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He tugged the band from her hair and combed his fingers through the strands. The feel of her hair gliding along his hands was pure bliss, like the wind sliding over him when he rode on the open land. He played it out along her back and over her shoulders before stroking down her arms.
His hand returned to her knee and tunneled under her silky dress, along her even silkier thigh. His knuckles skimmed her satin panties, already hot from her arousal, and he ached to know what color she wore—
The plane’s phone rang from beside the sofa, jarring him from the kiss and the moment. Who would call in the middle of the night? Only family and only with an emergency.
With more than a little regret, he ended the kiss and pulled away from Johanna, alarms already sounding in his mind. He angled past her to snag the phone and read the screen. He glanced at Johanna, apprehension filling his gut as his suspicion was confirmed.
“It’s Amie.” He frowned, thumbing the on button and activating the speakerphone. “Amie, what’s up? You’re on speaker. Johanna’s here with me.”
“Gran’s in the hospital.” His cousin’s voice trembled, and Stone exchanged a quick glance with Johanna. “She had a seizure, Stone. It... It was...horrible. We had to call an ambulance.”
Dread hit him like a boulder. “I’m on my way. I’ll have the pilot turn around, and we’ll be there in a few hours. Hold on, okay, kiddo?”
He vaguely registered Johanna’s hand smoothing along his back.
Amie hiccupped on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry to be such a mess. It was just really frightening.” The sound of her shaky breath reverberated on the crackly connection. “Alex and I can hold down the fort until you get here. The doctor says she’s past the immediate danger, but...”
“I’m on my way,” he repeated, pulling his focus in tight. He was the head of his family. He should be home overseeing the business and the family affairs for his grandmother, not playing games.
He owed his grandmother and Johanna better. From this point on, he was 100 percent in when it came to taking care of his family, and Johanna was going to be a member of his family.
Whatever it took.
Nine
Johanna’s stomach dropped as the hospital elevator rose, taking them to Mariah.
Fear for Mariah and grief for Stone had tumbled and tangled inside her ever since the panicked call from Amie came through. And no matter how much she worried, there was nothing she could do to console Stone or make this better.
They should be bonded in the moment, leaning on each other while they were both scared and hurting, but instead she could see him drawing inward. Rather than letting anyone close, Stone took on the leader of the pack mentality that had kept him at the office late so many nights. Since he’d hung up the phone, he’d been in motion. He’d moved up front with the pilot to discuss rerouting the plane. A limo had met them at the airport driving them to the ranch to drop off the dogs and grab a quick shower.
Now, medical personnel on the fourth floor milled around the nurses’ station watching over their patients through cameras and observation windows. His grandmother had plenty of watchful eyes but Stone had already started researching other hospitals and doctors without even consulting the rest of the family. God, she hoped there wouldn’t be a major argument with Stone and his cousins.
The head nurse waved him through before returning to her charts. Stone had called ahead to confirm the minute morning visiting hours began. She didn’t even want to consider the fact that they could have arrived too late.
Mariah looked pale and small under the stark white sheet, sleeping. Only the steady rise and fall of her chest and the monitors beeping and clicking offered any reassurance that she was still alive.
Stone swept off his hat, set it on the rolling tray and moved closer to his grandmother. His boots thudded softly against the tile floors.
Mariah’s lashes fluttered upward, her eyes surprisingly clear and alert, thank heavens. “You’re here.” She reached out a thin hand, her skin almost translucent. “I told your cousins not to worry you. Which one called?”
“I’m not ratting anyone out,” he teased softly.
Mariah laughed softly. “You three always did stick together.” She looked past him and smiled at Johanna, lifting her other hand with the IV line taped down. “Dear girl, come closer. You can both do away with those gloom and doom looks on your faces.”
Johanna stroked Mariah’s wrist. “Of course we’re worried. You would feel the same if our positions were reversed.”
“True enough,” Mariah conceded. “But I’m okay. It was only a case of dehydration. Nothing to do with the tumor. I let myself get run-down and just needed a little boost. It’s my own fault, and I’m so sorry they scared you into coming home unnecessarily.”
“Gran, you don’t need to lie to me.” Stone’s forehead furrowed, his face bristly since he’d rushed his shower and skipped the shave. “I already know you had a seizure.”
“Damn it, I told Amie and Alex not to worry you, and don’t bother denying one of them told you,” she groused with enough spunk that Johanna relaxed a hint. “I’m not going to die this week, so you two don’t need to park by my bed and babysit me. You have work to do.”
Stone dropped into the chair by her bed. “They knew how angry I would be once I found out no one bothered to call me. And believe me, I would have found out.”
“You’re just like me.” She smiled fondly. “Tenacious.”
“I’m just glad you’re all right, Gran.” He glanced across his grandmother at Johanna, the strain of the past few hours showing in the lines fanning from his sapphire-blue eyes. “We both are.”
Mariah squeezed Johanna’s hand. “Tell me about your trip so far. The pictures are wonderful but I want to hear what you think, Johanna.”
Mariah was shifting topics deftly, ensuring Stone wouldn’t have to battle through weightier emotions right now. Or was it Mariah who wasn’t ready to face those feelings today? Johanna had never fully appreciated how alike the two of them really were. But for now, she gladly distracted both of them with talk of a safe subject.
“Well, Gem loves the wide-open space of the Donavans’ home, and their home in Monte Carlo has a fenced area, as well. Sterling is enjoying his life as a pampered lapdog. You chose well for both of them.”
Her eyelids fluttered closed for a moment before she looked up at Stone and Johanna again with a mist of tears in her eyes. “Thank you, and I truly mean that.”
“Gran.” Stone leaned in. “Are you sure you want us to continue with the placements? You could keep Pearl and Ruby. Trust that we will take care of finding them new homes, if the time comes—” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple making a slow trip down the strong column of his throat. “If the time comes you can’t care for them anymore.”
Johanna had to blink her eyes hard. God, maybe it was her who wasn’t ready to face the big emotions in the room today. Mariah had become so dear to her. A role model. A friend.
“I’m absolutely certain that I want you to continue the plan.” She smiled sadly. “I already can’t give them the attention they need. Call me a micromanager if you will, but I need to know where they are and who they’re with.”
“Gran—” Stone’s phone cut him short and he cursed softly. He pulled out the cell and checked the incoming call, before silencing the chimes and tucking the phone back in his pocket.
His grandmother touched his wrist. “Who is it? Your cousins?”
He shook his head. “It’s from Montana. Probably something about Pearl. I’ll take it later.”
“No,” Mariah said with surprising strength. “That’s important business to me.”
His cheeks puffed out with an exhale. “Okay, Gran. If that’s what you want, but I’ll be right back.”
Phone to his ear, head ducked, he strode out, door swooshing closed behind him.
Mariah patted Johanna’s hand. “Pull up a seat and talk to me, Johanna. How is it really going, dear?”
“What do you mean?” she asked evasively, looking away under the guise of tugging a chair over.
“No need to be coy,” Mariah tsked. “Are you and Stone a couple again?”
Johanna dropped into a seat. “Wow, you really cut to the chase.”
“I don’t have time to dillydally around the subject.” Mariah pushed the controls to raise the head of the mattress. “Even at half speed in this hospital bed, I can tell the chemistry is alive and well. I see the exchanged glances. You have to know I was hoping your trip together would fix things between you. Did my matchmaking work?”
The optimism in the woman’s face was unmistakable. Johanna didn’t want to give false hope, and she wasn’t sure where things stood with Stone right now. “I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I honestly don’t know.”
