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She shook her head in denial, but Garret took hold of her hand and wrapped an impossibly strong arm around her shoulders, lending her support. Her face burned. “Garret, please. Let Ethan help me. I don’t want you to get into any more trouble.”
Ethan turned the wheelchair around and set the brakes.
“I can walk.”
“You ride or I carry you,” Garret murmured, the look in his eyes stating he’d do just that. And how would that appear to the gawkers watching this scene? Before she could take him to task on giving her orders and kissing her when he planned tomarrysomeone else, she found herself in the chair.
Garret squatted down in front of her. He lowered the footrests and placed her feet on top, maintaining his hold longer than necessary. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. We’ll talk later, okay?”
“What’s there to talk about?” she asked pointedly. “I understand.” But did she? Garret didn’t seem like the type of guy to go around cheating on women.
“Garret, shut up and get out of the way.” Ethan unlocked the brakes and got them moving.
“I’m not finished with either one of you.” Harry followed them to the elevator. “I want answers and I want themnow.”
The elevator doors opened, but as the brothers wheeled her inside, Rosetta called Garret’s name.
“Aww, great,” Ethan murmured.
Darcy glanced up and saw Garret close his eyes as though summoning the depths of his patience—or in embarrassment. She’d bet the latter. The older woman stepped onto the elevator with them, Garret’s boss following her.
“What on earth is going on here? You’ve got people talking about you throughout the hospital.”
“How are you, Gram?” Ethan kissed the woman on the cheek. “You look beautiful.”
“Good morning, Gram.” Garret smiled, but it was a strained effort.
Ethan pushed a button and the elevator began its ascent.
Harry dipped his head in a respectful nod. “Just the person I need to talk to. Rosetta, I want to know how you could condone such behavior. Why would you allow Garret to bring his pregnant mistress into your home and—”
“Harold Pierson, you should be ashamed of yourself! Don’t let me hear another word like that.” Rosetta glared at Garret’s boss, then dropped her gaze to look Darcy over, her eyes narrowing shrewdly. Swallowing, Darcy prayed for them all to go away. As though sensing her thoughts, Rosetta nodded and patted Darcy’s shoulder. “Let me handle this and don’t fret, dear. It’s not good for the baby.”
The elevator arrived on Dr. Clyde’s floor and Ethan pushed her down the hall at a breakneck pace, the others hurrying behind them. To her horror, the entire group followed her inside. Everyone in the waiting room looked up from their magazines and books. On the other side of a plexiglass partition, Dr. Clyde spoke with one of her employees, but the moment she noticed the hospital president and the rest of them in her waiting room, she walked out of sight. A second later the door to the examination rooms opened.
“Bring her right back. Darcy, what happened?”
She shook her head mutely, unable to speak.
“Oh, I know that look. They’re back, huh? Room three. Becky will get you hooked up to a monitor and we’ll see what’s happening here. The rest of you, please, wait in my office.”
Rosetta rested her hand on Darcy’s shoulder. “May I stay with you, dear?”
Darcy nodded even though she knew she should say no. Things were complicated enough and she needed to get used to being entirely on her own. Right now, however, Rosetta’s friendship was too precious to pass up. Within moments a fetal monitor was in place, a blood pressure cuff on her arm.
“Even higher than before. Darcy, I know you were upset by what I told you earlier. I could tell, but—”
“Excuse me for interrupting, but what did you tell her?”
Rosetta looked at her expectantly, and somehow Darcy managed to repeat the doctor’s warnings.
“Oh, Darcy. Child, don’t you dare worry about a thing. Do you hear me? You can stay with me. I don’t mind.”
“Rosetta, we’re not talking about a week or eventwo.”
“She’s right,” Dr. Clyde interjected. “She’ll need a place to stay until she’s cleared to travel, which could be anywhere from two to six weeks after birth.”
“And I’m fine with that,” Rosetta stated firmly. “Darcy, you shouldn’t be alone now. And since your mother isn’t able to come get you, I’d be honored if you’d consider my home yours. I have plenty of room and you can’t think of yourself as a bother when you’d be giving us old people a lot of excitement waiting on a baby to arrive. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need.”
