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Sebastian
“ I can’t believe you lied to us,” my mom said, holding my father’s hand in the ICU.
“I didn’t lie. I just kept something from you. I didn’t want to blow up Savannah’s wedding.” I paced, watching my father’s vitals crash. Then stabilize. Then crash again.
The last twenty-four hours had been a roller coaster.
I’d never felt so utterly useless in my life.
All my fancy orthopedic handiwork couldn’t do dick for my father who had a blockage.
Kennedy’s phone went straight to voicemail all goddamn day on Sunday.
My mother looked ready to collapse, I couldn’t leave her to go hunt down Kennedy’s apartment.
Not that there was much she could do. She made it clear she wanted no part of the family anymore.
The fucking divorce papers put those terms in black and white.
Savannah and Brandon hadn’t left for their honeymoon, instead, sat in the waiting room looking worried.
Tristan left for his cruise with my blessing and insistence. Luke had a jet to go grab him from one of the Caribbean island stops if things turned dire. My dad’s life wasn’t in danger, we just needed him stabilized to do the damn surgery.
“Okay, we’re gonna do this in about an hour.” Dr. Mason Tether, chief cardiologist came into the curtained area. “My team will start coming in to prep. Oh, and your wife will be putting him out, Seb.”
“What?”
“Your wife.”
“My wife works at Mercy.”
“Not anymore. She’s the Anesthesiology Department Head here. Just started today.”
“What?”
Why hadn’t she told me that? Had I even listened to her about being unhappy at Mercy?
I pushed off the wall. “Where is she?”
“At the nurse’s station.”
My head went foggy as I zipped around the curtain and there she was.
She typed into a laptop sitting on a med cart, but looked up.
Her eyes were so violet against the blue surgical cap, hiding all her luscious hair.
Her body hidden behind the boxy scrubs was the sexiest damn thing I’d ever seen.
She gave a hard swallow and rushed toward me.
“I was just checking your father’s chart, I—”
I kissed her with a pounding heart. Had her lips always felt so satiny? “I’m sorry. I’ve been an asshole. I’m sorry. I’m not—”
“I have to go see your dad.” She slid her hand in mine. “You’re not what?”
“I’m not going to San Francisco.”
“Your father will be fine. He’s just going to need some therapy.”
I spun her around. “Not for my father. For you . I figured it out on Saturday. It all clicked. But you were gone. And then, Dad... But Kennedy, oh my God. A department head? You’re thirty-three years old. That’s an amazing accomplishment.”
“The last six months, I’ve had some free time.”
“Good. I mean, I’m so sorry.”
“I have to see your dad. We have to get him prepped for surgery. Did Dr. Tether give you all the details?”
“Yeah. I’m so glad it’ll be you putting him under.
” I kissed her again. “You put me under a spell ten years ago.” I fell to my knees.
“Don’t divorce me. Please. I can’t live without you.
I’m sorry I didn’t see all of this before.
I’m staying right here in New York. I’m sending Ward to California.
And you know what? I don’t even need to be the chief at the center here.
I’ll go back to private practice. Someone will hire me.
Even with my terms. No calls at crazy hours.
I’ll do whatever works for us. I have a billion dollars, for crying out loud.
” I kissed her hands. “Correction, we have a billion dollars.”
“You’re really putting me on the spot, Seb.” She breathed in, going shaky. “I have to think about the surgery.”
I nodded. “You’re right. But I’m not going anywhere and I’m not letting you go.” I winked.
“Dr. Hart?” a nurse said, coming out of the curtained area.
“Yeah,” we both said together and laughed.
“We’re ready for you.”
I tucked her under my arm. “She’s right here. She’s the Dr. Hart you want. Not me. It’s your turn, babe. I’m right behind you.”
“Forever?” she said, staring up at me, her eyes glassy.
“And always.” I kissed her.
“I love you, Dr. Hart,” she said, as she had for years since we’d gotten our licenses.
“I love you more, Dr. Hart. Cross my heart.”