Page 55 of This Means War

He and my mom didn’t actually show up at the hospital, though they did send a bouquet of flowers. Josh and Delia never showed either. Lydia’s mom mentioned how they were finishing up an exploratory tour of bed and breakfasts but she was sure they’d come see us when they got home. I’m not convinced they actually will, seeing as I haven’t heard from either of them in months. The very thought of Josh not coming to check on Lydia after what happened makes my blood boil. I get why he’s mad at me, but Lydia is his sister and she could’ve died. He should be here. Screw his bed and breakfast research trip.

My phone rings, and I see Ashley’s name flash on the screen. This is the fourth time she’s called this morning, so resignedly I pick up.

“Hey, Ashley.”

“Cole,” her annoyance is palpable, “you finally answered. I’ve called you four times.”

“Yeah, sorry,” I rub my brow, “I’m just diving back into work over here, so I’m a little backed up.”

“Yes, I know all about your little hospital stint with Lydia. You know Cole, when we talked about me being your second marriage, I never said anything about wanting to be a stepmother.”

Annoyance flares inside me, and I have to work to stay calm. “We never talked about you being my second marriage,” I retort, “that was all your crazy idea. What Lydia and I have together hasnothing to do with you, Ashley. There will be no second marriages, so your stepmother services are definitely not required.”

“Oh, Cole,” she sighs, and I can picture her rolling her eyes. “Obviously I was joking. You’re awfully touchy this morning. Anyway, I didn’t call to talk about our relationship, I called because after you abandoned me last week things only got worse with Benton Hotels. They’re thinking about backing out of the merger. Saul is furious.”

“I can handle Saul,” I reply, still ticked off at Ashley for her comments about Lydia. “I’ll give him a call and sort everything out.”

“He wants more than just a phone call. He wants to see you today, Cole.”

“I can’t come in today, Ashley. Lydia just got home from the hospital. She’s on bed rest, I need to be here for her.”

“Wow,” Ashley intones, “if I didn’t know better, I’d say you actually love this woman.”

My breath catches in my throat. Love. Do I love Lydia? The thought both terrifies and exhilarates me, reminding me of my reaction to reading those verses in Song of Solomon all those years ago.I found the one my heart loves.

“Of course,” Ashley goes on, “I know you’re actually just trying to prove to me that you’ve got your priorities in order now, and while I appreciate the gesture, I think you should know that if you don’t see Saul today, he may drop the firm. I don’t see that going over well with the managing partners,even if you are their golden boy.” She doesn’t give me a chance to respond, just hangs up.

“This has nothing to do with you or showing you my priorities,” I snarl my rebuttal into the dead air of my phone before tossing it down on my desk with a groan. I hate that she’s right about the partners. My main boss Edward Harrison may have once referred to me as his prodigy, but he would drop me in a second if I lost Saul and his upscale hotel chain.

My phone dings, reminding me to eat, but I ignore it, too worked up after my conversation with Ashley. Rising from my chair I walk across the hall, needing to see Lydia. I rap softly on the door, but there’s no answer. I’m about to go in when I hear footsteps and turn to see Lydia rounding the corner, the same tray I’d brought to her this morning in hand.

She freezes when she sees me, and a blush creeps up her neck. “I know, I know,” she says before I can speak, “you told me to use the bell if I needed you, but Cole I’ve been stuck in bed for aweek. I’m not even a little tired. So, I figured I’d make us lunch. I promise I sat down on the stool while I assembled the sandwiches, so I was still practically resting.”

I don’t answer. Not because I’m mad, but because as we stand there in the hall, I’m overcome with such a strong surge of emotions that I can’t formulate words.

“Cole, seriously,” she sighs, “don’t worry. I’m only on modified bed rest, remember? I’m allowed to get up and walk around some. Plus, it’s 12:30, so you’resupposed to be taking a break to eat. I can’t have my caretaker fainting from low blood sugar. And I promise I didn’t doctor your sandwich this time.” She lifts the tray, indicating the grilled cheese she’s made, and I can’t stop the laugh that escapes my lips.

Lydia laughs too and something swells inside me as I take her in, her hair braided off to one side, an oversized sweatshirt falling off one shoulder, her feet bare. She just looks so right standing there. I want to take a picture of her and make it my phone screensaver.

“Why are you staring at me?” Lydia says with a nervous laugh. “Do I have something on my face, or are you just trying to intimidate me so I’ll go back to bed?”

“Now that you mention it, back to bed is exactly where I’d like to take you,” the words slip out inadvertently, but as her answering blush spreads its way down her neck, covering even her exposed shoulder, I can’t bring myself to regret them. At least not until my phone rings, and I remember I’m supposed to be setting up a meeting with Saul. His name scrolls across my screen, somehow loud and abrasive even in print.

I let out a frustrated groan. “This is my merger client,” I tell Lydia. “I guess he’s demanding we meet today. I better take this so I can tell him the meeting will have to wait until I’m back in the office.”

“Cole, you can take a meeting with him,” Lydia protests. “I’ll be fine here. I promise I won’t get up to make any more sandwiches.” She pauses. “But youdo have to eat the one I already made you. I don’t want to worry about you blacking out while you’re driving or something.” Her words shift something inside of me. The idea of her worrying about me evokes a tenderness that I didn’t know I possessed. I want to scoop her up and kiss all her worries away.

The phone rings again and I know any second the call will go to voicemail. “Hi, Saul.” I say into the phone, my decision made. I’m not leaving Lydia. “This might be unconventional,” I go on, “but what would you say to coming to my house for that meeting you want?”

***

Lydia charms Saul inabout two minutes flat. Apparently, he’s got grandkids, so all it took was her asking to see photos and suddenly the gruff, businesslike man I’d always known turned into a teddy bear. By the end of our meeting, he was insisting I let his secretary know the details of our registry so he and his wife could buy us a baby present. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a baby registry, but if Saul wants to see a registry, we’ll make a registry. It’s only on his way out that he seems to remember he came over to talk about the merger, but he just pats me on the back and tells me he’ll be in touch tomorrow. “You just take care of your family, son,” he added. “That’s the most important thing, you know.”

“That was your big, bad client who demandedyou meet with him today?” Lydia says skeptically when I come back from walking Saul out. “He seems like a big ole softie to me.” She flips the page of the book she’s reading, then snuggles deeper into the cushions of the couch she’s settled on.

I don’t answer, all my focus on one thing. I’m across the room in three strides, and without even pausing I yank the book from her grasp, pull her up by the hands and kiss her. Her answering kiss lights up every single of my nerve endings, and when her hands lace themselves around my neck it takes every ounce of self-control I have to pull away. But I refuse to let myself get carried away, not just because she’s on modified bedrest, but because when we do have sex again, I want it to be the right way. I don’t want her to wake up full of regrets like she did the first time. I want to honor her. I want her to know I’m fully committed to her and to the twins. I want to take care of my family.

Chapter 40

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