Chapter Two
Fiona
My mobile vibrates in my purse and I pull it out to see Patrick is calling me. I send him to voicemail. I met Patrick when he came into the bakery shortly after I moved back to Belfast. He’s asked me out, but I’ve never been attracted to him. He is cold and worries what everyone thinks. I’m pretty sure he knows about my relation to Mikayla and wants me to introduce him to her. She wouldn’t be interested in him. Not only is he five foot five and she likes tall men, but he’s all about titles and appearances. Mikayla is attracted to men who don’t care that she’s related to the royal family. She hates that people use her because of who she’s related to. Furthermore, she doesn’t like people who are all about status; she doesn’t care about that ever. My phone vibrates again. Obviously, he’s not going to accept me sending him to voicemail.
“Just a moment.” I look at Percy and hold up my phone. I stand and make my way out into the hall. Two men standing nearby stop and watch me. They don’t scare me, but I don’t want to have anyone witness me getting upset. I walk down the hall away from them. My phone stops ringing and starts right back up again. I take a deep breath in through my nose like my roommate Brigid says to do for a cleansing breath. I let it out my mouth, pushing out the bad energy.
“Hello.” I answer the phone, hoping my voice doesn’t tremble with anger.
“Fiona, I’ll be there shortly,” Patrick says, and I hear traffic in the background.
“How do you know where I am?” I pull my phone away from my ear and look at it. I must have raised my voice because I notice movement and turn to see one of the two men walking toward me. His dark hair is longer than the other guy’s and curls around his head in waves. His eyes are so dark they almost look black. Even from this distance I can feel the energy coming off him.
“Fifi, did you hear me?” Patrick yells into the phone and I look at it. I hate that nickname. I’m not a bloody dog.
“I’ve asked you numerous times not to call me that.” The man moves closer to me as I raise my voice again. I walk further down the hall, embarrassed he’s witnessing my argument.
“Stop trying to argue with me. What floor are you on? I watched you on the tele. I’ll be there to comfort you soon.” His words jumble even as he bosses me around. I don’t want him here. I don’t need him. Or want him. He only wants to come because Percy is here.
“I don’t need comfort from you. I’m fine with the people I have here, and Moira will be here if I need her to be.”
“Nonsense. I’m practically your boyfriend. You need me.”
My eyes flare wide. My boyfriend? I look up and find the guy standing a few feet away trying to act like he can’t hear me. I look down, even more embarrassed than before. I can feel the blush hitting my cheeks.
“Patrick, thank you for your concern, but please don’t come here. I’ll call you when I’m allowed to give updates to people.” My voice sounds calmer than I feel. “Need I remind you again that we are just friends? You are not and have never been my boyfriend. Now goodbye.” I hang up the phone frustrated with him. I’ve told him over and over again I’m not interested in him that way. He just doesn’t do it for me. He tells me I don’t know what I want because I’m not smart enough to know and I’m a virgin. I hate that he figured out I’m innocent like that. Besides, he wasn’t even interested in me until he found out who I was related to. Now, he wants to date me. Again, not like I ever was interested in him.
I look up from my phone and see the dark-haired man is even closer to me now. I give him a slight nod and tip up my lips slightly so he doesn’t think I’m afraid of him. I notice people give him a wide berth in the hall as they move past us.
“Some men can’t take no for an answer.” I chuckle in case he heard our argument.
“Be more forceful,” he says, his voice gruff, almost scratchy sounding.
I move back toward the room as Mr. Tiernan makes his way out. We collide in the entrance, and I step back. He reaches out and grasps my arms to keep me from falling.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, sir.” I try to keep the breathless quality out of my voice but something about him sets me off. I want his arms around me again. I want him to kiss me. Maybe I want a man like him to want me. I pull the corner of my bottom lip between my teeth and look up at him through my lashes.
“My fault.” His voice is rough, sending a shiver through my body. My breathing increases. His hands squeeze as he looks down at my lips.
“Family for Griffin,” a sharp voice says, and I’m shaken from the trance I’ve fallen under.
“That’s us.” Percy stands.
I rush over to the OR entrance on the opposite side of the room. Jean George wraps an arm around me, and I try so hard not to compare it to the last man who had his around me. How Jean George’s arm isn’t as strong. How he smells like clean soap and not cigars.
The doctor gives us an update on Mikayla’s injuries. Her collarbone was surgically repaired due to multiple fractures. She also fractured a couple of ribs. Her shoulder is tweaked. And she has what they call road rash but is lucky to be alive.
“We’re moving her to the ICU because of the severe concussion. Only one family member at a time will be allowed with her until we move her to a private room.”
“Thank you very much.” Percy shakes his hand, then pulls me into his arms. I didn’t realize I was crying until the sob breaks free. We are so lucky. She’s lucky.
We return to our seats, and I watch people leave that must be her racing crew. Mr. Tiernan stays but remains across the room. I surreptitiously watch him with my head down through my hair as he makes phone calls and works on his phone.
Finally, a nurse takes us to the ICU floor where there is another waiting room. Percy decides he’s not ready to see her yet. It’s too much and reminds him of when he lost his daughter, Kayla’s mother.
I go first and move through the hall toward her room. The room is dark and filled with equipment that I don’t know what it’s for. My roommate Arianna would know. She’s an ER nurse at Belfast City Hospital. She texted me earlier and offered to come sit with me, but I said I was fine. I don’t want to seem weak to anyone. Now that I’m standing here and see the reality of what happened to Kayla, my heart stops. She was so close to being killed. Carefully, I walk to her right side, the other side is bandaged up. I wrap my fingers around her hand. She and I look so much alike people think we are sisters instead of cousins.
“Please stop hurting yourself like this. I don’t want the next call to be that you’re gone. I wouldn’t be able to live without you. You are the only family I have left. Please, Kayla,” I say softly as tears roll down my face. I choke on the words. “I don’t want to be a disappointment to you too. I love you.” I’ve always heard I’m a disappointment. It’s why people leave me or push me aside. I stand there with her for a few more minutes before returning to the waiting room on rubbery legs.
