Rob’s face paled and JP regretted his reminder of Jane’s brush with death. Still, she was going to be fine and the show would go on as scheduled. At least, mostly. There had been a few necessary changes. One had to be flexible about these kind of things. Fortunately, he’d learned to go with the flow a long time ago.
“Actually.” He stood from the settee. “I do have a few things I need to attend to. I’ll see you in a couple of hours. Maybe you should take a nap. You look worn out. But come to think of it, you did when I first saw you this morning, too. Must have had a long night. Get some rest. We’ll film the show as soon as Jane fills up to it.”
Standing with his legs slightly spread, Rob rocked back on his bare feet. His mouth twisted in thought, he finally shrugged. “Okay. If I’m not down fifteen minutes before time to start shooting, send someone up for me.”
“Sure thing.” JP opened the door, pausing to throw one last parting shot. “You know, when I was editing last night’s film, I noticed Jane disappeared fairly late into your room for several hours. What was that all about?”
Gotcha. JP smothered a grin at the guilty as sin look plastered on Rob’s face.
He rocked back on his feet again, his hands digging deeper into his pockets.
“You weren’t sticking your hand in the cookie jar were you?” JP asked, knowing exactly what had transpired during the time Jane had been in his pal’s room. He’d known the moment he’d seen Rob this morning. Something had been different. Not that his constant tension about Jane had eased, more like it had transformed into something more intense, more personal.
“No, sir. No cookies for me last night.”
JP held his tongue. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. You were reviewing the daycare scenes with her, right? Good thing I can always trust you to do the right thing.”
He slipped out the door and closed it with a loud thud. He pressed back against it and huffed a long breath.
Dear Lord, would Rob ever forgive him for what he was about to set into motion?
# # #
“I’m fine.” Jill swatted Jeff’s hands away. “Really. Quit making a fuss over me.”
“You took a blow to the head. One that knocked you unconscious. That is a big deal.” Jeff hooked his arm with hers again as he escorted her down the stairs and into the room where each show was taped.
Jill hung her head. “I can’t believe I passed out because of this little thing.”
She fingered the raised bump on the top of her head.
“Quit touching it. You’ll end up with an infection.”
“I thought that was the purpose of those stitches you put in.”
“Yeah, well, if you don’t quit touching them, you’ll bust it back open.”
“If you say so.” She smiled at his concern. He really was a great guy, and a fabulous doctor. “Personally, I don’t see the reason for so much fuss. All the other stitches I’ve had never burst open, and goodness knows I put a lot more pressure on them than just my fingers.”
Jeff’s blue eyes narrowed. “Just what were you doing where you would have gotten stitches, Princess?”
Oops. Maybe that blow to the head had done more damage than she’d thought. “Just because I am royalty does not mean I have spent my life in a plastic bubble wrap. I did spend four years in Southern California, you know.” Which is how they’d explained her speech from the get go.
“Yes, but I can’t imagine too many university students went around causing you to need sutures.”
“You might be surprised.” Jill hid a smile. She’d played many a game during college that had led to cuts that had to be sewed together. Usually on her head. Jessie had always teased that it was a good thing she was so thick skulled.
Jill came to an abrupt halt on the stairs.
Jessie.
Not once when she’d been struggling in the water had she thought of who would take care of her sister. All she’d thought of was Rob.
Guilt hit her. How could she have forgotten her sister? Jessie needed her. Had needed her from the time their parents had died while on the way to watch one of Jill’s basketball games.
“Jane?” Jeff tugged on her elbow with his. “Are you okay?”
She blinked up at him.