“Thank you,” I said softly, admitting to myself that I wanted him to stay. “Thank you,” I added, nodding at the doctor.
“I’ll text Mase letting him know the neighbor can probably take over in the morning if need be. His teenage daughter is also a very capable babysitter.”
“Teenage?”
“Well, she’s still pretty young, but very responsible. Great kid. I’ve watched her grow up.”
I almost smiled. Penny had a serious operation ahead of her. I knew the bills would be astronomical. But she would be okay. The kids were safe with Mason and Michelle, a beautiful woman I had met earlier in the evening. And Jaken was here with me now.
“Alright. Want some fresh air? And then right back to sleep.”
“Okay,” I said as he took my hand and led me out to the parking lot. It was still dark out, but a hint of light was just starting to fill in the edges of the sky. He pulled me into his arms and cradled my head against his chest. I leaned there, breathing the fresh air, and feeling safer than I had in a very, very long time.
Chapter Eleven
Michelle
“You really are a domestic goddess,” my husband said as I organized the kids and helped get them out the door to their respective schools and day care programs. Pate was home, getting ready herself. I gave my husband a look, reminding him to hustle so he could take over with our toddler and let our preteen get to school on time.
“Okay, okay, woman, I’ll go. But give me a kiss first.”
I rolled my eyes but accommodated him. His thick whiskers tickled my cheeks as his hot lips and tongue claimed my mouth in an unforgettable kiss. A kiss that said he would be having his way with me later.
Once the kids and Mason were out the door, I locked up Colleen’s house and tucked the key into a potted plant on the front stoop. Then I hurried to the jar where Shorty was already waiting for me. He had come in early just to make a big breakfast for me to take to the hospital.
“Thanks Shorty, you’re the best,” I said with a smile.
“Takes one to know one,” he said with a wink.
I drove to the hospital, knowing that Penny was out of the woods, but not sure how the adults were holding up. Sure, I had just met Colleen, but she had done such a good job with Hunter’s wedding. Never mind the fact that Jaken was halfway in love with her, judging from Mason had said.
Men might be oblivious, but women were not. I intended to take my own temperature on what was going on with Jaken and his lady. I was protective of my guys.
But Colleen had already impressed me, just with the sweetness of her smile, and the badass way she was handling a difficult situation. She had grace, style, and ‘grit’, as Cynthia had said. I wanted her to be one of us.
And I wanted something good for Jaken. He deserved it.
It was barely 8 am by the time I rolled up to the hospital and into the waiting room. It was a familiar place. We’d gathered there for births and accidents. Near tragedies as well, I thought, remembering what had happened to Parker.
We had almost lost her that day.
But she had healed. And we had gotten through it, together. We were stronger for it. We were even closer than we’d been.
There was a bond with us girls that nothing could break. Our menfolk, too. But with us ladies, it was a true sisterhood.
I couldn’t help wondering if Colleen was destined to be one of us. Of course, we girls were more than ready to give folks a nudge in the right direction. We’d die for the ones we loved, including Jaken. And we were more than willing to meddle in affairs of the heart.
They were awake when I got there. Colleen looked nervous but not distraught. Jaken had his arm around her. That was a good sign, I thought with a sense of satisfaction. A very, very good sign.
“I brought breakfast. Real food, not that hospital junk,” I said as I sat down beside Colleen with a big bag. “How is the patient?”
“She’s in surgery,” she said, looking like she wanted to bite her nails but was too ladylike to do it. “They should be done by now.”
“They’ll be out to talk to us soon. The doctor said it was a low risk surgery,” Jaken said, rubbing her arm soothingly. “It’s been a long night of worrying,” he said to me.
“I’m sure,” I said. “You must be starving.”
“That is so kind of you but I couldn’t eat. But you two go ahead.”
“Let’s just wait until we talk to the doctor,” Jaken said loyally. I nodded approvingly. He was a good man. And he was showing up for her. It was another excellent sign.