Page 59 of Summer Breeze
“Hey.” Jules took his hands until he looked at her. “Aaron filled us in on what happened. These things happen. They’ve been happening to women since the dawn of time,” she said easily. “Zoey’s strong. She’ll get through this.” She nodded and smiled.
“Yeah,” he sighed. “You should have seen her.” He shook his head. “Standing up to that woman. She was a freaking warrior.”
Jules smiled. “I’ve witnessed her and her sister verbally take down many unruly guests. I’d like to think they helped me find my inner warrior when handling situations like that.”
He nodded. “I could have done something to not make her so upset,” he said.
“Damion. She didn’t miscarry because she was upset. That isn’t...” Jules shook her head. “In most cases, it doesn’t work that way. I’m positive this is one of those cases. Whatever set this off had nothing to do with you or what happened on the dock.”
“She’s right,” Lea said, coming to stop in front of them. She’d come out a few moments earlier to talk to everyone. “The pregnancy was nonviable. It was an intrauterine pregnancy.” Lea knelt down to his level. “The baby never had a heartbeat. Zoey knew this. But she couldn’t get the medical help she needed because… of new laws. We were trying to come up with a plan for her care. Tonight was her body correcting the wrong all by itself. She was extremely lucky it did. Dylan and Zoey had prepared for this.” Lea smiled at him. “I’m sorry you got mixed up in this. This in no way—” Lea shook her head and took his hand in hers. “This had nothing to do with you. You couldn’t have prevented this. Unless you suddenly became a deity,” she added with a smile. “Zoey is fine. She and Dylan will still be able to have more kids.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Okay.” He nodded. “Thanks, doc.”
“Any time,” Lea said, looking between them both.
“Hey, why don’t we get out of here? Grab some food?” Jules suggested.
He turned to her as Lea moved around the room to answer any more questions and fill everyone else in on Zoey’s status. “That sounds… wonderful.”
Since he’d ridden with Brett to the hospital, he climbed into Jules’s car and let her drive him wherever she wanted to go.
“I like your shirt,” Jules said as she drove.
He glanced down at the T-shirt Brett had gotten him from the hospital’s gift shop. “At least I survived” was written on the front in bold letters.
“Yeah, my camp shirt got ruined.” He looked out at all the traffic. “What is everyone doing out at this time of night?” he asked.
“It’s only eight.”
“It is?” He frowned. “It’s only been an hour?” He shook his head. It seemed like a lifetime ago he was picking up Zoey on the dock.
“Is Grimaldi’s Pizzeria okay?” she asked, pulling into the parking lot.
“Sounds perfect.” He wasn’t really feeling hungry, but when he stepped inside the restaurant and the smell hit him, his stomach growled loudly.
“Miss Julie,” the host greeted them. “Your parents and Tutu were just in here yesterday,” the older man said with a smile.
“Jerry, when are you going to ask Tutu out on a date? You know she expects it of you,” Jules said easily.
The older man laughed. “A date? No, I’m waiting until she’ll agree to marry me.” He winked.
Jules laughed. “Do you have two seats for us?”
“Is this Damion?” The man turned to him. “I’ve heard so much about you. Not from this one.” He pointed to Jules. “Tutu can’t seem to stop talking about you.” He leaned closer to Damion. “I think she has a crush on you and not me.”
Damion smiled. “You’ll have to get in line for her. This whole ploy of mine”—he motioned between him and Jules— “is just so I can win over Tutu.”
Jerry laughed. “I like him,” he said, “Come, I have my favorite table waiting for you, along with a bottle of wine.”
After they sat down, Damion asked, “Friend of the family?”
Jules smiled. “My parents like Italian.” She shrugged. “A lot. Over the years, we sort of became part of the family here.”
He nodded. “I think I’ve only eaten here a handful of times.”
“It’s one of my favorites,” she told him, then her smile slipped. “How are you doing?”
He took a deep breath and cleared his mind. “Better.”
