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“Jacinta.” She jumps when I say her name but smiles down at me.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you keep getting the shit end of the stick. I’m sorry for running.” She shakes her head. “Maybe if I stayed, he wouldn’t have been so mad at you. At August.”
“No, it was bound to happen. None of this is your fault.”
She smiles and holds her son’s hand. He looks like Anderson, but he has more of his mother’s features.
“Anderson’s father called. Said I should never bring Oliver around his wife, and that he will pay for a lawyer to draw me up papers saying that I have full custody.”
My eyes go wide at her words.
“He’s also leaving Mrs. Lee, and he asked if he could see Oliver from time to time if I will allow it.”
Anderson’s dad was probably the only normal one in the family. I say nothing at her revelation. She doesn’t need me to. It’s her decision to decide who sees her son and who doesn’t.
“August has loved you for so long. I want you to know that. I wanted him to love me. I would have been happy with just a fraction of the love he has for you.” A tear escapes her eye, and she wipes it away.
“Jacinta.”
“It’s okay, I get it. He isn’t my love, but that doesn’t mean you two can’t make it work. August started building things again. He never did that when he was with me. It’s because you make him happy, and you give him hope when he thought he had none.”
I go to say something, but Oliver pulls on her hand and she leans down to listen to him. When she stands back up, she smiles.
“I got a job at your office. I wanted you to be the first to know so when you see me, you won’t think I’m stalking you,” she says. “I’ll be assisting someone by the name of Beckham.”
“I’m happy for you. I’m sure you’ll do great.” My eyes become heavy again, and I yawn.
They both say goodbye and wish me a speedy recovery before they leave.
When I wake up again, my head doesn’t feel so heavy, and my stomach grumbles.
“Are you hungry?” I turn to see August in the seat next to my bed. He sits up and rubs his eyes as he looks at me.
“Yes.”
He gets up, stretches his legs, and I can’t help but stare as he does. I watch as he walks to the door and then comes back and touches the side of the bed, making it lift, so I’m in more of a sitting position.
I go to move and feel a twinge of pain in my back. “Fuck.”
“Don’t move. Let me know if you need to and I’ll help.”
“You a doctor now?”
August takes over helping me sit and puts a pillow behind my back.
“Where is Winter?”
“I dropped her off a few hours ago with Beckham. Your sister offered, but she looks so tired.”
“Beckham is who she will prefer to be with anyway.”
He nods and retakes his seat. “I figured as much,” he replies, as a woman brings in a tray of food, sets it on the overbed table, then walks out. He pulls off the cloche and gets it ready for me as if I’m a toddler. I smile as I watch him fiddle around then he hands me the fork.
His eyes lock on to mine. “What?”
“You are a good man, you know that, right?”
“It’s only you who believes that, rich girl.”
“No, it’s not only me. And I’m sure many have told you.” He ignores me and sits back. “Why are you here so late?” I ask him, lifting the jelly and taking a mouthful. It tastes bland, but the last thing I want to do is upset my stomach, so I eat it happily. “And how long have I been asleep?”
“It’s been two days since you were admitted, and you have been asleep on and off since that time. I spent the day with Winter, and now I’m spending the night with you.”
We both go silent and sit there and eat. When I’m done, he moves the tray away and goes to adjust my bed to lay me back down, but I shake my head.
“You need to rest.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m awake now.” He sits back down and lifts one leg so it sits across his knee as he leans back and watches me. “Jacinta was here,” I tell him, not sure if they are talking. I peek at his hand. He is no longer wearing his wedding ring.
“That was nice of her.”
“You don’t care to ask why?” I ask.
“No. I know she would never have bad intentions.”
I take a deep breath. It hurts. I wince, and he’s up next to me straight away.
“I’m fine.” I brush him off. “Sit.” He does but doesn’t stop watching and assessing me. “She got a job with Beckham. I don’t think she knows he’s my brother yet, and I am sure she has no idea what an ass he is to work for.”
