Christmas in Eternity Springs (7 page)

Fighting the traffic home at the end of a very long day, he muttered, “If one more person asks me if I'm a cover model, I swear I'll kick a kitten.”

As uncomfortable as the situation made him, it at least served as a temporary distraction from his worries, and he didn't have an opportunity to brood further until the drive home.

Nicholas wasn't improving. If anything, since Jax's return he seemed to be regressing.

Their trip from Eternity Springs to San Diego and on to Seattle had gone well, and Jax had high hopes as they settled into their new reality. In hindsight, his first mistake had been agreeing to spend even one night in the Hardcastle home. Once Linda Hardcastle saw her grandson returned to the bedroom where he'd lived ever since his mother's death, she'd wanted him to stay put. Jax had had a helluva time prying him away, but in that at least he'd stood his ground and moved the boy to an apartment. He might be the world's most insecure dad, but he knew in his bones how important it was for him and his son to begin to forge a family. They'd never do that as long as they were both living beneath Brian and Linda's roof.

Not that Jax didn't appreciate the help the Hardcastles continued to give him with Nicholas. He owed them big-time. If they hadn't stepped up when the navy had refused Jax's discharge request, Jax didn't know what he would have done. They truly loved the boy and, heaven knows, that was important.

But Jax was Nicholas's father. He needed to
be
his father—a decision-maker, an authority figure, a disciplinarian. Wresting that job away from Brian was proving to be a challenge. It'd be so much easier to manage if Jax didn't second-guess everything where Nicholas was concerned.

The fact that he was so dependent on Brian didn't help matters at all. With any luck, he'd get good news about the job with Boeing soon. They'd led him to believe he'd hear by the end of the month, and the salary they floated would go a long way toward allowing him to snip some of the more uncomfortable strings.

Who knows? If the job panned out, maybe he'd be able to buy a house.

Jax had that dream for Nicholas. Not a big, fourteen-room mansion filled with leather and crystal and brocade draperies. He wanted a basketball goal on the garage. He wanted a house that a kid could run through. He wanted a sidewalk where Nicholas could ride his bike.

And maybe someday in the not too distant future, a backyard for a dog.

“Hey, nothing wrong with positive thinking,” he murmured aloud as he accelerated onto the interstate.

Then, upon realizing what he'd said, Jax lifted his lips in a wry smile. The image of pretty little Claire Branham drifted through his mind—and not for the first time. He found he liked fantasizing about his chance encounter with the shopkeeper from Eternity Springs.

Wonder what she thought about cover models?

His cell phone rang, distracting him from his musings. He checked the number. “Hello, Brian. What's up?”

He expected to hear something about the day's record sales—Brian loved talking about business winners—but something about the pause before his son's grandfather spoke made the hackles rise on the back of Jax's neck.

“It's Nicholas. He's at Seattle Children's.”

The hospital? Nicholas was at the hospital? Everything inside Jax went cold.

“He'll be fine, but we'll be here overnight.”

“Why?” Jax's gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, and then he engaged the blinker and cut across two lanes of traffic in order to make the next exit and turn around.

“There was an incident at the therapist's today. He's been sedated.”

“Today? His appointment is for tomorrow.”

“We moved it.”

Jax ground his teeth. He had arranged his work schedule so he could take Nicholas to his therapy appointment.

He bit back a caustic comment—he'd address the high-handed move later. “So what happened?”

“She tried hypnosis and—”

“Without my permission?” Jax shot his words like bullets.

Brian drew in an audible breath, then spoke calmly. “Technically, his grandmother and I are his guardians of record at Dr. Meacham's practice. You signed a power of attorney.”

Well, that sure as hell is gonna change.

“Linda and I discussed it with Dr. Meacham at length, and we agreed it was time. Nicholas hasn't been progressing, and the Christmas season soon will be upon us.”

Jax gripped the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles went white.

Brian continued, “Actually, there wouldn't have been a problem had Nicholas not hit his head upon coming out of it. The cut only needed five stitches, but you know head wounds bleed. The blood set off his panic attack.”

Jax's lips formed a silent curse fitting of his navy background before firing off a round of questions. “When did this happen? How long has he been out?”

“The appointment was at one-thirty this afternoon. We arrived at the hospital around two-fifteen or two-thirty. They tell us he's not ‘out' at this point, but sleeping.”

“Two-fifteen.” Jax held on to his temper by the thinnest of threads. It was after five. In a measured tone, he said, “You're just now calling me?”

“I knew your work schedule. Linda and I had it handled.”

If Brian Hardcastle had been within arm's reach, Jax would have decked him. “What room is Nicholas in?”

“Seven twenty-one.”

“If he wakes up before I get there, please tell him I'm on my way.” Jax disconnected the call without waiting for a response from Brian. He stewed and broke the speed limit the rest of the way to the hospital. He parked illegally and didn't give a damn.

Getting to room 721 meant navigating a rabbit warren of hallways, and he took two frustratingly wrong turns before he found his way to his son's room. The door was open. Jax stepped inside. His gaze zeroed in on the boy in the bed, and his heart broke. It split right in two.

His little boy lay still and sleeping in the hospital bed, a big white bandage on his head and an IV hooked up to his arm. His complexion was pasty and pale. Vulnerable and younger than eight years old.

A whale-sized lump lodged in Jax's throat. When he finally looked up at Brian and Linda, it took every ounce of discipline he possessed to refrain from lashing out. The former naval officer managed a calm, even voice as he asked, “Did he wake up?”

“No,” Linda said, her gaze soft with love as she watched her grandson. “He's been sleeping peacefully.”

“I want to speak to his doctors.”

“Dr. Meachum has already visited tonight. She said she'll be back in the morning.”

“She's a psychologist. Who is treating the head injury?”

“I wouldn't call it a head injury,” Brian began. His voice trailed off when the flutter of Nicholas's eyelids attracted everyone's attention. The boy started to sit up, but when he moved his head a grimace contorted his face. He croaked out an “Ow! It hurts!”

Linda and Brian both moved toward Nicholas. A week ago, Jax would have let them direct this little tableau. Hell, an hour ago he'd have held back and waited to greet his son. Now he stepped right in front of his boss. He brushed his boy's bangs away from his eyes and asked, “Hey, buddy. How ya doin'?”

“Where am I?”

“You're in the hospital, son.”

“Am I gonna die?”

Jax said a definitive, “No!”

Brian said, “Don't be silly.”

Because Jax believed that information was power, he added, “You have a cut on your head, and you needed rest so that your body could recover from the effects of the hypnosis.”

Nicholas brought his hand up to his forehead and tears filled his eyes. “Daddy, it hurts!”

“I imagine so. I hear you got five whole stitches. The guys at school are gonna be impressed.”

“Is five a lot?”

“Darn sure is. Want to sit up taller? You can raise the bed without moving your head too much by pressing the up arrow on this.” He handed his son the hospital bed's remote control and guided his thumb to the up button.

As Nicholas and Jax searched for the sweet spot on the mattress incline, Brian and Linda both moved around to the other side of the bed. Linda took the boy's hand in hers. Brian set his manicured hand on his grandson's shoulder. “Nicholas,” he said, his tone gruff with emotion. “I know that your Mimi sure would like to see one of your smiles. Think you could manage one for her?”

Nicholas's gaze shifted to his grandparents. He gave half a nod, froze, winced, then bravely showed a smile.

“Oh, baby.” Linda's eyes filled with tears. “Look at you. Aren't you the sweetest little boy in the whole wide world? You had us so worried.”

The smile fell off Nicholas's face, and his eyes grew round. Fear added a squeak to his voice as he asked, “Why? I am gonna die, aren't I?”

“No, sweetheart,” his grandmother said. “You know me. I always get worried.”

Nicholas must have accepted that as fact, because he turned his gaze back toward his father. “So I can go home to Granddad's house, then?”

“Tomorrow,” Jax said. “You and I are bunking here at the hospital tonight.”

“We'll stay,” Linda began.

Firmly, Jax said, “No. Thank you. You've done more than enough today. I have this covered.”

Linda got that mulish look on her face that always reminded Jax of Lara. He'd learned shortly after joining the family that despite Brian's commanding personality, the women of the family usually got their way. Linda said, “Jax, I don't think that's a good idea. Women do better with this type of thing. You go home and—”

“No. Thank you, but no.”

“I'm his grandmother.”

With that, Jax had had enough. He threw down the gauntlet. “And I'm. His. Father.”

 

Chapter Five

A warm blanket in the middle of the night makes a hospital stay bearable.

—JAX

His declaration hung in the air and, based on the expressions on Brian's and Linda's faces, totally shocked them. When was the last time that someone had stood up to them?

I damn sure haven't done it before.

Frustration seasoned with a dash of self-disgust rolled through him as he waited for their response. How had they gotten to this place? That was pretty easy to figure. He'd let these people run right over him ever since he'd set foot in Seattle.

No more. Certainly no more tonight.

He realized he'd won the skirmish when Linda lifted her chin with regal disdain. He recognized that snippy, I'm-seriously-not-happy expression, too. Lara had given him that look often.

Linda dismissed him by turning her attention back to Nicholas. “I guess Granddad and I will go home, sweetheart, but we'll be back first thing in the morning.”

Jax shot a look toward Brian. “Isn't the plan for Nicholas to go home tomorrow?”

“What about school? Am I going to miss school tomorrow?”

“I expect so,” Linda replied, leaning over to kiss her grandson's cheek. “Hospital discharge often takes longer than one would think.”

“Oh.” Nicholas exhaled loudly and appeared to wilt with relief.

Jax frowned. What was up with that? Nicholas loved school. At least, he used to. Jax realized he hadn't been chattering about school as much the last week or so. Not like he'd done the first week of the school year.
I should have noticed.

He needed to bring up the subject once they were alone. His teacher had assured Jax that the boy was settling in just fine with the new school year, but maybe he should probe a little bit.

It took the Hardcastles another five minutes to clear out, and when Jax and Nicholas were finally alone, it was Jax's turn to sigh in relief. He took the smaller chair in which Linda had been sitting and moved it closer to Nicholas, flipped it around, and straddled it. “Can I get you anything, buddy? You hungry?”

“Where are my glasses? I need my glasses. And yeah, I'm hungry…”

Following a short debate and consultation with a nurse about available options, Jax called out for a pizza. He decided questions could wait until after his son had his supper, so he showed Nicholas how to work the TV. They found an old black-and-white episode of
The Andy Griffith Show,
which for some weird reason was one of Nicholas's favorites.

The pizza arrived just as the closing credits began to roll. Nicholas sighed and said, “I like Mayberry. Maybe we should move there.”

Jax explained that Mayberry was a fictional place.

“People seem nice there. It makes me think of camp. Camp was the best thing ever.”

Ah. Now I understand.
Jax paid the pizza guy, requested extra napkins, then set the box on Nicholas's tray. He was pleased to see his son sitting up straight. Looked like the smell of pizza had made him forget about his headache. As they both helped themselves to slices, he suggested, “Maybe we can find a camp for you to attend next summer.”

“Nah,” Nicholas said, his mouth full. “It wouldn't be the same.” He chewed, swallowed, then looked up at his dad. “Unless … is there another summer camp in Eternity Springs?”

“I don't know. But Nicholas, why would it matter where the camp was located as long as it had horseback riding and canoeing and mountain climbing?”

“Swimming, too.”

Jax grinned at that. When Nicholas first went to the Rocking L summer camp, he couldn't swim. “Swimming, too. So tell me why it would matter?”

“It makes me feel better.”

“What makes you feel better?” Jax took a bite of pizza and the spicy taste of pepperoni exploded in his mouth.

“Eternity Springs.”

“Hmm. Well, then … let's see.” He pulled out his phone and connected to the Internet. He couldn't fork out the money for camp today, but if he hadn't found a job that paid well enough to send Nicholas by next summer, well … hell … he'd swallow his pride and ask Brian to fund it.