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  It was after one in the morning. Maybe he could find an all-night Walmart. Wouldn’t Elizabeth of the I-only-wear-designer-clothes love that? But he couldn’t stomach the thought of shopping with the crazy people. Not tonight. He shook his head and decided she could make do with his clothes. He’d stop at his apartment for a pair of sweats.

  He made it to the hospital by two. He knew visiting hours were over and chances were good that he wouldn’t be able to see Elizabeth, but he at least wanted her to get the bag and know he’d followed through. Lucky for him, the cute young nurse on the floor was a sucker for a love story. Once he pled his case about wanting to say good night to his fiancée, she sighed and told him he could have a few minutes.

  The soft glow of the light above the bed illuminated Elizabeth’s pale face. Her expression was still pinched, so he knew she was in pain.

  “Hey. Thought you’d be asleep,” he whispered.

  “How’d you get in here? Visiting hours are over.” She gave him a reprimanding look, but smiled.

  “The nurse said I could come in. I brought you clothes.”

  “Thank God.” She extended her arms for the bag.

  “I don’t know what you’re so excited about. You don’t own anything comfortable.”

  She lifted her gaze to meet his with her hands still on the zipper of the bag. Her shoulders slumped.

  “Never fear. I brought my clothes for you to wear.” He grabbed the bag and pulled out the shorts and T-shirt.

  She reached behind her and tugged at the gown. She peeled it away from her body with no thought of getting naked in front of him and what it might do. He turned away to grab a chair and drag it close to the bed. By the time he sat, she was dressed and he was hard.

  “So tell me about tonight. How bad was the bar?”

  “We opened on time. The event was a success. Everyone went home happy. No worries.”

  “How did you get everything replaced so quickly? The glasses, the liquor, the TVs . . .”

  “My brother’s been in the business long enough to have connections. He came through for me.” He stretched his arm out and held her hand. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like crap. I can’t eat because of the tests tomorrow, so there’s no buffer against the pain. There’s nothing good on TV, and I can’t sleep. At least earlier, I had Janie to keep me company.” She paused. “I told you not to call anyone.”

  “I’m not good at doing what I’m told.”

  She offered a half smile. “I’m glad. Janie was just what I needed.”

  Her smile faded into a grimace. He stroked her hand again.

  “What can I do?”

  She sighed. “Not much. Can you just talk to me until I fall asleep?”

  “I’m good at talking.” He scooted his chair closer and kept his voice low. “I remember when Ryan had to have his tonsils taken out. . . .”

  He told her stories of his childhood until she faded off to sleep with a slight smile on her lips.

  Morning light brightened against his eyelids and he blinked. The feeling of sandpaper still grated against his eyeballs. Elizabeth snored loudly in bed. The woman sounded like a truck. She was a contradiction. Usually full of poise and manners and grace, but then she had a raucous laugh and she snored. And then there was the clumsiness. Although he hadn’t seen any of that in a while. No crashing into him, no spilling drinks, no tripping.

  When had her awkwardness stopped?

  He straightened out of the chair and brushed a kiss on Elizabeth’s forehead. She stirred but didn’t wake. He needed to go home and shower before heading back to the bowling alley. Luckily, Bianca would be in, so he wouldn’t have to stay the whole time. He’d be able to come back to pick up Elizabeth. Dinner with his family was out, but he’d make sure she stayed where he could keep an eye on her.

  CHAPTER 13

  Elizabeth stretched out on the uncomfortable bed, dying of thirst, but her throat was too scratchy to risk a drink. The nurse had promised she’d be released within the hour, but she felt totally abandoned. No one had come in to check on her, no one had come with paperwork, and worst of all, no one had arrived with the dreaded wheelchair so she could escape. The doctor had already given her a prescription and guidelines.

  Rest for the remainder of the day should be easy enough; she was exhausted. Mushy foods for the next couple of days didn’t appeal to her, but if it meant no more vomiting blood, she’d suffer through. Colin had called and promised he’d be here to take her home, but given how often he was late, she began to consider calling Janie.

  The door opened, and she pushed herself into a sitting position. The nurse came in with paperwork.

  “Good, you’re up. Your fiancé is here to take you home. Talk about perfect timing. Here are your release papers. I’ll be back in a minute with your wheelchair.”

  Colin stood behind her looking as beat as she felt. He hadn’t shaved, and even in her weakened condition, she thought of the delicious whisker burn he liked to leave on her inner thigh. “Hey,” she managed, hating the scratchy sound to her voice. “I was beginning to think you forgot about me.”

  “Not possible. How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine. It’s ulcers, just like I said. I have a prescription. I’ll be back on my feet tomorrow.”

  He opened his mouth and she knew he planned to argue, but he was cut off by the return of the nurse.

  “Here you go. Hop on.”

  They said nothing on the way out of the hospital. Colin left her at the door and went to pull the car around. She was pleasantly surprised when he drove up in her rented Mercedes instead of his Jeep.

  He walked around and opened the door for her, placing the duffel bag in the back.

  She sank into the soft leather and enjoyed the air-conditioning blowing on her. She closed her eyes and hoped Colin wouldn’t want to start a discussion, or worse, an argument. The silence allowed her to doze, and she didn’t open her eyes until she heard him put the car in park.

  They were at O’Leary’s.

  “Why are we here?” Her voice had become even rustier.

  His eyes narrowed. “Did you really think I was going to dump you off at your hotel all alone? I want you where I can keep an eye on you.”

  He wanted her to stay at his apartment? “I’m fine. I’m just going to sleep.”

  “You’ll sleep here.” He opened his door and walked around the car, leaving her stunned.

  Nothing about his reaction over the past two days felt like the happy-go-lucky Colin she knew. Every night they’d spent together smacked of coupledom, but this felt worse. He wanted to take care of her.

  While she processed the thoughts, Colin opened the door for her and extended a hand to help her out. The idea of sleeping at the hotel didn’t appeal to her. It was just a way of life. But feeling this crappy made her want to crawl into her own bed, which she couldn’t do. Colin’s bed would more than suffice.

  She accepted his hand and slid from the car. Her stomach rumbled and she wanted to eat. “Can I ask you a huge favor?”

  “Anything.”

  His response came a little too readily. No caution for what she might ask.

  “I’m starving, but I can’t eat real food yet. Can you get me a vanilla milk shake?”

  “That’s it?”

  She nodded weakly and wondered if she’d be able to stay awake long enough to get the shake. Colin kept his arm around her as they went up to his apartment.

  He unlocked the door and said, “Go get settled. I’ll be back with the shake.”

  She mustered a smile. “Thanks.”

  Inside the apartment, she wanted to go to the bedroom, but knew she wouldn’t stay awake, so she sat on the couch. A soft blanket lay across the back. She’d been in this living room and he’d never had a blanket on the couch. Reaching for the remote, she saw a vase of flowers on the end table. The card sticking up read, Get well soon.

  She didn’t know what to do with this sweet version of Colin. He was t
rying to get too close and that spelled disaster. Why couldn’t he keep things as they were? Casual and fun worked for their relationship.

  Cuddling the blanket, which was a huge improvement over what the hospital offered, she dozed.

  What seemed like minutes later, Colin sat beside her, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. She had definitely fallen asleep and snoring made her throat even more dry and scratchy. She attempted to clear her throat, but even that hurt.

  “Here.” He put the straw against her lips.

  She sucked gently and the creamy coolness slid down to ease the irritation.

  “Thanks. That’s perfect. You really should’ve taken me to the hotel. I don’t belong here.”

  “What if you start bleeding again?”

  “I’m fine. The doctor fixed everything.”

  “Yeah, well, as much as I’d like to believe that, it’s not like you’d tell me anything different. You were throwing up blood for days and said nothing.” Anger crossed his face.

  “I knew what the problem was and I had talked to my regular doctor. What was the point in telling you?”

  “What would be the point?” He shoved off the couch and stepped away. “The point is, when you care about someone, you share the important shit.”

  She knew it. Things were getting sticky between them. “You’re not supposed to care.”

  “Bullshit. Beyond having sex, we’re partners and friends. You should’ve told me. Everything that happens to you affects me and our business.”

  He had a point there. If he hadn’t taken her to the hospital, she probably would’ve gone herself. She would’ve missed work, and he wouldn’t have known. “I’m sorry. I thought I was handling it.”

  He crossed his arms. “You’re not supposed to handle it alone.”

  “Got it. I’m not used to having other people to answer to. I work alone.”

  “No one works alone all the time.”

  She raised her eyebrows and took another sip of her shake. “I do. I only have subordinates that I work with, and I certainly don’t answer to them.”

  “What about your dad or your brother?”

  “They do the front-end work, and I go in when they’re finished making changes. I make sure the new staff follows the plan and the business remains successful.”

  She busied herself with another sip, hoping he wouldn’t figure out this was the first time she was in charge of an entire project.

  “Lonely life. Don’t you ever get sick of it?” He sat back beside her and caressed her leg.

  “Yeah. I’m more than sick of it. That’s why it’s so important for this business to work.”

  “Why?”

  She’d never really talked to anyone about her plans. Of all the people in the world to confide in, Colin felt right. And really, who would he blab to?

  Taking a deep breath, she let it pour out. “My father is planning to retire. I want his job. I’ve been working toward it since college.”

  The memories of that summer working in competition with Keith flooded back. “Since Keith is the oldest, and male, I’ve always had to work to prove myself. Every job is a test, but this one is the ultimate trial.”

  “Why?” He picked up her legs and laid them across his lap.

  “Because I’m here without my father knowing. He bought this bar more than a decade ago and has done nothing but let it languish. I have no idea why. When I found it in his holdings, I came here to check it out and decided this would be the project that would prove my ability.”

  She waited, but he said nothing in response. Exhaustion tugged at her now that her belly was full of milk shake. “I need to prove that I’m as good as Keith.”

  Colin looked deep in thought, and she hoped she hadn’t given him pause to reconsider their partnership. It wasn’t as if she’d hid her inexperience, but the idea that he might think less of her set her nerves on edge.

  “I’m really tired, so I’m going to lie down.”

  As if startled by her announcement, he jumped up and offered her a hand.

  “I don’t need you to help me walk. I’m fine.” She walked alone into his bedroom and curled under his covers. The sheets were fresh and didn’t even hold a hint of his scent, which she found disappointing.

  Colin watched Elizabeth leave the room, and his foggy brain tried to piece together the conversation. Something had shifted between them. She’d told him something she hadn’t wanted him to know. He wondered why she’d decided to tell him now.

  He understood being in competition with a sibling, and he definitely knew what it was like to have to prove himself. He just couldn’t reconcile the accomplished woman he knew with the woman he now saw as afraid of failing. No wonder she had stomach ulcers.

  She really was all alone.

  No matter how much he butted heads with Ryan, they would always be there for each other. Their dad had instilled that in them. He had never wanted his sons in competition. He certainly wouldn’t have set them up to compete. Patrick O’Leary had wanted a team. Colin’s own ignorance had ruined it.

  The information filtered in, and he realized that she had said that she’d come here without her family’s knowledge. How had she been funding this project? How would her secret affect their success?

  He filed the questions away to ask her when she was feeling better. He went to the kitchen to find something to eat before checking back in with Mike and Bianca. A knock at his door stopped him. He peered through the peephole. Moira.

  He swung the door open, but stayed in her path. “What are you doing here?”

  She held out a wrapped plate. “You couldn’t make it to dinner, so I brought dinner to you.”

  He wanted to snatch it and close the door, but knew that wouldn’t work with Moira. She was here on an expedition and wouldn’t leave without bugging him.

  He took the plate and went into the kitchen. “Keep your voice down. Elizabeth is trying to sleep.”

  Moira bounced on her toes. “Oooo, she’s here?”

  Colin shook his head and peeled back the foil on the plate. Roast beef and potatoes, a staple of his childhood.

  Moira sobered for a minute. “How is she? When Ryan told us she was in the hospital, I got worried.”

  “She’s okay. Stomach ulcers.”

  The mischievous gleam reentered her eyes. “So why is she here?”

  He forked potatoes into his mouth before answering. “Because I thought she’d be more comfortable here than in a hotel by herself.”

  “And you’re still trying to sell this relationship as purely business? Keep dreaming.”

  He put his fork down. “We’re business partners and friends.”

  “With benefits?”

  “None of your business.”

  “So that’s a yes.”

  “That’s a stay out of it. You delivered the food and irritated me enough. Isn’t it time for you to head home?”

  “I can hang out here. You have to go back to work, right? I can keep Elizabeth company.”

  Colin chewed his meat and considered Moira’s proposition. He didn’t like the idea of leaving Elizabeth alone to go back to work, but she’d ream him a new one if he left everything unattended to care for her. Moira was a good bet since they’d already met and liked each other. As long as Moira didn’t decide to write an exposé on Elizabeth.

  “Fine. You can stay to keep Elizabeth company, not to grill her for information. I think she could really use more friends. If you need to leave, tell her to call her friend Janie. And watch her do it, otherwise she’ll say she will, but won’t.” He finished off his food without tasting much.

  Moira studied him. “You’re really worried about her. You said she was fine.”

  “She is.”

  Moira continued to stare, and he felt himself breaking just like he did when his mother gave him that look.

  He sighed. “She was throwing up blood yesterday. They kept her in the hospital to run tests. So although they released her, she has to ma
ke sure the bleeding doesn’t start again. Keep her relaxed, because stress makes things worse.”

  “Well, then, I guess you should be thrilled that my nosy ways led me here tonight. I’ll keep an eye on her. We’ll hang out and watch TV.”

  “Thanks.” Having the burden of worrying about Elizabeth lifted, he relaxed. His family had stepped up. Again.

  Colin snuck into his room and grabbed fresh clothes. Elizabeth snored away and he smiled. The little things about her always surprised him most because they seemed like they didn’t fit. He ducked out to take a quick shower and head back to work. Moira had already taken possession of his remote and made herself at home.

  The shower refreshed him some, but he was dog-ass tired. Mike was behind the bar and Erin served a couple at a table. It was Sunday and business was slow. Maybe he should talk to Elizabeth about whether it was worth staying open on Sundays. It made sense during football season, but he didn’t know if afternoon baseball would be a big-enough draw. And after how busy they were last night, they could all use some time off.

  He checked the register and the stock at the bar and nodded at Mike. Then he went over to the bowling alley, where he found Bianca strolling down a lane and sliding a ball for a perfect strike.

  His loud applause made her jump.

  With her hand over her heart, she said, “Thanks, but next time, don’t sneak up.”

  “I didn’t realize I was sneaking. I thought the repairmen would still be here working.”

  “Nope. They just left, so I figured I’d give it a test run.”

  “That was some fast work.” He looked up at the monitors and saw that Bianca had logged her name in and it showed a strike.

  “We still need to get the floors waxed, but most of the equipment here was in good shape. It just needed to be updated.” Her ball had returned, and she turned away from him to roll it again.

  This time she left a seven–ten split.

  “No way I can pick that up.” She went behind the counter and reset the machine before turning it off. “When do you think we’ll open?”