The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides #6) (16 page)

Jonquil’s hand went to her face automatically before realizing she had just reapplied it and would have noticed if there were a smudge. “Liar.”

Angela smirked a little. “You and Gage were doing more than eating dinner.”

“Go, Gage.” Vince’s quiet sentence was still easily heard in the nearly silent room.

“We’re not here to discuss my theoretical love life.” Jonquil tried to sound no-nonsense, though she could feel her cheeks heating with a blush. “We’re here because there’s an emergency. Obviously, since we called Joel into service.”

“What’s going on?” Vince asked.

“A couple of things. Apparently Natalie has gotten into some financial difficulty with the wrong kind of people. She went to Gage and asked for some money to make it go away. Gage couldn’t help her and the guys kidnapped her and are holding her for ransom. Fifty-thousand dollars worth. Which Gage in no way has right now.”

“You’re not kidding,” Vince said. “The ski resort has tapped him out. So what are they doing about Natalie?”

“Deputy Oliver and Joel are going to work on that. And on what happened to Gage’s mother.” She told them in concise sentences about what had happened since the phone call about Natalie’s kidnapping and what the doctors had told Gage. “He’s on the way to Denver. He really can’t handle worrying about both of them right now, so we’re going to split our resources.”

She sucked in a breath. “First, there’s the matter of the money. I’d be happy to come up with it, but most of my advance went home to help my parents. Dad covered a lot of the medical bills while he was alive, but since he died, I’ve been trying to help out.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Angela folded her arms over her chest. “Your dad never did anything for us. You got the best schools, the best programs, trips and all kinds of other fun stuff, but that’s as far as it went.”

Jonquil held up a hand to cut the topic off. “We can talk about it later. Suffice to say, I’m almost tapped out. I can scrounge about five thousand, and I’m happy to pay whoever back after the inheritances come through, but we need to raise the money now. In three days’ time. Can anyone else help out? Do you think we could get an advance on the inheritance at this point through Alex? The trial period’s almost over.”

“Count us in,” Vince said after sharing a look with Cami. “But don’t even think of paying me back.”

Cami put her hand on his arm in support.

Jonquil looked around the room and saw smiles and nods. “Great. You guys are the bomb, seriously. Delphi, would you write down what everyone is willing to contribute? I know you have something to keep track of it on you—you’re too anal not to.”

Delphi stuck out her tongue at Jonquil, but pulled out her huge phone/tablet and began tapping on the screen.

“Okay, next order of business. Gage took my car down the mountain. I know he’d prefer to have his own when he comes back. I’m going to stay with him tonight. Anyone want to come with?”

“Me.” Vince looked up from where he was talking with Delphi. “Let’s swing by his place to pick up a few things and then we can head out.”

“Great. I have his keys. Let me change my outfit and throw a few things into a bag. I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

“Okay.”

Jonquil ducked into her room, changed clothes and grabbed her phone, purse and an e-reader. She might need something to keep her awake with him tonight.

When she emerged to the kitchen again eight minutes later, Vince and Cami waited at the end of the kitchen bar speaking with Blake. Vince turned to her. “So, why is it you were with Gage today?”

She might as well brazen it out. “We went to dinner after work.”

Delphi’s brow lifted. “Isn’t that three nights in a row for you guys?”

Blake smirked. “Do we start the countdown?” he asked Vince.

“Too late for that. I think he was gone long before now, he just didn’t know it.”

“What do you mean?” Angela asked as she came up behind them.

Jonquil didn’t understand all of it, but enough to know she didn’t want to get into it right now. “Never mind the dorks. They’re full of crap.”

“You said you liked them,” Angela challenged.

“Yep, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re full of it.” She grabbed her jacket. “We’ll talk later.”

Angela looked unimpressed.

“You ready then?” Vince asked. “No better time.”

“Yeah. Let’s head out.”

Jonquil looked over her shoulder at Angela before the front door closed behind them. Angela looked unhappy and maybe a little isolated. Jonquil understood that and felt bad. She should have been there more for her little sister. Even if she hadn’t exactly been on her best behavior. Maybe that was true for both of them.

She didn’t have the energy to think about it at the moment, so she set it aside for now.

Gage had been at the hospital for nearly an hour and a half before Vince and Jonquil showed up. He wasn’t surprised to see Vince, but hadn’t expected Jonquil to come to Denver to sit with him. As he saw her walking toward him, her perfect blond curls and determined expression, he wondered what she thought was going on between them, then let it go—he had more important things to worry about. Their relationship would keep.

“Hey, thanks for coming,” he said as they approached.

“More would’ve come if you’d still been at the hospital in Otter Creek,” Vince said. “They all sent their best. And said not to worry about the money for Natalie. We’ll have the cash you need ready for you on time. The banks in town are going to wonder what’s going on, but we’ve got you covered.”

Gage was stunned. Jonquil had said she’d pull it together, but he hadn’t dared to hope. “I can’t believe it.”

“Believe it. Now, how’s your mom? You heard anything yet?” Vince asked.

“Just more promises that they’ll let me know.” Since she was there, Gage grabbed Jonquil’s hand and pulled her down beside him. He needed her right now as much as he needed Vince. “Is Joel working on figuring out what happened to Natalie?”

Vince sat on Gage’s other side. “Yes, he, Jeremy and Trent are at your mom’s place now checking things out. I actually expected a call before we got here, but we haven’t heard anything from them.”

Gage shrugged helplessly. “All I know is that Liam introduced her to the guy, no name, no idea what she was even betting on. I swear, sometimes I don’t even know her.”

“Everyone makes mistakes. Some larger than others,” Jonquil soothed, rubbing her hand over his. “I look at Angela and feel the same way. We just never understood each other. I swear sometimes she hates me and I don’t have the faintest clue why. Sometimes I hate her. A little bit.”

“No you don’t,” Vince said. “And neither does she. She thinks you’re awesome, she just doesn’t know how to deal with that. You’ve had certain advantages she didn’t. You did have trips and special schools. You could attend college anywhere you wanted. You know George would have pulled strings to get you into anyplace, no matter how exclusive.”

Jonquil frowned at the comment. “Don’t fool yourself, Dad paid for a lot of lessons and activities for her and the boys. He made sure they had a few luxuries my parents couldn’t afford so they wouldn’t resent me too much. It was bad enough…” She caught herself. “And at least their dad didn’t lie to everyone else around him about their existence. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses.”

She pulled a face and sighed. “Poor little rich girl, or whatever I was. I know. Moving right along. I can call Joel if you like. I’m good at badgering. It never makes the slightest difference with him, but I can do it anyway, just to annoy him.”

Gage smiled despite himself. “By all means, annoy Joel to your heart’s content. When my sister’s life isn’t on the line.”

“You’re no fun.” Her gaze lifted and caught on something.

Gage turned and saw the doctor walking toward them.

“Mr. Mathews, I’m Dr. Ferguson. Would you like to talk?”

“You can talk in front of them.” He gestured to Vince and Jonquil. “They’ll hear it all from me anyway.”

“It’s really only for the family.”

Vince stood. “We are family. Brothers. And well, Jonquil’s my sister.”

Sort of true, so Gage let it slide.

“Fine.” The doctor pursed his lips. “Your mother suffered head trauma. Probably sometime this afternoon. It’s not consistent with an accident, so I don’t think she slipped from bed and hit her head. Blood is pooling inside her cranial cavity and we need to operate right away.”

Gage felt his world tilt. “You need me to sign something?” Could this get any worse?

The surgery had taken hours and Jonquil woke in the waiting room to find she had fallen asleep on Gage’s shoulder. She wondered if he had heard anything yet. “Any news?” she asked as she lifted her head. She touched the side of her mouth and was relieved to find she hadn’t drooled in her sleep.

“Nope. He said they would be finished nearly an hour ago, but I haven’t heard anything.” There was a note of panic in Gage’s voice.

“Settle down,” Vince said from across the aisle where he was stretched out on the other couch. “Getting upset is only going to make things worse for you. It won’t change what is or isn’t happening in there.”

“Says the man whose family isn’t being torn to bits,” Gage shot out.

Vince sat up and rolled his neck, making it crack a few times. “Point taken. But you need to relax just a little, try to get some rest or you’ll be a basket case.”

“Have you had anything to eat since dinner?” Jonquil asked Gage. She needed to do something useful. Sitting and staring at the guys would drive her crazy.

“Ah, yes. You ought to eat something,” Vince prodded. “He gets grouchy when he’s hungry.”

“I’m not hungry,” Gage said.

“I’ll go see if I can find something that looks like actual food,” Jonquil said. “You have to at least try to eat. The next couple of days are going to be awful, and you’ll need your energy.” She stood and stretched, then shuffled down the hall, stiff from the rock climbing—was it two days ago now? Three? She wasn’t sure. How could so much stuff have happened in such a short period of time? She glanced back over her shoulder and saw the two old friends sitting together. She wondered if she was in the way here. Did Gage wonder why she had come? They had only been, well, not together, but
something
for a couple of days. And their kisses were
amazing
. How could she have such great chemistry with someone who had never liked her?

He didn’t seem to dislike her now, so she’d let things play out.

She found the cafeteria easily enough and stocked up on eggs and bacon, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and three mugs of hot, strong coffee. Everyone would eat something, or her name wasn’t Jonquil.

The guys were still in a little tête-à-tête when she returned to the waiting room, but she didn’t let it bother her. When she set down the food and handed the coffee around, she got looks of gratefulness and appreciation. She knew what it was like, waiting to hear about someone you love when they were in for a serious procedure. When her stepfather had been sick the first time—when she was still in high school—she had thought he was going to die for sure. She’d spent a couple of days in the hospital just sitting beside him and hoping it would be enough. It was all she could give so she gave it. Just like now, all she could do was to watch over Gage, so she’d do it.

Dr. Ferguson walked in a few minutes later looking drawn and tired. “Mr. Mathews, your mother is out of surgery. We’ve relieved the pressure but it’s too early to tell if there’s any permanent damage until the swelling goes down completely and she wakes up, but I’m optimistic. She’ll have to stay in the hospital for at least a couple of days. It’ll be a while before she comes out of the anesthesia so you should take a break and move around. We’ll call you when she wakes up if you’re not in here.”

“Thanks.” Relief filled Gage’s face. “I appreciate it. Please let me know when I can get in to see her.”

“We will.”

As soon as the doctor walked away, Gage turned to Jonquil and pulled her into his arms.

She held him tight. “I’m so glad.”

“Me too.” He nuzzled her neck a little. “You smell good. You always do,” he said for her ears only.