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“You don’t have to,” Colleen protested. “You’ve done too much already.”
“I told you, I’m here for the long haul.”
Colleen looked confused by his declaration, but not unhappy about it. I recognized the look. She was afraid to hope.
I had been there before. Many, many times. I could still feel the ache I got when I first met Mason. I hadn’t believed that someone like him could want me. Care for me. Love me.
But he had. Once I had known it, truly known it, I had felt a peace inside me that nothing could ever take away. Nothing and no one could touch that sacred space in my heart where I had known love that true.
I had never looked back or doubted him or myself again.
You’ll get there, Colleen, I promised her mentally. Just give him a chance to prove himself.
“Well, have some liquid fuel at least,” I said, pulling up a small carafe of coffee and some paper cups. “Cream and sugar?”
“Yes, please.”
Colleen smiled at me gratefully as I made her a cup. She sniffed it and sighed.
“This smells so good.”
“Shorty makes the best coffee. Best breakfast, too.”
“He does. But don’t let Mason hear you say that.”
“Never,” Jaken vowed as I made him a cup of coffee. “Especially since his hot sauce is a big part of that.”
“Hot sauce?”
“You’ll have to try it,” I said with a smile. A plan was formatting in my head. A plan to get her together with all the girls and formally welcome her to the tribe. Once the crisis was over, of course.
“Miss ?”
We all looked up as the doctor approached. Colleen stood. Jaken stood. I stood. We surrounded her on either side. I saw Jaken take her hand and squeeze.
“She’s fine,” the doctor said, and I could sense Colleen deflate like a balloon. She must have been so scared. And now with the relief would come a bone deep exhaustion.
“The surgery went well. Textbook, actually. She can come home in a day or two.”
“Oh thank goodness,” Colleen said. “Can I see her now?”
“Yes, but just for a few minutes. She needs to rest.” The doctor gave Colleen a stern look. “And so do you.”
She nodded.
“Yes. I– I will. Thank you, Doctor.”
“Come with me.”
She gave us each an exhausted smile and followed the doctor down the hallway.
“She’s been through it,” I said, watching her narrow back as she walked away.
“She has. And not just last night.” There was something in his voice. A determination. I had never heard Jaken so serious. Not that he joked around all that much. But with that lyrical accent of his, he sounded more like a poet than a cowboy. But today, he sounded a lot like Dirty Harry. Especially the next thing he said. “That’s done now. She doesn’t have to face it all alone.”
“I was hoping you would say something like that. The girls will want to meet her.”
He finally looked at me, a worried look on his face.
“I don’t want her to feel like she’s being tested.”
“She won’t, because she isn’t. That girl would have to set something on fire to make us not like her. And knowing the rest of them, they would probably hand her some matches and lighter fluid,” I added, imagining Kelly and Colleen on some sort of teenage delinquent rampage. It made me want to giggle.
“Eat something.”
“When I take her home,” he said distractedly, then ran his hand through his hair. “Thank you, Mich. You and Mase…”
“We’re family,” I said firmly. “No thanks needed.”
I waited for Colleen to come back and made myself scarce, making sure Jaken brought the food home with them. I knew she was in good hands.
And I was gratified to get the distinct feeling that Jaken was in good hands, too.
Chapter Twelve
Colleen
“This is…”
“I know,” Jaken said after swallowing and wiping his mouth. It was hard not to notice that even as rough and tumble as he looked, he had excellent manners. He was thoughtful and polite. How many seriously macho men could say that?
He piled more food onto my plate. I was famished. I couldn’t ever remember being this hungry.
“I should probably stop eating and clean up,” I said, looking around to belatedly realize that the place was spotless. I was sure I had Michelle to thank for that, too.
“Eat and then sleep. Doctor’s orders.”
I nodded. He was right. I wanted to check my email first though.
“I need to check in at work. I already told them I wouldn’t be in today.”
“It can wait.”
“But–”
“It can wait,” he said firmly, taking my hand and running his thumb over my palm. He looked at my fingers as if he wanted to kiss them. Or lick them. Or bite them. “Bed. Now.”
I got a slight shiver when he said that. It was almost like I had imagined it would be if we ended up in bed together. But he was being tender, not lustful.
