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In his periphery, he watched as Violet placed her drink on the floor by him then walked slowly around the end of the bed, only to pause beside the woman in the chair. The skinny woman watched her, clearly suspicious.
Leaning back, he observed the interaction, ready to jump to Violet’s aid if needed. He didn’t think it would be but he wasn’t going to let anyone hurt his woman.
She didn’t get closer but she canted her head to the side. “Like I said before, I’m Violet. What’s your baby’s name?”
The hand holding the drink trembled. “Her name is Eirian.” A sniff. “He said it was Welsh.”
“Beautiful name, Eirian. I have a friend who carries that name. May I hold her? Just while you fix and drink your coffee?”
“You like kids?” Blue eyes moved from him to Violet.
“I love them. I have a big family and a large number of nephews and nieces that I adore taking care of.”
Hastings was still trying to figure out who her friend was who had the name. Violet pronounced it “Eye-rhee-an” and Hastings wanted to know why and again who her friend was.
Yes, he acknowledged his possessiveness of her bordered on insane. But he wasn’t fighting it. She was his and he was hers. He merely had to sneak by the absurd notion that she didn’t do military men. And why?
Sipping his drink, he watched as the as yet unnamed woman passed her baby over to Violet, her cheeks staining pink as she did. Violet merely hummed and tucked the little girl close to her, bouncing her lightly in her arms.
The woman swiftly added in sugar and creamer to her coffee. Once she’d dropped the trash in the receptacle, she reclaimed her seat and glanced to Violet. Hastings too looked at the woman he didn’t doubt was meant to be part of his life. She didn’t pay them the slightest bit of attention, just cooed and entertained the baby. Violet shifted closer to him, and he could smell the dirty diaper.
He allowed the woman to take a few drinks, and when the caffeine seemed to have settled her nerves a bit more, he granted her a few more moments. After inching forward on the chair, he pinned his gaze to her.
“I need your name.”
Defiance intermingled with mistrust and blatant suspicion. He stretched out his legs.
“I need to know who you are so we can make sure you’re taken care of while he’s in here.”
“You owe me nothing.”
“I owe Evan everything. And he cares for you and Eirian. That means I care.”
Another sniff. “Kimberleigh.”
Dr. Pharo walked in, and it didn’t take a genius to know Kimberleigh didn’t feel comfortable here. Or she expected to be told to leave. Violet smiled and stepped up to speak to the doctor.
Their conversation was muted, and he kept his gaze on the thin woman across from him. Hastings held his tongue until the doctor had taken his leave and it was once again the four of them.
“I need your help, Kimberleigh.” He cleared his throat. “We need your help.”
Her scoff was riddled with derision. “I know who you are. You’re a billionaire. Why do you need my help? What can I possibly have that you need?”
Hastings felt Violet’s gaze on him. He would never doubt when she looked at him again—his skin pebbled, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood.
Words didn’t come. He didn’t know how to push them by his lips to let Kimberleigh know that he felt like shit that he’d not been there for the man he considered his best friend. How he believed this was all on him, it was his fault it had happened.
Then Violet moved into view.
“We’re looking for the ones who did this and why they are trying to make it seem like he was doing drugs.”
She watched them both. More Violet, but again, she held the baby. “You believe he didn’t do it.”
“I do believe that.” Violet, with zero hesitation in her response. “Let me tell you why.” She shifted her weight and murmured to the baby.
Hastings was hit with a brief vision of her holding their child like that. As if she’d heard his thoughts, she held his gaze for a moment before dismissing him and looking back to Kimberleigh.
“I know because each veteran who moves into Welcome Home has a strict set of rules they must follow and abide by. No drugs is near the top of that list. Evan Winter gave his word he wasn’t doing them and wouldn’t do them.”
Kimberleigh finished her drink and set the cup in the trash before inching her chair closer to Evan, reaching out but never actually touching him.
A nurse wheeled in a table and gave Violet a small nod. “Thank you,” she said before the woman stepped back out.
“Like Hastings said, we’re looking for the one, or ones, who did this to him.”
