Page 89 of One Kind Hand

“We’ll keep your mother here overnight,” the doctor said to Charlie. “I’ll make the transport arrangements for tomorrow morning. Your . . . ahh . . . willingness to pay up front has significantly accelerated the process.” The doctor nodded approvingly at Austin.

“We want the best care that’s locally available,” Austin said. He would have paid to send Charlie’s mother anywhere in the world, but Charlie had requested it be within driving range. He would have paid to fly Charlie to see her mother too, but she’d convinced him that was silly. He’d tried to talk her into letting him pay for fuel for her own chopper so she could fly herself to see her mother, but the more local facility they’d selected did appear to be a good fit for Mrs. Moyen’s current needs.

Charlie and Austin spent a few minutes visiting with her mother, and Austin wondered how the hell her father had been able to care for the woman for as long as he had. Her faculties were significantly impaired at this stage of the disease and it was a wonder they hadn’t had an accident sooner.

“I knew my mother was declining,” Charlie said as they left her mother’s room, “but I didn’t register how much until seeing her in that hospital bed.” She shook her head. “I guess the mind lets you believe things are better than they are as a coping mechanism.”

“Yeah,” Austin said, taking her hand. “And incidents like this tell your mind to knock it off.”

“They sure the fuck do.” Charlie squeezed his hand. “Thanks for helping me with all this.”

He brought her hand up to his mouth and pressed his lips to her knuckles. “I’ll do anything for you, Charlie. Anything.”

She leaned into his arm and they walked into the waiting room where Isabel, Jackson, Eugene, and Morgan still sat. All four of them rose to their feet when they entered. Isabel immediately folded Charlie into a hug while Morgan tugged Austin to the side.

“So your chat went well?” She raised an eyebrow.

“It did,” Austin said. “I owe you, Two, and Three a chat too. There are some details I never told you guys about that night in Cape Cod.”

Morgan rubbed his arm. “We’ll find a time to have that chat.” She angled her head at Charlie. “Tonight you need to focus on her.”

“Right.” Isabel was suddenly standing beside them. “Wise sister you’ve got here.” She elbowed Morgan. “So the weather tonight is awful. Would you like a cottage at our resort, Morgan, so you don’t have to drive all the way back to Montpelier?”

“I like the sound of resort,” Eugene said, beaming a smile at his granddaughter.

“Eugene and Isabel are expanding Pine River Cottages into a mountain resort,” Austin told Morgan. “I’ve seen it and you’ll be more than comfortable for the night.”

“We also have a hockey team staying with us right now.” Isabel wiggled her eyebrows at Morgan then she reached over to cover Jackson’s ears. “And they are beyond gorgeous with those hockey butts.” She bit her bottom lip then squeaked when Jackson grabbed her wrists to lower her hands.

“You’re stuck with archeologist butt, Isabel.” He kissed one of her hands then released her. “I’ll go warm up the car.”

Eugene volunteered to go with him, and Isabel watched them walk away.

“Honestly, archeologist butt isn’t a bad thing to be stuck with,” she said with a smile then turned her attention back to Morgan. “So what do you say? Stay a night at Pine River Cottages Mountain Resort and enjoy the . . . scenery?”

“I think it would be foolish to say no to a charming cottage and hockey butts,” Morgan said. “Tell me they all eat breakfast together as a team and that I can somehow be a part of that.”

“They do,” Isabel confirmed, “and you can. One of the many amenities we now offer.”

“I’m totally in then.” Morgan looked at Charlie. “I know we got off to a misunderstood start, but I’m hoping we can fix that.” She held out a hand to Charlie.

Charlie immediately shook it. “I would love that. I’d like to meet your other sisters too.”

“You will,” Austin said. “They’re in Vermont for at least two weeks.”

“And we promise not to be our usual pains in the ass in front of your new girlfriend.” Morgan said the last three words in a sing-song voice.

“See, that teasing tone right there is being a pain in the ass, Morgan.” Austin tugged on his sister’s hair.

“Oh,” she said with a grin. “Then we’ll probably need a tutorial or something.” She shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll give Cody, Claire, and Brooke a call so they’ll know we’re shacking up in Maplehaven.”

“Thanks,” Austin said.

With hugs to Charlie and Austin, Isabel and Morgan left and Charlie looked up at him. “There’s still the issue of my father to contend with.”

“What’s his current status?” Austin asked as he guided her toward the hospital’s exit.

“My friend Donovan who is a detective there—and Jackson’s brother—called me before you came to say they have him in a cell,” she said. “They’re apparently trying to sober him up so they can get his version of tonight’s events.” She shook her head as she rubbed her forehead. “He was pretty riled up when I last saw him.”