Chapter 19

19

WES

A t the hospital, I parked by the emergency room, and we walked in together. Sutton’s mom and dad were already in the waiting room.

When we approached, Sutton asked, “Have you heard anything?”

Her father frowned. “They’re running tests now.”

Sutton sat in the chairs opposite them. “Is it her heart?”

“That’s usually what it is,” Mom said flatly.

“Did you see any signs?” I asked, my brain searching for something that made sense.

“The signs are shortness of breath and fatigue. Something that’s hard to notice if you’re not the patient,” Dad said.

So they hadn’t noticed, and I felt awful that I hadn’t either. “Why doesn’t she say something if she’s not feeling well?”

Mom tore at a tissue in her hand. “She was enjoying her party. I’m sure she didn’t want to cancel.”

“Her health is more important than a party,” I said, knowing that might not be the case for Sutton’s family. Appearances were everything, and she wouldn’t have cancelled after inviting all those people. She would have suffered in silence and hoped that it wouldn’t be a bigger issue.

Sutton’s grandmother loved a good party, especially one that was thrown in her honor. But enough to ignore the signs of an impending episode? What if she hadn’t gotten medical treatment?

I sat next to Sutton, offering my silent support as we waited for any update. When we had been dancing, Sutton was preoccupied with whatever she’d been discussing with her mother.

I wanted to declare my love to her, to tell her that this marriage was real for me. But then her grandmother collapsed, and I didn’t get my chance.

Now wasn’t the time or place, and I wasn’t sure it would be any time soon. I cursed myself for not doing it earlier. Sutton should know how I felt.

If something happened to Mrs. Rosesmith, then our deal was over. Sutton would inherit the estate and wouldn’t need me anymore. Would she believe me if I told her how I felt? Or would she think I was just like her parents using her for the money?

I didn’t think Sutton would be that shallow, but this was a major life event, and I had no idea how she’d react. I’d lost my mother as a teenager, but Sutton hadn’t lost anyone close to her. But then again, her family wasn’t there for her like mine was for me.

I couldn’t bring it up now. I’d lost my chance.

I sat in that cold, sterile waiting room, my heart clenching with regret. This wasn’t the time or the place to be thinking about our marriage, what her grandmother being in the hospital meant for us. But I couldn’t help the thoughts running through my head.

There was nothing to do except ruminate.

The television hanging in the corner played news continuously, and none of it was good. Then my phone buzzed. It started with Teddy, asking what happened and if we were at the hospital. Then Jameson and my sister texted.

I sent a group message so I could inform everyone at once, then told them to stay home. There was nothing they could do. There was no point in them being here.

An hour passed, the clock on the wall taunting me. No one had come out to let us know what was going on. I was going to jump up and start pacing, but I was worried how that would affect Sutton and her parents.

I had to be the one who was steady right now. Her parents looked stricken, and Sutton was quiet. Every few minutes, a tremor ran through her body. I’d offered to get water and food, but each one was politely turned down.

I felt useless.

Then the emergency room door burst open, and Teddy walked in with the rest of my family close behind. I stood and moved to greet them. I lowered my voice. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re here to support you.” Teddy’s gaze tripped past me to where Sutton and her parents sat, holding vigil.

“Yeah but?—”

Teddy gave me a hard look. “No buts. This is what family does.”

For all the people at the party celebrating Mrs. Rosesmith’s birthday, no one else was here. It was just Sutton and her parents. Didn’t they see that those parties were with superficial people, ones who didn’t care if you got hurt or sick?

Daphne moved around Teddy and hugged me tight. “How is she?”

I hugged her back. “We haven’t heard, but apparently she has heart issues.”

Daphne gave me a sympathetic look. “Hopefully, she’ll be okay.”

As soon as Daphne moved away, Fiona took her place. “How is Sutton?”

“She’s not saying much.”

Fiona patted my arm before sitting next to Sutton, talking softly to her.

“How are you?” Jameson asked me when it was just him and Teddy standing in front of me.

“I’m hanging in there.” I couldn’t get over how I was about to tell Sutton I loved her. Then her grandmother collapsed.

“Does her family still think your marriage is real?” Jameson asked.

Usually, I’d say he was baiting me, but his expression was serious. “As far as I know. We haven’t said otherwise.”

I hadn’t even told Sutton it was real, so what did I expect?

Just then, a doctor opened the double doors and said, “Rosesmiths.”

Sutton stood along with her parents and made their way to the doctor.

“You should be by her side,” Teddy urged me.

“But I’m not a Rosesmith.”

“You’re married to one, and she needs you.”

Just then Sutton looked over her shoulder, her gaze desperately searching for something before finally landing on me. I was moving before I’d even answered Teddy. She needed me, and I’d be there.

I stepped behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder for support.

“She’s stable now. We’re running tests on her heart. But you know the drill. If she gets over excited or does too much, she may become fatigued and short of breath. That’s her sign that she should take it easy.”

“It happened in the middle of her birthday party,” Evelyn said as if that explained everything.

“Parties might not be a good idea going forward,” the doctor said. “When the tests are completed, I’ll let you know the results.”

“When can we see her?” Evelyn asked.

“As soon as she’s done with the tests.” Then he was gone, and we were left staring at each other.

“She’s going to be okay,” Sutton said as if she was reassuring them.

“It sounds like it,” I added.

We went back to our seats where Daphne and Fiona had bought coffees and sandwiches. I grabbed some for me and Sutton and urged her to eat.

“I can’t. I’m too upset.”

“Coffee then.” She’d need the energy. It might be a long night.

My family stuck around until Evelyn and Deacon were invited to go back and see Mrs. Rosesmith. When it was Sutton’s turn, I moved to go with her, but she held up her hand to stop me. “I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

But I was her husband. I was supposed to be there to support her.

But I nodded and moved off to the side. I didn’t want to talk to Evelyn and Deacon. I felt like a live wire, and one wrong word from them, I’d explode. I was so pissed that they didn’t seem to see how a party would be bad for the grandmother’s health. All they cared about was living the lifestyle they’d become accustomed to.

Teddy moved to my side. “Shouldn’t you have gone with Sutton to see her grandmother?”

“She didn’t want me there.” I hated to admit it.

“You could have insisted.”

It hurt to draw a deep breath, and the frailty of our bond was more apparent than ever. “I don’t know what my place is in all this.”

“You’re supposed to be by her side.”

My brow furrowed. “When she doesn’t want me there?”

“Maybe she doesn’t think what you have will last. That it isn’t worth getting deeper with you.”

That sucked because I’d hoped for the opposite. “I want more.”

“Then you have to show her. Be the husband you vowed to be.”

The wedding, the vows, all of it was real to me. I wanted to be by her side in sickness and health. Here was my opportunity, and I’d screwed up. “What makes you the expert on relationships?”

“I watched Daphne and Cole, then Fiona and Aiden, and finally Claire and Jameson go through all this stuff. At this point, I feel like an expert.”

“Yet you’re not with anyone.”

Teddy shook his head. “Like anyone would put up with me.”

I snorted. “You got that right.”

Something passed over Teddys’ face then, and I wondered if I’d hurt his feelings. No, that couldn’t be right. We always ribbed him about how gruff he was with the ladies. Certain women loved it, but they always got burned eventually. Teddy wasn’t the date-‘em-and-keep-‘em type. He either didn’t want a long-term relationship or hadn’t found the right girl.

“What are you going to do if she ends things?” Teddy emphasized each word.

The vice around my chest tightened. “I don’t want a divorce.”

Teddy narrowed his eyes on me. “Are you going to fight for her?”

I shifted on my feet. “That’s the plan.”

Teddy nodded. “Good.”

My lip curled. “I can’t wait until this happens to you. When you find someone who knocks you out of your carefully controlled life.”

Teddy chuckled. “Like that’s going to happen.”

I raised a brow. I had thoughts about why he was so resistant to Charlotte, but Sutton returned with her arms wrapped around herself and her head bowed. I crossed the room to be by her side. “Are you okay?”

She lifted her gaze to me. “She looks so frail laying there in the bed. I never thought of her as weak. Even when she said she didn’t have much time left. I think it just hit me hard.”

I pulled her to me, resting my cheek in her hair. “I asked how you were doing.”

“My grandmother’s in the hospital, and I’ve been lying to her this whole time. How do you think I feel?” Her tone was bitter.

I pulled back slightly to see her face. “Are you having regrets about us? ”

She pursed her lips and looked away from me. “I wish I hadn’t lied.”

“You wanted to marry a stranger instead of me?” I couldn’t help but ask.

She slowly shook her head. “I wish none of it was necessary. That I’d walked away from the inheritance. It’s not more important than my relationship with my grandmother.”

I held my tongue because the ultimatum wasn’t the hallmark of a good family dynamic. But I didn’t think she’d appreciate my thoughts on the matter.

Evelyn approached us, and I ground my teeth together. “We need to talk about care when she comes home. I think we should hire a nurse to come in and make sure she’s not overdoing it while she recovers.”

Sutton nodded. “I think that’s a good idea.”

“Will you be moving back so you can be closer?” Evelyn pressed.

I wanted to step in and point out that Evelyn and Deacon lived in the house and could handle her care, but I wanted Sutton to stand up for herself.

Sutton nodded. “That’s probably easier. That way I can be close if she needs me.”

Why was Sutton the one that everyone depended on? Why weren’t Deacon and Evelyn stepping up?

When Evelyn walked away, I asked, “You’re moving out?”

“Don’t you think it will be easier to care for her if I’m close by?”

“Evelyn and Deacon live in the house with her, and they’re hiring nurses. I think she’ll be fine.”

Sutton frowned, her forehead wrinkling. “I need to be the one there.”

I clenched my jaw so I wouldn’t point out the obvious. When had her family ever been there for her? They’d forced her to get married before she was ready. They criticized her choice in clothes, college degree, and career. And now her plans for the estate didn’t jive with theirs. Why was she falling back into their web of control?

I’d gotten her out of there, and she was willingly going back. “If that’s what you want.”

I waited for her to ask me to join her, but she didn’t. Instead, she approached Deacon and Evelyn to go over more details about Mrs. Rosesmith’s transition from the hospital to home.

I walked my family out and thanked them for coming.

“What happens next?” Teddy asked when the rest of my family made their way to their cars in the parking lot.

“She’s moving home to be close by when Mrs. Rosesmith is discharged.”

Teddy raised a brow. “Are you moving with her?”

My chest burned. “She didn’t ask me to.”

“I thought you were going to fight for her?” Teddy asked.

My jaw tightened. “She doesn’t want to fight for us. Why should I?”

Teddy shook his head. “This sounds like the beginning of the end.”

Maybe it was. I couldn’t think straight. It was late, and I was exhausted from the stress of the party, the anxiety about telling Sutton how I felt, then the rush to the hospital. I hadn’t had a chance to process any of it.

Teddy touched my shoulder. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

I hugged him and went back into the waiting room where I felt like a fourth wheel. No one asked my opinion, but then again, this wasn’t my family, and our marriage was on thin ice .

Conversation and plans went on around me. I felt like I was invisible. Sutton didn’t reach for me or even seem to need me there.

When the results of the tests came back, and the doctor requested the Rosesmith family, I hung back. I wasn’t part of the family. Not really. Sutton never looked around for me or gestured for me to join her.

When they were done discussing the situation, her parents went through the double doors, presumably to see Mrs. Rosesmith. Then Sutton came over to me. “You’re still here?”

I ran a hand through my hair. “Where else would I be?”

Sutton touched my shoulder, urging me toward the doors. “It’s late. You can go home. Get some sleep.”

“I wanted to be here to support you.”

“It’s not necessary. This is a family thing. But we’re still friends. Right?”

“Friends. Right. Of course.” The words felt bitter on my tongue, but what else could I say? She was pushing me away, and I was letting her.

This wasn’t the right time to discuss our relationship. She was upset about her grandmother. I shouldn’t be adding to her stress.

“You’ll let me know how she is?” I asked as I stood and stuffed my hands in my pockets so I wouldn’t reach for her.

“Of course.” But she was already turning away, heading over to the desk, probably to inquire about paperwork or discharge. I didn’t know what because I hadn’t even asked what the doctor had said. Maybe I should have insisted on staying or being a part of the discussion. But what good would it do?

I felt like if I pushed, she’d break things off officially. There wouldn’t be another chance to convince her that this was real, and she should give us another chance. I had to bide my time and wait for this emergency to dissipate. Then I could talk to Sutton and reason with her. I refused to believe that we were over.

She wouldn’t walk away from me without a conversation.