Cuffs - Cara Lockwood Page 0,61

conference this morning. She’ll come here after, but that doesn’t stop her from pestering me.”

Mags could feel the anxiety growing in Gael. Could almost feel the fear. She knew that feeling. Knew exactly how bad it could get when someone you loved was in danger.

“You don’t know anything yet,” Mags said. “The worst thing you can do is get ahead of yourself.”

Gael grew silent a moment and then glanced up at the big clock in the waiting room. He frowned again. Every second that ticked by was another reason to worry, Mags knew. How often had she waited for her own mother to come out of surgery? She knew the feeling all too well. She also knew what happened when surgeries failed to stop the cancer.

“Do you need to go see about your store?” Gael offered. “You can, you know. If you need to go. You don’t have to stay.”

“Are you out of your damn mind?” Mags squeezed Gael’s hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Gael laughed and squeezed her hand back. “Thanks,” he said, his voice a low murmur. “I guess I’m in the tribe of one now?”

“Damn well better believe it. Everybody else is the outsiders now. Once you’re in my tribe, you’re in. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good.”

Mags tilted her head up to kiss him, and he kissed her back. The flame between them ignited instantly, like a gas burner coming to life. It took all Mags’s force of will not to jump into his lap right here in this waiting room. They broke the kiss, eventually. She wasn’t going to have sex here in the hospital, no matter how much she wanted to tear this man’s clothes off.

“When this is all over,” Gael said. “Let’s just you and me go find the nearest bedroom and...”

“I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we could find one on a beach. Maybe one of the bungalows on the sea? I saw a picture of those once.”

“No interruptions,” Gael said. “And all the room service we want. I like that idea.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I also like the idea of you in a bikini.”

“You might like me out of one even better.”

Mags liked this, liked flirting, liked distracting Gael from the fact that his sister was fighting for her life in an operating room not far from here. Because what was the point of dwelling on the worst-case scenario? Worst case always knocked you on your butt whether you planned for it or not. She’d had months to get ready for her mother’s death, and it had still knocked the wind out of her.

“So where would we go? Hawaii?” Mags asked.

“Fiji,” Gael said with some certainty. “They have the best beach bungalows.”

“You’ve been, then? With some gorgeous woman already?” Mags felt her blood pressure tick up a notch.

“Is that jealousy in your voice?” Gael had the gall to actually look amused. She’d wipe that look right off his face.

“No. I don’t get jealous.” Mags lifted her chin in defiance.

“Sounds like you’re jealous, though.”

“No. It sounds like I just want to get away from the impending Chicago winter and go somewhere warm.”

“So this is just a matter of convenience for you, then?” A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Yes.”

“Liar.” Gael tucked his fingers beneath her ribs, and she couldn’t help but giggle. Other worried faces in the waiting room turned to them, and she suddenly felt foolish. Her laughter died, and she settled back into her seat. This wasn’t the place for laughter. Gael took Mags’s hand again and squeezed it.

The automatic doors near them opened, and Ava’s doctor came out. Mags felt her own stomach tighten as she tried to read the woman’s blank expression.

“Dr. Carter?” Gael was already on his feet, ready for the news.

The auburn-haired doctor smiled, and Mags felt the tension in her shoulders relax for the first time since they’d sat down in the waiting room. She knew that doctors delivering bad news never smiled.

“I talked to Maeve but wanted to let you know Ava did great. We took out the kidney, the one that had been overtaken by the tumor. She’s in recovery.” Dr. Carter’s smile faded a bit. “The reason it took a little longer than we expected is that we found another tumor. On her other kidney.”

Gael squeezed Mags’s hand, hard. Mags felt her own heart leap to her throat.

“But—” Dr. Carter lifted a hand “—we’re pretty sure we got it, too. And saved the kidney. We’re not 100 percent