Immy got it. How was she supposed to choose? Well, she might not be able to help protect her, but she could reassure her.
“It’s okay, Maevie-baby,” Immy told her. “We’ll do whatever you want.”
“Abe?” Maeve whispered. “Someone said Abe was hurt?”
“He’s fine,” Sampson said.
He wasn’t, though.
“What happened to Abe?” Maeve pressed.
“When we got home tonight, we found him in his office,” Immy told her. “He was slumped over the desk, unconscious. Someone hit him on the head.” She ran her hand down her face, feeling shaky.
Jenner drew her closer.
“Immy,” Sampson barked.
“I know you guys are ridiculously protective, but you can’t keep stuff from her,” Immy said. “It will upset her more not knowing.”
“Lyle called us while we were at the auction,” Sampson explained.
“Lyle?” Maeve’s hunk of spunk asked.
“The guy at the front gate thought he saw someone carrying Maeve out of the community so he rang me,” Sampson said.
They’d raced home to find Abe slumped over the desk, unconscious. He’d been hit him on the head. Immy felt ill from worry over him. But the doctors wouldn’t let her in to see him.
She wasn’t family. Screw that. She was Abe’s sister and she hated that she wasn’t there for him.
Immy forced herself to focus back on the conversation.
“We thought . . . we thought your stalker had gotten you,” Immy told Maeve. “We were about to call the police when a friend from the hospital called me. Do you remember Abby?”
“Yes, she works in the emergency department, right?” Maeve asked.
“Yeah, she saw you come in, but didn’t recognize you until something started niggling at her and she checked your name. Then she called me. We figured your stalker likely wouldn’t bring you into the hospital, so we followed behind Abe’s ambulance.”
Immy tuned them all out for a bit until Maeve insisted they go check on Abe. Yeah, she really needed to check on Abe.
“Immy and Jenner will,” Sampson told Maeve. “I’m staying with you.”
“Not happening,” Maeve’s man said. “I’m not moving from her side.”
Uh-oh.
Immy stepped away from Jenner. Which was a big bummer because she would rather bury herself against him. “Guys, you’re not helping. And what you should be doing is asking Maeve what she wants, not beating your chests and then trying to pee all over her.”
‘Ew,” Maeve said. “That’s gross.”
“But apt,” Immy replied. “Well?”
They all started arguing. Men. How did they ever get anything done? Eventually they all agreed to leave Maeve with the big sexy man who stared at her like he couldn’t decide whether to devour her or wrap her up and tuck her into his pocket to keep her safe.
So romantic.
“I’m going to go check on Abe,” she stated as soon as they left Maeve’s room. And she wasn’t taking no for an answer. She was so worried about him.
She needed some M&Ms to help calm herself. But she hadn’t been able to fit them into the tiny handbag she had.