“Don’t be silly, Sash,” he said gruffly. “I’m your husband.”
Warmth rose up inside her and she had to blink back tears. He’d called her “Sash”—the name he’d called her years ago. It was something she’d forgotten until this moment.
“He’ll be fine.” He pulled her close and she leaned into him, grateful for his presence, comforted by his arms around her, and the now familiar scent of him.
It was only as they were walking toward her mother in the waiting room that Sasha had a tense moment of apprehension. Would her mother inadvertently say something in front of Nick about how Porter had taken the news? Would she blame Sasha’s ultimatum for all this? Nick would have to ask why.
“Mum?”
“Oh, Sasha,” Sally cried and hugged her.
Sasha returned the hug, relief easing through her. It didn’t look like her mother was about to barrage her with blame. “How is he?”
Sally moved back. “I don’t know. They told me to wait here.” She sniffed. “But it’s been ages now and no one will tell me what’s happening.”
“I’ll find out,” Nick said ominously, spinning on his heels. “Stay here.” He strode out the door toward the nurses’ station.
Sasha led her mother back over to her seat. “Mum, what happened?”
Sally gave a shuddering sigh. “When your father got up this morning he said he had indigestion so he took some antacid and went off to work. The next thing I know …” her voice shook “… they called me to stay he’d been brought here in an ambulance.”
“So you haven’t seen him yet?”
“No.”
“Mum, did you—”
Nick strode back through the sliding glass doors. “The doctor’s coming out shortly to talk to us.”
“Oh God,” Sally said and started to sob.
They didn’t have to wait long for the doctor, and Sasha put her arm around her mother’s shoulders as he told them the news that it didn’t look like it been a heart attack at all.
“We’re running more tests, but it appears it wasn’t.”
“Thank God,” Sally said.
“What could it have been, Doctor?” Sasha asked.
“I’m not sure. We’ll be keeping him here overnight. He’s in a private room and Mrs. Blake can stay with him, if you like?”
“Oh, yes,” her mother said. “Can I see him, Doctor?”
“He’s resting, but I don’t see why not.” He paused. “But only Mrs. Blake for now.”
Sasha watched her mother and the doctor leave the room. It was wonderful that her father was going to be okay, but he still had to face tomorrow.
And so did she.
“Nick, why don’t you go back to work? I’ll stay here with Mum until we know more.”
His jaw set stubbornly. “No. You need me. I’ll stay.”
“Seriously, I’ll be okay. Besides, it’ll probably be hours.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, but it’s no use just sitting around here doing nothing. I’m fine.”
His gaze rested on her. “If you’re sure?”
“Yes. Now go.” It would give her the chance to talk to her mother in private. Sasha couldn’t imagine she wouldn’t have told her husband about yesterday, but she needed to know for sure.
Hours later her father had been given a cautious all clear and Sasha was allowed in to see him, but in the end she didn’t get to ask her mother anything. Sally wouldn’t leave her husband’s side.
And as Sasha looked at her father sleeping peacefully on the bed, she wished so much that it could have been different. If only her father was a different man … a different person.
If only he was a better husband and father.
If only she could love him more.
Sasha finally arrived home around nine and found Nick asleep on the sofa in front of the television. She’d expected to be home much sooner, so that when he’d phoned her she had even insisted he go straight home and not come to the hospital.
Now, standing in the doorway her heart softened as she looked at Nick. He was such a part of her. He’d always been a part of her. It would be like losing a limb to do without him.
For a moment her vision blurred. She blinked back the tears and turned away to hurry to the kitchen. She wasn’t hungry but Iris had put a portion of lasagna in the oven for her, so she’d have to make the effort to eat it.
But first she showered and changed into her silk nightgown and robe, then put the lasagna on a tray and took it into the living room.
Hungrier now than she’d realized, she turned the television down low while she ate her food and watched Nick sleep. She thought the smell of the food might wake him, but it didn’t, and she was sipping at her decaffeinated coffee and deciding to cover him with a blanket when his eyelids lifted.
For a moment he looked disorientated. Then he sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. “Damn, I fell asleep, didn’t I?”
She gave an understanding smile. “You were tired.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost ten.”
His eyes grew alert. “You must be exhausted yourself.”
“I’m better now that I’m home.” And she was.
He scrutinized her more. “How’s Porter?”
“They’ll keep an eye on him overnight, but they’re confident it wasn’t a heart attack.”
His face relaxed. “See, I told you there was nothing to worry about.”
“I know.”
All at once his gaze noted her night attire, and the air stilled. His eyes burned into her, making her heart skip a beat. She waited for him to get to his feet and pull her into his arms.
Only, he seemed to withdraw. “I think I’ll use a spare room tonight. You need your sleep.”
Disappointment filled her. “I won’t be able to sleep without you,” she said, putting herself on the line … putting her heart on the line and hoping he didn’t notice.
The light of passion flared in his eyes again but was banked as he stood up and held out his hand. “Fine. We sleep, and that’s all.”
Her heart expanded at his thoughtfulness. He wanted her yet was prepared to put her needs first. Or what he thought she needed.
Happy to just be able to share his bed, she put her hand in his and together they went up the stairs. He made no attempt to make love to her, but he held her in his arms until she fell asleep. And she found that was just as welcome as making love.
She was home.
And she was where she wanted to be.
Chapter Ten
Cesare phoned the next morning to see how Porter was doing and Nick put the phone on loudspeaker so both he and Sasha could talk while they were getting dressed.
“Dad, it wasn’t a heart attack.” Nick went on to explain.
“Grazie a Dio!” Cesare said with relief.
“We’ve just called the hospital and he’s already been released,” Nick continued. “Sally will look after him. I’m sure she’ll make him take things easy.”
“Yes, she’s a good woman.” Cesare paused. “Sasha, your father’s a good man. He gives so much of himself to everyone. It would be a great loss if anything had happened to him. He’s the consummate businessman.”
Sasha wanted to choke. If only Cesare knew.…
“Thank you, Cesare,” she managed. “That’s kind of you to say.”
Cesare ended the call after that and Nick kissed her good-bye, but as he drew back he hesitated. “Are you sure you don’t want me to get out of the harbor cruise tomorrow? Alex or Matt can step in.”
Tomorrow was Wednesday.
Only two more days until Friday.
The thought of having to force her father’s hand pressed down on her. She felt sick at heart over him cheating the Valentes out of money.
She schooled her features. “No. I’ll be fine.”
Nick held her gaze a moment more. “Okay. See you tonight.”
“Yes,” she said, putting on a brave face.
As soon as he left, she finished dressing. She would go see her parents. Now that she knew her father hadn’t had a heart attack, he had to rectify the situation soon. She couldn’t go on like this.
No one answered the front door when she rang the bell, despite her father’s favorite music coming from inside the house. Then she realized it was coming from the back patio, so she went around the side and opened the gate.
To her shock, she found her father sitting on the lounger in the back garden, smoking a cigar and drinking whiskey. He looked like a man who was celebrating life.
Or something else?
Suddenly it hit her.
“Oh my God,” she accused, seeing him jump with fright as she strode toward him. “You didn’t have a suspected heart attack at all. You made it up.”
The blood siphoned from his face, then he turned red. “Don’t be stupid, child. Of course I didn’t make it up.”
“I don’t believe you.”
He stabbed out his cigar. “You think I’d put myself through all those medical procedures, not to mention worrying you and your mother, for the fun of it?”
“Yes! You were desperate. And you didn’t give a damn about me or Mum.” Sasha swung around when she heard her mother come out on the patio behind her. “Mum, I can’t believe you were a part of this.”
Sally’s eyes widened in alarm. “Wh-what?”
“Leave your mother out of this. She didn’t know.”
Sasha gasped. “So it’s true.”
“Know what?” Sally said, looking from one to the other.
“That Dad faked his heart attack so I wouldn’t tell the Valentes about his falsifying records.”
“No!”
“He thought I’d feel guilty enough to overlook the fact that it wasn’t actually a heart attack. No doubt he planned on milking it for all it was worth.”
“Porter?” Sally whispered.
“Sally, don’t look at me like that. I was only thinking of you. What will happen to you if I go to jail?”
“How magnanimous of you, Dad,” Sasha snapped.
“Mind your own business, Sasha,” he growled.
She stared hard at him. “You don’t regret what you did at all.”
“Of course I do.”
She knew he didn’t. He only regretted getting caught.
“Dad, unless you tell me here and now that you’re going to make things right and pay back the money, I’m going to tell Nick what you’ve done.”
He turned white. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do.”
“But I’m your father.”
“Emotional blackmail doesn’t work on me anymore.” She pulled back her shoulders. “Now tell me that you’ll make things right, or I go tell Nick right this minute what you’ve done.”
He blanched. “Okay, okay. I’ll pay it back, but it might take me a couple of days.”
“You’ve got until Friday.” She turned and walked away, her heart so heavy she was surprised she could walk at all. She’d never had much love or respect for her father but she had even less now.
Of course, she wasn’t fool enough to trust him. And how the heck was she going to believe him on Friday anyway?
Yet there was a bigger picture here.
How was she going to look Nick in the eyes for the rest of her life and pretend this wasn’t between them?
Sasha could feel Nick looking at her throughout dinner but she couldn’t seem to lift her spirits. A black cloud hung over her head. It was only a matter of time before it all poured down on her.
After they’d eaten and moved into the living room, she still couldn’t relax. She couldn’t get interested in the unfolding legal drama on television. She had enough legal drama of her own right now.
And she was terrified her mother would call and put pressure on her to give her father more time, or to beg her to change her mind. She didn’t want the stress of even talking to her mother right now and certainly not in front of Nick.
An idea occurred to her.
“I think I’ve got cabin fever, Nick. Let’s go out for a drink somewhere.”
He blinked in mild surprise and put aside some paperwork. “Will one of the local pubs do?”
“Yes, there’s some lovely pubs around here. And can we turn our cell phones off, please? Let’s not have any interruptions.”
He shot her an odd look. “If that’s what you want.”
Half an hour later they were sitting in the corner at a local pub, sipping their drinks. The hotel was on the heritage listing as were many buildings in the Hawkesbury district.
“Any special reason for the cabin fever?” he asked, leaning back in his chair, his eyes watchful.
It sounded a ridiculous thing for her to say now. They’d been out of the house a lot lately and cabin fever was the last thing she’d have.
She wrinkled her nose. “I guess it’s more that we haven’t had much time to ourselves.”
He nodded. “And all that with your father didn’t help either, does it?”
She gave a silent gasp. “Wh-what?”
“With Porter being in hospital.”
“Oh.” She swallowed. “Yes.”
His look sharpened. “You’ve been tense all night. Are you sure you’re telling me everything? He’s not taken a turn for the worse, has he?”
“No, he’s fine.” Panic bounced inside her. She had to get thoughts of her father out of Nick’s mind and onto something else. Otherwise she might give herself way. “Brenda called me, you know.”
He straightened in his chair. “What? When?”
“Sunday morning after you went to your father’s place. She said she was returning your call.”