Part 9 (1/2)

Reaching into his pants, he handed her the keys. When she leaned in and kissed him, he wanted to shout to the world, but simply kissed her again.

”Missy Dane, we sleep here tonight? I find sheets. We make big party. I order pizza from Daddy place. Okay?” Pi said, just a little nervous.

”Yes, I'll pick it up on my way...I just realized I don't have any money. I have more money than I'll ever spend in my lifetime and I don't have a single penny on me.” Her laughter scared Jamie a little and when he started to reach for her, Ronnie pulled out her purse.

”Come on, Dane. you and I will go visit a friend. Devin, you and Jamie fix up a few bedrooms. I'll call the nanny and have her bring Marie here. Pi, why don't you see what you need in the kitchen in the way of groceries? Then tomorrow we'll go shopping for whatever you need.”

When Ronnie leaned in and kissed him, she whispered in his ear that she would take good care of her. With a quick kiss on the cheeks, both women were gone. Jamie looked over at his brother who looked pole axed.

”So, do you think she's good for the money?” Devin looked at him for several seconds then threw back his head and laughed. The tension was broken but not the bomb.

”I have a client worth more than all of our combined a.s.sets. Christ, wait until I tell Nicky.

He'll s.h.i.+t a brick. I'll have to hire an accountant and someone just to watch over her money.

Holy s.h.i.+t, eight billion.”

”Yeah, that's a lot.” He started up the stairs, not caring if he followed or not. She was worth more than anyone he knew. And this house...how the h.e.l.l could he expect her to stay with him, a lowly teacher, when she had all this.

”Jamie?” Devin yelled as Jamie cleared the stairs. ”What's up? You don't think she's going to change, do you? My G.o.d, that woman loves you. Why I have no idea, but there you have it.

This isn't going to change her. You have to believe that.”

”Yeah, sure. Let's get her house put together. I never did find the master bedroom. Do you think she'll want to-”

”Jamie, look at me.” Devin turned him around. ”She loves you. This won't change anything.

It's not going to change the woman that she is.”

”Sure it will, Devin. Like she said, she has more money than she can spend in several lifetimes. I'll fix up the bedroom down here. I just need a few minutes. I'll be all right.” He hurt. His heart felt...trampled. He did not know if it was because she wanted to be alone and had taken Ronnie, or that she did not want him with her. He walked into the biggest bedroom he'd ever seen and sat on the unmade bed. Even this room screamed money. Laying back, he closed his eyes.

They'd been driving for about ten minutes when Dane realized she was with Ronnie. She looked over at the other woman and frowned. How the h.e.l.l did that happen? She supposed that it was a good thing she was not driving.

”Where are we going? I don't remember leaving the house. Pizza, I remember pizza. Why are you driving?” Dane looked around. She had no clue where they were.

”I have money, you don't. I was wondering if you've talked to Cait. She feels really bad about what happened to you that day. I know that you and her have a history, but I think you two need to clear the air. Especially now.”

”Why especially now?” Dane looked out the windows. ”You know I've never met a nosier bunch of people in my life as you guys. Are there any boundaries you guys don't cross? All I wanted to do was keep a man from getting killed and my past has come up and snapped my b.u.t.t, I've had my apartment trashed, and now I'm going to visit someone who hates me. I'm not saying you guys are to blame for all that, but still.” Truth be told, she really couldn't blame them for any of it, but she was rambling. A person did not have to make sense when they rambled. If there wasn't a rule about that, there should be.

”Especially now that you and Jamie are getting married,” Ronnie went on. ”You are going to marry him, aren't you? They can be pushy at times, the Grant men, but they love you more than you'll ever be loved or ever hope to be loved.” Dane wondered who left this woman in charge and realized that no one would have left her in charge. She'd have knocked the c.r.a.p out of the person in the front of the line and taken over. Probably killed the other leader with one fist tied behind her back.

”Hold on a second there! Married? I don't think so. Married? Why would he want to marry me? As my mother used to say...f.u.c.k her. She didn't love me, why should I quote her? I don't think James had any plans in making our...relations.h.i.+p? Whatever it is, I don't think he plans to make it permanent. We're having a great time in bed. Yeah, we love each other, but that doesn't mean...why would he want to marry me?” Dane felt her heart pound in her chest. Marry?

”You know you keep asking me that,” Ronnie said with a laugh. ”Maybe you should ask him. And loving someone is a great reason to marry someone. Is it the money? I would imagine that would make a difference in someone's life, but Jamie has had money all his life. And you too for that matter. What's a few billion between lovers?”

”The money? No, I don't care about the money. It just makes it so we can do what we want when we...you know, you're scary. I am not marrying James. Besides, it's a moot point. He's never asked. I would think that's a pretty important thing when two people make the decision to get married, don't you? One of them should ask the other? What are you doing now?” They had pulled up in front of the hospital. Dane had a scary thought that Ronnie was going to knock her block off and then throw her out of the door as she zoomed past. She really needed to take a break here. These sort of thoughts were nuts.

”Get out. Cait's room is two thirty-four. She might have little Paddy in there so try not to p.i.s.s her off too much. It might sour her milk. Go up there and play nice. I'll be back in an hour.

Don't worry. I'll make sure the guys know where we are.” Not really knowing why, Dane slipped out of the car and shut the door. Before she could turn back and ask again what she was doing there, Ronnie took off like the hounds of h.e.l.l were after her. Yes, I really need a break.

Dane wandered around the hospital for several minutes. Then found the gift shop. She didn't have any money, but she did have a credit card. She had to stop the slightly crazed giggle that burst forth as she thought about if she could make the payment next month.

She knew as soon as she saw it that it was perfect. Picking it up carefully, she took the little gift to the cas.h.i.+er and set it down. She asked if she could leave it there. She needed to get a couple more things, and went back to shopping. A hundred and twenty-three dollars later, she was headed to room two thirty-four.

Once she got off the elevator, she wasn't sure what to do. Did she just knock and go in?

What if she was nursing her kid or something? What if the family was in there? She paced for several minutes with her hands full of little bags until one of the nurses started staring at her.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked and when granted, she walked in.

She didn't know what she expected, but seeing Cait in a rocking chair crying was not one of them. Dane had never been good around tears with adults and now was no different. Setting the bags on the bed, she sat in the chair across from her.

”Did pushy b.u.t.t tell you I was coming and you're unhappy because your gun is in your other pants? I think we should use it on her. She made me come up here.”

”Are you wis.h.i.+ng you hadn't? I'm glad you're here. And 'pushy b.u.t.t?' That could be anyone of the Grant woman including you. And have you met Margaret? Christ, that woman will steam roll you in a second if you let her. No, post baby blues, I guess. I was feeling sorry for myself.”

She decided to ignore the comment about her being a Grant woman. She was frankly getting a little upset about the conversation. Dane walked over and looked down at the infant asleep in the little crib. She'd never held one so small and wanted to hold this one. She looked back at Cait.

”May I hold him? Oh, I have something for him and the little girl, I don't know her name.

You too.”

”Dane, I wanted to tell you how-”

”Please don't. Let's move on from here, all right? That is if you can forgive me. I've done some...some incredibly stupid things in my life and though I've tried hard not to hurt people, I know I have. Especially then. My mother was...she wasn't a nice person. And for reasons I can only guess, she hated me. I tried, every day I tried to do things she wanted me to, to be the girl she needed me to be. But those children...” Dane ran her finger down Paddy's cheek. ”I could save them, Cait, and I did. But it cost me so much. I think it cost us both so much. Can you forgive me?”

Instead of answering, Cait got up and went to the crib. She picked up her son and handed him to Dane. Then hugged her. Dane held her close too. She had never felt such wonderful emotions from someone, and returned them.

”s.h.i.+t! I felt that! You can do that? That must be really weird when you and Jamie have s.e.x!” Dane could only stare at her open mouthed. She felt heat stain her cheeks as she turned away. These people were beyond anything she'd ever encountered.

”I'm not sure about that. He seems okay with it. He doesn't really...complain, I guess.” She sat on the chair again, holding the baby. ”I keep waiting for him to freak out. To run screaming into the night.”

”Dane, you can talk to-”

”You know, I should have asked your sizes when I left,” Ronnie said as she entered the room, her hands full of bags. ”I had a h.e.l.l of a time getting something...what's happened? d.a.m.n it, I thought you two would kiss and make up. Now everyone is going to be p.i.s.sed at me. I'm sorry, guys. I thought that getting you together would help you both.”

”Nothing happened,” Dane said without moving. ”And what do you need my sizes for?

OhmiG.o.d! You bought me a straight jacket, didn't you?”

”No, I bought you a negligee. It's black. I have one sort of like it. Well, now I have one just like it. I thought you could use it with your new house. Jamie will love it.”

”You want me to parade around in my new house in a black negligee? I don't think so. I mean, you're nice and...well, you're pushy, but I suppose you mean well. But I draw the line at having matching underwear. You'll have to take it back.” Dane laughed at her expression, but continued.

”You bought a new house? Cool, what's it look like? Can I come see it as soon as they release me? I love our house. Is it big?”

”It's huge!” Ronnie squealed. ”Twenty-five bedrooms and two flipping dining rooms. You should see this thing. And it's furnished too! Devin and I are staying tonight, if the guys can find sheets. Which reminds me, Devin called. He thinks you should knock some sense into Jamie. I don't know what happened, but he said he hasn't come out of the bedroom since we left.” Dane felt as if her heart had stopped beating. He figured out something. She was not really sure what, but knew that he had made a decision and that she was not going to like it. Feeling tears fill her eyes, she looked down at the baby.