Road to Redemption (21 page)

“Come on, Cori, honey. Wake up. You need to wake up again.” Barbara Summers gently coaxed her daughter to open her eyes.

“No, Mom. Ten more minutes,” Cori said with a whine, blinking her eyes.  She watched as her mother smiled at the exact words Cori used to say every morning when she was being woken for school.

“No more sleep. Wake up,” Barbara told her, the same that she did back then.

Cori scowled at her mother and looked around the room she was in. A different room from the one she was in when her mother woke her up the last two times. She then focused on the nurse in front of her smiling, someone she had never met before.

“How many fingers am I holding up?” the young nurse asked Cori.

“Two. I know the drill. I’m fine,” she told the nurse a bit snarky. “Let me sleep.”

“Cortland Marie, stop being such a baby,” Rose Summers said, scolding her granddaughter.

Cori turned her head toward the windows. “Nana, what are you doing here?  What time is it?” she asked, noticing the sun coming through those same windows.

“Early, I don’t mind saying. Earlier than my old body wanted to get up.” Rose gentled her tone, softened her eyes. “But nothing would have kept me from seeing that you were okay with my own eyes.”

The young nurse checking Cori’s vitals ran through the basics and left the room with a promise to bring breakfast shortly. 

“I want pancakes, a double order. I work here, too, so I get special treatment,” she yelled at the young nurse’s back when she walked out of the room.  Everyone else in the room laughed.

Speaking of special treatment, Cori looked around the room and realized it was a private room, not a shared room. Before she could question it though, her grandmother surprised her.

“We met your man, Cortland. Oh, and what a man he is. Now I know what you see in him.” She joked with a little wiggle of her eyebrows, so similar to Cori’s actions.

“Jack? I don’t know if he’s my man anymore,” she said, the tears starting to form in her eyes. Trying to shake them off, she asked a more important question, “When was he here?”

Rose smiled patiently. “Oh dear, I believe he is most certainly your man. At least by the way he was looking at you.”

Cori turned her head to try to get a better explanation from her mother. “Mom, when was Jack here? Why was he here?”

“I thought you said you remembered the accident when we questioned you earlier?” Barbara asked with concern.

“Yes, of course I remember it.  I remember everything about last night.” Even if she didn’t want to remember the hurt and pain she felt when she drove away from Jack. Or the look in his eyes when she said she loved him and how he was shocked and horrified at once.  Not to mention the dread that came over her, when she knew he was going to try to pacify her, try to tell her “it’s not you, it’s me.”  She didn’t want to hear it so she got out of his house as fast as she could.

“Well, dear, Jack has been checking in on you. You’re his patient. He is the one who performed your surgery.  And believe me, there was quite the scuffle going on from what I hear.” Barbara turned and smiled at her husband who had remained silent so far.

Sam Summers finally spoke up, his voice sounding proud while he explained to Cori what they heard from one of the other nurses on the night shift. “Seems the hospital refused to let Jack operate on you since you are in a personal relationship.  But he fought them and threatened to quit on the spot if they didn’t let him do it.”

At her shocked expression, he went on to add, “I believe he thought you might have been the other victim who is still in ICU.  She may not make it. She didn’t have her seatbelt on and suffered a lot of head trauma.  Anyway, he was relieved to find out you were the one with the broken wrist. He started to prep for your surgery, but the ER doctor refused to let him operate, causing quite the scene.”

“I can’t believe it. I’ve never seen Jack really angry before. Plus, all he had to do was tell them we weren’t together anymore. I mean, I don’t think we are. I don’t know. But still, it’s so unlike him to behave that way…” She trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

“Well,” Sam went on to explain further. “I believe Jack’s boss arrived and was none too happy to be called in, but put everything to rights. He said there was no reason Jack couldn’t perform the surgery. It wasn’t life threatening and he was professional enough to handle it.”

“Oh,” Cori said lamely and remained silent.

The doctor in question chose that moment to make an appearance.

***

“I think we should give these two a bit of privacy,” Sam said, then helped his mother to her feet. “Let’s go get some breakfast ourselves. We’ll be back in a bit, dear.” He nodded his head to Jack with a stare that clearly stated, ‘Don’t hurt my little girl, or I’ll hunt you down,’ regardless of the fact he was a good foot shorter that Jack.

“You look terrible,” Cori blurted.

He knew how he looked. He had dark bags under his eyes, his hair was messed up, waves in every direction since he had been running his fingers through it.  He hadn’t shaved since yesterday morning and his scrubs were completely wrinkled.

“I’m surprised the hospital is even letting you work right now.”

“You’re one to talk. Have you seen yourself?” he replied back.  The bandage above her left eye was doing little to cover the large bruise forming around the seven stitches he placed there hours before. Not wanting to trust anyone else to do a good enough job, he stitched her up himself hoping to minimize the scarring the best he could.

IV’s were hooked to her right arm, feeding pain medicine to her as needed.  Her body was covered by either her hospital gown or the sheets, with the exception of her other arm that was lying on top of the sheets—covered in a half cast for the moment until he could remove the stitches in another week. Then she would be casted for at least six more weeks until the bone healed.

“I’ve been in an accident. What’s your excuse?” she asked in a snarl, all the hurt coming back to the surface, he saw.

“I’ve been caring for you all night. Not to mention the other victims of the accident.  Some of us haven’t slept yet.” He stopped himself. This wasn’t what he wanted to say, not what he intended to say when he came in here.  He needed to get a grip.  Time to start over.

“Listen,” he said, sitting on the bed next to her. He picked up her right hand, careful of the tubes hanging close by. “Don’t talk, please?” he amended nicely. “Let me say what I need to.  What I should have said last night.”

When she opened her mouth, he placed his finger over her lips. “Please? Give me a chance to make it right.  It’s the least you could do since I had to spend all night caring for you.” He tried to joke, but no smile reached his eyes regardless of the twitch at his lips.

“Fine,” she said fighting back her tears.

“You’re right.” He raised his eyes to hers when she made an attempt to speak again, reminding her that it was his turn. “I was afraid. I
am
afraid of not being enough for someone again. Of not being around to give you what you want or what you need.  Of losing you because I failed. Failed you and failed myself.”

He took a deep breath.  “But, I love you. And I want to try. Try to be a better person, try to be the man you want and deserve.”

When the tears started to roll from her eyes, he gently brushed them aside and continued. “After you left last night, everything you said kept racing through my mind.  You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true, anything I haven’t wished or wanted for a long time. But I told myself I couldn’t have it.  I couldn’t live again. I shouldn’t be allowed to live my life when Tracy couldn’t. It’s wrong to feel that way. I know it, but I allowed myself to do it anyway.”

He took another deep breath. She was listening and softening, he could see. “I never thought I would feel the way I do about you. You make me want to strangle you, and laugh and kiss you at the same time. You were thoughtful enough to buy my dog a gift for Valentine’s Day, and tell me I’m a bad father for leaving Roxy alone, even though you were the reason for it.” He couldn’t help but smile when she did.

“Anyway. I want to give you all those things back.  Laughter and kisses and the urge to strangle me when I move to slowly.  I want you to have me for me, for all my flaws. Like I want to have you for you, for all your flaws.” He grinned at her, his own eyes getting a bit misty. “Well, aren’t you going to say anything?” he asked in desperation.  It was the longest speech he ever made and she sat there staring at him, saying nothing back at all.

“Am I allowed to talk now?” she finally asked. “Because you told me I couldn’t.”

He let out a not so steady laugh. “Yes, you can speak now.”

She tried to reach up toward his face, but couldn’t quite make it. “Come here and kiss me first,” she ordered. “I love your slow awkward shyness, Jack. You’re my big boy, my boy toy.”

He grimaced, and she laughed all the more and then pulled his head down on her chest. “But most of all, I love you. Flaws and all.”

Jack watched Cori walk down the aisle toward the sunset while she held the white roses in front of her. He only had eyes for her, the woman he loved.  The woman he wasn’t afraid to say it to or to anyone else who wanted to know.  The woman who made him complete again. Made him a better man. Better than he ever thought he could be.

He could see she was concentrating on pacing her steps, trying to keep them slow rather than rushing toward the end. Like she did with everything else in life.

Then he saw the tears in her eyes as they met his, so he gave her a reassuring smile in return.  She stood there, fighting those tears through the brief ceremony, through the exchange of the “I dos” and the kiss at the end when everyone was catcalling and whistling.  Now it was time to make her way back down the aisle, only this time with a man on her arm.

When she passed by him with Ryan on her arm, he couldn’t fight his longing gaze directed at her. Just like Ryan couldn’t fight the urge to drop his arm around Cori’s shoulder and pull her closer to his side.  He knew Ryan was only messing with him, but he couldn’t help the scowl. Ryan only laughed back at him and leaned down to kiss Cori’s cheek.

“You know, you can stop frowning at Ryan now. He’s your best friend. He’s only playing with you,” she said an hour later as she reached up and ran her fingers down his cheek.

He tightened his arms around her on the dance floor, causing her to lay her cheek on his chest.  “Now that you’re done dancing with him I can stop frowning.”

***

The next day—the last day of their mini vacation in the Bahamas—Cori found herself standing on the balcony overlooking the ocean. A warm breeze caused her white sundress to float around her legs, her hot pink bikini clearly visible beneath. She was waiting for Jack to change into his swimsuit so they could make their way to the beach and spend their last day relaxing, enjoying their time together.

She turned with a start when she heard music coming from their suite. Walking back through the open glass doors she saw Jack standing there still dressed, only this time in khaki cargo shorts and a faded T-shirt. 

She walked forward a few steps, then stopped, recognizing the song playing. The same song that was playing when she asked Jack to take her home at the first wedding they attended. The song that she said was the most romantic love song in the world.  The song that brought them together so many months ago.  “Amazed.”

Stopping in front of him, she started to speak, but he put a finger to her lips, reached down and pulled the white dress over her head. “The first time I saw you, you were wearing this bikini. For me it all started then, almost a year ago at Brooke’s house.”

He started the song over from the beginning.  “Just listen to the words carefully. Each word coming from me, to you.” He took her arms and placed them around his neck, his hands on her hips, slowly dancing to the words.

After he gently wiped the tears from her eyes, he reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring, placing it on her left finger. “Marry me, Cori. Let’s spend the rest of our lives together.”

Never even looking at the ring, she only continued to stare into his eyes. She saw the love in them, and knew he was the one for her. She smiled and said, “Aren’t you going to get on one knee?”

He shook his head and laughed. “Don’t push it.”

“OK. Then, yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

See where it all started Road to Recovery – Buy
here
on Amazon

Being perfect isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
After surviving a horrific car crash, Brooke Malone is ready to start over. Moving from her hometown of Burlington, Vermont, to Albany, New York, for a new job, her only goals are to focus on her career and her recovery. The last thing she wants is the distraction of a relationship. Least of all with a sexy more-than-perfect coworker who is adamant about needing to help her.
Lucas Mathews is any woman’s dream man. As a successful attorney, he could have any woman he wants. But he wants Brooke, the one woman who doesn’t seem interested. Can he win her over when all she wants to do is rebuild her life? Or will the secrets Brooke holds deep shatter any chance at happiness?
 

Road to Reality—Book 3 Buy
here
on Amazon

Beth Campbell grew up poor. The kind of poor that people only hear of but never actually see—the dirty-no-electricity-in-the-winter kind of poor.  But she had brains, grit, and determination. She was making a better life for herself, until she met a man—and made a mistake. 

Now at age twenty-five she’s a single mother working hard once again, making a better life for herself and her three-year-old daughter, Zoe.  She’s learned from her mistakes and is focusing on the right things. No more wishful dreams for her.

Dr. Mac Malone was minding his own business on his daily run when he heard a child’s scream.  Before he knew it, he was Zoe Campbell’s savior.  Falling in love with the little girl was easy.  Convincing her mother he really was a good guy was something altogether different.  Can he help Beth learn to trust again?