Saving Forever - Part 4 (7 page)

Chapter 9

The days leading up to the wedding flew. Charity flew back to Atlanta Sunday evening and spent the week working, taking work home with her and setting meetings throughout the days. With the new massive charitable donation, it seemed to have kick-started things at the hospital. The refurbished floor added another CAT scan machine to reduce wait times and after a meeting with the board, Forever Hope voted on putting the monies toward the children’s floor.

Charity took care of her end of what needed to be done and finished in perfect timing, the night before they were booked to fly to New Zealand. Malcolm came by the office just as she was getting ready to leave.

“All ready?” he asked.

Charity clicked her briefcase closed. “I think so. Everything here is in order. I’ll be gone for two weeks but just call me if anything comes up.”

Malcolm shook his head. “I’m not calling you on your wedding slash honeymoon. We’ll be fine here.”

“Well, if anything does come up you know how to get a hold of me.”

He handed her an envelope.

She took it, about to open it. “What’s this?”

He stopped her by covering her hand in his. “Go have a great time. Congratulations.” He grinned. “That’s not business, it’s a wedding gift.”

“You didn’t hav—”

“I wanted to.” He let go of her hand and glanced around the room. “You’ve done a fantastic job here, Charity. Thank you.”

“The hospital’s done the work. I’m just the lucky girl who gets to promote it.” It felt like she was living two lives, one here in Atlanta and another fairy tale one in New York.

He chuckled. “You just had a single family donate an astronomical amount of money.”

Charity shook her head. “I didn’t do anything but set up the account for estates and companies to be able to donate the money to the hospital. This particular family chose you guys because of the staff that’s been here over the years. That was this hospital. Not me. You need to be proud of Forever Hope.”

“I am, but you can’t stop me from telling you what a fine job you’ve done. That too is well deserved.”

She didn’t know how to respond. The conversation oddly felt like a goodbye speech. “Are you letting me go?” She couldn’t believe she’d asked the question out loud.

If Malcolm was shocked he didn’t let it show. “Do you want to be released from the contract?”

She felt her eyebrows rise but had no idea how to respond.

Malcolm sat down and patted the seat beside him. “Charity, we are not terminating the contract. The board here is beyond pleased with what you have done. You’ve raised more money since you’ve been here than what the board’s been working on for years. We spoke after our meeting with you this week and discussed everything you’ve been through and your upcoming nuptials. We wanted to give you the option to be released from the contract if you wanted to, with no obligation or penalty.”

Here was her chance to pack all her stuff up and leave for New York. She could move into Elijah’s house and go back to med school, get into her residency at her father’s hospital, she had the perfect outlet to not have to travel and be apart from Elijah. “I don’t want to be released.”

The words were out of her mouth and she knew they were the truth, shocking as they were. This was something she should ask Elijah what he thought so they could discuss it together. Except he was probably in surgery at this moment.

“I had a feeling you were going to say that.” Malcolm smiled. “I’m glad. However, there is something I would like to discuss.” He hesitated.

Charity felt her knees begin to shake. He seemed nervous and it suddenly was making her nervous as well.

“I spoke with the board.” He straightened and looked directly at her. “I hope you don’t mind that I spoke with them regarding your contract without talking to you first. I believe you are extremely competent.”

But…
Charity believed that word was about to enter his little speech.

“With everything that has happened and your very soon-to-be marriage, would you consider having – what the board referred to as a – floating contract? We still expect you to fulfill your end of the contract but it would mean you could work from Atlanta or New York, or wherever. You would obviously need to be here at least once a month, but I felt – the board felt it was in your, and our, best interest if you were given that option. Is that something you would consider?”

Charity stared at him. She knew her mouth hung open but she couldn’t seem to get her brain to fully process what he was offering. It seemed too easy. Too perfect a solution that it shouldn’t be able to work.

“We realize it might slow the fundraising process down some. However, we’ve gone over everything that’s been done and the hospital accountant assured us you were already months ahead of your proposed budget.”

“You did this, for me?”

He smiled. “You’re a good person, Charity. You deserve every opportunity that comes your way. I pushed for this, and I apologize again for doing it without talking to you first, because I’ve been through this. I let the job become my number one priority instead of family.” He stood and patted her shoulder. “I understand it better than anyone.”

“I appreciate it.” She glanced down at the envelope in her hand. “I appreciate everything. Thank you.”

“Now go have an amazing wedding.”

She grinned. “I think I can do that.”

“I’ll see you when you get back.”

Charity flew back to New York that night and organized what she could for Elijah, who was working a night shift. They were flying out early in the morning so he promised to be back in time to shower and finish packing. Julie and Simon were meeting them at Newark Airport. Her father had a limo service organized to pick him up and then Elijah and Charity.

She crawled into bed late Friday night and never heard Elijah come in until she felt his warm breath as he nuzzled her neck.

“Hey beautiful, it’s time to wake up.”

A
hmmmm
sound vibrated against her throat and she snuggled closer to his warmth. She opened her eyes. “You’re wet.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I just showered.” He pressed closer to her, his warm wet body sending shivers of pleasure to her skin.

She scooted over and out of the bed, taking the duvet with her. “I thought we were abstaining.” Sleep had left and she could feel her body instantly aroused from his touch and the sound of his sexy voice.

Elijah lay on his side, just a thin white sheet forming against his lean body. It was impossible to stop her eyes from trailing down his body… and then up again to his handsome face. He enjoyed the teasing torture he was obviously putting her through.

“I haven’t seen you all week and I come home to your beautiful body lying in my bed.” He shrugged, a wicked grin on his face. “What’s a guy to do?”

“Not suggest an abstinence clause two weeks before his wedding.”

“I’m game to pretend I never said a thing.”

“Too late.” She jumped back just out of reach from his hands. She tucked the duvet tight around her and leaned over to press her lips against his. “I missed you.”

Between kisses he squeezed out, “Me, too.”

The alarm clock beside the bed went off.

“Saved by the bell.”

He groaned. “I’ll be quick.”

She laughed and wrestled out of his arms. “Oh no you don’t. I need to shower and the limo with my dad is going to be here in about half an hour. Probably earlier knowing the great and powerful Dr. Thompson.”

Elijah rolled his eyes. “You need to give your dad a break. Maybe try not to be so hard on him.”

Charity, on her way to the bathroom, stopped and turned to look at Elijah. “I was kidding!”

“I know, but you still sort of mean it… not intentionally, of course.” He cleared his throat and sat up. “He’s a good guy, you know. He might not have the best bedside manner but he does care. He loves you a lot, Charity. I’m more than proud to have him as a father-in-law.” He didn’t say it in a mean or judgemental way, he sounded sincere and wistful at the same time.

Elijah was right on the bedside manner. Her dad sucked at that with her. He ran and hid when his wife got sick and he couldn’t face her when Charity confronted him at the funeral. She’d lost her mom, and her dad in a way, that day over six years ago. A lot had happened in the past months and he was trying to make things easier, she should at least try and do the same.

She saluted Elijah. “I’ll be on my best behaviour.” She walked over to the bed and kissed him again, dropping the duvet on top of him. “This is why I’m marrying you, handsome. You make me want to be a better person.”

He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her. The duvet made a mound between them. “Are you naked?” he asked.

“Maybe.”

His hand slid down over her buttocks. “Mmmm…”

She pulled back and laughed. “Not going to happen, mister, not going to happen.” She ran to the bathroom, loving the appreciative noise that came out of his mouth as he watched her.

“Three sleeps, right?” he called out to her. “Three sleeps and I get to do whatever I want ‘cause you’re my wife, right?”

She popped her head through the crack in the door. “Sounds delicious to me.”

He groaned again and she laughed when he grabbed a pillow and threw it over his head.

Twenty-five minutes later, after she had showered and dressed, the doorbell rang at the same time Elijah called out, “Your father’s here.”

Charity noticed Elijah had moved her suitcase to the front room but had left the wedding dress box on the bed. She grabbed her purse and the box, thankful it had a carrying handle on the side so it could act like a suitcase.

Her father stepped out of the limo as the chauffeur carried their suitcases and put them in the trunk.

“You have your tux?” she asked Elijah as he set the alarm and then locked the front door of the house.

“In my case. I’ll need your engagement ring the day before the ceremony as well.”

“Why?”

He grinned. “You’ll see.”

She double-checked she had his ring in her purse. It sat, safe and sound, inside a turquoise blue Tiffany box at the bottom corner of her bag.

They walked to the black limo and climbed in when the driver opened the door for them.

Her father sat inside talking quietly on the phone. He nodded at them as they sat down and continued speaking into his cell. “Yes. Get the results as soon as you can and let me know. You can send them to me via email.” He held the phone in his right hand. He clenched and unclenched his free hand before shaking it and then grabbing his briefcase to grab a file out of it. “I have copies of everything here that’s been done up to date… Thanks. I’ll check back with you when we arrive in New Zealand.” He hung up the phone and tossed it into his briefcase.

“Everything alright?” Elijah asked.

“Fine. Fine. Just… you know how it is. Leave the hospital and you don’t think they’ll survive without you if you’re gone more than a day.”

“They’ll survive.” Charity smiled. “You’ll only be gone eight days.”

“My concern is the mess I’ll have to take care of when I get back.”

Charity knew she had promised to make an effort for Elijah and it took every ounce of patience not to make a snide comment that he didn’t have to come to his only daughter’s wedding. Elijah grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He knew exactly what she was thinking. She tried a positive comment instead. “We’ll just have to make sure you have such a good trip, you won’t have time to worry.”

Her dad gave her a smile, even though he still seemed distracted. At least she had tried.

They drove the rest of the way in silence, her father tapping away on his phone, Elijah and Charity enjoying a mimosa inside the limo. Simon and Julie met them at the gate after checking in. Charity took the box her dress was in as a carry on. She received frowns from the flight attendants on the flight to California, then on to Japan and finally into New Zealand. Each time she explained that her wedding dress lay inside the box and there was no way she was going to risk losing it, the stewardess’ smiled and then introduced Elijah and Charity over the intercom – on each flight!

Tired, but excited to finally be done flying, they arrived in New Zealand. Albert met them after they came through customs. He had rented a large van to take them all to Rapt Bach Estates.

Over breakfast on the ferry over to the island, Elijah tried to explain his house to them. Charity caught Albert chuckling each time Simon, Julie or her father asked a question.

“Elijah,” Albert asked, “have you not told your friends about Rapt Bach?”

Charity raised her hand. “He’s told me.”

Albert chuckled and winked at her. “I know he has, lass.”

Elijah, holding a piece of toast, pointed it at Albert. “I’ve been saving it for a day like today.”

Julie leaned over to Charity. “You did say it was breathtaking. I’m starting to wonder how big this place is.”