More Than a Convenient Bride(25)

"It's lonely. Tommy sleeps most of the time, and no one else around here talks to me unless they have to."

Not only did she look exhausted, but she'd lost weight, meaning she  probably wasn't eating properly. The last time they had lunch she'd only  picked at her food. "Have you been sleeping?"

"As much as I can. The nurses come in at all hours of the night to  check on Tommy and I'm a light sleeper, so they inevitably wake me up.  I'm only able to catch an hour or two here and there. I could swear that  sometimes they do it just to mess with me."

"You need some uninterrupted sleep," Julie told her. "In a real bed."

"I can't leave the hospital. I don't want Tommy to wake up alone."

"You're no good to Tommy if you don't take care of yourself."

Her expression said that she knew Julie was right.

"Are you working today?" Amelia asked her.

"Nope, I'm meeting Luc for lunch."

"Speak of the devil," Amelia said, looking past her to the door. Julie turned to find Luc entering the room.

"Am I late?" she asked with a smile, but he didn't smile back. Now what?

"I have the results of the blood test from this morning," he told  Amelia in his "doctor" tone, and the grim look he wore made Julie's  heart drop.

Amelia must have sensed that something was amiss, that it wasn't just  Luc being his usual bitter self, because her face paled a shade and she  asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Tommy's white count is up," he said.

"What does that mean?"

"It could mean that he has an infection somewhere."

"Which means what exactly?" Amelia asked him, and Julie could see that  she was struggling to hold it together, to be strong for her son.

There was genuine compassion in Luc's tone when he said, "If it remains elevated we may have to postpone the surgery."

The devastation on Amelia's face made Julie's heart hurt for her. "How long?" she asked.

"It's hard to say until we know what we're dealing with. Days, a week. Maybe longer."

Amelia looked so pale and distraught Julie worried she might lose  consciousness. Julie wasn't a hugger by nature, but she felt compelled  to do something to ease her pain, and Amelia readily accepted her  embrace.

"I'm so sorry," Julie said. "I know this is frustrating, but I'm sure he'll be better in no time."

Amelia clung to her for several seconds, then let go and blinked away  the tears that hovered just inside her eyelids. She took a deep breath,  pulled herself up by her bootstraps, lifted her chin and asked Luc,  "What's our next move?"

"I'm going to start him on a round of broad spectrum antibiotics, and do more tests. See if we can pinpoint the problem."

"You think that will take care of it?"

He hesitated, then said, "I'm cautiously optimistic. But if you would like to get a second opinion-"

"No," she said firmly, shaking her head. "If I didn't trust your judgment we wouldn't be here. Do what you think is best."

A look passed between Luc and Amelia, and they both smiled. Was he finally coming around?

Julie felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. For a few  seconds anyway, before she felt a sudden and intense twinge of  something unpleasant.

It was envy, she realized. She wanted the two of them to bury the hatchet, so why would she feel jealous?                       
       
           



       

Jules, you're being ridiculous.

She shoved the feeling deep down where it belonged.

"I'll stop by later this afternoon to check on Tommy," Luc told Amelia, and she flashed him a grateful, if not exhausted smile.

Amelia needed sleep. Badly.

"Can I see you alone for a minute?" Julie asked Luc, nodding toward the  door, and he followed her into the hall. "Let's go down by the nurses'  station."

When they were far enough away that Amelia wouldn't hear them, Julie  turned to him. "In light of what just happened in there, I have a favor  to ask."

He looked confused. "Something happened?"

"You and Amelia had a moment."

"We did? When?"

"Just a minute ago. You smiled at each other."

"I smile at a lot of people."

Now he was just being difficult. "There was a connection. Don't deny it."

He shrugged and said, "If you say so."

Did he seriously not see it?

"You mentioned a favor," he said, wiggling his brows at her. "Your office or mine?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "Not that kind of favor. I was hoping you  could maybe say something to the nurses about the way they've been  treating Amelia. I would, but I feel as if it's not my place to tell  them how to do their jobs. But if you say something-"

"I'll talk to everyone," he said.

One less thing to worry about. "Thank you."

"We should get down to the cafeteria," Luc said.

"About lunch..." She looked from her watch to Tommy's room.

"Go," he said with a grin. "Amelia needs you. We'll have lunch another day."

"You're sure? Thanks for understanding."

He reached up and touched her cheek. "I hope Amelia realizes how lucky she is to have you as a friend."

Julie knew that she did. "How late are you working?"

Luc looked at his watch. "I should be home for dinner."

She pushed up on her toes to kiss him goodbye, aiming for his cheek,  but Luc had other ideas. He cupped the back of her head and pulled her  close, slanting his mouth over hers, and then kissed her in clear view  of everyone at the nurses' station. And not a hospital hallway sort of  kiss. This was a bona fide, just-wait-until-I get-you-home kiss.

Public displays of affection usually made her uncomfortable, but she  could feel herself melting against him as he drew her closer. Until  someone at the nurses' station wolf-whistled.

She pulled away and grinned up at him, her cheeks warm and her blood  pumping. "That was nice. A little inappropriate considering where we  are, but still nice."

"You're my wife. I can kiss you however and wherever I want."

"Is that how it works?"

"Damn straight." His eyes locked on hers, and the look he gave her was  so supercharged with desire her heart skipped a beat. He was playing a  role, that's all. They both were. But something in his eyes said he may  have forgotten that.

"But I'm not really your wife," she reminded him.

He took her hand, grazing his thumb over her wedding band. "As long as  this ring is on your finger, you're my wife. In every sense of the  word."

He looked so serious, as if he really meant it, which was as confusing  as it was terrifying. And yes, maybe a little exciting, too. Not to  mention totally unrealistic. "Aren't we a little far into the game to be  changing the rules."

"Maybe I don't like the rules anymore."

Her heart jerked violently, and then raced ahead double time. What the  heck was he trying to say? Did this have something to do with her  decision to sleep in his bed last night? Was she unknowingly leading him  on? That had certainly never been her intention.

She took a step back and he let go of her hand. "I'd better go."

"Eventually we'll have to talk about this."

No they wouldn't, because they had already talked about it. It was a  done deal. His friendship meant too much to her to risk losing over a  misguided sexual relationship. Even if it was really fantastic sex.  "I'll see you later."

Looking resigned, he said, "See you later."

She could feel his eyes boring into her back as she walked to Amelia's  room, but she was too chicken to turn around and face him. She was  terrified of what she might see. Maybe it would be wise to put a little  distance between them. Perhaps Luc was becoming a little too comfortable  with the physical aspect of their relationship.                       
       
           



       

Amelia stood next to her son's window, gazing blindly out the window, looking distraught.

"Everything will be okay," Julie said.

Amelia turned to her. "Deep down, I know that."

Amelia would feel so much better if she could get some uninterrupted  sleep, and was able to take a long hot shower. Or better yet, soak in a  hot bath with essence of lavender and lots of bubbles. Which Julie just  so happened to have at her condo...

Before she could talk herself out of it, Julie pulled her key ring out  and unhooked the key for her condo. She crossed the room and handed it  to a confused Amelia.

"What is this for?" she asked Julie.

"My condo. I want you to use it as a home base while you're here in Royal."

She looked warily at her sleeping son. "You know how I feel about leaving the hospital. What if Tommy wakes up..."

"He'll be fine. The nurses will take good care of him."