d known you were this controlling, I never would have had sex with you.”

He almost laughed. “Too late now—give me your doctor’s number. I’ll call his office and get him to meet us there.”

“Us?” she groused. “I’m guessing that means you’re coming, too?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Fabulous. And it’s her office.”

“The number, Clara.”

Another tired sigh. “My cell. In my purse, second desk drawer.”

“If I leave your side, will you promise to stay where you are?”

“Overbearing,” she muttered. “Impossible...”

“Answer the question.”

“Yes. All right. I’ll stay right here.”

So he went and got her shoulder bag from the drawer.

“Phone in the side pocket,” she said. “Dr. Kapur.”

He made the call. “All set. She’ll meet you there,” he said as he tucked the phone back where he’d found it.

The sound of a siren swelled in the distance, coming their way.

Clara was gently stroking her stomach. “You told them to pull around into the parking lot, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. Closest exit from here.”

“I will try to be grateful that at least I don’t have to be carried flat on my back through my own busy restaurant.”

* * *

Clara knew she probably shouldn’t have given in and let Dalton take over. She should be strong and sure and independent.

She was strong and sure and independent. Just not right at that particular moment.

The paramedics—both of whom she’d known since elementary school—arrived. By then, Renée and half the kitchen staff had realized something was wrong. They crowded in behind the med techs, making worried noises, wanting to know if she was all right.

Dalton herded them back out again, explaining as he went that she had fainted, that they were taking her to Justice Creek General, that there was nothing to worry about, her doctor would take good care of her and she would be fine.

He sounded so wonderfully confident and certain that Clara found herself feeling reassured. Of course she would be all right—and the baby, as well. There was nothing wrong with her that a good night’s sleep wouldn’t cure.

Roberta and Sal, the two med techs, finished taking her vital signs. They transferred her to a stretcher and carried her out to the parking lot in back.

Dalton came out with her. “I’ll meet you at the hospital,” he promised.

“Not necessary,” she said. “I’ll be fine.” And then she waited for his answer, a thoroughly annoying little ball of dread in the pit of her stomach, that he would say, All right, then. Good luck with that, and be on his way.

But what he did say was “You won’t get rid of me that easily,” in a voice that seemed somehow both tender and gruff.

She barely kept herself from flashing him a trembling, grateful smile. “Oh, all right.” She played it grumpy and ill-tempered for all she was worth. “Suit yourself.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

“My purse...”

“I’ll bring it,” he promised.

The techs, Sal and Roberta, loaded her into the ambulance. Sal got in with her, while Roberta went around to get in behind the wheel. Dalton was still standing there, outside the doors, when Sal pulled them shut.

* * *

At Justice Creek General, they transferred her to a wheelchair, rolled her into one of the little triage cubicles, lifted her up onto the bed in there and hooked her to an IV. Fluids, they said, to make sure she was hydrated.

They’d just left her alone when Dalton walked in. “How are you doing?”

She was ridiculously glad to see his stern, handsome face. You’d think it had been years since she’d seen him—rather than twenty minutes, tops. “I’m getting hydrated.”

“Excellent.” He settled into one of the two molded plastic chairs.

“I think this is overkill,” she grumbled, heavy on the attitude, which helped to remind her that she wasn’t going to count on him.

“You’ve said that before.”

“What about the bank? Aren’t they expecting you eventually today?”

He flashed her a cool, oh-so-confident glance. “I’ve called my assistant and rearranged my schedule.”

“Are you sure you should do that?”

He gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Perks of being the boss. No one’s going to give me a hard time about taking a personal day.”

“Ah.” So, okay. He was staying. What else was there to say?

Nothing, apparently. He got out his smartphone and started poking at it. She stared up at the ceiling for a while, until her eyes drifted shut.

She realized she’d been snoozing when a giant, muscular guy with coffee-dark skin and dreadlocks came in to draw blood. Then a nurse came in and went over her medical history with her. After that, she dozed some more.

Eventually, she had to ask for the ladies’ room. A blonde in purple scrubs pointed the way. She wheeled an IV pole with her when she went and reminded herself to count her blessings: at least Dalton hadn’t insisted on going in there with her.

Back in the little room with him, she waited some more. She slept a little and felt generally mind-numbingly bored. Through all that, he remained, sitting there so calmly, now and then taking out his phone and checking things on it. She would have thought a high-powered control freak like what he’d turned out to be would be climbing the walls with all the endless waiting. But he took it in stride.

At half past eleven, Dr. Kapur showed up. Clara told her what had happened. Dr. Kapur left the room so that Clara could put on a paper gown. Dalton went out with her. The doctor came back in alone for the examination and Clara wondered if maybe Dalton had gone.

It was for the best, she decided. He didn’t need to hang around for this. She was fine on her own.

But then he came right back in to hear the doctor’s conclusions.

“Your baby seems to be doing well, no signs of fetal distress,” Dr. Kapur said with a reassuring smile, gazing steadily at Clara—and then turning to share that smile with Dalton.

He’s told my doctor that he’s the father, Clara realized. And somehow, knowing he’d done that both pissed her off—and made her feel like crying. With a little bit of warm fuzziness thrown in for good measure.

Dr. Kapur continued. “But you’ve been pushing too hard, I think. You’re dehydrated and you need rest. To start, I’m going to keep you overnight for observation and then tomorrow we’ll decide where to go from here.”

Clara longed to argue that she was fine and where she wanted to go was home. But if her doctor thought she needed to stay, so be it.

Then they put her in another wheelchair and rolled her to a regular room.

Once they’d had her change into a very ugly pink floral hospital gown—Dalton left the room for that, which she truly appreciated—and made her comfortable in the bed, they offered her lunch. They fed Dalton, too.

After the meal, she tried to get up and get her purse, which Dalton had stuck in the locker across the room.

“Stay in bed,” he commanded, rising to loom over her. And then his dark eyebrows drew together. “Or do you need to use the bathroom?”

“I want my phone.”

“Why?”

“I need to make a few calls.”

“You should rest.”

She only glared at him until he gave in and went and got it for her. She called Renée and said she was fine, but they were keeping her overnight, which meant she most likely wouldn’t be in tomorrow—or if so, not until after the breakfast rush. Renée reassured her that things were under control and told her to take all the time she needed. They said goodbye and Clara started to autodial Rory.

“You’re supposed to be resting,” he said in a low and gentle tone that still, to her, managed to sound overbearing and superior.

“I am resting. And also making a few necessary calls.”

“You just told your manager that you would be in tomorrow,” he accused.

“No, I said I probably wouldn’t be in. If you’re going to eavesdrop on my conversations, you should listen more closely.”

“There’s no ‘probably’ involved here. You’re not going in tomorrow.”

“We’ll find out about that tomorrow. The decision will be made between me and my doctor.”

“You passed out, Clara. You’ve let yourself get dehydrated.” He cast a baleful look at the bag of clear fluid hanging next to the bed and still connected to the back of her hand. “You need rest. And I’m going to see that you get what you need.”

“Tell me, Dalton. Just when did you become the boss of me?”

He didn’t even have the grace to take a little time to think about it, but shot right back with “This morning. You remember this morning, when you fainted in my arms? That was when I realized that someone has to take care of you or you’re just going to keep on pushing yourself until you do real damage to yourself or the baby.”

Was there even a smidge of truth in any of that? Well, okay. Maybe a little. A very, very little.

And what did he mean, take care of her? He made it sound as if she had become some ongoing project. Surely he wouldn’t be hanging around for that long. He would have to go home to Denver and his banking empire at some point—like in the next hour or two.

Wouldn’t he?

He was glaring at her. She glared right back at him and said with admirable composure, “Here’s a hint. Your attitude needs some serious adjusting, because as of now, I’m not finding being around you the least bit restful.”

He actually blinked. And then he allowed gruffly, “You’re right. I’m upsetting you. I apologize. Will you please put the phone away and settle down?”

The thing was, he looked so sincere in his pompous sort of way. And even if she didn’t want to let herself start to depend on him, she couldn’t help appreciating that he was doing everything he could to look after her.

It was way too little too late. But that was almost as much her fault as his. She’d jumped to conclusions and thought he was married. He’d hired a detective and found out she was getting married. And neither of them had bothered to clear up the misunderstandings until months and months had passed.

Now he’d started to look worried. “I do apologize,” he said again. “I mean that.”

She gave in and muttered, “Apology accepted.” And then put up her forefinger. “One more call. And then I’ll lie back and relax. Promise.”

He shook his head, looking all stuffy and put-upon—but then he shrugged.

She went with the shrug and autodialed Rory, told her about fainting at the café and being stuck in the hospital for observation overnight. After Rory finished saying all the right things about how she was there if Clara needed her and please to take it easy, Clara told her about the really hideously ugly hospital gown she was wearing.

Rory knew right away what she wanted. “I’ll go by the house, get whatever you need and bring it right over there.” Rory had a key to the house, just as Clara had a key to Rory and Walker’s place at the ranch. “You’re at General, right?”

“I’m at General, yes. And here we have yet another reason why you’re my favorite cousin in the whole world. You know what I want without my even having to tell you.”

“Back at you. Let me get a pencil...”

Clara told Rory what to get and Rory wrote it down.

And then Rory said, “I’ll be there. An hour, max.”

They said goodbye. Clara set the phone on the rolling hospital bed table thingy and felt better about everything.

Dalton was watching her, wearing a softer expression than usual, an expression that reminded her of the Dalton she’d known on the island. Which made her feel somehow a little less good about things. Where had that Dalton gone?

He asked, “Was that the cousin who’s a princess, the one who’d planned to live in Colorado someday?”

Had she told him about Rory? “Yes, and now she does live here in Colorado—and how did you know that?”

“You told me on the island.”

“I did? But we didn’t talk about our real lives...” Sadness wrapped around her heart—a glowing kind of sadness. It had been a beautiful two weeks.

A smile twitched at one corner of his way-too-sexy mouth. “We had an agreement not to talk about our real lives, but you didn’t keep it.”

“No,” she admitted. “I guess I didn’t.”

“You were careful about the basics. You never mentioned Justice Creek or that you own a café. But you talked about your family and your friends. All those random things you told me made it a lot easier for that private investigator I hired to find you.”

“You were more careful than I was.” At his nod, she went on. “I had your name, that you lived in Denver and that you were divorced. Luckily, you’re a big shot, so it wasn’t that hard to find you myself once I put my mind to it.”

“To find me and then decide I was remarried and not bother to get in touch with me until three weeks ago.”

“The important thing is, I did get in touch with you.”

“Finally.”

She looked at him dead-on. “Do you really want to go there right now, while I’m resting?”

Those blue eyes were on her, so focused, so determined. “No. You’re right. I don’t.”

She shoved at her ponytail, which had sagged rather sadly and would be coming completely undone any minute now. “May I have my purse, please?” He got right up and brought it to her. “Thank you.” He sat down again. She foraged around in the central compartment until she found her brush. And then she redid the ponytail, brushing it up and into her fist, then twisting the elastic back into place. “There. Much better.”

He got up again and put the purse back in the locker. He was just shutting the metal door when the baby kicked her a good one.

“Ouch!”

He turned, fast, looking freaked. “Clara! What?”

She laughed and rubbed the spot. “It’s just the baby. She’s a kicker.”

He came to her side. “She?”

She started to grab his hand and put it where he’d feel the next one—and then hesitated, suddenly self-conscious, a little embarrassed.

Which was silly. She’d let complete strangers touch her tummy. Yeah, okay, the guy had done a number on her heart. But he was the father. And he was trying. She nodded, pushed the covers out of the way, took his hand and put it on the side swell of her stomach. The baby promptly kicked her again. She winced. “There. Feel it?”

“I do.” He had that look, a look of wonder, of awe. It made her almost start to love him a little again, in spite of everything—scratch that. Like. It made her like him a little. Those blue eyes were shining. “By God, I feel it. I do.”

She laughed again and held his hand as he pressed his big, warm palm to the side of her belly. Another kick. She chuckled. And Dalton made a low, marveling sound. His hand felt so strong, long fingers spread, against the side of her belly.

And then her gaze went to his. They just stared at each other. With zero animosity. Only shared delight.

He asked, “A girl, you said?”

“Yes. I had an ultrasound.”

“A girl,” he repeated, as if he’d never heard anything more miraculous in his life. “I never thought...”

“What?”

He looked faintly abashed. She found that way too charming. “I don’t know,” he said almost shyly. “A girl, that’s all. A little girl. What do you think of that?” It wasn’t really a question. More an exclamation along the lines of Isn’t that awesome? Or How completely cool.

Clara watched his face and remembered the sweet, passionate, caring man she’d fallen in love with. Why was he hiding from her? Where had he gone?

She was actually considering asking him, when her half sisters Jody and Nell appeared in the open door to the hallway.

He must have caught the shift in her gaze. Pulling his hand away, breaking that tenuous connection, he turned toward the door.

* * *

Rocked to the core by the feel of his daughter’s tiny foot poking against his palm, Dalton turned to the two women standing in the doorway. One was conventionally pretty, with light brown hair and a big vase full of flowers in her hands. The other? An auburn-haired stunner, in a short, tight dress, she wore boots straight out of a Sons of Anarchy episode and had brightly colored tattoos from shoulder to elbow down her shapely left arm.

The family resemblance was clear—between the two women in the doorway and the woman in the bed behind him. Sisters, probably. On the island, Clara had told him she had two half sisters and one full sister. Plus, there was someone named Tracy, wasn’t there? Tracy had come to live with Clara’s mother’s family, been raised as one of them, after her parents died tragically in a fire.

“Jody. Nell,” Clara greeted the two with real warmth in her voice. “Come in, come in. Did Rory call you?”

The tattooed stunner came first. The one with the flowers, following close behind, said, “Roberta Carver came in the shop an hour ago. She said she and Sal Healey carried you out of the café on a stretcher this morning.”

Clara groused, “Shouldn’t patient confidentiality apply to paramedics and ambulance drivers?”

“Not in Justice Creek, it doesn’t,” said the stunner.

Clara jumped right to denial. “This is not a big deal. I’m only here overnight. Just for observation. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Dalton considered stepping in and arguing the point. But before he made up his mind whether to say anything, Clara started in with the introductions. Jody was the one with the flowers and Nell the one in the biker boots. Clara gave the two women Dalton’s full name, but no explanation as to what he was doing there.