Page 55 of Jack

Chapter Twenty-One

Jack rolledover into the soft warmth of the woman who’d become his life and stroked his hand over her skin. It was three am, and he couldn’t sleep. He’d fallen to sleep okay but had woken and wasn’t sure why. He suspected it was because of the quiet, the lack of movement or action.

It had been six weeks since they’d flown home from Montreal after the tour was postponed, the Palace sighting the Prince Consort’s mother being unwell for the reason which he’d learned was, in part, genuine. Adeline had been flown over as well and had been transferred to a private hospital in Hereford but was still in a coma, which he knew was churning Astrid up inside.

Her injuries were healing well, but the induced coma was now a real coma. That could happen, especially if it involved a head trauma. Doctor Savannah Sankey was a shock to him, not least because she was the same age as he was and was utterly brilliant. She’d won over Astrid’s trust immediately. She was honest and open about Adeline’s injuries and chances of recovery, and a full recovery was slim but not impossible. She was using new techniques to stimulate Adeline’s brain.

The one holdout was Decker, who’d taken a dislike to the good doctor and looked for fault in everything she did, at least until this last week when he’d seemed to mellow a little. Jack wondered if it was because he was used to being the smartest person in a room, and the doctor challenged him. Decker needed that, someone to spar with on an intellectual level.

He felt Astrid shift, moving her ass back into his body as if seeking his touch even in her sleep and smiled. He’d never in his wildest dream thought this woman would be his soulmate, but she was. He had no doubt in his mind she was the one for him. She still drove him crazy with her untidiness and her perpetual need for new shoes, but he wouldn’t change a thing about her.

He saw the loving, kind, funny woman under her snark now and struggled to understand how he’d missed it before. The passion between them was incendiary, and he wondered if it was that desire for her that had blinded him to who she was. Astrid brought chaos into his life and a primitive need in him to conquer her, and it had scared him but now he relished it.

The ringing of his phone had him tensing as he grabbed for it, seeing Will’s name and knowing instinctively that it was bad news. Sitting up, he answered as Astrid rolled over, coming fully awake in seconds, her hand reaching for his.

“Will, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Mum, Jack. She’s in the hospital. They think she’s had a mini stroke.”

Jack was already swinging his legs out of bed. “I’m on my way. What ward is she on?”

“She’s still in accident and emergency while they do more tests.”

“Okay, we’ll be there soon.”

He hung up feeling numb and looked at Astrid, who was already half-dressed and was ready to have his back no matter what.

“What is it, Jack?”

“That was Will. They think Mum had a mini stroke. She’s at the hospital.”

She came to him, her arms going around him and holding tight as he returned the hug, needing it more than he wanted to admit right now. Her scent, the familiar feel of her body against his, the touch of her hair all calmed the fear rattling around in his chest.

“Let’s go find out what’s happening.”

He drove through the near-empty streets of the city he loved and pulled into the hospital car park in minutes. He saw Aubrey and Will’s car parked and pulled in beside it. Whatever happened in there, they were coming out of this together.

Astrid took his hand and held it tight as they walked in and found Aubrey and Will waiting for them. Will looked pale and upset, but Aubrey held his hand tight, letting go only to hug Astrid. The two women had become closer than ever now that they were almost family, and they would be one day.

He had no doubt he’d make Astrid his wife and Will would do the same with Aubrey, if only they could catch a fucking break.

“How is she?”

“They’ve taken her for a scan to see if they can find what is going on.”

Will sat heavily in the open waiting room. There was a drunk in the corner with a cut on his eye, a child crying with two obviously worried parents, and them.

Jack sat next to his brother, Astrid on his other side. “What happened?”

Will sighed. “She stayed overnight as she’d had dinner with us and was looking tired, so we asked her to stay. She woke Aubrey around three am to say she felt poorly and was slurring her speech. Then she passed out, so we called an ambulance.”

“She’s been looking tired lately. I told her to go to the doctor about it, but you know what Mum is like.” Jack looked at the floor, feeling guilty for not spending as much time with his mum as he should.

Will smirked. “Stubborn!”

Jack pursed his lips. “Exactly.”

Aubrey chuckled and shook her head. “Pot meet kettle.”