A choked chuckle came from the blond. The unexpected and unwarranted sound made Nicole peer at her warily, suddenly worried that she was a patient who had wandered down from the psychiatric department. Was that possible? They wouldn’t just let psychiatric patients wander the hospital, would they?
A startled laugh slipped from the woman now, and she shook her head, “Oh dear, I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself.”
When the woman then held out her hand, Nicole eyed it with trepidation.
“My name is Elaine Colton Notte. I’m Stephano’s mother.”
“You’re Jake’s mother?” Nicole gasped, sitting up and gaping at her. She also finally took note of the woman’s silver-teal eyes. Oh yeah, this was Jake’s mom. It was like his eyes were looking back at her out of the woman’s face. Good Lord, Jake’s mom, she thought. It wasn’t the fact that Elaine Notte looked so young that stunned Nicole. It was her being there at all that had her staring at her, tongue-tied and amazed.
“Yes, dear.” Elaine reached out and patted her hand reassuringly. She might not look older, but she definitely acted like a mother who could be a grandmother if only her children would cooperate. “We headed out as soon as we heard about the car accident. We would have come after the hot-tub incident had anyone bothered to tell us,” she added grimly.
“I’m sorry,” Nicole said at once. “I called Marguerite because Jake made me, but I didn’t know your number, or I would have—”
“Oh, my dear, please, I wasn’t blaming you,” Mrs. Notte interrupted quickly, patting her hand again. “I meant my son Neil. He knew and should have called, but didn’t.”
“And I shall be in the dog house for at least a century for that,” a voice said from the door and Nicole glanced over to see two men entering. Both had short jet-black hair, and very Italian features. Both also looked to be in their mid- to late twenties, wore what she guessed were designer suits, and had amazing silver-black eyes. She was guessing the one who had spoken was Neil, but hadn’t a clue who the other man was. Jake’s stepfather maybe?
“Yes, this is my husband, Roberto Conti Notte,” Elaine said proudly, reminding Nicole that these people could read her mind. Turning to Neil, she added in a grim voice, “And yes you will be in the doghouse for a very long time. I should have known if your brother was in trouble.”
“Oh, come on, Mom,” Neil chided, walking up behind her chair and squeezing her shoulder. “I didn’t want to worry you. Besides, you’re really just annoyed that you didn’t know about Nicole until after everyone else did.”
Elaine scowled at him. “I should have known about that right away too.”
Bending, he kissed her cheek. “How about I promise you’ll be the first one I call when I meet my life mate?”
“I should be anyway,” she muttered, glowering over her shoulder at him.
“Don’t worry, son,” the man who was apparently Jake’s stepfather said with amusement. “It won’t take your mama a century to get over this. You know how soft a heart she has. A decade at most and she’ll stop bringing it up and glaring at you.”
“I won’t,” Elaine assured them. “This upset me very much.”
Nicole watched this all wide-eyed, wondering where on earth Jake was. It seemed like his whole family was here, but him . . . and why was his whole family here? In her hospital room? When he wasn’t?
Elaine turned apologetically to Nicole. “I’m so sorry, dear. Of course you are wondering where your Jake is.” She smiled at her widely as if Nicole’s wondering was to be expected and something to be celebrated. “I should have told you at once. I insisted Tomasso and Dante take Jake home to shower and change. His shirt had blood all over it and his borrowed jogging pants kept falling down.” She wrinkled her nose and added, “He was beginning to smell a bit rank too.”
“Oh,” Nicole said weakly, kicking herself for forgetting about the mind reading. Sheesh, she needed to keep that in mind and—Oh good Lord, hadn’t she been thinking something about Jake’s fine butt earlier?
“Yes, but it’s okay,” Elaine assured her. “Stephano does have a fine behind. He got that from his father. A good man with a fine mind and an even finer ass.”
“Oh God,” Nicole breathed weakly.
“Mother!” Neil protested.
“What?” Elaine glanced at her son, her nose in the air. “I’ve heard much worse from your thoughts over time. Besides, your father already knows about Stephano’s father. He loved his first wife as much as I loved my first husband. He understands.”