Pulling out the nearest chair, he sat her down and took the seat next to her. Except for them, the marquee was empty. “What do you mean? What’s happened to your sister?”
“Brian took her to the hospital this morning.” She caught her breath, her eyes growing round and distraught. “You see, she’s pregnant, and she started bleeding a few hours ago. She might be—” She caught her lower lip between her teeth. “There’s a chance she might lose the baby.”
He gaped at her, his gut snarling into a knot. “Ally, I—”
“So I delivered the flowers for them, but I wasn’t concentrating, and I damaged the big centerpiece, the one that’s meant to go on the main table.” She let out a deep groan. “I raced back to the store to fix it, but I’m not as good as Jess, and I couldn’t concentrate, and…well, I made a real mess of it.” She thunked the heel of her palm against her temple. “I’ve let down Jess and Brian.”
“No, you haven’t. For God’s sakes, you’ve done more than enough delivering the flowers, and Crystal’s making a fuss over nothing. No one but she and Paige will even notice the damn things.”
“Maybe.” Ally shivered and rubbed her forearms. “To tell you the truth, I don’t care about the flowers. I don’t care about anything right now except Jess. Brian rang an hour ago to tell me she was still under observation, but nothing since. I’m—I’m kinda going crazy imagining the worst.”
Christ, what a day she was having, delivering flowers to her ex-fiancé’s wedding while her sister was rushed to the hospital, her worries exacerbated by the memory of her own miscarriage. His arms went around her instinctively; he couldn’t help himself. He needed to hold her as much as she so obviously needed support, and when she rested her head on his chest, it felt right.
She let out a sigh as her body relaxed against his. “I should take the van back,” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt. “And then I should go to Jess’s place and help my nana with the twins. She’s been looking after them since last night. She’ll be exhausted and worried.” Ally hesitated before adding, “And she…doesn’t know I went through the same thing.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“What?” She lifted startled eyes to him. “But you can’t do that. You have to stay here for the wedding.”
Did he? Seth had specifically asked him to attend, had said he needed Nate’s presence to bolster him. But Ally needed him more. One glance at her dark, anxious eyes told him that. She was holding herself together, but she didn’t have to endure this ordeal on her own.
“Go to your van and wait for me.” He stood and helped her to her feet. “I’ll explain it to Seth. It won’t take me long.” He left the marquee and quickly made his way back into the house. Seth was pacing the floor in the billiard room while his best man toyed with the billiard balls.
“Not long to go now.” Seth glanced up as Nate entered. “See? I’ve made it this time.”
With an effort, Nate kept his irritation in check. “Look, I just came by to tell you something’s come up. It’s an emergency. I won’t be able to stay for the ceremony.”
“What emergency?”
There was no way Nate was going to tell Seth what had just happened in the marquee. He drew closer and lowered his voice. “Do you really need me at this wedding? You’re here, Paige is here, your best man is here. You don’t need me. You don’t need anyone except Paige and the minister.”
“You’re bailing on me? At the last minute? Man, that really blows.”
Oh yeah? Well, now you know what it feels like. The retort rose temptingly to Nate’s lips. Seth was so wrapped up in himself he couldn’t even recognize the irony of the situation. Couldn’t even appreciate that at least Nate was telling him in person instead of just quitting the wedding. Over the years Seth had matured, but in many ways he was still just a selfish little boy. Maybe marrying Paige would make a man out of him.
Nate lifted his hand. “Good luck with the wedding. Don’t get too drunk.”
Ignoring the gaping stares from Seth and his best man, Nate turned on his heel and strode off.
…
Ally cast an apprehensive glance at Nate as they pulled up outside Jess’s house. Nate had followed her back to the florist shop, where she’d returned the van, and then they’d driven to Jess’s place in his pickup. In his formal pearl-gray suit with matching silk tie and polished shoes, he made her feel sloppy, what with her green-stained T-shirt, work-worn sneakers, and grubby hands, but she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather have with her right at this moment.
“I have to warn you about my grandmother,” she said when he’d switched off the engine. “She’s never approved of you, so she might be a little cool.”
“I’m used to that. My neighbor, Mrs. Bennett, is quite the charmer herself.”
As she’d predicted, Nana greeted Nate with a frosty stare. Her good manners forced her to show him in, but her pursed lips and reproving posture said it all.
“Any word from Brian?” Ally asked as soon as they were inside.
“He rang to say the obstetrician’s arrived, but no word since. I don’t expect he’ll call for another hour or so.”
“You must be exhausted, looking after the twins on your own all this time. Why don’t you go lie down?”
“I’m not that tired.” But her pouched, red-rimmed eyes belied her statement even as she shot another glare in Nate’s direction.
Ally turned to Nate. “Um, why don’t you go through to the family room out the back? I’ll be with you in a moment.”
As soon as they were alone, Nana hissed at Ally, “I can’t believe you’ve brought Nate Hardy here. You of all people know what a piece of work he is.”
Ally shushed her grandma. “He’s changed, Nana. He’s not like that anymore.” Craning her neck, she caught a glimpse of Nate in the family room just down the hall. He’d taken off his jacket and had hunkered down to greet the twins who were playing with their Legos on the carpet. He looked a little awkward as he chatted to the boys. She didn’t imagine he had much experience with children, but he was trying more than she’d expected. It was kind of endearing.
“Oh, my goodness. Don’t tell me you’re getting involved with him!” Nana exploded in a furious whisper.
“Don’t be silly. Nate’s not my type, and I’m not his.”
“Any woman’s his type. And I don’t like the way you were looking at him just then.”
“Nate is going to be my landlord. He and I are…friends, just friends.”
Just friends? Okay, she’d be lying if she said her feelings for Nate were entirely platonic, and Nate had made it clear his intentions were more than just friendly, but she wasn’t going to tell her grandma that.
“Hmpf.” Still frowning, Nana did up the buttons of her cardigan. “I don’t know what’s come over you lately, Ally. First you turn the gift shop upside down, then you run out on your date with that nice Paul fellow, and now you’re gallivanting around with Nate Hardy.”
Gallivanting? She wished she were. Gallivanting had a carefree, pleasurable sound to it.
“Nate is just here to keep me company, nothing more.”
“And what am I? Chopped liver?”
Ally sighed. “Nana…”
Her grandmother sighed, too. “Oh, I know. I’m being a grumpy old crosspatch. I have to admit the twins have run me ragged. Perhaps I will have a quick cat nap.”
“You do that. I’ll let you know as soon as Brian calls.”
Nana walked toward the spare bedroom, tossing over her shoulder, “And remember, I’m a light sleeper, so you’d better not get up to anything out there.”
“Nana!”
“I’m just saying…”
Ally shook her head. She walked into the family room where the twins were crowing at the towering stack of Legos they’d built with Nate’s help.
“Hey.” Nate leaned back on his heels and grinned at her. “Everything okay back there?”
“Oh, sure.” At his smile her insides turned to marshmallow. Even though she told herself she was just following in the footsteps of countless other women, she couldn’t help herself. Nate at his charming best was irresistible, and today she wanted to give in and bask in the warmth of his smile.
“Mum…” Ethan, the older twin, glanced about the room, an anxious frown pleating his forehead. “Mum-ma…” he wailed, plopping himself down on the floor. “Ma…” Right on cue, his brother, Danny, stuck a fist into his mouth and started wailing, too.
“They like to cry in stereo,” Ally explained to Nate as she scooped Ethan up, sat on the floor with him, and began to rock the little boy.
Nate leaned toward Danny. “Uh, hey, little fella. Your mum’s going to be back soon.” He tentatively lifted the blubbering boy. For a moment Nate seemed at a loss what to do next before he started making comical faces at Danny.
Ally smothered a giggle. Danny stopped crying to stare wide-eyed at Nate, one finger in his mouth, before he withdrew his finger and wiped it down Nate’s cheek. “Gargh!”