Page 71 of Beau

“I wanted to see you. Darling, you are not returning my calls.”

“I have been busy.” He took the drink from her and put it down. “My wife is not well.”

She made a move of her lips and pretended to be sympathetic.

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Doesn’t what bother me?”

“Her being that way. Isn’t this her second time in the clinic? She is causing you a lot of trouble because she wanted to do this her way.”

His eyes glinted dangerously. “We are not discussing my wife.”

“Of course not.” She fluttered one elegant hand. “I am just so worried about you.”

“Why?”

Her tapered brows lifted. “In case you are not aware, darling I still care.” She started to reach out a hand toward him, but dropped it when he reared back. “I want to be there for you.”

“And how exactly do you want to do that?” he asked mildly.

“You need someone to talk to. You are here in your office at this hour and it’s not like you. And you’re drinking.” She looked pointedly at the glass. “It sounds as if you are having second thoughts about everything. We could have been happy together.”

“Until you left, and for your information, I happen to adore my wife.”

“And yet, you are here, alone and drinking. It makes me wonder.”

He was about to tell her what he thought of her motives, when the sound of intense banging on the door sounded.

“Mr. Beau!”

Responding to the frantic note in the man’s voice, he rushed from behind his desk and jerked the doors open.

“Sir!” The man was panting from exertion. “I have been trying the extension and you are not picking up.” his eyes swept over the woman who was uncoiling herself from the desk. “The clinic has been trying to reach you.”

His heart stopped and started up at an uneven pace.

“My wife–”

“They have not told me anything sir, just said you need to get there as soon as possible.”

For a second, he just stood there and could not move.

“Sir!”

The sharpness of the guard’s voice whipped him into frenzied activity and without even looking at Miriam, he grabbed his jacket, making sure he had his key fob and went hurtling through the doorway.

*****

“Why the hell were you not answering your phone?” His father charged him as soon as he rushed into the waiting room.

“Never mind that," he was breathless with exertion and worry. All he had been told was that his wife was in surgery. Hehad broken several traffic laws on his way here and wondered fleetingly if he was going to be pulled over for speeding. Not that would have stopped him one bit. “What’s going on?”

Blake gave him a hard stare before backing down. “One of the babies is sucking the life out of the other two and Georgie started having contractions.” His face was white with strain. “She is in grave danger and might just lose one of them. They are fighting to save mothers and babies.”

“But?”

Blake sank down into the nearest chair and clasped his hands between his thighs. “It doesn’t look good.”