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Pain coursed through her, but whether it was from the contractions or her heart shattering, she wasn’t sure. “No, you don’t. You want what you can’t have,” she whispered, struggling to hold her head high. “Goodbye, Garret. Be happy.”
“Darcy, don’t do this. Not now. Let me come with you.”
She shook her head, sad, terrified, afraid she was broken inside where it mattered most.
Toby wrapped an arm around her back and helped her to his Jeep. Darcy stared out the window at Garret’s imposing form looking so masculine against the wide white columns of the house, the image bringing back more memories of the first night she’d met him. Tears blurred her eyes but she didn’t let them fall. She’d cried enough. Now it was time to be strong.
As Toby drove her down the mountain to the hospital, her contractions began to hit closer together, harder, more intense.Oh, Nana, I need help. Why aren’t you here?
“You okay?”
“You stared at her all night,” she whispered. “I saw you watching her and wondered…before I ever heard what you said. Do you love her, too?”
Toby didn’t pretend to not know what or who she was talking about. “Yeah. What about you and Garret?”
“Yeah.”
“Fine mess we got ourselves into, isn’t it?”
She wrapped her hands around her rock-hard stomach.Mama loves you.“Yeah.”
GARRET PULLED Joss out of the crowded house and onto the porch.
“Garret? Where have you been? I haven’t seen you for over an hour.”
“Darcy’s in labor.”
The words made her blanch. Already pale, she turned positively ghostlike. Before Darcy had found him he’d sat here and reviewed everything in his head. Three years of dates with Joss—laughs, sex, holidays and vacations spent together. Family gatherings like the one tonight. The feeling of dissatisfaction he’d felt for too long. The scene in the gym’s parking lot. All of it jumbled up inside his head, combining with the time he’d spent with Darcy. The way she smelled, laughed. Her heart of gold and the kindness she’d shown toward others in little ways. Extra time working at the massage table because someone had had a bad day, the way she jumped up to help Gram when he knew Darcy had to be hurting and uncomfortable. The way she’d welcomed him into her arms, was honest about her feelings. Her fears. What had he done? Why had he waited so long?
Straightening, he turned around and took Joss into his arms. Her eyes widened when he palmed her face and brought her mouth to his, kissing her for all he was worth. Lips, teeth, tongue, seductive strokes and all the finesse he had in him. After a moment he lifted his head and watched her closely. But other than blinking her eyes open and giving him a weak smile, his kiss had garnered no more passion than a brotherly kiss on the cheek. More proof of what he already knew.
“Garret, what’s wrong?”
“Do you love me?”
She hesitated a split second. “Of course I do.”
“No.” His hands fell to her shoulders. “Do youloveme? Are youin lovewith me? Do you imagine the two of us together for the nextfiftyyears? Day after day, night after night? Do you dream about me making love to you?”
“Garret, I—”
“Do. You.Love.Me?” He shook her gently. “Doyouwant to marry me, or are you simply doing what you think you’re supposed to do? What we’re supposed to do because it’s been three years and everybody says it’s the next step?”
She inhaled a sharp gasp. “What?You’re asking me this now?Here?”
“I need to hear you say it. I wouldn’t hurt you for the world, but I need to hear you tell me you love me, that you can’t imagine living your life without me. Because if you can’t say it, we both know something’s wrong.”
“You’re making this aboutmewhen it’s…it’s really about you. Canyousay it?”
He didn’t want to hurt her. “No.”
“Because of Darcy.”
“Because I need more from my wife than you’re willing to give. When I kiss you, touch you, what do you feel? I just kissed you and you looked bored by it. Are you going to stand there and say you wantyearstogether after that kind of response? That you haven’t pulled away from me lately because you’re not feeling me?”
She opened her mouth, but other than trembling lips and the sound of her breath panting, no sound came for a long, long time. “Garret, I…” A tear trickled down her cheek. “I care for you.So much.I’d do anything for you. You are such a good man and a wonderful friend. My best friend. I never wanted to hurt you or endanger your position with my father because Iknowhow he can be, but I don’t—”
“Love me? Not like that? Not like ahusband?”
