Page 61 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

I considered myself very fortunate to be among the few. I could tell my mother adored him, and he loved her right back, in a very maternal kind of way. It was clear in the way they spoke and interacted with one another. He was concerned about her, asking how she was doing, if she needed anything. He’d done the same for me, but it was different. Our love was all-consuming, he loved her like a son loves a mother. There was a protectiveness over her, and it was clear he took responsibility for her at the moment. It was refreshing to know that at a time when my father was at his most vulnerable, he stepped in without even being asked to take care of her. I knew my father would appreciate this, my mother was the most important person and her happiness and safety trumped everything.

And I worked on my course work and dabbled with my business plan a bit also. I wasn’t ready to share my plans about my business with anyone yet. I’d mentioned small bits to both Breton and Drew but wasn’t ready for my big reveal yet. For one thing, my future was too uncertain, and the other thing, I wanted my business plan perfect before I went public because then I couldn't take it back, it would be out there, and I knew I’d never want to walk away from it once it was. Aside from that, there would be expectations, and right now, inside my head, I only had to contend with my own apprehensions of starting a business.

The idea for my business started organically when I was encouraged to journal at the retreat. . At first, I wrote about my days and my feelings. Eventually, I started writing about the exercising, the motivation and the books I’d been reading. Exploring ideas of how nothing like the retreat existed back home, how much of an impact it was having not just on my physical transformation, but also my mindset, transitioning me from a daughter hiding in her father’s shadow to a woman coming into her own person.

I didn’t even realize I had started asking questions of staff, mainly Marcus, until he pointed it out one day. It was then that I realized I had something brewing in my mind. Knowing my time at the retreat was limited, I needed to be strategic with my time there, to learn the most I could.

It was going to be a lot of work to get it up and running, but I also knew it was what I wanted to do. The seed was planted within me, I needed to foster it to grow. There was a need for it, and I wanted to be the one to offer such services. For so long I worked for my father, furthering his dream. It was time to follow my own. Now that I discovered my passion, I wanted to help change people’s lives, just as mine had been. Since I started mulling it over in my mind, it hadn’t left, every day I thought of something new to add to my plan. I was obsessed with it at times, not able to walk away from it. It was inside me, and I couldn't wait to finally start making my dream a reality.

The nurses came in every hour or so to do their rounds. I had been introduced to the nursing staff as Sarah, Drew’s girlfriend, and was asked to have unconditional access to the room. Drew, I was told, was put down as immediate family, but no other explanation was given to the hospital. I still wasn’t comfortable, and each time someone came into the room, I kept my head down reading my tablet, or took the time to use the washroom in the room.

I was paranoid, feeling that they knew exactly who I was and would tell. Drew and my mother told me it was all in my head and that I should just be acting natural.

But that was hard for me, I was stressed and worried over my father. It didn’t help matters that I was used to exercising, eating healthy food and limiting caffeine. We had donuts for lunch, and some fruit from a basket sent to us from one of my father’s business associates, and lots of coffee.

At four, when Drew came back from making a call, he put on his jacket. ‘I’m going to get some fresh air and coffee, anyone want to come or put in an order?’

‘I don’t want to leave Steve, but get me my usual?’ my mother asked, looking to me, nodding at the door. ‘Go stretch your legs.’

I put my boots back on and Drew helped me into my jacket. I took my purse and straightened the wig on my head.

He put his hand on my lower back, guiding me out of the room. We’d been good with our PDA in front of my mother; I sat for a while with my feet in his lap, and he rubbed my shoulders once, but other than that, there was nothing. I wasn’t sure if my parents knew we were together or not, but I wasn’t about to hide it—not anymore.

He took my hand as we walked down the hall to the elevators and didn't let it go until we were at the coffee shop.

He kissed me a few times standing in line, nothing passionate, just simple pecks, but enough to tell me he loved me and to let everyone know I was his. It made me smile, he was claiming me.

I always thought of PDA as a barbaric alpha dominance thing, until now. Having this sinfully hot man want to claim me, publicly, to tell all the men looking at me I was his and to send a message to the women checking him out that he was off the market, that he belonged to me; it made me giddy, to be honest.

It was the perfect distraction from worrying over my father. The nurses kept reminding us that he was doing well, that his vitals were improving and blood pressure was getting back to normal, which was encouraging. I just wanted to see him awake and confirm that there was no brain damage.

It was nearly dinner time when we got back to the room, my mother was asleep in the chair when we walked in, so we decided to sit in the family room.

‘I’m going to make your mom go home to shower and sleep after Deb gets here,’ Drew told me, continuing to take charge of a very stressful situation.

I nodded, ‘That’s a good idea, and you should probably go with her.’

He looked at me and shook his head. ‘No, I’m good.’

‘Drew,’ I took his hand. ‘You need to shower, change and get at least a few hours of sleep in a bed.’

‘You do too,’ he protested.

‘I slept last night and on the plane.’

‘I don’t want to leave you,’ he said in a low voice, looking at me with longing in his eyes.

‘I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here for a while, at least till my father’s well enough to manage.’

‘Really?’ Drew looked up at me, hopeful.

‘Of course,’ I said, leaning in and kissing him. ‘I need to discuss the new plan with Breton in a few days, but yeah, I can’t leave him and mom at a time like this. Remember health coaching is what I want to do, he’ll be my guinea pig,’ I laughed.

‘Lucky him,’ he teased.

I hit him playfully in his hard chest before he pulled me into him. Knowing what was under there had me wanting him, even at a time like this. I needed some distance, this wasn’t good, and I felt guilty even thinking of it at a time like this. But it was hard to deny our chemistry or fight the pull between us.

‘Go to the townhouse, shower, sleep and bring back breakfast,’ I insisted.

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