Even as he thought about her lack of critique on his football performance, he relaxed even more. It was nice. Really nice, to just be with Stevie. He wasn’t a celebrity. He wasn’t a football player. And he definitely wasn’t a cash cow to her. She liked him. Him the man. Just being with her was pretty damn nice, but add in the fact that she liked the real guy, that only increased his amazement.
“Are you okay?” she called out from the bedroom.
Janus jerked, realizing that he’d been lost in thought.
“I’m great,” he replied and finished washing his hands. He came out of the bathroom only to find that Stevie had pulled on a tee shirt. “What’s that for?” he asked, sliding his hands underneath the soft cotton. “You know that we’re not done yet, right?”
She laughed and the sound sent another bolt of lust through him.
“I learned last night never to assume anything when it comes to you, Janus,” she replied, her hands sliding up his chest.
He smiled. “You’re starting to understand me pretty well.”
Chapter 4
Stevie hummed happily as she scrubbed her kitchen floor, wondering if she’d see Janus tonight. He’d had to rush this morning, kissing her tenderly before saying, “I have to go do my thing this afternoon. I will see you later!” Then he’d kissed her again and ran out the door. It had barely been dawn when he’d left and Stevie had wondered about that. It was Sunday!
She stopped scrubbing and knelt back against her feet, staring at nothing as a thought occurred to her. She didn’t really know what he did for a living. Was he a minister? It was Sunday! How many people had to work on Sunday?
No! That didn’t make sense! There was no way Janus was a minister! The idea just did not compute.
So, what did he do for a living? She looked down at her half-scrubbed floor and sighed. “I’ll ask him the next time I see him,” she muttered as she continued scrubbing. Unfortunately, as much as she loved having a clean home, the process didn’t distract her from her questions. What did Janus do for a living? And what did he mean that he’d see her later? When was “later”? In her mind, she’d love for him to come back here after he finished whatever it was that he did on Sunday.
But did that mean that he was coming over after whatever he had to do at his office? Or did that mean that she’d see him later this week? Unfortunately, she obviously didn’t know him well enough yet to be able to interpret his comments. She certainly hoped that he’d come over tonight. Why wouldn’t he? He’d been pretty ravenous last night. And this morning, she reminded herself with a smile.
The phone startled her out of her contemplation. She picked her cell phone and glanced at the phone number. She didn’t recognize it, and normally, she ignored phone calls from numbers she didn’t know. But this might be Janus, so she answered with a smile and a happy, “Hello!”
Was he already finished with whatever he needed to do? Was he on his way back now? She glanced at the clock. It was barely two o’clock. How long did he work normally?
There was a moment’s pause at the other end of the phone call and she almost hung up, assuming the call was a telemarketing robocall. “Ms. Hunt? Ms. Stevie Hunt?”
That still sounded like the introduction to a robocall and she reached for the hang up button, ready to simply end the call. But then she heard, “This is Gail at Providence Regional Medical Center. I’m calling to–”
Providence Hospital? Stevie didn’t hear the rest of the woman’s sentence. Instead, she heard a ringing in her ears. Providence Hospital was in Snohomish County, north of Seattle. That’s where her mother lived!
“I’m sorry, but could you repeat that?” she asked, feeling a bit breathless.
The woman hesitated again. “I’m calling to see if you could come to the hospital.”
Stevie’s stomach twisted uneasily. “Why?” she whispered. “Is it my mother?” The long silence was bad. Stevie knew that it was bad. “Please. Just tell me what’s going on?”
The woman on the other end of the phone line seemed to hesitate again. But eventually, she explained. “Your mother was admitted earlier today. It would be better if you came to the hospital, so the doctors can explain in person.”
Stevie might have replied, although, afterward, she could never quite recall. The next thing she knew, she was halfway to her car, keys in hand. Her fingers shook so badly that it took several tries to unlock her car. She paused, leaning her forehead against the steering wheel in an effort to calm down. “She’s fine!” she whispered to herself. “She’s perfectly fine!” Stevie had been to her mother’s house just last week for dinner and her mother had been in perfect health. The hospital had called so that Stevie could help her mother for some reason.
Taking several deep breaths, she calmed her racing heart. For a moment, she considered calling Janus, but realized that she didn’t know his phone number. He’d written it on a piece of paper, but that was up in her apartment. Right now, she needed to hurry.
Driving carefully, she made her way through the busy streets of Seattle until she reached Interstate Five. From there, she picked up speed, but stayed in the right hand lane and drove at the speed limit, afraid of going any faster in her current mental state. Driving on autopilot, she got off the interstate, taking route five-twenty-two towards Bothel, then veering left onto Route Nine. From there, it was a straight shot into Snohomish County. It was less than a ninety minute drive from her house to the hospital, but for Stevie, it was the longest drive she’d ever taken. Her imagination was good on a regular day. But knowing that her mother was in the hospital, possibly in pain and needing her, Stevie was on the brink of tears.
She’d lost her father to cancer years ago. It was just her and her mother now. There had been no other siblings and both of her parents were only children as well. So, she didn’t have any aunts or uncles, no cousins or grandparents. Just her mother.
Stevie pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and quickly located the office Gail had mentioned. As soon as Stevie knocked, she knew that something was horribly wrong.
“Please,” she whispered through numb lips as the door opened. “Grief Counselor” had been the nameplate on the door, which only made Stevie’s stomach clench harder.
Gail gestured to a sofa. “Please, will you have a seat?”
Stevie stared at the sofa. Then at the box of tissues on the coffee table. “Please, tell me what’s wrong.”
Gail smiled, but there was a wealth of pity in her eyes. “Please, have a seat and we’ll talk.”
Stevie didn’t want to sit. She didn’t want to even be in this office. She wanted to get away, to hide from what this Gail-person was going to say.
But Gail looked as if she wasn’t going to say anything until Stevie sat down. Resentment boiled up inside of her as she perched on the edge of the sofa. Gail sat next to Stevie and took her hand. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Your mother was in a car accident this morning. She was stopped at a stoplight and, another car was speeding and lost control. They hit your mother’s vehicle.” Gail took a deep breath before continuing. “Paramedics were called, but your mother…” she paused again, squeezing Stevie’s hand, “the doctors weren’t able to save her. She passed away about two hours ago. I’m so sorry.”