The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides #6) (17 page)

Jonquil released him with a tired smile. “Glad to hear it.”

Gage and Vince shared a tight hug. “So what’s next?” Vince asked.

“I guess I better get up and move before I keel over.”

Jonquil checked the time on her phone. It was six a.m. and she was still exhausted. Gage didn’t look much better. “Maybe you should get a hotel and try to sleep.”

“Not until I see Mom. Let’s just walk and get some more coffee.” They all strolled through the hospital corridors, following the twisting and turning hallways, though they didn’t enter any departments. They found the cafeteria and grabbed some more coffee along with donuts for the guys. Jonquil poured enough sugar in her coffee to keep a small zoo on the run for hours, but passed on the donuts. They sat together around a table.

“Have you heard anything from the guys back home?” Jonquil asked.

“Yes,” Vince said. “If you hadn’t been snoring so loudly, you would have heard my phone ring.”

Her eyes widened. “I did not snore. Did I?”

“No, sleeping beauty, you were a perfect lady while you slept,” Gage said, running fingers down her arm.

She wasn’t sure who was telling the truth. “Okay, so what’s the news?”

“Joel checked out Natalie’s room. He said there were clothes strewn everywhere, her makeup spread across the counter—”

“So basically status quo,” Gage interpreted. “If she was snatched, either there wasn’t much struggle, or you just can’t tell because she always leaves her things out for the housekeeper to put away.”

“No help there, then.”

“Except her car is still at the house,” Gage elaborated. “And her purse was next to the bed with the door to the patio wide open. It would have been easy for someone to get into the house and her room to kidnap her. I don’t know why they would have hurt Mom, though—she was clear across the house.”

“Maybe Natalie was in the room with her and that’s why there’s no sign of a struggle in your mom’s rooms?” Jonquil suggested.

“Maybe. Joel and Trent are looking into things. In the morning—which I guess it is.” Gage tapped on his watch.

“So what now?” Jonquil asked.

“Now we wait.” Vince’s face grew stern. “We can’t do anything else until later today, but the sheriff’s office is working on things, and Diane is recovering and maybe she’ll be able to tell us something about who attacked her when she wakes up.”

“I hope so.” Gage sipped at his coffee, apparently only because it was in front of him and gave him something to do.

Jonquil pulled out her phone and checked the next day’s schedule at work, then started an email to her assistant Tara. She didn’t know when she’d make it into the shop, but things would have to get done while she waited. Delphi had told her—more than once—she should trust her staff to get things done without her babysitting them. This was their chance.

Several hours passed while Jonquil sat in the waiting room alone and Gage sat at his mother’s side with Vince while she recovered from surgery. The nurses had only allowed two of them into the room, and never having met Diane before, Jonquil had offered to wait outside. She cuddled up in a chair in the corner and dozed a little, wishing she had Gage there with her to snuggle against.

Another family came in and sat together in a different section of the waiting area, talking and crying. Kids whined and begged for food and a baby fussed. Jonquil gave up on sleeping anymore and wondered how the boys were doing. She stood and stretched, and then looked for the closest bathroom to freshen up and braid her hair out of the way.

When she came out, Vince stood in the waiting area where she had been before. “I wondered where you went,” he said.

“Just trying to make myself presentable again.” She patted her head self-consciously. She didn’t have a comb with her so she’d had to finger-comb it before pulling out a hair elastic and trying to tame it for the day. “How is she doing? Is she awake?”

He shook his head. “The nurse doesn’t seem concerned, so I’m trying to keep Gage from freaking out about it.” Vince checked his watch. “I have to head out in an hour or so to handle things at work. Jeremy said he’d come down today to hang with Gage. Are you staying or going back with me?”

Jonquil took a moment to consider. She really ought to go back in to work, but she couldn’t leave Gage here dealing with everything. Jeremy would come, but he might be a while, and he may not be able to stay all day. He had a business to run and no assistant manager to take over. “I’m staying. And I’m ready for second breakfast. Do you think we can pry Gage away from his mom’s side to get some food?”

“We can try.” Vince led the way back to Diane’s room where Gage was leaning over his mom’s bed, holding her hand in his and looking like he was about to fall over from exhaustion.

Vince gestured for Jonquil to go in and she took the seat beside Gage’s. “Hey, you want to get up and move around for a bit? You should eat something too.”

Gage roused and looked at her with blood-shot eyes. “I don’t want her to wake up here and be alone.”

Jonquil looked at Vince, who came in and stood beside her. “Come on, Gage. You haven’t moved an inch in hours. You need to take care of yourself.”

Gage turned his face up to his best friend. “Would you want to wake up here alone?”

Vince pressed his lips together in acknowledgment. “No. So let me stay while you stretch your legs and pick up some food. She knows me, so she won’t be scared if she wakes up with me next to her and I can reassure her that you’re here.”

Gage seemed to be considering it, so Jonquil took charge. She stood and gave his hand a tug. “Come on, let’s get some circulation going in your system. We’ll be fast and bring the food back here, okay? That way we’ll be back before she wakes up, and Vince will be here just in case.”

Obediently, Gage stood and followed her to the door, letting Vince take his place. He looked back at Vince. “Call me if she wakes up?”

“Absolutely. Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Gage rubbed the back of his neck and followed Jonquil out. On the way to the cafeteria, he stepped into a bathroom and came out with his hair damp and combed again, and looking a lot more alert.

“Feel better?” she asked.

“Some. Thanks.” He took her hand again and she led him back up to where they had eaten earlier.

“Have you seen the doctor lately?” Jonquil asked when they waited in line to pay for the food they’d picked up for the three of them.

“No, but the nurse said he’d be in soon. She said Mom’s vitals were good and she expects her to wake anytime now.”

“If it’s the anesthesia wearing off, she probably won’t remember anything you or anyone else says for the first hour or two.” Jonquil clearly remembered when her stepdad had come out of surgery.

“That’s all right. I can live with repeating myself. I just want her to wake up.”

“I can’t blame you.”

“How long are you and Vince staying?” Gage asked after they paid and were returning to his mom’s room.

“He’s got to go back soon, but I’ll hang out here for the day. I guess Jeremy is coming later. So if you decide to stay longer, I can go back with him tonight.” Or not. She didn’t plan to leave the hospital as long as Gage was there, unless this stretched out for days.

Gage stopped in the middle of the hallway, touched her shoulder to pull her close and dropped a soft kiss on her lips. “Thanks. I wouldn’t have thought less of you if you’d decided to stay in Juniper Ridge last night or to go back today, but I appreciate you hanging out here with me.”

She smiled, that acknowledgment was all the payment she needed. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I can be here for you.”

Vince didn’t stay long after eating breakfast, but Jonquil didn’t mind taking his spot next to Gage in Diane’s room.

A few minutes later Diane’s eyes fluttered open. “Gage?”

Gage’s head had been lolling against the wall behind him but he shot up in his seat at her voice. “I’m here, Mom. Everything’s all right. How are you feeling?” He leaned forward so she could see him better, a smile on his tired face.

Jonquil knew the bit about everything being all right was a flat out lie. They hadn’t spoken about Natalie’s disappearance since they had gone to breakfast, but she knew it was on his mind. She agreed, though, that his mom didn’t need one more thing to worry about.

“What am I doing here?” Confusion clouded Diane’s face.

“You got a bump on the head and we had to bring you to the hospital. The doctor thinks you’re going to be fine, though, so don’t worry about it.” Gage’s voice was low and calming, his cheeks relaxed, though his shoulders and neck were tense with worry. “How are you feeling?”

“Terrible. I hurt all over.” She drifted back to sleep.

Distress filled his face. “Stay with her while I go see about getting her pain medicine?” he asked Jonquil.

“Of course.” She gave his hand a squeeze and let go.

Gage nodded and took off.

Jonquil sat back in her chair, studying his mother’s face. She could see bits and pieces of Gage there, but figured more of his features came from his father. Jonquil had never met Diane before this little debacle, and wondered what Diane would think of her. She wondered what she would think of Diane if they got to know each other better.

A few minutes later, Gage and the nurse returned. She checked Diane’s vitals and then gave her something in a syringe. “There, that’s not a lot of morphine, but it should help some. When she’s awake to give some feedback, we can give her more. The doctor doesn’t want to overmedicate her.”

“Thanks.” Gage slumped back into his chair and glanced at Jonquil. “Have you heard anything from Joel or Jeremy?”

“No. It’s still early. Maybe Jeremy will have some news when he gets here. He should be here pretty soon, I think.”

“Good.” Gage took her hand again and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

Jonquil wished she could smooth his worried brow, but settled for providing the silent support he’d asked for.

Jeremy did not arrive soon. It was more than an hour, and when he showed up in the doorway, he looked grim.

Jonquil checked on Gage, who was snoring, then turned back to Jeremy. “Any news?” she asked in a whisper.

“Nothing good.”

She frowned.

Gage roused, though she could have sworn he was out for the count. “Did you say something?” He stretched a little and gave her hand, which was still in his, a squeeze.

“Jeremy’s here,” Jonquil said in a low voice, not wanting to disturb his mother.

Gage blinked a little and looked at the doorway. “What’s going on?”

“We should talk. Come walk with me for a few minutes,” Jeremy invited.

Gage looked back at Diane.

“Don’t worry. I’ll stay here with her and Jeremy won’t take you far. I’ll let you know if she wakes.”

Gage looked torn, but left with Jeremy.

Jonquil stood and stretched, twisting her body different directions to get the blood flowing. She wasn’t used to sitting still this long.

“Who are you?”

Jonquil looked up to see Diane staring at her from the bed.

“Hi, I’m Jonquil, one of Gage’s friends.” She slid back into her seat. “How are you doing? You seem more alert than last time you woke up.”

Her brows furrowed. “I don’t remember waking up before.”

“Sometimes you don’t after anesthesia. Would you like me to call a nurse?”

Jonquil fumbled with her phone to send a text to Gage.

“You’re George’s youngest, aren’t you? He told me about you.”

Jonquil’s gaze flashed back up to Diane, distracting her in the middle of the message. “You met my dad?”

“Yes. Last winter he came right up to the house and introduced himself. He seemed to think he should know me. He showed me your picture, talked about you.” Her eyes drifted closed for a few seconds. “Why, do you suppose?”

Jonquil smiled a little. “I guess he was checking you out. He got it into his head that Gage and I are soul mates or something.”

“And now you’re dating him? Maybe George was right. He was a handsome scamp and very charming.” Her lips turned up into a slight smile. “If he’d even crooked a finger at me, I’d have gone out with him.” Her voice drifted off.

Jonquil wondered if it was the meds that made Diane be so honest. It wasn’t the kind of thing someone announced the first time you met. Jonquil thought about her father and Gage’s mom having a romantic encounter and was glad George had managed to restrain himself for once. She was sure Diane was a very nice woman, but it could have made things a little awkward.

Jonquil put the phone in her pocket again, the text message forgotten.

Several minutes passed before the guys returned. Jonquil searched both of their faces. “News? Did you find Natalie?”

“There’s no sign of her. The cops are following up on a few leads.” Gage’s response was terse.

Jonquil knew there was more to it than that, but decided to respect his preference not to talk about it. For now. “Your mom woke up for a minute while you were gone. She knew I was George’s daughter and talked about meeting him. She doesn’t remember last time she woke, so she’s probably not going to remember talking to me, either.”

“Was she in pain?” Gage asked. “You didn’t call me back in?”