Weekends Required (21 page)

“Do they believe then that she’ll have permanent damage as a result of the stroke?”

“Oh no, it’s really too soon to tell. Your mother may have problems that resolve themselves over time. Whatever point she’s at, it will improve to some level. It’s too soon to speculate though so I’m just going to finish my rounds and let you have your visit. Please ask for me at the nurse’s station if you have any problems, each of my patients becomes my family, and I believe in taking care of family.” Claire was really touched by the sincerity she heard in Glenda’s voice, and she thanked her as she quietly closed the door on her way out.

She tentatively walked to her mother’s side, her heart pounding as each step brought her closer. She gently touched her hand, careful of causing the IV to move.
Oh mom, you didn’t deserve this. After all you have gone through in your life was it too much to ask for some happiness? I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you. I promise we will get you what you need. You will get better, God, please don’t let me lose my mommy.

Claire felt tears rolling down her cheeks and brushed them away, almost surprised to feel them. She placed her lips gently against her mother’s forehead and whispered “I love you.” Claire knew her ten minutes were long since over and that Louise would want to visit before visiting hours ended. When she had composed herself once again, Claire located the ICU waiting room and looked at the anxious faces there waiting for her.

Jason walked over to slide his arm around her shoulders as she relayed the information that Glenda had given her. Suzy offered to walk Louise down to her mother’s room. Jason led her to a chair and took the one beside her. “How are you? What can I do to help you right now?”

Gripping his hand, Claire turned to him, “She just looked so still and there were so many things connected to her. Is she going to be okay Jason, is she?”

“Shhhh, it’s going to be ok; we will get her everything she needs. If she’s anything like you, then she’s very strong and that will help her more than anything. You need to get some rest so you can be strong for her.”

"When Suzy and Louise come back, we all need to go home for the night. I want you to stay with me; I don’t think you should be alone.”

“No, I need to stay with Louise; she shouldn’t be by herself right now.”

“I meant for her to stay as well; I’ve plenty of room, and my house is closer to the hospital.”

When Suzy and Louise arrived, Claire talked to Louise about the overnight arrangements. “Oh no honey, my sister Janet is going to stay with me at the house. I hope you don’t mind, but I would just feel better being there to keep an eye on the place, and well; it’s my home. Suzy said she would drop me off on her way home.”

“That’s fine Louise, you know I don’t mind, and I understand.” Claire thanked Suzy and gave her a hug.

 Chapter Twenty Two

Jason guided her out the door and settled her back into his car. A very short ride later, he turned into a long driveway surrounded by trees. Curious as to where he lived, Claire was surprised to see a beautiful two-story craftsman style home. Jason pulled into the garage and walked around to help her out. He pointed towards a door on the far wall and said, “I normally go in that door which leads into the kitchen. We will use the front entrance though so that your first view of the house isn’t my messy kitchen.” With a smile, Claire followed as Jason led her down a flagstone walkway that curved from the garage to the front of the house.

Lights illuminated the landscape and the stunning timber peaks that framed a huge glass door. Green plants in pots gleamed against the beautiful backdrop. Jason took her arm as he led her up the steps and inserted his key into the lock.

Jason opened the door and ushered her in before him. Claire blinked as light suddenly flooded the entryway and the living area beyond. She was immediately drawn to the tall soaring ceilings with exposed beams and recessed lighting. A large modern chandelier was suspended in the middle of the ceiling giving off a soft glow. The entire front of the room was a wall of windows with a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean taking center stage.

A fireplace surrounded by built-in cabinets flanked one wall, giving the room two distinct focal points. A comfortable looking brown leather sofa and matching wingback chairs were placed on an area rug. Beautiful oak flooring gleamed brightly under the light. Jason looked strangely nervous as he waited for her reaction.

“Jason, it’s beautiful; I’ve never seen a house like this before, and I love it.”

A smile lit up his face as if she’d just praised his child. “I designed this house and had it built. I spent so long trying to decide exactly what I wanted in a home, somewhere I would want to live forever. I put every room together piece by piece."

With a sheepish look, he said, “This house has been home since the moment I stepped inside when it was finished. I’m so glad you like it. I used to live in the penthouse above our floor at the office but now that’s usually only for visitors unless I’m just too tired to drive here. Let me show you the rest and then I’ll fix a quick dinner.”

Jason led her towards an opening to the left, and Claire entered a large, airy kitchen in a pale taupe color. A huge island dominated the center of the room with the kitchen cabinets and granite countertops running the length of the back wall. A breakfast nook was situated at another wall of glass, the beautiful view from the ocean clearly visible here as well. The kitchen island held a loaf of bread, a plate and some fresh fruit. Claire found it endearing to imagine Jason actually fixing his own meals without a housekeeper to help.

A staircase leading to the second floor was just off the kitchen, and Jason gave her a quick tour of two bedrooms. One of the rooms was being used as an office and the other a guest bedroom. Each had a bath attached. The oak floors continued upstairs as well as the taupe color on the walls.

They returned downstairs where Jason showed her a formal dining room with seating for ten and a beautiful buffet piece on the wall behind it. A round window showed a view of the front yard of the house. Going back through the living area, Jason went down a hallway and opened a door to a guest bath before continuing to the master bedroom.

If she thought the living area was breathtaking, the bedroom made it pale in comparison. After entering through a large sitting area with pale blue walls Claire thought to herself,
now this is the rich guy’s man cave.
A huge flat-panel television was hung above a fireplace, and a wall of windows continued here as well. A comfortable sofa and armchairs created a seating area that just begged to be enjoyed. Bookcases covered the opposite wall and were filled completely.

The bedroom was located on the other side of the wall, and the double sided fireplace served both rooms. The bed was a huge four poster made of rich cherry with a comfortable looking lighter blue comforter and pillows adorning it. Claire was happy to see that Jason hadn’t made his bed; somehow that made him seem more human. Whereas the rest of the home had a casual elegance, the bedroom and the sitting room décor were truly comfortable and homey feeling.

“You missed your calling, why aren’t you an architect? You could certainly be very successful because this house is amazing. It’s simply beautiful,” Claire enthused.

Jason looked very happy and relieved at her statement. “I’m so happy you like it; I want you to feel comfortable here."

Coming over to take her hand, Jason said, “Claire if you feel like you need some space, you’re more than welcome to use the guestroom. I would like you here with me in my bed but I’m not going to pressure you, it’s completely your decision, and I’ll respect it.”

Touched by the sincerity in his voice, Claire reached up and pulled his head down to hers, lowering her lips softly against his for a brief kiss. “I want to be with you; I need to be near you tonight.”

Jason pulled her tightly against him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I need it too. I just want to feel you in my arms, no pressure to make love. I’m going to get our suitcases out of the car. I wouldn’t mind having a quick shower before dinner, and you probably feel the same way. If you want to take the master bath, I’ll use the one upstairs.”

He gave her a kiss on the forehead then released her and pointed towards the bathroom door. The master bath was as beautiful as the rest of the house. A huge marble whirlpool tub dominated one corner of the room, with a separate shower stall and a double sink with a granite top vanity. Claire wrinkled her nose as she inspected her appearance. She looked pale, tired and rumpled. A hot shower was just what she needed to feel human again.

Claire stripped off and slid into the shower. She sighed in pleasure as the spray of the water eased some of the tension in her shoulder. She reached for Jason’s shampoo and lathered her hair and rinsed. Twenty minutes later, she felt like a different person. She located a hair dryer under the vanity and was soon looking for her suitcase. Claire found that Jason had left it right outside for her. The only nightgown she’d packed was a bit dressy, but she didn’t feel like changing back into clothes.

She pulled the long Lilac silk gown over her head, grateful she’d thought to pack the matching robe as well. She belted it tightly around her waist and then pulled a hair clip from her bag and secured her hair in a loose knot at the nape of her neck.

Claire opened the bedroom door and was met with the smell of something delicious. She followed her nose to the kitchen and found Jason at the stove with a kitchen towel thrown over his shoulder and a frying pan in his hand. He had also opted for something casual and wore a pair of low riding blue lounge pants and a South Carolina Gamecocks t-shirt.

She’d seen Jason in expensive suits and in jeans but this was the look that seemed to suit him best. He didn’t look like a rich business owner even with the opulent surroundings; he simply looked like someone you could depend on, someone you could love.
Whoaaaa girl, where did that come from? You sleep with a guy a couple of times, and suddenly you’re picking out china and writing his name on your notebook?

Fatigue had apparently affected her more than she realized. She was feeling fragile and entirely too needy where Jason was concerned. It was hard to remember twenty-four hours ago; she was livid at him, ready to pack her bags and never look back. As if in mutual agreement, that subject hadn’t been brought up even though Claire knew it was just on hold and not forgotten.

Jason had been wonderful today, and his support had felt so good. She rarely had anyone to lean on anymore. She did have Suzy, who would do anything for her, but somehow it wasn’t the same. The issues with Jason were far from over and had to be addressed as soon as she had the strength to do it. For now, there was comfort in this moment, pretending that someone loved her.

“I hope you like omelets; it’s the specialty of the house.”

“I love them. It sounds wonderful. I’m impressed at how at home you seem in the kitchen. I figured you for a takeout kind of guy,” laughed Claire.

“Don’t be too impressed, I’ve limited abilities. After awhile, it gets very old to eat out every night. I’m not going to lie; I do have a housekeeper who comes in a couple of times a week and takes care of the grocery shopping and cleaning. If left to my own devices, there would probably be nothing but chips and beer in the kitchen and dirty clothes trickling through the doorways.”

Jason set two plates and glasses in front of the bar stools at the island along with orange juice. Claire poured them both a glass of juice and walked over to the window to look out at the dark ocean. “You must love being able to see this view from almost every room in the house; it’s so relaxing.”

With a smile, Jason said, “I’ve always loved the ocean. It’s one of the reasons I’ve never moved Danvers even though there have been many offers and opportunities. We’d probably grow at a faster pace located elsewhere, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave this area; it's home. I think Charleston is a great place, and I enjoyed growing up there, but Myrtle Beach is where my heart is.”

Jason slid a delicious looking omelet onto her plate. Drinking her juice, Claire waited for him to finish his omelet so that they could eat together. A few moments later, he was settled in next to her, and she dug in as if she were starving. Claire was embarrassed to find that she’d completely cleaned her plate, and Jason was watching her with an amused expression in those beautiful blue eyes. “Guess I was hungrier than I realized.”

“You have barely had anything to eat today. Would you like me to make you another one?”

“Oh no, I’m full now; you’re a great cook.” Jason finished his own and took their plates to the dishwasher. Looking at the wall clock, Claire was surprised to see that it was almost midnight. As if on cue, a big yawn escaped her mouth as fatigue firmly settled in. Jason took her hand and used his other to switch off the lights as they walked back to the bedroom.

Jason stripped off his shirt and left his lounge pants on. Claire went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and left her robe on the hook next to his. Jason took his turn in the bathroom, and she climbed into the bed on the side he indicated. With another yawn, she closed her eyes to rest for a few minutes until he returned.

Suddenly, she felt an arm going around her, and she was being pulled against a hard chest, her head resting in the crook of Jason’s shoulder. She allowed herself to melt against him, and soon settled into a dreamless sleep, secure in the strong arms that held her through the night.

~~~

 Sometime later, as the sun was just starting to rise over the ocean, Jason turned her in his arms and made slow, mind-blowing love to her. Every time they were together seemed to burn hotter than the last. Jason brought her to heights that she’d never dreamed existed. After collapsing against him in complete satisfaction, she felt Jason’s warm mouth against her forehead. His hands stroking her back and hair with such tenderness it brought tears to her eyes.