“Is this about Walter?” Jane asked, sighing as she tucked her hands in her pants pockets.
“No. I know how Walter feels. He’s sort of made that a matter of public record now,” Brenner said, laughing at Jane’s chin dropping to her chest. It didn’t surprise him that she found the media attention embarrassing. “Is Falls Church’s newest cougar interested back?”
“You just had to go there, didn’t you?” Jane asked.
“Walter’s a nice guy, but I’d date you in a flat minute if you’d let me. I like your style,” Brenner said.
“My style? Would that be the style I used when I let a younger man’s infatuation make me hide in my house every day? Or the one where I’m contemplating leaving town to escape my lack of ability to say no to him?” Jane asked.
Brenner laughed. “Well, despite the weaving analogies, I guess that answers my question. You’re in love with Walter. You’re just feeling guilty about it because he’s so young.”
Jane shook her head. “No. I’m having a mid-life crisis and Walter is caught in the middle of it. I’m finding it’s not healthy for either of us.”
Brenner’s laughter rang out louder. “He adores you, Jane. Damn it, I wish that wasn’t the case, but it is. Be as smart about this as you are about everything else. Give the guy a real chance. I’m moving on now and asking my accountant out to dinner.”
Jane ran a hand through her hair. “Good for you. Now are we done with the personal questions?”
Brenner nodded, his grin still in place. “Yes.”
“Good,” Jane said, taking a piece of paper out of her pocket. “If there is anything you need signed off on during the next two weeks, send it here. I’d appreciate it if you’d send it to me first, and then to Walter after I return it to you.”
Brenner took the paper. “Why aren’t you giving this information directly to Walter? My contract is with him and North Winds.”
Jane took a deep breath. “Because I don’t intend to tell Walter where I’m going. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t say anything either.”
“Oh, I thought you were joking about leaving town,” Brenner said, nodding at her serious expression. “Well of course. I didn’t realize the situation was like this. Jane? Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “I just. . .I would appreciate your discretion in this matter, Brenner.”
***
“This is not like you. Why are running away?” Eli asked. “Did Walter do something bad to you that you’re not telling us about?”
“No. Stop being a drama queen. This is not New York. This is Falls Church. And I am not running away, Elijah. I’m driving to Cape Cod and looking at a bed and breakfast that I might turn into a project,” Jane said. “It’s not forever. I’ll be back in two weeks. If I decide to move there permanently, I’ll give you and Dad plenty of notice.”
“The media is following you around and taking pictures. If you leave right now, they’re going to give Walter hell over it. They’re going to interpret that as a big fat no from you to his proposal,” Eli warned.
“I’m sure Walter can handle the press and their assumptions. He’s had a lot practice recently with all the crazy calendar women. I need some time alone and this is business anyway,” Jane said.
“Time alone? For what? All you’ve done is hide in your room every day for two weeks now. If you don’t want Graham in your life, tell him. He won’t get past me here. You can take out a restraining order if he’s too persistent,” Eli said.
Jane snorted. “Walter is not my problem. He would never. . .I’m not getting into this with you, Eli. What happens between Walter and me is no one’s business but ours. Just take care of the house while I’m gone.”
She poured the coffee she found she couldn’t drink down the sink.
Grabbing a glass, she went to the refrigerator for ice and water.
“Coffee bad? I made it like yesterday morning. You drank half the pot then. What gives?” Eli asked.
“What is this, Elijah? Playing twenty questions before breakfast is not making you my favorite person today. So stop harassing me.”
“Do you love him, Janey? Is that what this hasty exodus is about?” Eli demanded.
“Exodus? Now you’re just making me laugh,” Jane said. She rolled her eyes before sitting down at her table to stare at her brother. Maybe in a previous life he was part of the Spanish Inquisition.
Eli walked to the table, sat next to his sister, and put his hand over hers. “You’re not alone, Janey. I’m here. Dad’s here. That giant blond muscle guy would be here if you’d let him be.”
“Would you want to seriously date a twenty year old?” Jane asked.
“Sleep with or date?” Eli asked back, laughing when she started to pull her hand away. “I’m sorry. I’m teasing. No I wouldn’t. I’ve seen too much of life. I’d be bored in two days.”
“Well, Walter doesn’t bore me. And he doesn’t talk about petty things. We share similar minds, that’s one side of it. On the other, he looks like he looks and it’s obvious that we don’t match in any other way. I pretended to be his mother at the hospital and everyone believed me,” she said.
“What are you saying, Jane? You’re passing up Walter because you’re afraid of what others are going to think?”
“No. I’m saying my husband got tired of me and that hurt my ego. But I won’t survive Walter getting tired of me. You just have to take my word for that. I’m trying to keep my distance and minimize the heartache.”
Eli tightened his grip. “Nathan Waterfield was a real ass, Janey, just a user of women. Some men are like that. There were eleven untouched drinks on the table when I found Walter Graham in a bar. I don’t think he’s the same kind of man.”
“Most men are at least a little like that, Eli. Even you just made a joke about sleeping with a twenty year old when I asked. What Walter feels for me will change one day. He’s almost a decade younger than you,” Jane said. “The math is never, ever going to change. It’s just going to get worse.”
“Things can go wrong for a variety of reasons. The woman you caught with Waterfield was Shira. She told me, but I didn’t know how to tell you. So I took the worst assignment I’ve ever had and left for a while. But now here I am telling you the truth anyway. Your problems don’t go away just because you do,” Eli exclaimed. “And I’m sorry for teasing. I haven’t been with anyone serious since her. I just. . .I focused on my work. I guess just like you did until Graham came along.”
“Shira? No. Oh no. That’s sickening. I’m sorry, Eli. I’m really sorry. Nathan was such a sleaze,” Jane said. “How did we pick such awful partners?”
Eli shook his head. “Who knows? Her confession is old news and no longer relevant to me. I wish you felt the same way.”
“Well, you can stop being concerned about any lingering issues I might have. Tell Dad too. Maybe he’ll believe you even if not me. Honestly, Walter made me forget all about Nathan. That happened the first time,” Jane said.
Eli nodded and squeezed her hand again. “Good. So what’s the deal now?”
“Sorry to interrupt your vicarious healing of your love life by fixing mine, but I have a more pressing problem than Walter’s infatuation with me,” Jane said softly. “Maybe we’ll talk about it when I get back.”
“Are you in financial trouble? No, I know better than that. Are you sick?” Eli asked, hoping it wasn’t true.
“Only in my head,” Jane said, pulling her hand from her brother’s. “I made a mistake, one way bigger than just liking Walter Graham more than was sensible.”
“What kind of mistake?” Eli asked.
But Jane shook her head. “The kind I have to fix for myself. Now stop asking me so many questions. I don’t have any answers. That’s why I need these two weeks away.”
***
Jane was dragging her suitcase to the front door when she heard Eli answer her phone.
“That was your doctor’s office,” Eli said. “The hospital called them when your new phone number came up in their system. They’ve been trying to reach you since last night, but were only allowed to call your old number. Honey, they said Walter Graham is in the hospital and asking for you.”
“Walter?” The suitcase handle clattered to the floor. “Was he in another fire accident?” Her hand went to her chest trying to hold her too rapidly beating heart inside.
Eli shook his head. “No. They said it was his heart. He’s been giving the entire hospital staff grief over you not showing up yet.”
“Drive me to the hospital, Eli. Why didn’t Dad call me?” she demanded.
“Who has your new number? I don’t even know what it is. You’ve not been very forthcoming with personal info lately,” Eli said.
“What about yours? Oh, that’s right. Damn it, you’re buying a new phone today. I don’t want to hear another word about waiting. He could have called you. Someone could have come by the house,” Jane said, climbing into her passenger seat.
Eli nodded. It was not a time to argue. “Janey, what’s going to happen if. . .”
“Shut up, Eli. Just shut up and drive,” Jane said. “I can’t think about it.”
He barely stopped the car in front the ER entrance before Jane went running in.
***
At the information desk, Jane glared at the woman. “My name is Jane Fox. Walter Graham is asking for me. Which room is he in?”
“He’s in ICU recovery. But you can’t. . .”
Jane didn’t stop to listen to the lecture. It wasn’t going to change anything. She had to get to Walter and to tell him what she hadn’t had the courage to say yet.
She buzzed and got through the doors warning away most incomers. Rounding the hallway, she stopped when she saw the ‘Graham’ name label by a door. Putting a hand out to brace her weight on the wall beside it, she dropped her head for a moment, praying for strength.
“Jane?”
She raised her head and looked into Walter’s concerned gaze. He looked awful. But he looked alive. And not a bit sick.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“Thank God someone finally got hold of you. Harrison has been asking for you since I brought him in here. They’re running heart tests, but I think. . .Jane? What’s wrong? You went completely pale,” Walter said, grabbing both her arms.
“Walter? Is that you?” It was Harrison calling from inside.
“Go take care of him. I’ll wait. . .I’ll be in the waiting area,” Jane said, trying to assimilate the fact that her overwhelming panic had been for the wrong man.
“You look like you need to sit down,” Walter said, wincing when Harrison called out again. “Okay. I’ll be out to see you in a few. They only let two people come in at a time. I’ll tell him you’re here. Maybe that will calm him down.”
Jane nodded and watched Walter slip into the dim room. The sounds of beeping machines and equipment set her heart thumping hard again. You couldn’t hear yourself thinking over them.
She’d believed it had been Walter. It hadn’t occurred to her to question the name. This time she had skipped worry and gone straight to panic at the thought of Walter possibly dying. Just how badly had she been fooling herself about her feelings?
She was going to have to tell him—both that she loved him and that she was expecting his baby. If he moved on to another woman eventually, she’d deal with it. Watching him be so steadfast in his caring for his grandfather, she doubted Walter would ever disappoint his own child.
When Harrison was out of danger, she would take Walter aside and tell him, no matter how scared she was about his reaction.
Decision made, Jane pushed off the wall, walking until she pushed through the double door barrier that she’d blasted through only moments ago.
Then suddenly it felt like her legs just couldn’t hold her up. She slid boneless into a heap on the floor.
The last thing she saw were Lydia’s concerned eyes peering down into hers.
Dr. Bensara watched Jane slip into sleep before she left the hospital room. The headache from fainting had subsided with the mild pain killer, but the trauma of her fall needed rest to get over. Luckily there had been no head wound or concussion. She had been told that a friend had mostly caught Jane as she started to fall.
She slipped out of the door and found herself surrounded by a crowd and unable to escape. “Oh, hello. Who are Jane’s family in this group?”
“All of us,” Morrie said. “I’m her father. Is Jane okay? We knew she was close to Harrison, but didn’t realize his illness would have such a profound effect on her.”
“Well, actually. . .” Dr. Bensara looked around, her eyes zeroing in on the thirty-something man in the group. “Are you the man Jane’s been dating?”
“No. I’m her brother. Why?” Eli asked, his instincts singing as the doctor put her best professional smile back in place.
“I just thought he might be here. She’s talked about him a lot recently,” she said carefully.
“Walter is with his grandfather. He’s in ICU recovering from a possible heart attack. We’re waiting on results. The boy adores the man and won’t leave his side,” Lydia explained.
“Oh. . .well. . .are any of Walter’s family here to check on Jane for him?” she asked.
All eyes turned to the two new members who had joined them while they had waited to find out how Jane was.
“Yes. I’m Walter’s father,” Leland said, stepping forward as the crowd parted for him. “This is his mother.”
“Are you aware of the depth of Walter’s involvement with Jane?” Dr. Bensara asked.
Before April could demand immediate answers, Leland gripped her hand in warning. “Of course,” he said. “Walter loves her. That’s no secret to any of us.”
“Leland, I want to see her. . .not talk to the doctor,” April exclaimed.
“All in good time,” he said firmly, dragging his wife behind him.
“Mr. Fox, if you and your wife will follow us too, we’ll all just step down the hall to somewhere a bit more private to discuss Jane’s condition,” Dr. Bensara said.
Morrie turned. “Eli, stay with Jane.”
“Sure,” Eli said, pushing open the door and going into the room where his sister was sleeping. He didn’t need to talk to the doctor anyway. His journalist mind could connect the dots.
Multiple doctor visits and now a fainting spell.
Jane’s sudden aversion to the coffee she loved.
Plus, the whole running away thing to give her some space, something his kick-butt sister had never done in her life when faced with any problem.