Chapter 45

45

Powell had been coaxed down to the cafeteria, finally. Brandt's mother had played the "baby needs to eat, too" card to get Powell away from Gunnar's side. It worked. But only if Brandt promised to stay with Gunnar.

Rhea and Gerald had taken Meyra back to the hotel with them. They were intending to eat in the dining room, and then she was going back to Brandt's suite. Gerald had been a bit of a bear when Meyra had told him exactly where she was sleeping, but Rhea had kept her husband contained.

She'd told Gerald not to be an idiot, and it wasn't like it was a shock or anything. Everyone had known it would happen eventually.

Meyra had informed her father she was an adult, and it was none of his business. Not exactly how Brandt had intended to tell her father, but what was done was done.

He was so damned tired of wasting time.

What had happened to his family had reiterated that. He wanted that woman, loved her beyond words, and now he wanted what came next.

He texted her quickly—it was near eleven now. His little early bird was probably long in bed, but he had to check. Brandt wasn't really that keen on letting her out of his sight. Not now.

Not considering what his sister could have lost. He had seen so much pain in Powell's beautiful brown eyes, he would never forget.

He checked on Gunnar and Daniel—both men were sound asleep. As was the woman in the chair next to Daniel's bed. One of Heather's family—they'd volunteered to sit with Daniel so he wouldn't be alone, either. Not that Daniel actually was, but Brandt understood. Heather's family wanted to do something to help somehow.

Brandt stood; he felt so damned restless now. He'd step out—there was a small landing at the end of the fourth-floor hallway that was fully enclosed. It looked out over the city. He'd step out there, breathe, reorient himself, and check on Meyra. Tell her he'd be at least another hour or so and not to wait up for him.

It felt different having her waiting for him. Knowing he had her to go back to.

He stepped into the hall. Gunnar and Daniel were in 403. Heather was down the hall in 412. Her door was open and there was a small light on. He looked in—that woman had everyone terrified now.

There was someone in her room now. Two someones, including a woman who looked like Heather. She was asleep, as well. He looked at the other occupant. ICU had a visitor limit, but Heather's nephew ran the hospital. Her other nephew's father-in-law owned it. They were making exceptions for Heather's family. And Brandt's. Heather had stabilized, and they were letting visitors in again now.

Brandt met eyes as blue as his own.

"What are you still doing here?"

"I told Cara I would come back, do guard duty. I think she's been up for three days straight, Brandt. She needed to rest. She was crying and no one could calm her down. I promised her I would watch over her aunt while she slept and she actually trusted me," Mac said, running a hand over his face. Brandt didn't think his brother had shaved in a few days. "So here I am."

"How is Heather?" For a few tense hours everyone had been afraid she was going to be moved into isolation, but she hadn't.

Mac looked back toward the woman sleeping in the bed, wires and monitors hooked up to her now. "She woke, Brandt. She woke. Recognized me—and told me I was plotting against her and she knew it. She'll make me pay eventually, she promised. I just…read to her until she went back to sleep. She asked about her girls. Nurse said the fever is down, though. Staying down, too."

Brandt nodded. What else could he say? "Have they said anything else?"

"She's responding to the newest antibiotics, which is why they are allowing someone in with her now, but they are saying it could be at least a week until she's out of the woods. If then." Mac stepped out into the hall. Brandt followed.

Brandt headed to the enclosure.

Mac wrapped his hands around the rail and looked out over the city. Brandt just stood at his brother's side. Mac would talk when he was ready to, and not a moment before.

Brandt texted Meyra—to his surprise she replied quickly. He told her he'd be later than intended, and she should sleep. She made him promise to wake her when he made it back to her.

"New girlfriend still awake?"

"Apparently she's worried about me." Brandt stared at the city his own ancestors had helped found, in the hospital that had been built by Barratt hands so long ago. It had started as a four-room log cabin hospital less than two decades after the Civil War. And it had grown from that. Just like the city, the county around them. He had roots here. That mattered. "She shocked the hell out of me. She hates flying, hates leaving Masterson."

"But she cares about you. Hard to miss. I love the way she looks at you." Mac smiled, looking very much like their father in that moment. "I saw that in Wyoming. She was hovering over you and I don't even think she realized it. Everyone else did but the two of you. Gave Powell the giggles, too."

"I love her. I'm going to make it permanent as soon as I can. If nothing else, I realized something lately."

"What?"

"Time…it's too short. I'm not waiting any longer. It's too easy to lose the one you love at any moment. Look at Powell. At Mom and Dad. What could have happened. Just because they lived next door, and a man with a grudge wanted our sister."

"I know."

"I want more. I want everything. I want what we had as kids. More than words can say." Brandt put it into words. Because words mattered.

"You'll be good at it. Probably better than I ever will." Mac's fingers flexed on the rail again. "Heather's little girl asked me how her mommy was when we took Cara home. If she was still really sick or if she was getting better from the icky germs yet. How the hell could I answer that?"

Heather's daughter was three years old. Just an innocent little baby who could never understand this. "I don't know. How can anyone?"

"Boys?" a familiar feminine voice said behind them. Brandt turned. His mother was there, a concerned look on her beautiful face. "I took your sister back to Gunnar. I don't think she's leaving him any more than she has to. McKinley, why are you still here? I told you to go home and rest. You are needed at the firm in the morning."

"I know. But Cara was distraught at leaving her aunt. Alex was panicking and her mother was already exhausted, on her last legs. I told her I'd stay with Heather, as long as Cara slept. I think Cara has been up since the night it happened."

"Poor girl. I am going to peek in at Heather, then make sure your sister is okay before I leave."

"I'm going to drive you." His father was at Houghton's, with round-the-clock medical care, if needed. Houghton had insisted on it. His parents weren't ready to go home yet. "Then I'll head back to Meyra."

"She's wonderful, Brandt. Very kind-hearted and sweet. And it's obvious she cares about you."

"I love her. And as soon as I can, I am going to marry her. Then I'll be the second-favorite child."

"Powell does win favorite child right now. That first grandbaby thing." His mother smiled. For the first time in days, she smiled. Brandt just pulled her close and hugged her. "I'm ready for more grandbabies, you know. Best get to it, soon. Both of you."

"I'm already working toward that. It's Mac you need to get moving," Brandt told her. "I heard Mac and Heather are going to have an epic romance or something. Powell insists on it."

"Never going to happen," Mac said. But to Brandt, it sounded a little weak there. "No matter what Powell wants. Heather and I are mortal enemies. We're plotting against each other, you know. She…she told me so. She woke an hour ago, Mom. For a few minutes. We're mortal enemies. Because she told me we were going to be, and I agreed."

But Mac's voice broke there. Brandt ignored it. He understood.

They walked back to Heather's room—and Mac went right in as if it was where he belonged.

He dropped his mother off at his cousin's and ran in to check on his father. His dad was a confirmed night owl, and was still awake. Of course, he was—he was waiting for his wife like Brandt had known he would be. His parents loved each other completely. Brandt gave him an update, then he was on his way back to the woman where he belonged.

He slipped his key into the door and stepped in.

And there she was. Right on the couch. She looked at him and held out her hand.

To him.

She had been waiting for him. For him .

Brandt would never forget how that felt.