Donovan was going to need a boatload of prayers.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
* * *
Jack closed the California shutters on the windows facing the lake. He couldn’t believe the press was out there in such huge numbers already. Hell, with all the shit going on in the world, you’d think that there were more important things to report on than Jack Simon and Donovan James. Christ he’d even spotted the CNN logo on one of the boats. Bastards.
“It’s going to get bat shit crazy, you know that right?”
Jack turned as his cousin Maverick walked in from outside.
“Mom and Dad head out?” he asked.
Maverick nodded and glanced around. “Where’s Donovan?”
Good question. His lady had been real quiet, and he was starting to get more than a little concerned. A lot had happened over the last several days, and it was gonna take some time for the both of them to wrap their heads around it all.
“She headed up for a shower.” He paused. “Any particular reason you’re still hanging around?”
Maverick grabbed a beer out of the fridge and leaned against the kitchen counter. “Are you asking me to leave?”
Rick’s attitude annoyed the hell out of Jack, and his temper spiked. He knew the two of them were close—real close—but still, he wanted Donovan to himself. Was that so wrong?
“Donovan and I have some things to work out. Some privacy would be appreciated.”
Maverick took a long draw on his beer and fixed Jack with a look that was dead serious. Something about his cousin’s demeanor put Jack on edge. Told him that things weren’t going to go as easy as he’d like.
“I’m not going anywhere until I know she’s good, if that’s okay with you.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed dangerously. This was turning into a pissing contest. “It’s not okay.”
Maverick took another swig of beer. “Let me rephrase. I’m not going anywhere until I know she’s good, whether you like it or not.”
Jack stared across the room at his cousin, hands clenched at his sides, jaw so tight his teeth ached. “What the hell are you getting at? If you know something, spill or leave.”
Maverick didn’t answer. Not a good sign.
“What the hell do you know, Rick?”
Rick sighed and grabbed another beer from the fridge. “It’s not my place. Just promise me you’ll listen and that you’ll take a step back if needed. Can you do that? Keep your cool long enough to see the truth?”
Okay. This was starting to freak Jack the hell out. What was this big ‘thing’ that Donovan had to tell him?
A squeak on the stairs told him that they weren’t alone. Jack glanced up and spied Donovan hovering on the top step. She had that damn ‘deer in the headlights’ look again, and his gut churned a bit.
Jack had always been the kind of guy to listen to his gut. It served him well in the political arena, and right now, his gut was telling him that it was crunch time. Something was gonna hit the fan, and damned if he knew what it was. Unless it was the pregnancy test? Had she taken it? Is that what this was all about?
“I’ll be on the dock waving at the assholes out on the water.” Maverick tipped his ball cap at Donovan. “I’m here if you need me.”
Jack watched Donovan make her way down the stairs slowly, favoring her bad foot, and he crossed over to her, arms sliding across her shoulders to bring her in close. He held her for a long time, content to just feel her warmth, inhale her scent and listen to her breathe.
“Hey,” he said kissing the top of her head. “You okay?”
Donovan’s hands were fisted at his chest, and he could feel the tension in her body. She was trembling. All kinds of alarm bells were going off inside his head. Something was way off.
“Donnie.” He moved so that he could see her face. It was pale. He knew her. She was scared.
“We got this,” he said.