Page 58 of The Duke's Virgin

“I’m aware.” Together, we returned to Emmett’s side, and I had the pleasure of watching him stoically tolerate it as his mother fussed over the sheets, tugging at his gown until she could refasten the snaps before whipping out a brush to tend to his hair.

“Come on, Mom. I can do tha—”

She smacked him sharply on his right shoulder, one of the few parts that didn’t look battered. “Hush, you. I can too, and it gives me something to focus on besides seeing that wreck play out in my mind over and over.”

“I’m sorry, Mom,” he said immediately, looking as contrite as he could possibly be.

I grinned, unable to stop it, and his father smothered a laugh.

We both received a dirty look from Emmett as Ellen finished and turned away, tucking the brush back into her purse.

The exchange wasn’t enough to distract me from thoughts of Stacia, but I had a feeling I’d be thinking about her for a long, long time, so I’d take the distractions where I could.

Nineteen

Stacia

I pausedas the woman next to me held up a hand. Her gaze moved away to linger on somebody else standing behind me.

A deep male voice, touched with a faint German accent, had my heart skip a beat, even as I told said stupid heart to stop being silly.It’s not him.

I turned and looked at the man there, a good-looking guy, but not Luka. He wore work coveralls and had a handcart in front of him.

“I was told to bring these up here,” he said, looking from me to Belinda.

Belinda, my mother’s favorite event planner, hustled around the table. “Daniel…it’s been a while since I’ve seen you!”

He just smiled and passed the clipboard over for her signature. “Where do you want the boxes, Ms. Morris?”

She gestured to the far wall where a small city of boxes already sat. “Over there. Thank you so much, Daniel.”

He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

As he pushed off with the handcart, she looked back at me. “My team arrives in two hours. And…” she checked her watch, huffing out a breath, “Istillhaven’t heard back from the catering group.”

She shot me a speculative look.

“I hope that’s not acan you cooklook,” I said, smiling. I liked Belinda. Mom described her as efficient and energetic. I found her friendly and easy to work with. It was the only reason helping with these events wasn’t a chore—and the main reason I’d agreed. Mom’s backhanded comments about how I wasn’treallydoing anything since I wasn’t involved in any committees or such had rubbed me raw, but I’d decided not to point out that I was currently on the hunt for a job.

“It’s not.” She beamed. “It’s anare you busylook. I know we were just running through the schedule and doing a walk-through so you could update your mother.” She chuckled. It was a long-standing joke that Mom wouldn’tneedme updating her if she’d bothered to read the daily emails or let her assistant, Tilly, read them for her. “But I have to deal with the caterer problem and get in contact while they still have people in the office, and I’m supposed to be meeting one of the guests that was hired for the children. He was coming here straight from the airport so he could take a look around and get an idea what we were doing.”

I cocked a brow. “I guess I can do that. Where were you supposed to meet him?”

“In the coffee shop downstairs. In five minutes.” She went to pull something from one of the many files, but her phone rang. “The caterer! Finally.”

She answered, and I hesitated. I didn’t even know who I was looking for.

Belinda’s mouth pursed, and she grabbed a pen, scrawled on the file, then held it up.

E. Finch.HURRY.

With a nod, I turned and did just that, glad I’d gone with a pair of comfortable flat-soled shoes since I knew I’d be on my feet most of the day. It took every bit of the five minutes just to navigate my way to the elevator bay, and once there, I elected to take the three flights rather than wait for the elevator.

Through the glass, I could see the large hospital and the pedway connecting the two buildings. Once Belinda’s team got to work, that walkway and the ballroom I’d just left would be transformed into a kid-friendly circus extravaganza, complete with popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs as well as healthier food options and plenty of vegan and vegetarian alternatives, assuming Belinda worked out whatever issues with the caterer.

I had no doubt she would.

My mom only worked with the best, after all.

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