Seducing Phoebe (Crimson Romance) (23 page)

“I accept your apology, but why, Marco? Why did you think I could do that to you?”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Because I was scared. I was too scared to believe in what I was feeling for you. What I really wanted for us. So I jumped on something someone said to me, and then I saw you with John. I made the whole situation into something much, much bigger than it needed to be.”

“Who was the person who said something to you? And what did they say for you to not trust me so easily?”

“It was Roger White. He was the client I had a meeting with the morning after you told me you wanted to get married again.”

“Roger White is your client?” Phoebe couldn’t believe that Marco would do business with such a sleazebag like Roger.

“Not anymore. He wanted me to do something illegal and I don’t work that way.”

Phoebe tried to take in all he was saying. It seemed ironic that a few hours before his meeting, she’d told Marco everything about Mrs. White and what her son had done to her. She could believe Roger wouldn’t say anything nice about her. He’d always resented her presence in the house.

“It still hurts that you could believe him over me. Especially after I told you how he treated me after Mrs. White’s death.”

“I know, I know, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But I’m begging here, Phoebe. Please don’t give up on us. Please give me another chance.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t live without you. These last two days have been hell. Worse than when you initially broke off our engagement.”

She wanted more though. She loved Marco and she wanted him to love her back. It was like he was saying it in a roundabout way but she wanted the direct way.

“But why can’t you live without me?”

Anguish filled his eyes and he once again reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He kept his fist clenched as he got up out of his chair and came to kneel beside hers.

He opened his fist and she gasped. “Because you have my heart. I love you, Phoebe. I love you, and I’ll say it again. I don’t want to live without you. I love you,” he finished on a whisper.

She couldn’t hold back the tears, and as she looked down into his open hand she couldn’t believe what lay nestled in it. Mrs. White’s diamond heart pendant. She wanted to touch it but was too afraid to. What if it wasn’t real? It didn’t seem possible that Marco could have it.

She reached out a tentative hand and touched the necklace with her finger. “Oh, Marco, how?”

He didn’t say anything, just unclasped the necklace and placed it gently around her neck. Once he’d ensured the catch had taken he stepped away and gazed at her.

“Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.” Somehow she knew he wasn’t talking about the necklace.

The comforting weight of the heavy charm nestled between her breasts. She touched it lightly, still afraid that if she was too strong with it, it would disappear.

“How did you get it?”

A rueful smile broke out on his face. “It wasn’t easy. But it was worth everything that I had to go through to see you smile like that again. I would do it over again, too.”

Somehow she knew Marco was telling the truth. She imagined that Roger had made him pay dearly to get the necklace.

Marco reached out and took her hand. “I will say, Mrs. White
did
want you to have the necklace, Phoebe. There was a specific bequest made to you in the will. Roger was executor, though, so he was able to make sure you thought she hadn’t bequeathed it to you.”

If at all possible, she fell even deeper in love with Marco at that moment. The way he wanted her to cherish her memories of Mrs. White by letting her know that the necklace was meant to be hers. That Adele White had loved her.

“Thank you,” she whispered tremulously. “Thank you.”

Marco leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She could feel the love he had professed to her. She returned the kiss, hoping that her love for him was reaching out. He reluctantly pulled away and squatted by her chair again.

“I love you, Phoebe. Can you please forgive me for everything I’ve done?” He reached for her left hand, and picked up the engagement ring she’d forgotten all about in the excitement of seeing the necklace again.

Marco placed the ring at the tip of her ring finger. “Phoebe Fitzgerald, will you do the honor of marrying me for
love
now?”

“Yes!” she cried. “Yes, I will marry you, Marco. I love you, too.” As he slipped the ring on her finger any doubts she had about him trusting her again were gone. As she looked at the ring on her finger and then touched the heart around her neck, she knew that nothing could get better than this.

Marco clasped both her hands and raised them to his lips. “I know I don’t deserve your love but I want you to know I will do everything in my power to never abuse your love. I will cherish it, nurture it, and I hope together we can make it can grow.”

“I know, Marco. I know and I trust you. How could I not? You are my world and you hold my heart too.” She pulled one hand away and once again touched the heart, this time with more confidence than before. “This necklace is proof of the longevity and strength of our love. It shines as brightly as the diamonds here. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. I love you too.”

At the café where only two days ago her world had fallen apart, Marco kissed her once again and she knew nothing would ever tear them apart.

Phoebe looked around the ballroom. The room sparkled, from the lights of the chandeliers to the dresses and jewelry the women wore. It was the hospital’s annual New Year’s Eve party.

“Back at the scene of the crime — only this time with no masks,” Alex said with a laugh, which quickly turned into a groan when he received an elbow in the stomach from Sophie.

“I didn’t realize that meeting me was a crime.”

Alex brought Sophie close and gave her a long kiss. When they came up for air he spoke again. “It was the best crime of my life. I met the woman of my dreams who has not only given me a beautiful daughter, but a life I never thought I’d have. I love New Year’s Eve.”

Phoebe couldn’t help it — her eyes welled up at the love that was bursting out from both Alex and Sophie. She tried to sniff quietly, but when a strong arm slipped along her shoulder and a crisp white handkerchief materialized in front of her she knew she hadn’t succeeded.

She turned and smiled up at Marco, her husband. Even after a few months of marriage it still felt wonderful to say that word. “Thank you. Oh, I don’t know why I’m always so emotional.”

Marco’s warm hand drifted across the small swell of her belly. “I’d say this little guy might have something to do with it.”

Phoebe laughed and placed both her hands on top of Marco’s. She’d been a little shocked and excited when she’d found out she was pregnant on their wedding day. She’d known that their baby had been conceived when they had been reaffirming their relationship to each other. Marco had been over the moon when she told him. She shivered at how he’d shown his happiness on their wedding night.

“I think you could be right,” she whispered and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I love you.”

Marco smiled down and touched the heart pendant she was wearing around her neck. “I love you too.”

“Sorry we’re late, everyone.”

Startled, Phoebe looked up. She’d forgotten that they were in a roomful of people. She saw Dawn and Andrew taking their seats at the table. They both wore big grins and the way that Andrew was cuddling her close showed the depth of their love for each other. Phoebe was so glad that Dawn had found happiness again.

“Hi, you guys, why the big grins?”

Somehow Phoebe knew what they were about to say.

“We’re pregnant,” they said in unison.

A round of cheers sounded across the table and everyone got up to give the other couple their congratulations.

“I guess we’ll be needing another NUM,” Alex said on a laugh.

“Definitely,” said Dawn. She placed her hands on her stomach and gazed up at Andrew as he repeated her action. “I’m definitely being a stay at home mum this time.”

“You sure are, honey,” Andrew said as he placed a soft kiss on Dawn’s lips.

“I think I’ll change the chair, everyone who sits on it seems to get pregnant,” mused Alex. “Or hire a woman that’s got a family and isn’t planning on adding to it.”

He comments brought a burst of laughter from everyone sitting at the table.

Phoebe looked around at the happiness shining from everyone. In all her wildest dreams she’d never thought she’d ever be this contented or happy.

“I think a toast is in order,” Marco said as he lifted up his glass of wine. Phoebe reached for her sparkling water. “To friends, babies, and … ” He paused and looked at Phoebe. Her breath caught at the love burning out of his eyes. “Love.”

“Cheers,” they all said together and clinked glasses in unison.

Dawn looked at the empty waiting room with a sense of trepidation. She had a feeling the peace the ER was experiencing was going to be short lived.

“It’s a bit eerie, isn’t it? I never expected an ER to be this quiet. Everything you hear on the TV says that ERs are always so busy.”

Dawn looked at the trainee nurse who’d spoken, her enthusiasm for the job shining in the young girl’s eyes. She remembered when she’d been like that. When she’d actually had enthusiasm for life. Sometimes she wished she could grasp it back. But if she’d learned one thing from being the Senior Nurse working the graveyard shift in the ER for the last two years, you could never look back or wish things could be different.

“You know that’s the worst possible thing to say when the ER is empty. It’s like tempting fate,” Dawn said, softening her words with a smile. “It’s a good time to catch up on making sure the resus room and crash carts are fully stocked.” She paused and sent the trainee nurse a wink. “In case of an emergency.”

The nurse groaned at Dawn’s joke. “I wouldn’t give up your job and go into stand-up comedy.”

Dawn laughed; it did feel good to joke around. No sooner had she finished the thought when the ER doors slammed open. Usually if there was an accident, they received a call warning them of incoming casualties. She looked up and saw Sophie, the Nursing Unit Manager, clutching her pregnant belly. Of all the nights for Alex, her husband, to take a night shift, it would be the night she goes into labor.

“Alex!” Dawn hollered over her shoulder as she rushed towards the other woman. “I take it you’re not coming for a visit?”

Dawn made it to Sophie’s side just as Sophie reached out to grab her hand. Dawn withstood the squeezing of her hand while trying not to let emotions overtake her. Her stomach clenched, as if she herself was experiencing the contraction that was rippling through Sophie’s body. Dark memories threatened to overwhelm her; she knew exactly what Sophie was feeling.

“Sophia, mia amore, the baby is coming?” Alex said as he rushed towards his wife.

Dawn controlled the urge to roll her eyes at Alex’s comments. “Looks that way, Alex. Good luck in maternity.”

She turned and headed back to her desk. As much as she was happy for the couple, she had to move away before she lost it totally and started crying in front of them. The thought of her sweet baby boy the day he had been born filled her mind. It was quickly replaced by the last image she had of him smiling at her as she’d left for work. If only she hadn’t taken that shift two years ago, things might have been different.

No,
she yelled in her mind and pushed the thought away. She’d just lectured herself earlier about not looking back. She had been dealt her cards, and no matter how many times she wondered “why her,” she would move on. She had to.

The phone rang and on autopilot she picked it up. “Emergency, Dawn speaking.”

The dispatcher on the line told her about a multi car accident with two victims in critical condition being brought in. As Dawn hung up the phone, she was grateful that it had been a quiet night. With Alex now unavailable, they were going to be a doctor short until his replacement arrived.

The next few minutes were spent preparing the staff for the incoming casualties. Satisfied the department was ready for whatever was about to come through the door, Dawn let herself relax momentarily, knowing that the next couple of hours were going to be hectic.

The doors slammed open again and two paramedics came rushing in; Dawn directed them to the first cubicle. From what the paramedics were yelling out, the patient wasn’t as badly injured as the dispatcher had made it out to be. But of course, the next patient might not be so lucky.

She heard the yelling through the doors before they opened; it didn’t bode well.

“What’s happening, Dawn?” She swung around, her mouth gaping when she saw Alex standing next to her.

“Why aren’t you with Sophie?”

“She’s only two centimeters dilated; we’ve got a bit of time. Besides,” he said ruefully, “she heard my pager go off and told me to help down here. She said she’d call me when she needs me.”

Dawn shook her head. “Trust Sophie to put the needs of the department before herself.”

They had no more time to deal with small talk as the ambulance bay doors opened. It only took one look to know that this patient was far worse off than the previous one. A paramedic was straddling the patient, performing chest compressions. The paramedic pushing the gurney looked vaguely familiar but Dawn put it down to being one of the regular crews that always came in. Nothing more.

“Trauma One,” she called out as they passed her by. “Will you need me, Alex?”

“No, we’ve got Phoebe on tonight — pull her from wherever she is and tell her I need her. I’ll need you to deal with family members when they arrive.”

Dawn nodded her agreement but wished she could be helping out; there was nothing worse than talking to the victims’ families. Horrible memories flooded her mind of the time when she had been the family member of a victim receiving news. No manner of words spoken by the nurse had eased the pain that had filled her the moment she’d heard her husband and infant son hadn’t survived. Coldness had filled her soul that night two years ago. And nothing had been able to warm it since.