The Great Bedroom War (31 page)

She glanced to the back seat at Ryan stroking her daughter’s head, and resentment welled in her chest.
She
should be holding her child right now. Dani should want
her
.

And yet, Sam couldn’t deny that the boy was amazing. He gave Dani just the right blend of loving support and encouragement without dismissing her strength and ability to make her own choices. It was a talent Dani’s father had never mastered, let alone understood.

Nick glanced over at her and his gaze drifted down to her left hand. “I see you put Chase’s ring back on when you went upstairs.”

Only because she didn’t want Adam wondering why she wasn’t wearing it. This crisis was hardly the time to explain she couldn’t marry him because she was still in love with her ex. However, she wasn’t about to tell Nick that. “Please keep your eyes on the road.”

He returned his attention to his driving and after several silent moments, he raised his gaze to the rearview mirror. “So, Ryan, why don’t you explain to us how my daughter ended up riding in your car tonight?”

“Daddy, it wasn’t his fault,” Dani cut Ryan off before he could open his mouth. “I lied to you. Haley and I asked her dad to drive us to the dance Ryan where Ryan was playing. We told Mr. Simmons you were coming to get us. I wanted Ryan to drive us home.”

“Oh, man.” Nick winced. “I forgot your band was performing tonight.”

“The guys were kind of disappointed you didn’t come,” Ryan told him.

“I’m sorry. It completely slipped my mind.”

“Gee, I wonder why?” Sam glared at him. No doubt he’d been too distracted by his plans to seduce her.

“Believe me, Dani, if I
had
remembered the dance, you wouldn’t have gone to Haley’s overnight until I’d talked to her father,” Nick told their daughter. “Your mother and I aren’t stupid. We were teenagers once, too.”

“Yeah, back before the Big Bang.” Dani snorted.

Sam smiled. Despite Dani’s understandable fear, at least she still had her sense of humor.

“It was partly my fault,” Ryan confessed. “I knew she wasn’t supposed to ride with me.”

“In the future, please remember that,” Nick told him. “And I promise we’ll try to bring Dani to your next gig.”

Assuming their daughter was well enough. Sam swallowed hard, imagining the worst.

“And you, young lady,” Nick said, glancing at Dani in the rearview mirror, “don’t think because you’re sick that lets you off the hook. Why didn’t you simply ask if you could go to the dance and have us pick you up like you told Mr. Simmons? Why’d you lie to me?”

A flash of lightning reflected off the tears shimmering in Dani’s eyes. “Because after you wouldn’t let me go to any of Ryan’s rehearsals, I thought you’d automatically say no.”

“There’s a big difference between you attending a dance and hanging around a band’s rehearsals like some rock ‘n roll groupie.”

The rain came down in a torrent, creating a sheet of water on the windshield that the wipers couldn’t handle. Shaking, Sam reached over and squeezed Nick’s arm. “Now isn’t a good time for an inquisition. She doesn’t feel well, and you need to concentrate on the road.”

“You wanna know
why
I wanted to ride home with Ryan?” Dani sobbed, ignoring Sam’s attempt at intervening. “It’s because I was pretty sure I was sick again. And I want to have sex before I die.”

Nick veered off onto the road’s shoulder as Sam whipped around and stared at Ryan.

“I swear, Mr. and Mrs. R, I didn’t touch her,” the boy quickly assured them, scowling at Dani. “Why would you tell your parents something like that? Your dad is likely to kill me.”

“Because it’s true. I’m not gonna get to do any of the things other girls will—like go to college and get married and have kids.”

Sam reached into the back seat and took her daughter’s hand. “You don’t know that, sweet pea.”

“And neither do you! You can’t magically make me healthy.”

Jake Manion had told Sam that terminally ill kids often felt subconscious rage toward their parents and blamed them for their illness. It was a universal law that mothers and fathers were supposed to protect their children and keep them safe and healthy.

“Dani, we understand you’re angry, and you have every reason to be. What you’ve had to deal with stinks. But you must know your daddy and I would’ve been sick in your place if we could have. Having sex before you’re ready isn’t the answer. That’s how I became a mother before I should have. You need to enjoy being fourteen and trust that we and Dr. Chase will do everything possible to make sure you live a long and healthy life.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. Ryan the kiss-up was more worried about Dad hating him than he was about gettin’ with me.”

Nick stared straight ahead, giving no indication of his thoughts. Either he was simply waiting for the downpour to let up before continuing their drive, or he was contemplating choking someone. Judging from the way he was strangling the steering wheel, maybe
three
someones.

~*~

A full five minutes elapsed before the storm subsided enough for Nick to safely drive the last few miles to the hospital. For the remainder of the trip, he unsuccessfully tried to shove the mental image of his daughter’s seduction attempt out of his mind.

Damn it. She was only fourteen. When Sam caressed him and begged him to make love to her fifteen years ago, she’d been nearly eighteen. At almost twenty-one, he’d had at least a
little
self-control—although, granted, not enough. So no sixteen year-old boy could be expected to resist a girl under those circumstances.

Thank God Ryan had shown more restraint than Nick had. He prayed the friendship he’d forged with the boy would continue to deter him.

He had no illusions his daughter would remain a virgin forever, but he’d at least like her to celebrate her sixteenth birthday before she gave it away to some guy.

Since the heavy rain had slowed them down, Adam was already waiting at the hospital. Sam and Dani followed a nurse back to an exam room, while Nick and Ryan sat out in the waiting area with Adam.

“As soon as Sam gets Dani into a hospital gown and the nurse takes her vitals, we can join them,” Adam reassured Ryan, no doubt to avoid talking directly to Nick. “I asked them to assign a larger room so all three of you can stay with her.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate you seeing her in the middle of the night,” Nick told him. Any other specialist would’ve let the ER attending handle her case until morning. “I know I don’t deserve any special favors from you.”

“I came for Samantha.”

That was what Nick had been afraid of. He’d hoped the man had shown up for Dani. “You know, I wouldn’t choose any doctor over you to care for my daughter. And if you weren’t after Sam, I’d probably like you. So I feel it’s only fair to warn you that, if you got out of bed and hurried over here in the middle of a storm to romance my wife, you’re wasting your time. She belongs with me.”

“Ex-wife,” Adam corrected. “And if you don’t mind, I’ll wait until
she
tells me that.” He stood and smiled at Ryan who was trying like crazy to pretend he wasn’t there. “By now Dani should’ve been able to change two or three times. Let’s go.”

“One more thing, Dr. Chase.” Nick stopped him. “Would you mind giving my daughter hell for hiding her condition from us?”

“I’d already planned to.”

He and Ryan followed the doctor to the exam area, at the rear of the newly renovated ER, where the old curtained cubicles had been replaced with draped, glass-enclosed rooms. In Dani’s quarters, there were two chairs as well as a rolling stool. She already wore a gown, and the nurse was about to start an IV.

Standing next to the gurney, Ryan held Dani’s free hand and grimaced. “Ugh. I hate needles.”

“IVs aren’t bad,” she told him. “It’s the spinal taps and bone marrow biopsies I despise.”

“We’ll only do one if we have to.” Adam smiled and scanned her chart. “Your temp is nearly 104. When do you think the fever started?”

Dani stared down at the sheet covering her. “Maybe about five o’clock.”

“And you didn’t tell your parents until after midnight?” He stuck a tongue depressor in her mouth and shined a penlight down her throat. “There’s definitely something going on there. How long has it hurt?”

“Since, like, Wednesday morning maybe?”

“Not good, kiddo. Your mom and dad aren’t mind readers. If you don’t speak up, no one can help you. You’re not a child anymore. If you want your parents to treat you like an adult, you need to take responsibility for your own health.” He stuck his hand out. “No more secrets?”

She nodded and shook her doctor’s hand.

Adam turned to Nick and Sam but looked only at her. “We’ll do some blood work and a throat culture, and I’ll be back as soon as I get the results. In the meantime, I’ll order something to bring down Dani’s fever and reduce the pain.”

“Thank you.” Sam squeezed his arm. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

Adam shot a smug smile at Nick and then looked back at Sam. “I’ll talk to you in a bit.”

As soon as Adam left, the nurse drew several vials of Dani’s blood, swabbed her throat, and took the samples to the lab.

“Wow. Nothing like speedy, personalized service.” Ryan laughed. “When my mom was in the ER, we waited for hours.”

“Most of the time we do, too,” Dani told him. “This is unusual.”

Yeah, like ever since Sam started dating their daughter’s doctor.

Nick sank into the chair next to his wife. “Dr. Chase was right,
Princesa.
If you keep us in the dark, we can’t take care of you. And tomorrow we’re going to have a long talk about when it’s appropriate for you to have sex. And I promise it’s not anytime in the near future.”

CHAPTER 16

Samantha champed at the bit, restraining herself from adding to Nick’s sermon about making responsible choices. Their child obviously needed to discuss the fears and insecurities that had prompted her to consider becoming intimate with Ryan. But her temperature and anxiety made this the absolute wrong time.

“Nick, don’t you think we should wait until she feels better before we start lec—”

“It’s okay, Mom. Getting a lecture is better than being ignored.”

Nick stared at Dani open mouthed, looking as if he’d been sucker-punched. “What do you mean
ignored
? I moved back to Pennsylvania to spend time with you. I’ve been with you night and day since I came home.”

“No, you’ve been with
Ryan
. I just happened to be there some of the time,” she argued. “Oh, except when you ran off to go to his band rehearsals without me.”

“Dani, the main reason I’ve been shadowing Ryan is because I was concerned about the two of you being alone. What you did tonight proved I was right to worry.”

“That’s garbage! You want a son instead of me.” Dani burst into anger-filled tears.

“No.” Nick stood and wrapped his arms around her. “You’ve got it all wrong.”

“No, I don’t!” She shoved him away. “The night Michael died, I saw you crying and ripping up that little Phillies T-shirt I picked out for him. I know you blame me for him dying.”

Sam clapped her hand over her mouth to smother her gasp. She’d had no idea Dani felt responsible, just as, before that evening she’d had no idea Nick had grieved more than the slightest bit.

After he’d brought her home from the hospital, he’d matter-of-factly confined her to bed to recuperate and made all of the arrangements for the funeral without seeming to release a single tear. It appeared as if he couldn’t wait to erase all evidence that Michael had ever been conceived, moved inside her, or taken his first breath.

Nick claimed he didn’t her to be reminded by the baby’s things, but now, it was crystal clear he hadn’t been able to bear looking at them, either. Imagining the intense heartbreak that must have driven him to rip that tiny shirt to shreds caused her throat to swell shut.

“Why on earth would you think I blamed
you
, Danita?” Nick dried her face with the sheet.

“Because I heard you tell Uncle Justin that Mommy was exhausted from taking care of me, and she never should’ve thrown a birthday party while she was pregnant.”

“Oh, Dani,
no
!” Sam catapulted out of her seat and shoved past Ryan to hug her little girl. “It wasn’t your fault, baby. It was mine. You were so sick, and I was terrified it would be the last birthday party you would have. If your father blames anyone, it’s me, not you.”

Nick stood there watching them, his jaw set. All at once, he exploded. “Stop it! Both of you! It was no one’s fault. If the two of you want to point fingers, turn them toward me. I should’ve taken time off from work so your mom didn’t have to push herself so hard. You’re right Dani. I did want my son, but no more than I want you.”

His face crumpled as he plainly tried to hold his emotions in check. “That night I was terrified I would lose your mother, too. The only thing that kept me from driving into a tree on the way home was knowing that, if your mom died, I’d be the only one left to take care of you. Don’t you know how much I love you both? How scared I am of losing you, even now?”

Shocked by Nick’s revelation, Sam grabbed the railing on the gurney to steady herself. Whenever he’d objected to her getting pregnant, he’d never shared any of his fear of losing
her
. All she’d heard was that he wasn’t going to jeopardize her life because
Dani
needed her.

“No.” Their daughter shook her head. “Lately, it seems like the only thing you care about is your stupid job and Mommy.”

“Oh,
mi
Princesa bonita
,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of the head. “You’re way more important to me than my job.”

“Ryan played that song you wrote at the dance.” She raised her gaze to the ceiling. “I was so happy at first because I thought it was about me. Then Ryan told me he switched the lyric from Mom’s name to mine.”

Sam turned and stared at him in awe. “You wrote a song about me?”

“He wrote a lot more than one,” Ryan interjected. “In fact, a full CD.”