Discovering Sophie (35 page)

Peter reached inside his pocket and pulled out his cell. He glanced at the screen and heaved a sigh. “Excuse me, but I need to take this.”

Peter left Sophie’s room to talk on his phone. When he was gone, Jack looked at Sophie and felt bad about the wounded look in her eyes.

“Why are you so angry?” she asked.

Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. “What did you and Peter talk about while I was gone?”

Sophie twisted her hands together and stared at him for a few drawn-out seconds. The white poster board on her lap started to slide down the blanket, and she grasped onto it before it could fall. “We talked about my dad.” She moistened her lips. “And about us—that is you and me—and our relationship.”

“Oh? And what did Peter have to say about our relationship? I’m sure it was very insightful.”

“Jack, stop acting like this.” Her voice quavered. “I don’t care what Peter said. I love you, and it doesn’t matter that we’ve only known each other for a short time.”

Nice
. Not only had Peter lied about his intentions, he’d also used his time to plant seeds of doubt in her mind. The problem was Jack already had those same doubts swimming around in his head. What if he moved to Colorado and Sophie realized she wasn’t really in love with him after all?

“Did he propose to you?”

“Not exactly.” She let out a big breath. “He brought the ring, hoping I’d changed my mind.”

“You were holding hands.”

“I was feeling insecure and tired. He was trying to comfort me.”

Jack snorted. “You were feeling insecure because of what he said.”

“Yes and no.” She lifted one shoulder up. “Truthfully, I’m feeling insecure because I don’t know what is going to happen to us.”

Jack wanted to say something to reassure her, but his tongue felt thick. He looked away from her and swallowed hard. “I…don’t either.”

The sharp intake of her breath brought his gaze back to hers. The moment their eyes connected, all the powerful feelings he felt for her slammed into him.
Oh, man
. He loved her so much. She wasn’t anything like Heather. Logically, he knew that, so why was he feeling this out-of-control insecurity?

Needing to be near her, he crossed the floor and sat down on the edge of her bed. “But we’ll figure it out, okay?”

A look of relief flickered in her eyes. “Okay.”

The giant card Peter had given her started to slip off of her lap again. Jack took it from her and studied the pictures and messages. Compared to this, the family Jack had to offer Sophie was so inadequate. “Wow, I got to hand it to him. He really does have a nice family.”

“Yes, he does.”

“They already consider you a part of their family.”

“That’s true.” Sophie took the card and propped it in between her mattress and side rail. “But I’m not marrying Peter just so I can have his family.”

Jack’s eyes widened, and she laughed. “Sorry, that came out wrong.” She reached out and laid her hand on top of his. “I’m not marrying Peter at all. For any reason.”

Jack turned his hand over so their palms were pressed together. He knew he loved her, but no matter how much he loved her, he could never give her what Peter could—a large, loving family. Plus, it’s not like Jack was that great of a catch. He thought about how easily the anger and bitterness toward Heather and his brother had returned so quickly only moments before.

Part of him had to be realistic. Was it really possible he would reconcile with his family? Sophie had only known him for two weeks, and Jack had only been humble enough to ask God’s forgiveness for half that time. What if he couldn’t stay recommitted to his faith? How would Sophie feel about him then?

“Please don’t be mad at me,” Sophie said in a soft voice.

“I’m not mad at you.” He was scared. If Heather had the power to hurt him, Sophie had the power to completely destroy him.

One of her perfect brows lifted up in disbelief. “You sure seemed like you were.”

“I know.” He threaded their fingers together. “I’m sorry I was such a jerk.”

Someone outside the door laughed. Then Hector walked into the room. “Jack, she’s only been awake for a few hours and you’re already apologizing for being a jerk?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sophie
had never been so relieved to see someone in her life. “Hector! What are you doing here?”

“Well, I came to see you.” He pointed his thumb in Jack’s directions. “But maybe I should take this idiot outside and knock some sense into him”

Jack rolled his eyes. “How about just knocking out Sophie’s boyfriend?”

“I thought that was you.”

So did Sophie. She frowned and wanted to throw something at Jack for acting so stupid.

“Stick around,” Jack said sarcastically. “Peter should be back any minute now.”

As if on cue, Peter came rushing back in. Sophie watched Jack’s face and saw the flash of anger mar his features. He was angry because he was jealous. That realization made her feel a little better.

Peter ignored Jack and smiled at Hector. “Hello.”

Hector grinned. “
Hola
.”

Peter held out his hand and said something in Spanish. Sophie thought Hector looked mildly disappointed he couldn’t pull the same trick he’d pulled on her. The two men shook hands.

“How are you related to Sophie?” Hector asked in English.

Peter’s jaw dropped, and Jack laughed out loud. Hector knew very well Sophie didn’t have any living relatives.

“We’re not related. I’m her…” He glanced at Jack, then Sophie, and back to Hector. “I’m Peter Elliot, and Sophie and I have been dating for the past year.”

“Ah, I see,” Hector said with a wide grin. He looked around Peter and spoke directly to Sophie. “Maybe I should take care of both of them, ¿
no
?”

Sophie tried to suppress a giggle that came out sounding more like a hiccup. Peter’s forehead creased as he glared at Hector. “And you are…?”

“Here to see Sophie,” Hector quipped.

Peter didn’t find it as funny as Jack or Sophie. “Peter, this is Hector Garcia,” Sophie said. “He traveled with us and did most of the cooking. He also helped rescue Jack and me.”

The lines in Peter’s forehead softened. “Thank you, Mr. Garcia, for being there for Sophie.”

Hector shrugged. “Sophie was the real hero that day, right Jack?”

“We wouldn’t have gotten away without her.”

Peter’s scowl was back again. Apparently, he hadn’t heard all of the details of their escape.

“What—” He started to question her, but just then, a beautiful, dark-haired woman came into the room carrying a bouquet of colorful flowers.

Hector gave the woman a quick kiss and then introduced her to Sophie. “This is my wife Isabelle.” He grinned widely and winked. “Now you know why I’m always so happy.”

Hector was teasing again, but it was the sweetest thing Sophie had ever heard.

Isabelle’s caramel colored skin was as radiant as her smile. “Hello, Sophie.” She walked over and handed the flowers to her. “I’m so happy I finally get to meet Jack’s bride to be.”

The comment was innocent, but it proved to be too much for Peter. He turned toward Sophie, his face red. “You’re engaged to Mathison?”

Sophie had never heard Peter sound so angry. “No.” She wanted to be, but Jack hadn’t asked.

Jack sauntered forward, a cocky smirk tipping his lips. “Not officially.”

“Have you proposed to her?” Peter demanded.

This time Jack’s face flushed red. “Uh, no.”

Sophie waited to hear Jack follow up with some kind of explanation like there hadn’t been the right moment, but Jack just stood there without saying another word.

A crushing fear pressed down on Sophie, making it hard to take a breath. She thought about pushing the nurse call light to ask for something for pain when Yolanda came in holding a lunch tray.

“I’ll bet you’re hungry, ¿
no
?” Yolanda said, placing the tray on the bedside table.

Actually, Sophie felt sick to her stomach. Yolanda must have noticed and shooed everyone out of the room, saying Sophie needed to rest.

Although Sophie was exhausted, the fear that she was losing Jack made it hard to go to sleep. She would probably be discharged the next day, but she had no idea what would happen after that.

* * *

Sophie glanced at the clock, wondering where Jack or even Peter was. She had eventually fallen asleep after Yolanda kicked everyone out of her room and had slept for nearly two hours. The rest must have done her some good, because she had just gotten out of bed and, with the help of her new nurse, had walked to the sink to brush her teeth and wash her face.

There was a brief knock on the door, and Dr. Webster walked in. His wife wasn’t with him, but Jack and Peter were.

“Well, you look much better, young lady,” the doctor said.

“I feel much better.” Especially now that Jack was here.

“When can I go home?” Sophie asked, anxious to leave the hospital.

“I’d like to run another CBC, and if your platelet count is the same, you can go home in the morning.”

“Home as in Colorado?” Peter questioned.

Dr. Webster looked at her pointedly. “I think you would be okay, but you need to listen to your body.”

“I can upgrade her flight to first class,” Peter offered.

A stormy look crossed Jack’s features. “Let’s get her out of the hospital before we start making solid plans.”

Dr. Webster stepped forward, cutting off the two men. “Jane and I are leaving in the morning to meet up with our group. I’ll talk with the doctor who is also following your care and if everything looks good, we’ll write the order for your discharge.”

Sophie shifted in her bed. “Thank you. Will you please make sure to leave an address where I can keep in contact with you?”

He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a business card. “Here’s our email address. We check it as often as we can.”

Sophie accepted the card. “I can’t thank you enough for your help.”

“Yes, thank you, Mark,” Jack said, shaking the man’s hand. “You were an answer to my prayers.”

Peter shook the doctor’s hand as well. “Thank you, sir. For everything. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost Sophie.”

“It was my pleasure.” He smiled and turned to Sophie. “Since your nurse reported how well you did ambulating, I wrote the order for your catheter to be discontinued.”

Sophie grinned. “What about the IV?”

“As long as you’re drinking enough fluids, the IV can be DC’d as well.”

“Thank you. I can’t wait to take a shower.”

Dr. Webster laughed and walked toward the door. “I’ll let the nurse know, and we’ll see you in the morning.”

After the doctor left, Peter pulled out his cell phone. “I’ve got a room at the Marriott, and I can reserve another one for Sophie.”

“That’s not necessary,” Jack said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “She can come to my house.”

Peter lowered his phone, his eyes narrowing with irritation. “I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

“What you think doesn’t really matter to me.”

“Hey, you two,” Sophie said, interrupting them before it turned into a fight.

“What?” the two men said at the same time.

“Do I have a say in this?”

“Of course,” Peter said.

“No,” Jack snapped.

She closed her eyes, laying her head back on the pillow. The two men couldn’t be more opposite.

“Sophie,” Jack said, moving next to her bedside. “I’m not about to put you in some hotel when I have a home that will be much more comfortable. Plus, I don’t think you should be alone, in case you have a relapse or something.”

Peter stepped next to the bed as well. “And I don’t think it would be appropriate for you to be alone in his house.”

“Give me some credit, Elliot,” Jack said sharply. “I’m not going to take advantage of her. Besides, Isabelle and her two oldest daughters are coming to stay.”

Peter looked only slightly mollified. “How far away is your house?”

“About two hours.”

“Two hours!” Peter’s voice was louder than his usual volume.

Before another argument erupted, the nurse walked in. “The doctor say I remove the catheter.” Her English wasn’t as good as Yolanda’s, but she wasn’t as grumpy.

“I would appreciate it,” Sophie said, glad for the excuse to kick Jack and Peter out.

“I’ll be outside,” Peter said, leaving first.

Jack paused for a second, his look hard. “I’m not going to argue about this anymore, Sophie. You’re coming to my house.” He turned to leave but stopped, looking back at her over his shoulder. “You know, if you’d just tell one of us to take a hike, this would all be a lot easier.”

He left the room before Sophie could even come up with a response. What was going on with Jack? She thought it was obvious she was in love with him and not Peter. Did he expect her to yell at Peter and tell him to leave and that she never wanted to see him again? Peter was scheduled to fly out the day after tomorrow, so she assumed telling him to leave wouldn’t be necessary.

Closing her eyes, Sophie forced herself to remain calm and told herself it would all work out. Jack was just uptight because of Peter. At least she was being released tomorrow. Once Peter left for home and she was convalescing at Jack’s house, they would have an opportunity to really communicate and make some tentative plans without Peter hovering around.

* * *

The minute Jack stepped out of Sophie’s room, he zeroed in on Peter. He stood at the end of the hallway, apparently waiting for Jack. He started forward and the urge to deck the guy was so strong Jack thought it might be better if he just kept on walking.

“Jack,” Peter said. “Could we talk for a minute?”

“Sophie is coming to my house, Peter. End of story.”

“Right.” Peter’s lips flattened. “So you can just string her along a little longer before you decide what you want to do?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think you know exactly what I mean.” He leaned forward, his eyes hard. “Sophie has no idea what is going to happen between the two of you. Obviously, you don’t either.”