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Another nurse entered, checked his IV, and made notations on her clipboard. As she chatted with him, Vi breathed. In. Out. Hold steady. In. Out.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Spence?” The nurse’s tone suggested if Rory asked for a side trip to Pluto, she would find a way.
“Mm. Breakfast—oh, here it is.” A blonde in pink scrubs entered, placing a tray on the swing-arm table in front of him. Rory took the cup of coffee, triumphantly waving it at Vi. “Thanks, ladies. You’re doing a great job.”
Vi brought a knuckle to her lips, hiding a smile as they tittered and bowed their way out the door. Nice parade, girls.
Rory’s nose wrinkled with discomfort. “They probably think you’re my sister.”
“Oh, no doubt.” Vi’s amusement faded. They still hadn’t discussed the text he’d sent.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Checkered sunlight shone through the blinds, brightening the room. Rory sipped coffee from the foam cup, seemingly content to watch her. When Vi grew self-conscious under his perusal, he said, “Tell me about this text.”
Vi exhaled a shuddery breath but made no move to get her phone.
Rory gave her a patient look, then motioned to the back of his head. “My phone disappeared when this happened. Can you show me the text?”
Oh. Without a word, she took out her phone, pulled it up, and handed the phone to him. Her heart imitated a horse race.
Rory read the text with a sharp intake of breath, then searched her face. “This is why you won’t sit by me.” His voice wasn’t quite steady. “How could I finish your house if I did this?”
Vi tilted her head. “Then how do you explain it?”
His shoulders lifted, and coffee from his cup sloshed onto the sheet. “I can’t, but I didn’t send it.” Folding the blanket over the wet spot, he handed the phone back to her, his brows in a line. “Wait. What’s the time stamp?”
She peered at the text. “4:31 p.m.”
His lips pressed together. “They’d taken Dad to surgery. I waited in the lobby—” He looked at her. “I saw Stella. Then Mark came in upset, so we left to talk.” His mouth flew open. “I left my phone on the chair. When did you receive the text?”
Vi stared at him. “What are you saying?”
He set the coffee cup on the tray. “Stella.”
“Stella?”
“She messed with my phone. I started having problems after I saw her. I thought the reception had flaked out …” A groan worked up his throat. “Stella sent that nasty text to you from my phone, knowing full well it would cause problems. She saw us at the gala, then at my townhouse, and realized you were more than a friend.”
“Stella sent me a text?” Vi blinked, still trying to understand.
Rory looked grim. “I’d bet money on it. She sent me similar texts before I blocked—” His mouth dropped open. “Stella blocked my contacts—mainly you, Paige, and Jesse—she’s the reason I couldn’t get a hold of y’all.” His mouth twisted. “In her mind, it would be the perfect revenge. Getting over her made me the bad guy.”
Rory shook his head as if to rid himself of a bad memory. His pewter eyes pleaded with her. “Honey, please say you know me better than what that text says.”
“I thought I did. But after the I-want-to-buy-your-land deal, I wasn’t so sure.” Vi couldn’t keep the tartness out of her voice.
His lips stretched in a rueful smile. “Vi, I don’t want your land. I want you. And no matter how the text looks, I didn’t write or send it.”
A tingle chased up her spine. Rory’s whole being exuded the truth. The text had seemed odd from the beginning. Vi found it hard to believe anyone would deliberately do such a thing, but Rory knew the woman better than she did.
“Red, please get out of the chair.” He left the rest unsaid.
Could she do it? If she did, it meant she believed him. Very slowly, Vi climbed onto the bed and sat next to his knees, facing him.
Rory tentatively reached out and fingered the cuff of her sweater. “You wore this on our pre-date. I had already fallen in love with you, but that night I passed the point of no return. You’re all I want, Red.” His eyes had turned silvery soft.
Stroking her hair, he pulled on the band until the strands cascaded around her shoulders.
