Page 79 of Close to My Heart

I hugged her back. “We haven’t heard, but apparently she has heart issues.”

Daphne gave me a sympathetic look. “Hopefully, she’ll be okay.”

As soon as Daphne moved away, Fiona took her place. “How is Sutton?”

“She’s not saying much.”

Fiona patted my arm before sitting next to Sutton, talking softly to her.

“How are you?” Jameson asked me when it was just him and Teddy standing in front of me.

“I’m hanging in there.” I couldn’t get over how I was about to tell Sutton I loved her. Then her grandmother collapsed.

“Does her family still think your marriage is real?” Jameson asked.

Usually, I’d say he was baiting me, but his expression was serious. “As far as I know. We haven’t said otherwise.”

I hadn’t even told Sutton it was real, so what did I expect?

Just then, a doctor opened the double doors and said, “Rosesmiths.”

Sutton stood along with her parents and made their way to the doctor.

“You should be by her side,” Teddy urged me.

“But I’m not a Rosesmith.”

“You’re married to one, and she needs you.”

Just then Sutton looked over her shoulder, her gaze desperately searching for something before finally landing on me. I was moving before I’d even answered Teddy. She needed me, and I’d be there.

I stepped behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder for support.

“She’s stable now. We’re running tests on her heart. But you know the drill. If she gets over excited or does too much, she may become fatigued and short of breath. That’s her sign that she should take it easy.”

“It happened in the middle of her birthday party,” Evelyn said as if that explained everything.

“Parties might not be a good idea going forward,” the doctor said. “When the tests are completed, I’ll let you know the results.”

“When can we see her?” Evelyn asked.

“As soon as she’s done with the tests.” Then he was gone, and we were left staring at each other.

“She’s going to be okay,” Sutton said as if she was reassuring them.

“It sounds like it,” I added.

We went back to our seats where Daphne and Fiona had bought coffees and sandwiches. I grabbed some for me and Sutton and urged her to eat.

“I can’t. I’m too upset.”

“Coffee then.” She’d need the energy. It might be a long night.

My family stuck around until Evelyn and Deacon were invited to go back and see Mrs. Rosesmith. When it was Sutton’s turn, I moved to go with her, but she held up her hand to stop me. “I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

But I was her husband. I was supposed to be there to support her.

But I nodded and moved off to the side. I didn’t want to talk to Evelyn and Deacon. I felt like a live wire, and one wrong word from them, I’d explode. I was so pissed that they didn’t seem to see how a party would be bad for the grandmother’s health. All they cared about was living the lifestyle they’d become accustomed to.

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