Fighting For You (Danvers #4)(60)
“Agreed,” Mac replied. “She’s really something,” he added admiringly. “After all she’s been through; she was more worried about that girl than herself. If I weren’t so damn happy for you, I’d hate your guts.”
Declan clapped his friend on the shoulder knowing he was thinking of Ava. “Yeah, she is something and I was about to give up and walk away from her just a few weeks ago. It took almost losing her to kick some sense into me. Loving Ellie helped me to deal with some of my baggage; maybe Ava needs to lose you before she can deal with hers.”
Clearly frustrated, Mac said, “Ava knows I’ve been here for her all along. She doesn’t want the help or, if she does, she doesn’t want it from me.”
“You know Ava had it worse than all of us. That bastard really messed her up.”
“I know that, Dec. I’ll never get the picture out of my head of when she crawled to my door that night. Shit, don’t you think I know all of that?”
As he started to answer, he heard Ella calling his name from the room. “Just think about what I said, okay?”
“Yeah, fine,” Mac muttered.
As Declan started back into Ella’s room, he turned back to Mac who had already started down the hall. “Mac?” When he turned around, Declan took a breath and said, “Let me know when Amy gets into town. If I’m making the girl who hit Ella face her, then I need to step up and meet Craig’s family.”
Mac smiled and said, “Good deal,” as he headed back down the hall. No matter how things went at that next step, Declan felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was officially facing another major hurdle in his life and he knew he owed it all to the woman smiling at him from her hospital bed. But if she noticed that he held her for just a little longer than usual that day, she didn’t mention it.
Chapter Twenty-One
Declan carried Ella through the door of his apartment and deposited her gently down onto the couch. She settled back against the cushions and moaned in bliss. “I’m so glad to be out of that hospital. I’m sure all of the nurses are going to miss you, though. I felt like I was leaving with Tom Cruise or something.”
He threw her a sheepish smile as he dropped her bag onto the chair next to her. She would swear that he was even blushing. All of the nurses had lined up in the hallway when the pair left and, instead of wishing her well, they had all hugged Declan and told him to stay in touch. She was pretty sure that they had forgotten that she was actually the one that had been hospitalized. He sure had a group of loyal fans there.
“Baby, are you sure you’re up to having Evan here for a few hours? I can get you settled in bed and keep him out here while you rest.”
She grabbed his hand and pulled him down to sit beside her. “Mister, you are gonna have a fight on your hands if you try to put me back in bed.” Giving him a wicked grin, she added, “Well, unless you have something in mind other than me sleeping?”
“Ellie,” he groaned, “Don’t look at me that way.”
“What?” she asked innocently as she trailed her hand over his crotch.
He took her hand and put it back beside her on the couch. He laughed as she pouted. “Behave yourself. I don’t need Evan asking why I’m walking around hunched over. I’m still battling the hard-on I got from carrying you in the door. I don’t need any encouragement where you’re concerned.”
She still had to fight the urge to squeal like a girl and shout, “He loves me!” Unlike her parents who had wanted to make all of her decisions, when Declan took care of her, she felt loved. He was so gentle with her and sensitive to her every need. Even though it went against every instinct he had, at her request, he asked Mac to help the girl who had hit her. Sara had come by the hospital that morning to apologize. She and her parents cried as they apologized and thanked her profusely. Thanks to Mac’s influence with the district attorney, Sara would not do jail time and instead would perform community service at a local children’s shelter. Sara told Ella she had gotten rid of her cell phone, and she never wanted another one. Ella was pretty sure she would change her mind about that later on, but was happy that she realized how dangerous it was to use while driving.
The next thing she knew Ella jerked awake. She couldn’t remember dozing off, but she must have. Evan sat beside his father on the coffee table in front of her. “Do you think she’s okay, Dad?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. I bet she must be hungry.”
“Are we gonna ask her?”
“Yep, you know what to say, right?”
Ella had shut her eyes while she listened to father and son talk. She wondered what plan they were hatching. She felt Evan poke her in the shoulder and opened one eye to look at him. “Yesss?”
Evan giggled. “She’s alive, Dad. Are you hungry, Ellie?”
“I’m starving, Evan. Whatcha got for me?” Evan and Declan moved to the side and she spotted a pink cake behind them. “Mmmm, is that strawberry, my favorite?”
Evan nodded. “We made it for you. Can you sit up ‘cause I got something to ask you.”
Ella smiled. Could he be any more adorable? She looked over at Declan who had been strangely silent through their exchange. He looked a little pale. Maybe he should find something else to do with Evan besides baking. She settled back on the sofa after getting comfortable and said, “Alright, kid, lay it on me.”