Page 42 of Her Snowbound Hero

He glanced at his watch and groaned. It was late; he was dead tired; and he still had to drop by Gram’s and check on Darcy. How much longer could he go on like this? He could feel the candle slowly burning out, but too many people depended on him and he couldn’t let them down. Grabbing his briefcase, he headed out the door.

Exactly twelve minutes later he shoved his thoughts about his job aside and drank in the sight of Darcy’s smiling face on the other side of the condo’s threshold. The mountainous tension inside him eased. “I take it things are going well?”

Her smile widened, her brown eyes warm and sparkling with welcome. “She’s fantastic as you well know. Garret, it seems all I ever do is thank you, but thank you. Again.”

“You’re very welcome.” He waited for her to step back before entering the condo and closing the door, noting immediately that Darcy’s suitcase was no longer in sight. “You’ve unpacked?”

“Are you kidding? The moment I agreed to stay, Rosetta wheeled my suitcase down the hall herself.”

He chuckled, able to picture the scene. “I knew she’d convince you.” He looked around but neither saw nor heard Gram. “Where is she?”

“Taking a bath. She should be out soon.” Darcy led the way to the living room and dropped onto the couch. “Have you had dinner? We made stew.”

“I ate at my desk around six. I should’ve called but it’s been one of those days. Are you tired? I could go and let you get some rest.”

Darcy hugged a pillow to her side as though trying to disguise her stomach. The move was automatic and reeked of her being self-conscious around him, but he thought her beautiful in her pregnancy, not awkward or ungainly. He had to fight hard not to stare at her full breasts.

“Actually, Rosetta insisted I lie down this afternoon. I did it to humor her and wound up falling asleep for three hours.”

“You’re still recovering from your adventure. Spike must’ve needed more rest.” He’d referred to the baby as Spike several times now, but for some reason it seemed to fit. Darcy’s child would be feisty and independent—just like its mother.

“Maybe, but now I’m not sleepy at all. I’ve been sitting here playing solitaire.” She raised an eyebrow and gave him a cheeky grin. “You’re not a card player are you? Blackjack? Gin?”

A quick game until Gram emerged might be just the thing to help him relax before heading home. He needed something to take the edge off. “Black Jack.”

She shuffled the cards with the expertise of a card shark.

“I think I’ve been had.”

A soft, sexy laugh was his answer.

“YOU CAN’T DO THIS. Jocelyn, have you lost your mind? You leave now and that woman will have Garret to herself. You’ll be history.”

Jocelyn stalked into her bathroom carrying the bag she’d retrieved from the closet and began packing her toiletries. Of all times for her father to feel the need to talk to her about Garret, why did it have to be now when she already felt so bad? “Daddy, please. We’re fine. For pity’s sake, she’spregnant.”

“People are talking.”

“Then let them talk! You know as well as I do that if the baby were his, he’d have married her already.”

“You should never have started that monstrosity. It’s ruining your relationship with Garret. Your future!”

Thatmonstrositywould be her saving grace one day, that much she knew. “Oh? What am I supposed to do while Garret works eighty hour weeks? Sit home and twiddle my thumbs?”

“Your mother gave up this nonsense when she married me.”

Which is why her mother was downstairs on her third glass of wine instead of in a studio creating. “Thank God Garret would never ask me to do that.” Her cell phone rang, and she left the bag to hurry and dig it out of her purse.

“Let it ring.”

“I’m waiting on a business call.”

“At this hour?”

“Overseas,” she muttered, uncaring who it was so long as it ended the conversation. “Hello?”

“Garret hasn’t come after me and tried to kill me. You didn’t tell him?”

Tobias.Oh, what next? “Yes, I have been waiting on your call. Please hold for a moment.” She pressed the phone to her chest. “I have to take this.”

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