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“No. Absolutely not.”
“He said you didn’t want to see him anymore.” Rosetta looked as if she couldn’t quite believe the news.
“I don’t. I don’t want to see him because it’s not right. For either of us. He’s—”
“Ladies, let’s not upset her, please,” Dr. Clyde said, coming into the room. “Darcy has quite a bit on her plate as it is.”
Marilyn nodded, her expression sad. “I understand. And all that can wait until later, but Garret can’t stand the thought of you being here alone. If you send us out, he’ll likely break the door down and make a scene. We’d love to keep you company and lend you our support, Darcy. Please?”
Darcy gripped Rosetta’s hand, afraid to believe in the kindness she saw in their eyes. Afraid to think too much about why she’d been born to a mother who didn’t want her around instead of someone like Rosetta or Marilyn who took on responsibilities not their own.
Ask and ye shall receive.
“Oh, Nana.”
“Pardon, dear?”
“You can stay. I’d love for you to—” Tears filled her eyes, a lump the size of Texas in her throat. “Thank you.”Thank you.
“Oh, honey.”
Both women patted and fussed and assured her that no thanks were needed, and Darcy cried even harder because it was just too sweet. Too much. Their presence, their caring, their love for a stranger who’d crashed into their lives and caused so many problems.
Marilyn brushed her bangs out of her eyes. “We’ll get you through this, and when you hold your baby, it’ll all be okay, Darcy. You’ll see.”
She doubted that. Nothing would ever be okay again after knowing these people, but she didn’t argue. Couldn’t when a pain started low in her back and spread, deep and hard, leaving her curled up on her left side on the bed. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe, felt someone surround her hand in a reassuring, comforting grip. Seconds later her other hand was taken—and she held tight to the mothers she’d always wanted.
TOBY HEARD HIM first. Head low, Garret sat on the floor of the L&D waiting room, staring at the secured doors and muttering to himself between curses. Unlike the night Toby had brought Maria in, the room was empty.
He hesitated briefly, then continued walking and lowered himself onto the floor beside Garret with a sigh.
“Haven’t seen you in a while. Now twice in one night. You been lying low?”
“Just busy.” He made the statement before he noticed Garret’s expression, the knowledge in his friend’s eyes. He suppressed a groan and braced himself for a blow, determined he wouldn’t block it.
“You’d better treat her right, Tobe.”
He decided it was a good thing he was sitting down. “What?”
“You heard me. You’d better treat Joss right. She’s a good woman and if you don’t get your butt in gear and—” Garret pulled a box from his pocket “—give her the ring you picked out for her, some other jerk will come along and claim her.” He tossed the box up in the air.
Toby caught it instinctively.
“Harry hates you, you need to know that up-front. All hell is going to break loose when he finds out about you and Joss, but I think with the gallery and all this, she’s finally ready to be her own woman and stand up to him. Take advantage of it.”
Toby sat there.Stunneddidn’t begin to describe how he felt right now. “You, uh…What about you? You know…us?”
Garret rolled his head along the wall and shot him a glare. “I don’t like it that you didn’t speak up, but who am I to talk after falling for Darcy under the circumstances?”
Toby stared at the box in his hand. Opened it up and there it was. The ring he’d chosen for the woman he loved.
“You can pay me in installments, but everything about the partnership has to be fifty-fifty.”
Flipping the lid closed again, he tucked it into the inside of his coat pocket. “Deal.”
And then they waited.
Chapter 24
