Page 159 of Perfectly Matched: Harbor Falls Romance Collection

“Looks like whatever you did was the right thing.”

Wyn stared at Rob. Uncle Rob. She was tired. Almost too tired to contemplate what she she’d just heard and reconcile it with what she thought she knew—or didn’t know. She was numb. Exhausted. Her emotions were non-existent and her brain weary. She couldn’t make any sense out of most of this day, so she didn’t think about it much at all. She just reacted.

“Uncle Rob?”

she said again, and let him take Mia from her.

“So you’re their uncle.”

He hesitated but at least his gaze met hers full on.

“Yes. I need to tell you some things.”

“I guess you do.”

“It’s complicated.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I lied to you. Sorry. It was necessary. I can explain.”

“I knew that.”

Wyn closed her eyes and turned her back to him. So what? She’d lied too. Was there any truth in anything here? She didn’t have a leg to stand on. What did she care if he lied and what could she do about it anyway? She turned back.

“Look. I’m too tired to deal with this right now. Okay, so you lied.”

She stared back into his eyes.

“Let me tell you what’s going on with your…nephew.”

“You knew?”

“Yes, Rob Black, I knew.”

She did know his name. “How?”

“Later.”

She shook her head.

“I don’t have the energy.”

“I get it.”

He shifted his stance and glanced toward the nurse’s station.

“I’ve been worried sick since I got your messages.”

“That I have sent for hours.”

“It’s been a helluva day. Sorry. Storms. Flight delays. Been traveling since early L.A. time.”

She squared herself and faced him, quickly countering with.

“Let me tell you what a helluva day looks like. I’ve been here with a puking child since six o’clock this morning. Before that, I dealt with it all night long at your house. I haven’t slept since yesterday. Do you have any idea what that is like? Oh, and with three other children who have tried to be as good as they can be, but who are also tired and cranky and probably hungry again, and worst of all, they don’t understand what is happening to their brother or why their father…er, uncle, won’t pick up the phone. They needed you. I needed you.”

It was a mouthful and more than she had intended to say but was how she felt. Whether he had lied to her or not, it didn’t really matter now. He just stood there.

She continued.

“Not to mention that you didn’t leave me any kind of information about their family doctor, who to call in an emergency, how to get in touch with your supposed wife….”

She stopped and then shook her head, sending him a mocking smile.

“Of course, there is no wife. But how was I to really know? Imagine when I checked Chaz into the hospital under an assumed name of Chaz Browning, only to find out his name is really Chaz Black. Do you realize how ridiculously difficult it is to get medical care for a kid when you are responsible and you don’t even have the kid’s social security number? Or insurance information? Exactly who are these kids to you anyway?”

Rob closed his eyes briefly and blew out a breath.

“Let’s back up. You’re right. No wife.”

He took a breath.

“Look. I can explain. Please, just give me a moment and…”

A deep voice came from their left.

“Miss Holly?”

Both she and Rob turned toward the man.

“Dr. Kirk,”

she acknowledged.

“Yes. How is he?”

Dr. Sam Kirk stepped toward her. She’d met him earlier before the surgery. He’d helped to alleviate most of her concern and fears and had managed to get Chaz treatment even when things were so screwed up. The doctor glanced at Rob.

“Chaz’s father?” he asked.

Rob shook his head.

“Uncle. His father is in Europe. Please tell me what’s going on.”

Wyn narrowed her gaze and stared at Rob while Dr. Kirk spoke.

“His appendix was on the verge of bursting. Probably explains why his tummy ached the past couple of days. The surgery was routine, no complications. He’s resting and fine. You can go back and see him in about thirty minutes.”

Wyn burst into tears and deflated into the seat next to Ham. The boy reached out, grabbed her hand, and laid his head on her shoulder. She took a moment to cry a few tears of relief, grasped and held onto Ham’s hand, then faced him and looked into his eyes.

“You’re a brave and smart young man,”

she whispered.

“Thank you for helping me today.”

The boy squeezed her hand back.

“Chaz is okay?”

“He’s going to be fine. He just needs to rest now.”

“Will I have to have surgery too?”

She hadn’t thought about that. Was he worried? She hugged him.

“No, I don’t think so, Ham. This one was all Chaz.”

“Did he eat too many cookies yesterday? Because I ate too many cookies too.”

Smiling, she shook her head.

“No. This has nothing to do with cookies.”

Then she rose and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, and then gave Justin a kiss on the top of his head.

“Be good. I have to go now,”

she whispered.

Ham looked up at her with big eyes and she felt the first pang of emotion all day long hit her square in the stomach.

She pushed it away. Standing? she turned back to Rob. Mia held out a chubby little arm and sniffled. Wyn grasped and kissed the back of her soft, sweaty hand.

“I’ll miss you, baby girl,”

she whispered.

Rob caught her gaze.

“Miss her?”

She nodded.

“You’re home. My job here is done.”

“Please stay. I can use your help.”

Shaking her head, she shoved her hands into her jeans pockets and took a step backward.

“No. I’m done. They are all yours now.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a set of car keys.

“Here are the keys to the Suburban. Let me get the house key off.”

She fiddled with the key ring.

“I’ll take a cab back to the house and get my things.”

“No.”

Rob shifted his stance and put a hand over her fingers troubling with the keyring.

“No. Take the SUV. I have a rental.”

She stood for a moment, staring at their hands.

“Okay. I’ll leave the keys in the kitchen.”

She turned and picked up a bag from the chair beside of Ham and slung it over her shoulder. She avoided eye contact with the children and headed for the exit.

“Wait. I need to pay you.”

Wyn turned and exhaled. Prolonging this goodbye was not what she wanted to do.

“PO Box 492. Harbor Falls. Thanks.”

Pushing all emotion aside, she walked out of the children’s lives. All of their lives.