Page 46 of Tempting All The Way

I’m in court. It’s a preliminary hearing—thank God, because all I can focus on is Shardonnay. I know she keeps saying she’s fine, but she’s not. She’s pale; she looks like she’s in pain. I should have been more insistent on her staying home.Ishould have worked from home today. That way, she’d have to stay there too.

My phone vibrates with a text from Nathan. I don’t open it. I go back to listening to the cocksucker prosecutor on the other side of the courtroom. He’s dead set on sending my client to jail for the maximum sentence. It’s a DUI offence, first time. This kid will be getting off with a slap on the wrist. I don’t usually take on these cases, but he’s the son of a very influential politician. That means favours are given and owed.

My phone buzzes again. This time it’s from Alistair. This has my brows drawing down. They both know my schedule, and they never text me while I’m in court. I open the message and my body freezes.

Alistair:

Shardonnay is okay, but she’s been taken to the ER. She passed out, came to, and made a fuss about being fine. Nathan made her go get checked out. He’s with her.

“Permission to approach the bench,” I call out over the top of whatever the prosecutor was saying.

The judge glares at me. “Permission granted,” he says. Covering the microphone with his hand, he looks me in the eye. “Is there a problem, Mr Christianson?”

“Yes, Your Honour, I need an adjournment. There’s a family emergency,” I say.

He must see something on my face as he stares at me. “Permission granted.” he says. “Court is adjourned until further notice.”

I pack my papers into my briefcase as quickly as I can. “I’m sorry, family emergency,” I tell the kid as I jog out of the courtroom. I dial Nathan on my way to my car.

“Xavier, she’s fine. Don’t freak out,” he answers.

“Where is she?”

“We’re at The Royal. She’s in with the doctor now,” he says.

“I’ll be there in five.” Hanging up, I pull out into traffic. I’m grateful they aren’t far.

I stop the car in front of Emergency, jump out, and run into the waiting room. Nathan stands from his plastic seat and walks over to me.

“Where is she?” I ask.

“She’s back there with a doctor. She didn’t want me to go in with her,” he says.

“Thanks, can you park my car for me? It’s just outside the doors.” I hand him the keys.

“No problem.”

I walk up to the triage nurse. “I’m looking for Shardonnay Mitchell.”

“Are you a relative?” she asks, barely looking at me.

“She’s my wife,” I lie.

This has her eyes shooting up. “Your name? She didn’t list a next of kin on her paperwork,” the woman replies.

“Look, you can either let me in those doors now, or I can call up Dr Greggory and tell him just how inefficient his staff is.”

“Okay, sir, you do that,” she mocks me.

I pull out my phone and find the contact for the hospital’s chief. My father golfs with him; my family also donated a whole fucking wing to this hospital.

“Xavier, what can I do for you, son?” Dr Greggory answers.

“Doc, my wife’s been brought into your ER, and your triage nurse is refusing to let me in to see her because of a mistake on the paperwork,” I rush out, barely taking a breath.

“Right, I’ll sort it.”

“Thanks, appreciate it,” I say, hanging up.

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