Page 49 of Queen of Diamonds
She waved her fingers at him, mouthing,Okay.
“Do you want Nate and me to run by your apartment and get you some clothes and toiletries?” Taylor asked.
Kinsey gave a vigorous nod to that. She pointed at Taylor. Thinking of Nate digging around in her underwear drawer made her cheeks heat.
Apparently reading her mind, Taylor laughed. “Trust me, he’d turn redder than you are right now if he had to pack your undies.”
“Truth,” Nate said, but she saw the amusement in his eyes. “I’ll leave your unmentionables in her capable hands.”
She seriously doubted anything would embarrass him, but he’d made her smile. It struck her as weird that she was smiling after what had happened, but it felt good. The nurse had left a plastic bag on the table next to the bed with her clothes and purse. She retrieved her clutch and fished out her house key, giving it to Taylor.
After she was left with Alex and Madison, Alex said, “We’ll be right outside while you talk to Rand.”
She gave him a thumbs-up. Knowing she was about to see Rand, her heart rate decided to misbehave by accelerating from zero to sixty in less than the time it took for him to walk in. God help her, just the sight of him had her ovaries begging to have his babies. And that right there was the problem. Or so she’d thought until seeing him with another woman. That had slayed her.
“Hey, Sunshine.” He pulled a chair next to the bed and sat.
The last thing she felt like right now was sunshine, but she forced a smile.
“Christ, Kinsey, I’m so sorry I didn’t get to him sooner. Before he hurt you.”
She picked up the notepad and pen.
Not your fault.
He read the note, but she could tell by the regret in his eyes that he still blamed himself, which was silly. The only person to blame was Sebastian. She pointed to the words she’d written. Not being able to talk was irritating.
His smile was sad. “If I hadn’t been so stupid, you would have been my date for the gala and this never would have happened.”
What was he saying? She tamped down on the hope trying to take hold in her heart.
Stupid?
“Yeah.” He glanced away, then returned his gaze to her. “I realized something tonight. Well, to give credit where it’s due, Deidre said some things that opened my eyes to what a big mistake I was making.”
Even her name was pretty. Kinsey had never known jealousy before, and it wasn’t a feeling she liked. She didn’t know where he was going with this, so she waited, but the hope that had tried to blossom died. Deidre was not only beautiful, she was from his world. He’d never said so, but it hadn’t been hard to figure out that he was rich, and he didn’t get that way from working for the FBI. He had to have come from money, and how was she supposed to compete with a woman who obviously had more in common with him than she did?
“Just so you know, my father set up the date with her without telling me until after the fact. She noticed that I couldn’t take my eyes off you tonight, and she asked who you were. Somehow it all came out, how much I wanted you. That you wanted children, and why I wouldn’t consider it. She told me I was being selfish, not only to myself but to you. And she was right.”
Kinsey decided she might like Deidre after all.
“I just hope that I didn’t figure all this out too late.”
Her heart soared, lifting off like a rocket bound for the stars. She covered her notepad so he couldn’t see what she was writing. When she finished, she handed it to him.
For you it’s never too late. I love you.
She watched for his reaction. He read the note, then lifted eyes to hers that were bright and happy.
“God, Kinsey. I love you like crazy.” He glanced around them, then pushed her pad and pen away and took her hand in his. “A hospital room isn’t how I would have wanted to tell you, but I’ll make it up to you. As soon as you’re better, we’ll have a romantic dinner at the best restaurant, and we’ll pretend I’m telling you for the first time.”
She pulled her hand away and grabbed the pen and paper.
A hamburger will work just as well.
Rand laughed, his heart filled with love for this woman. “We’ll do that, too. But only the best for my girl, whether it’s a hamburger or a fancy dinner.” He’d been afraid to hope that he still had a chance with her.
She wrote something again, then handed it to him.
