Catch 'n' Kiss (Are You Game?) (27 page)

“No. I guess not.” West grabbed the second crate of drinks while Dan picked up the cooler. “But look on the bright side.”

“There’s a bright side?” Dan arched an eyebrow.

“Hell yes. You’re gonna be a dad.”

Dan grinned. “Yeah, that is definitely one of the highlights of this whole thing.”

“One of?”

“Being connected to Jody for the rest of my life is another. And Leigh and Amy. They’re a bright spot in all this.”

“I can’t believe they haven’t worked out their mother is having a baby.”

Dan frowned when he remembered the conversation he’d had with Leigh yesterday. “I think Leigh is suspicious, but she hasn’t outright asked me or her mother yet. She’s a smart kid. I think she’s biding her time. I just hope Jody’s the one she asks and not me. I won’t lie to her if she asks me directly if her mother is pregnant.”

“I’ll cross my fingers for you.”

They loaded the rest of the food and beverages without further conversation, and Dan was soon moving through the congested streets of Sydney’s CBD. He parked in the loading zone outside the office building where Maggie was running today’s corporate event. She met him in the lobby with a couple of guys she’d roped into helping and Dan didn’t even have to leave street level to deliver lunch, which meant he was back on the road and heading for Jody’s with plenty of time to spare before his job this afternoon.

He glanced at the dashboard clock and figured they wouldn’t have had lunch yet. Dan pulled over and reached for his phone. He’d give Jody a call and see if she was okay with him picking up something. Leigh answered on the fifth ring. “Hey, Leigh, where’s your mum?”

“Outside in the garden with Amy. They’re trying to grow herbs or something.” Dan could image her rolling her eyes.

Dan smiled. They’d picked up the seeds and pots for Amy’s herb garden last weekend and he was happy to know Jody was up to helping her daughter plant the seeds. “Okay, tell her I’m on my way through from one job to another and I’ll drop off some chicken and salads for lunch. Sound good?”

“Yes. I was just looking at the fridge thinking we need to go shopping again.”

“We can do that tomorrow. Do me a favour and write a list for me.”

“Sure. See you soon.”

Dan hung up then pulled back into traffic. He’d stop at the little shopping centre near his place for the charcoal chicken. The place near Jody’s wasn’t nearly as nice and often didn’t have a good selection of salads on hand. Distracted by his thoughts, Dan didn’t see the truck speed through the red light until it was too late. Squealing tires and shattering glass filled the air just before the airbag exploded in his face and everything went black.

Jody fumed as she paced the kitchen. She should have known she couldn’t trust him. Except he’d been so attentive in the two months since she’d been admitted to hospital that she’d softened. He’d been so good with her and the girls that she’d looked forward to his visits—to his care. Still, she should have known better than to get sucked in by his kindness. Dan couldn’t be trusted any more than Colin could.

It had been three hours since he’d called Leigh and told her he was bringing lunch, and he wasn’t answering his phone so Jody couldn’t even give him a piece of her mind. The doorbell rang and she hoped it was him with some flimsy excuse so she could slam the door in his face without a word. She stormed down the hallway and flung the door open to find Luc and Cassie on her doorstep.

“Oh, hey, I wasn’t expecting you guys.” Jody moved out of the way to let them in. “Come in.”

“Thanks, but I can’t stay, I’m just dropping Luc off,” Cassie said.

“Huh?” Confused, Jody studied them more closely and the look on Luc’s face registered. Narrowing her eyes as she moved in front of her brother she said, “What’s going on?”

“Let’s go sit down.”

“No.” Jody knew this wasn’t going to be good. “Whatever it is, just tell me.”

“Jody.”

“Don’t you Jody me. Tell me, Lucas. Now.” She crossed her arms and barred the entry. Not that she’d be a barrier to him if he really wanted to get in.

“It’s about Dan.”

Jody held up her hand. “I don’t want to even hear his name. He’s proven I was right and shouldn’t have trusted him.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Luc asked as he pushed his way into the house, Cassie following behind.

“I thought you were just dropping him off?” Jody looked at Cassie.

“I was, but I don’t think I want to miss this. Why are you mad with Dan now?”

“Mad? I’m not mad, I’m furious. He comes here and takes over, does things, looks after us and makes it easy for us to rely on him—to care about him. Then he just doesn’t show up. Says he will but doesn’t. And he’s not answering his damn phone or I’d tell him to never step foot in my house again.” Jody couldn’t believe how angry she was. She’d never gotten this upset when Colin let her down. Never felt this gut-deep burn of rage.

“Jody.” Luc grabbed her shoulders and held her still. “Dan’s been in an accident.”

Cold settled over her. It started at her head and sank lower as though she was diving into a pool of liquid nitrogen headfirst in slow motion until every inch of her between scalp and toenails was frozen solid. “Accident?”

Luc nodded. “He was hit by a truck.”

Bile rose in her throat. “Oh God.” Jody slapped a hand over her mouth and ran for the bathroom.

The cheese toast she’d eaten not thirty minutes ago hit the toilet bowl as Cassie slipped into the bathroom behind her.

“Go away.”

“Not on your life, Jody.”

Water ran then Cassie was pressing a wet towel to Jody’s forehead and pushing her hair off her face. She wanted to push Cassie away but the cool cloth felt wonderful against her hot, sweaty face. “How bad?” Jody got the question out around another wave of heaving.

“He’s okay. Wait until your stomach settles and then we’ll talk.”

Jody cried then. Big fat horrible body-jerking sobs. Cassie waited through a few before wrapping an arm around her waist. “C’mon, I think you’ve finished being sick. Luc!”

“No.” Too late. Jody found herself being lifted against her brother’s chest.

He carried her out to the lounge room where the girls were waiting, huddled together on the couch. “Leigh, can you go grab your mum a glass of water, please?” Luc asked as he sat down with Jody in his lap.

“Is Dan going to be okay?” Amy asked.

“Yes, sweetie. He’s got a concussion, a couple of bruised ribs and some minor cuts, but other than that he’s fine,” Cassie explained.

“Fine? That doesn’t sound fine.” Jody pushed out of Luc’s arms. “Let me go. I have to go see him.”

“Hang on.” Luc held her tight. “I’ll drive you to him in a minute, but first calm down.”

“I don’t want to calm down until I see for myself that he’s okay.” She yanked out of her brother’s hold and headed for the kitchen and her car keys.

“Jody.” Cassie stepped in her way. “Wait.”

“Why?”

“Because you need to think about this.”

“Think about what? Dan’s hurt and I need to go to him.”

“Why?”

Why?
“Because he’s hurt, that’s why.”

“And?”

“And? And? And I have to see he’s okay.” Why was Cassie trying to stop her? Jody had no clue what her boss was getting at and really didn’t care. She brushed past her and ran to the kitchen.

“Stop!” When Jody turned around Luc stood in the doorway. “Why are you racing off to a man you were angry at only minutes ago?”

“Angry?” Why was she mad at Dan? “I don’t know what…” But she did know what Luc was talking about. Dan hadn’t shown up with lunch and she’d put him right in the untrustworthy box beside Colin. Jody hung her head forward on a groan.

Luc’s shoes came into view just as he tipped her chin up with his hand. “Why are you racing off to check on Dan?”

Jody met his gaze and her eyes blurred. She’d been an emotional wreck the last few weeks because of the pregnancy hormones, so the urge to cry didn’t surprise her, it was the reason she wanted to cry that did. Oh God. She was in love with Dan. Even with all the barriers she’d thrown up, with all the lectures and reminders of what had happened last time she’d agreed to be with the father of her unplanned baby, she’d still opened herself up in a way that could tear her apart if it went wrong. It would destroy her if Dan walked away.

Luc pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest. “Let it out, Budgie.”

The childhood nickname worked like a switch. She cried into Luc’s shirt until her eyes were dry and her throat sore. And still she stayed in the safety of his arms for a few more minutes. Pulling away, she snagged a handful of tissues from the box on the kitchen counter and dried her face. “What am I going to do now?”

“I’m thinking that was meant as a rhetorical question, but I’m going to answer it anyway.” Luc turned her around to face him. “Marry him.”

“What?” Jody’s mouth dropped open.

“He’s the best damn thing to happen to you in forever, Jody. Even mad at him and fighting, you’re the happiest I’ve seen you in years. And the girls are thriving. If you’re not ready for marriage then at least let the guy in here.” Luc tapped her chest. “Try to make it work because it’s obvious to everyone but you that you’re in love with each other.”

“What?” Jody couldn’t get over the fact her brother was telling her to get married this time. “But last time this happened you tried to talk me out of getting married.”

“Because Colin was and is a loser who never deserved you.”

“Oh.”

“I know you’re still carrying the scars from your first marriage. And I know the idea of going through that again terrifies you. But, Jody, this is Dan. You said it yourself earlier. He’s been here every day. He’s taken care of you and the girls, and if you’re honest you’ll admit he was doing it before you found out you were pregnant.”

Jody nodded. Luc was right. Dan had been there for her when Colin had shown up all enraged about her and the girls moving on with their lives. She closed her eyes and sighed. She’d been so wrong to expect Dan to behave the same as Colin. To watch for every little sign that he would treat her badly. Her fear of being hurt again had blinded her to the good man Dan was, and she’d be lucky if he forgave her for the slight she’d shown him.

She opened her eyes and stared at her brother. “Take me to see him.”

Luc smiled. “That’s my girl.”

“Is he really okay?”

“Yes. The airbag knocked him out for a few seconds and he’s got bruises from the seatbelt and steering wheel, a couple of minor scratches from flying glass. Nothing major at all,” Luc reassured her.

“Why didn’t he ring me?” Did Dan think she wouldn’t want to know he was hurt?

“His phone is trashed. A bystander called Are You Game? to let them know the van had been in an accident, which is how Cassie found out. She rang me because she thought you’d want to hear it from me in person instead of over the phone.”

Jody smiled. “Thank you, for that and putting up with the crazy pregnant woman.”

“Hey, it’s easy when you’re crazy all the time.” Luc grinned and ducked out of the way of Jody’s fist.

“Smartarse.” She poked her tongue out. Turning around, she located her handbag on the counter and grabbed the handles. “Can we go now?”

“Sure. But you might want to put some clothes on.”

Jody glanced down at her pyjamas and groaned. Not only had she not dressed this morning, but her top and pants were smeared with dirt from when she’d helped Amy pot her herb seeds earlier. “Give me five minutes to change.”

“Don’t rush. I’ll get the girls ready to go while you change.” Luc called after her as she made a dash for her bedroom.

Jody made it back to the living room in three and a half minutes to find Luc waiting for her. “Where’s Cassie and the girls?” she asked as she slipped her feet into her sneakers.

“Cassie took them to work with her. She said she’s giving them a crash course in event management.”

Jody’s gaze darted up to meet Luc’s. “What?”

“I’m kidding. I think she’s making a cake or something for tomorrow’s baby shower. She said the girls can hang with her until you find out if Dan has to stay in overnight or not.”

She sucked in a breath. “You said he was okay.”

“Relax.” Luc placed his hand on her back and steered her towards the front door. “It’s just a concussion. You know how careful they like to be with head injuries no matter how minor.”

As far as Jody was concerned, no head injury was minor. A ball of lead sat on her chest and her tummy started churning. God, she hoped she didn’t throw up again. She was getting tired of living in the bathroom with her head in the toilet. Mind you, she’d rather be making a dash to the loo instead of one to the hospital.

Chapter Twenty-One

Dan sat up in bed and cursed the idiot who’d phoned his mother. “I’m fine, Ma.” Then he cursed himself for still having her listed as his emergency contact.

“You don’t look fine.” She leaned over and poked at the bandage near his temple.