Sweet Heart (The Hearts of Sawyers Bend #2) - Ivy Layne Page 0,102
“I caught up with your grandmother at home. He cleaned out the cash she had stashed in her jewelry box, along with some of her jewelry. There's a warrant out for him and for your mother as an accessory. I was out looking for them when I got the call about what happened in the alley. Do you want me to call Eleanor?”
I didn't have to think about that. Grams did not need to see me like this. “No. Please, don't. Griffen is bringing me clean clothes. I need to change and get cleaned up before I call Grams. Have you heard anything about J.T.? They won't tell us anything.”
West shook his head. “I only know that he's in surgery. You're going to wait here?”
“I'm not going anywhere until I know he's going to be okay.” Something occurred to me. “I need to make a call, someone he's close to will want to know what's going on. His phone was in his pocket. Can you find it? Please? He'd want me to call and I don't have the number. Or my phone.”
“I'll see what I can do.” West disappeared through the curtain, leaving us alone.
“Where's your phone?” Royal asked.
“Somewhere near your car. Or in your car. I'm not sure. I dropped it. Stupid dress didn't have pockets.”
Sometimes women's clothes sucked. How come we never got pockets? My mind was drifting, the shocks of the day finally catching up with me. I leaned my head against Royal's shoulder.
“We baked you a pie,” I rambled. “Mixed berry. To say sorry for being such a jerk before. I should have told you what was going on with my dad.”
“It's okay, sweetheart. I knew you needed time.”
“I thought I did.” I turned my face into his shoulder, breathing deep of his scent, soaking in the heat of his body. I was terrified for J.T., but my heart was calm.
I knew who I wanted. Who was important. Royal. And the fact that he'd given me the time I needed even when it hurt him? If I didn't already know he was the one, that would have done it.
“I didn't need time,” I said. “I just needed you.”
Royal was silent for a long moment, his voice so rough when he tried to speak he had to clear his throat. In the end, his arm came around me, holding me tight to his side. “Love you, Daisy. So much.”
“I love you, too.” I did, more than I knew I could, so much that my heart hurt from letting that fierce emotion run wild. I'd spent too long being afraid of loving him, afraid of being hurt, of doing the wrong thing. If I'd known how good it would feel to just love him, I would have done it sooner.
I closed my eyes for a minute. Possibly I drifted off. There was a lovely line of drool on my chin when West came back, but I admit nothing.
Before I could ask, West said, “No word on J.T. He's in surgery, and he's hanging in there. That's all they can tell us for now.”
“Thanks, West.” I took the phone he handed me and unlocked the screen. Royal and West talked in the background, but all I could think about was Clay. This wasn't how I wanted to meet J.T.'s boyfriend. I had absolutely no doubt J.T. would want me to call him. Well, that wasn't true. J.T. might want to spare him the worry. But if the tables were turned J.T. would want to know.
It was easy to find Clay's number since he was at the top of the call list. I tapped his name, nerves fluttering in my belly. A low male voice answered, warm with welcome. “Hey, I didn't expect to hear from you tonight, thought you had plans with Daisy.”
I cleared my throat. “Uh, this is Daisy, actually. Sorry to take you by surprise but, uh—”
“What's wrong?” he asked, his warm voice sharp with a thread of worry.
“J.T. and I were attacked. He was stabbed. He's in surgery. I thought you'd—”
“What hospital?” Clay demanded.
“County Regional. I'm in the ER right now, but as soon as I can I'll head to the waiting room closest to where J.T. is. I'll text you as soon as I know where that is.”
“I'll be there in an hour.”
“Hey, Clay!” I called, knowing he was about to hang up.
“Yeah,” he barked, impatient. I got it, but I had to say one more thing.
“Drive safely. Seriously. J.T. will kill me if you