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“Shit,” Ben mutters, standing and grabbing his jacket.
“Get the cars,” Harrison says to his team in a tone that has them all scrambling. He’s already off his seat, gathering his things.
“I’ll call Willow,” Tennyson says as he grabs his cell and calls his girlfriend, who is an expert in reputational management and will no doubt be needed, alongside Harrison’s girlfriend Beth, to manage the media.
I sit in shock. Not able to move.Mom had a heart attack?A memory surfaces of her rubbing her arm last time I saw her.
“Eddie,” Harrison says. “Eddie!” he says, a bark in his tone that knocks me into action. I jump up and follow my brothers out the door to Harrison’s waiting car. His staff’s now scattering into different taxis to get to different places. This is going to be front-page news in a matter of minutes.
“Willow is calling the girls, and they will meet us at the hospital,” Tennyson relays, pocketing his phone.
“Which hospital?” I ask, already knowing that if she has had a heart attack, there is only one place in Baltimore she will go. My three brothers look at me as the car drives quickly through the streets to get us there.
“Shit,” Tennyson says. “Well, looks like we all get to meet Pinkie today.”
My hands delve into my hair, digesting this situation. “Mom had a heart attack?” I ask in disbelief. “Pinkie will know?” Dread creeps up my chest.
“I didn’t even know she had a heart,” Tennyson says, and his joke falls flat as Harrison thumps him in the arm.
“Is it bad?” I ask, looking at Harrison like he has all the answers. None of us get along with our mother, but a heart attack isn’t really wanted either.
“No idea. I sent some people over to the house to sit with the housekeeper, to make sure she is okay. I have a team member arriving at the hospital now. We will know more once we get there,” Harrison says just as his cell phone pings.
“What is it?” Ben asks, his teeth grinding. It is clear that none of us know how to take this news, and it is evident we are all operating in a state of shock.
“Ambulance just got to the hospital. She has been wheeled straight into cardiac emergency,” Harrison says, frowning as he looks at his phone.
Within moments, our car pulls up and us boys jump out. I am a mixture of emotions as I follow my brothers in through the double glass doors. We all come to a halt once inside, looking around. The disinfectant smell of the hospital stretches up my nose, and my eyes dart around at everyone in the immediate vicinity. The four of us stand there with no idea where to go. All dressed alike in our suits, we must look a sight because everyone stops and stares.
“I think I spot Pinkie,” Tennyson murmurs, and we all look in the direction he is looking, and sure enough, I see Katie. Standing in shock at the nurses’ desk, she looks beautiful in her scrubs. Her hair is on top of her head, a few stands curling down around her face. Her mouth is open, and I can see a hundred questions running through her mind. I watch her as the lady next to her says something to her, and I see it the moment that she learns who I am. Her smile at seeing me drops. Her eyes house the heart I just broke, and then all hell breaks loose.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX - KATIE
As I stand next to Shelley at the nurses’ station, I feel like I may be dreaming.
“Eddie?” I say in a whisper, my eyes crumpling, confused.
“That’s Eddie?” Shelley says, her eyes wide, as the four men stand just inside the door. They are a sight to behold, all tall, extremely good-looking, wearing business suits as if they just walked off a catwalk.
“But he looks different…” I say, confused, squinting at him as I try to pinpoint what it is, knowing that the deep-seated feeling in my gut right now is trying to tell me something. My forearm itches, a telltale sign something is not right. His eyes are on me and only me, searching for my reaction.
“That’s Edward Rothschild and his brothers. Richest family in the state. Hell, the richest family in the country, probably. His brother is thegovernor,” Shelley whispers at me just before they walk toward us and approach the desk.
I feel dizzy, my heart pounding as disappointment fills my veins.
“Hey, you must be Pinkie. My brother Eddie here has a serious thing for you, but right now, we need to know where our mother is,” a tall, rather good-looking guy says, and Eddie smacks him in the arm. There is a rising hum to the hospital, as nurses, cleaning staff, other patients, and visitors stop and steal glances. Then there are people buzzing about them. Staff, security people, our own hospital security all here already at the door.What is going on?
I remain quiet, still not sure what to say, so Shelley jumps in. “Yes, sorry,” she says, fumbling over her words, completely flustered, her cheeks tinted a bright shade of red.What the hell is going on?“Governor… sir,” Shelley says, looking at a man on the other side of Eddie.Governor?“I am just getting the information.” She taps on her computer before looking at the four men in front of us. Meanwhile, my eyes remain locked on only one. “Your mother has just arrived. Looks like she went straight into surgery, and Dr. Wilson has been alerted.” She addresses the other man.He is our governor?
“Thank you, Shelley. Where can we wait?” the governor asks with an air of authority, and I feel like I am going to faint.
“We have a private lounge. Katie, can you show the Rothschilds to the private lounge down the hall?” Shelley asks me, and if I could, I would kick her under the desk. I remain still, not sure if I can actually breathe until Shelley elbows me in the arm, and I try to pull it together.
“Sure,” I say, pushing off the desk where I was holding myself up and walking around to meet them, praying I don’t faint or start yelling at him. Either option’s highly likely at this point.
“Pinkie, I can explain,” Eddie says, panicked as he rushes to me. His hand grabs my elbow softly, but I pull it away.
“This way.” I ignore his words, because I have no idea what is happening right now. I need to get my bearings, and I don’t want to be doing that with the audience that is now building.
