Bedding The Bad Boy (Dalton Brothers Novels) (21 page)

“What?”

“I just wish I knew you were going to be happy in your love life, too. But you’re right. It’ll come. And who knows, the right man might be under your nose already.”

Which was Melina’s subtle way of prodding her for information about Max. Not that she knew what Grace and had been doing. Max had promised to keep what they were doing a secret and she trusted him to do that. But Melina wasn’t stupid. She knew Max tracked Grace down at that bar two nights ago and that immediately afterward Grace had extended her trip. Melina wasn’t going to pressure Grace for information, but she was clearly jonesing for her friend and brother-in-law to get together, as in fall in love, not just have sex.

For a moment, Grace opened herself to the fantasy of being in a committed relationship with Max. Of having a child with him. A child who would love her from day one. The latter, at least, was possible.

A child she wouldn’t have to fear would get bored with her and leave, or make every day a dream come true only to die…

She mentally winced. She knew what her thoughts meant. That she was a coward. But they also made her practical.

If her parents hadn’t waited so long to have her, they could have watched her in dance recitals in grade school. Celebrated with her at her high school and college graduations. Been there to hold her and let her cry with her first heartbreak.

But time had cost not just them, but her all those opportunities. All those years she could have loved and been loved in return.

She didn’t want to make the same mistake her mama and daddy had—holding back on having a child until age compromised everything. Now was the time. The time to build her own family, no matter what form it took.

She looked at Melina’s round belly, then stroked the pile of baby clothes next to her. Robert What’s-his-Name had been a dud but the agency promised other candidates. Hopefully not all the men interested would be as sanctimonious.

A sudden gasp from Melina made Grace whip her head around. Her friend stood in the middle of the living room, one hand clutched tight to her belly, the other gripping the back of a chair. Her eyes were closed and she wore an intense grimace.

Grace’s heart stuttered against her ribs. She stood and rushed to Melina. “Oh, God. Are you in labor?”

“I can’t be,” Melina said, eyes still closed. “I’m not due for another two months. It’s probably just false labor.”

“Here, let me help you to the couch.” Grace slid her hand under Melina’s elbow and guided her to where she’d just been sitting.

Almost ten minutes after that, Melina gasped again, and this time her face went white. Her gasp was followed by a guttural growl.

When she’d calmed, Grace called the hospital and explained what was happening. The nurse told her to come in if the contractions continued.

“I’m sure I’m fine. My water hasn’t broken,” Melina said. Another contraction took her. Then another. She let out a loud groan and screwed her eyes shut.

“I’m takin’ you to the hospital. Now.” Grace found her purse and pulled out her phone.

“Braxton Hicks. I’m sure that’s what this is. But maybe it’s time to call Rhys.” Melina was pale, her expression scared.

Finally! She’d wanted to call Rhys twenty minutes ago but Melina had refused. With shaking hands, she flipped to Rhys’s cell number and hit dial. After four rings, the call went to voicemail. She left a brief message that she was taking his wife to the hospital because of what could be preterm labor.

Thirty minutes later, Grace paced next to Melina, who lay in a hospital bed, covered in monitoring equipment. They still hadn’t heard from Rhys. The equipment showed the babies were fine, but the doctor hadn’t said whether this was false labor or premature contractions.

“Are you sure you don’t know where your husband is?” Grace asked, forcing tension from her voice. No sense in freaking out an already slightly freaked Melina. She sat next to her friend, stroking her arm in what she hoped was a reassuring manner.

“He had an appointment, that’s all I know.”

Melina gasped in pain again. Grace swept her gaze to the monitors—another contraction.

Maybe Max would know where his brother was.

She pulled her phone out and found his number. The naughty texts from yesterday were still there, but she ignored them. Max didn’t answer either, but she left a detailed message, letting him know Melina was in the hospital and that she couldn’t get ahold of his brother.

Moments later, Melina’s doctor arrived and explained she was going to administer meds to stop Melina’s contractions. She also said not to worry. That Melina and the babies were doing fine and weren’t in danger.

It was almost an hour before her cell rang. She cast a quick glance at the caller ID: Max.

When she answered the call, he didn’t wait for her to speak. “Rhys there?”

“We haven’t been able to reach him.”

“I have no clue where he is. How’s Melina?” His voice was tight and rough. Throaty, as though full of emotion.

“She’s fine. The doctor put her on medication to stop the contractions.”

“The babies?”

Grace blew out a puff of air. “The babies are fine, too. Heart rates are normal, and everything looked good on the ultrasound. They’re sleepin’ through the whole thing. Where are you?”

“I was in a meeting with our landlord. Jeremy spent half the time asking questions about Elizabeth and our photos in the paper. He was leaning towards letting us renew our lease… ”

“Well go back then.”

“’Fuck that. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

His vehemence caught her off-guard. “That’s not necessary.”

“Screw what’s necessary. You focus on Melina and I’ll keep trying to get ahold of my brother on my way over.”

She glanced at the clock on the wall. Still early afternoon. He said he’d almost convinced Jeremy to renew the lease, and she knew how important that was to everyone involved in the show.

“Max, we’re fine on our own. You don’t have to come. Don’t jeopardize your career for somethin’ we don’t even know is serious or not.”

“Dixie, the last thing I give a fuck about right now is my career. I’m certainly not going to be MIA when Melina’s in the hospital and pregnant with my future nieces or nephews. I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”

Max clicked out of the call, leaving Grace to stare blankly at the phone. Max rushing over to the hospital wasn’t what she’d anticipated. She’d thought he’d make a couple of calls, put out a couple of texts, not walk away from the negotiating table.

Again, it proved how little she knew about Max and how much she’d underestimated him.

She turned to Melina. “Max doesn’t know where Rhys is, but he’s goin’ to find him. He’ll be here soon.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Max’s Magic Rule #13:

If you get stage fright, lock onto one person in the audience.

Max punched the button in the hospital elevator, his thoughts split between worry for Melina and anger at Grace. Since Grace assured him Melina was going to be fine, anger was winning out. He’d do anything for his family. Why didn’t Grace see that? How could she doubt for even a second that he’d drop everything the minute he heard Melina was in the hospital?

The fact she
could
think that made him even more determined to end things with her. He’d given her what she wanted so why risk exposing himself to yet more evidence of her low opinion of him?

Quickly, he found Melina’s room. When he saw her, his heart slowed. She was pale and had a limp arm wrapped around her belly, but she and Grace were smiling. She smiled even harder when she saw him, holding out her arms.

Grace smiled, too, but her smile faded when Max didn’t reciprocate. She stood, giving up her spot next to Melina on the bed.

Max hugged Melina, pulled back then kissed her forehead.

“Thank God you’re okay.” Gently, he laid his palm on the bulge of Melina’s stomach through her hospital gown and bed sheet. “Hey, babies.”

Melina covered his hand with hers. "Max, you didn't need to come. The doctor has already given me somethin’ to stop the contractions."

"You’re my sister now," Max said with a frown, acutely aware of how rough his voice had grown. "Even if you weren’t, you’re my friend.
You
know I’d be here.”

Grace sucked in a breath. When he glanced up, her expression was stiff. Hurt.

Max sighed and shook his head slightly in apology. In case she didn’t get the message, he said, “Hi Grace. Thanks for watching over Melina.”

“No need to thank me,” she said. “She’s my best friend.”

Melina flashed Grace another smile before turning back to Max. “Grace said you were in the middle of meeting with Jeremy. I’d hate for you to lose the theater because of me."

“That’s not going to happen.” He pulled out his cell phone. Saw an unplayed message and several missed calls from Rhys. “Rhys—”

“He called a few minutes ago and is on his way,” Melina said.

“Where was—?”

“Melina!”

His brother’s voice sounded behind him.

Max spun around to see Rhys rushing through the doorway, his face pale and haggard, eyes frantic. "Ladybug," he whispered, his gaze fixed on the face of his wife.

"I'm okay, sweetie. And the babies are okay, too."

Now it was Max who stood, making room for Rhys to sit on the bed.

Just as Max had done, Rhys placed his hand on Melina’s protruding stomach and gently caressed it. After leaning forward and giving her a soft kiss on the lips, he cast a glance around the room, taking in the beeping monitors and the IV in Melina’s arm. “You said on the phone the doctor gave you meds to stop the contractions. You haven’t had any more pain?”

“Absolutely none.”

Max felt the air go in and out of his lungs more easily and he noticed Rhys’s shoulders relax. Still, the fact he hadn’t been able to reach his brother during a medical emergency pissed him off. "Where the hell were you, Rhys? Why weren't you with Melina?"

His brother frowned. “I was out looking for another theater for the show, so we wouldn’t have to deal with Jeremy’s bullshit any longer.”

"You picked
now
to go hunting for a new venue? Yesterday you said Melina wasn’t feeling well.”

“Max—” Melina said.

“Your wife was probably in preterm labor, you dickhead.”

“You can’t think I would’ve left if I thought there was a chance in hell of her—”

“Rhys, Max didn’t mean to imply that,” Grace said quietly. She moved next to Max. “He knows how much you love Melina.” Although she didn’t take Max’s hand, she stood close enough that he could feel her pressing against his side. She was taking his back, he realized. “He was just frantic when he couldn’t reach you. We all were.”

Rhys took a deep breath and turned to his wife. "Baby, I thought I was just a phone call away. I wasn't that far—just about two miles, in the Pixie Dust Hotel. The manager called earlier this morning to tell me their headliner was going on tour in Europe and we could have the venue if conditions were met. I was there, looking at the stage and backstage area." He swore quietly, then dipped his head to kiss Melina’s lips then her belly. "I didn't realize there was no cell service in the theater. I should have checked to make sure. I am so, so sorry.”

Melina laughed, the sound light and sweet. She stroked her husband’s cheek. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters. Besides, Grace was with me. She knew exactly what to do. I was in excellent hands."

Max didn’t hesitate. He reached down and took Grace’s hand.

He hoped the gesture conveyed everything he wanted it to, including that he was sorry. That he admired her for being such a sweet and loyal friend to Melina. That he thought she was an incredible woman, and would be an amazing mother—he just wanted her to wait until the time and
the man
was right.

She looked at him with uncertainty then smiled and leaned in closer. Relief made him slightly dizzy.

When he looked up, both Rhys and Melina were staring at their joined hands.

Remembering his promise to keep their arrangement a secret, Max let go and took several steps away from her.

“The Pixie Dust Theater is gorgeous,” Melina said. “What happened?”

"Unfortunately, even after all this, the venue won't work—not enough room under the stage for some of our tricks. For now, Jeremy’s still got us on the hook.” He looked at Max. "I really wanted the new venue to work," he said quietly. "You shouldn't have to play the media on a constant basis just to keep the lease agreement in place. That sucks for you."

Surprise shut down any response Max could have made. He’d always thought Rhys and his parents believed playing the charming playboy was easy for him. Rhys going out on his own and trying to find a new venue spoke volumes.

“How’d the meeting with Jeremy go today?" Rhys asked.

Max shook his head. "Let’s talk about that later.” Rhys wouldn’t give a shit that Max left Jeremy hanging in the wind to race over here, even if that meant losing their lease as of yesterday, but the last thing he wanted was to add more to his brother’s worries. Max wanted all of Rhys’s focus where it belonged—on Melina and their babies, not on him or the show.

Grace said something to Melina and he looked at her again.

All day he’d planned what he’d say to her. How he’d tell her they were over. The thought of doing so had seemed difficult before. It seemed almost impossible now.

A rush of emotion swirled through him as he gazed at her. Awareness. Attraction. Respect.
Longing
.

That was a complication he didn’t like. He’d started to care far too much about what Grace thought of him, and he wasn’t big on being disappointed. In her eyes, he’d never be a man worthy enough to build a life with.

A bustling sounded at the doorway and he turned to see a doctor in a white coat, stethoscope around her neck and a chart in her hands, entering Melina’s room.

After introducing herself to Melina and Rhys and getting their permission to speak in front of Max and Grace, the doctor flipped through the chart.