The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 15

“Back to the office,” Jamie commanded.

“Yes, Mr. Baylor,” Aaron said, trailing behind him with his head down. A knot of unease was tightening in his stomach. From what he knew of Suzie, she wasn’t the type to break an appointment. And the vow she’d made in the office today… he had heard the raw despair in her voice. Why couldn’t Jamie see it?

Then again, Aaron admitted to himself, maybe he just didn't understand love.

As they reached the car, he decided to risk it. “Mr. Baylor, I still don’t believe Ms. Sterling would stand you up without a reason. What if… what if something happened to her?”

Jamie paused, a flicker of concern crossing his face for just a second before his cold mask snapped back into place. “That’s just you misjudging people.”

He turned and strode to the car, getting in without another word.

“Are you just going to stand there?” he barked through the open door.

“Oh, right away,” Aaron mumbled, scrambling into the passenger seat. He didn’t need to look to know how thunderous Jamie’s expression was.

He discreetly connected his phone to the Bluetooth and put in a single earbud on the side hidden from Jamie. Turning the volume down low, he tried calling Suzie’s number again.

After the third ring, someone picked up. But the voice that answered was a young man’s.

Aaron hung up immediately, his heart pounding. What was going on? Suzie stood him up, and now a man was answering her phone? Who was he?

***

“Thank you,” Suzie whispered.

It looked like she’d be staying in the hospital for a few days. As for Margaret, Suzie couldn’t bring herself to care what happened to her.

After giving a few more instructions, the nurse left. Suzie’s gaze fell on her purse on the bedside table. She reached for it and pulled out her phone. The screen was filled with more than a dozen missed calls from Aaron.

She could just imagine Jamie’s face, veins popping on his forehead, his voice laced with fury. This would only confirm his belief that she was playing games.

But right now, she found she couldn’t care less. What he believed no longer mattered. The most important thing now was the tiny life inside her. From now on, this baby was all that mattered. She instinctively placed a hand on her flat stomach, a protective gesture.

After a long, quiet moment, Suzie picked up her phone and dialed Aaron’s number.