Bossman Hot Pants: Daddy Duet, #2

By Ember-Raine Winters

A terrible accident took my whole world from me eight years ago. Now, another one threatens to do the same. Especially when Tiffany wakes up. It should be the relief I've needed the last two weeks, but all I get is one horrible obsticle after the other. How will we ever make it through this?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ember-Raine Winters
• Release date: Nov 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386659310

Book preview

Prologue

J

The doctors refused to tell Courtney anything. We figured they wouldn’t because we weren’t technically family until one of the nurses came out and I said we were. Where is the husband of Tiffany Andrews?

Running a hand through my hair I walked to the nurses station. My name is Jason. Tiffany is my wife. I choked on the last word. I was exhausted but I refused to sleep until I knew what was going to happen.

The doctor needs to know if it comes down to the worse case scenario, who do we save? Your wife or your child?

My wife, always my wife. Tiff may hate me for it later, but it will always be her. If she was anything like Beth she would be pissed that I picked her over our unborn child, but technically I wasn’t even supposed to know about the baby.

The nurse led me down a hall and to a room. A woman laid on the bed but when I got closer it was Beth, her belly rounded with my child. Why did you forget about me? Don’t you love me anymore? Her face morphed and Tiffany was looking at me angrily. You lied to me, again. Why do you always lie?

I woke to Courtney shaking me. They’re looking for you, J. They just asked if we knew who the father of Tiff’s baby was.

Getting up off the horrible plastic chair, I made my way to the nurses station, the last bits of the dream taunting me in my waking hours.

I’m the father, I told the nurse at the desk.

Mommy and baby are stable but she’s asleep. The nurse smiled kindly.

Thank you, can I see her?

She’s asleep, but I’m sure you won’t disturb her. She led me down the hall that looked eerily similar to the one in my dreams. Tiff was lying in the room; there were tubes coming out all over the place. Both of her legs were casted up to the knee, covering her heels and only opening at her fire engine red toe nails.

Something wasn’t right. Why all the machines if she was simply sleeping? A doctor walked in a moment later scratching out notes on a chart.

Hello, you must be the husband? He shook my hand. I nodded because I was realizing that was the only way I was going to get any information about what was going on with her.

Yes, sir, I’m Jason. Is she going to be okay?

She’s in a coma. It will be touch and go for awhile and we’ll have to monitor her brain activity. I’m optimistic though. Her last scan was very promising. She only had slight swelling considering the severity of the accident.

What about the... uh. I didn’t dare to hope did I? I put my hands on my head pulling at the ends of my hair. I knew no matter what the answer, it wouldn’t change anything. I was totally and completely in love with her, but what if something happened to the baby? Would she leave for good after the way I treated her?

The baby? The doctor looked to me with a kind smile. I nodded. It looks to be a miracle. That tiny baby isn’t simply all right, it’s thriving. We will keep a close eye on it as well though.

Thank you, doctor. A long stream of air blew out of me in relief. They were okay. They would both be fine.

***

Three days later....

J, you look like shit. You should go home and rest. Aren’t Kaden’s grandparents supposed to be bringing him up to move in with you? Court handed me a bottled water. I rubbed at the beard on my face; it had seen better days.

Not until tomorrow. Once I see that she’s okay, I’ll go home and get some rest.

Promise? she asked with a lifted brow. She knew that I would stay as long as I possibly could. I hadn’t left the hospital in days. Brice kept bringing me fresh clothes to change into while I waited, but I refused to leave. I had no idea what would happen when she woke up. If she would even want to see me, but I intended to be there when she did.

***

One week later....

It was getting frustrating. Even spending all my time with Kaden wasn’t taking the crushing guilt away. Tiff still hadn’t woken up. Kaden was sitting in the chair next to me drawing something as the doctor stood there trying to be quiet.

There is no medical reason why she hasn’t woken up. The swelling on her brain has drastically improved over the last week and all of her scans have shown that everything is all functioning properly. Just give it time, she’ll wake up when she’s ready. The doctor scratched his head as if truly baffled. There was no reason she should be asleep still? What the fuck was going on here?

I scheduled an ultrasound to make sure the baby is still doing well. I looked over at Kaden to make sure he hadn’t heard anything. He was still sitting there drawing quietly with his headphones in. I hadn’t told him anything yet. He was nine and the situation was precarious enough as it was. Pulling out my phone, I sent Court a message.

Me: You in the hospital?

Court: Yes, I’m in the cafeteria. What’s up?

Me: Can U get K? They’re doing an ultrasound.

Brice and Court had nicknamed Kaden, K because, well everyone called me J, and they thought it was funny. The nickname stuck.

Court: B right there.

Me: Thanks.

It was a few minutes before Court got there. Hey, K? She tapped his shoulder. Kaden took the headphones out and looked up at her. Why don’t we go down to the cafeteria? I think they have ice cream.

Can I, Dad? he asked with pleading eyes. Smiling, I ruffled his hair and nodded.

Sure, buddy. He crushed me in a tight hug. Over his head I mouthed thank you to Court as they left the room.

There was nothing in the world like seeing your child for the first time, whether an ultrasound picture or holding them in your arms. It was like magic. I’d had that with Kaden. I just wished Tiff were awake to see it too.

The perky ultrasound tech wheeled the machine into the room. She was way too happy for her own good. I mean she does realize she is checking a coma patient’s baby, right? You ready to see the baby?

Yes. I smiled excitedly. The minute I heard the heartbeat I was in love. I saw the tiny baby and my heart swelled in my chest. It was dangerous since I had no idea what the future held, but I vowed then and there that I would do whatever it took to make sure Tiff and that baby were in it.

Chapter One

Tiffany

My body hurt and I had no idea why. It was difficult to crack my eyes open, but when I did an unfamiliar face looked back at me. His expression was worried but I had no idea why. I tried to scream but my throat was so dry barely a whimper escaped it. Shhh, Tiff. It’s okay. You’re safe now. He handed me a paper cup with something in it. I almost didn’t take it because he was a strange man offering me a drink. It could have been drugged, but in the end my scratchy throat won out and I grabbed it from his hand and guzzled it down in one huge gulp.

More. It hadn’t stopped the feeling of burning glass in my throat.

We should probably ask the doctor if that’s okay. God, angel, you have no idea how glad I am to see you awake.

Who are you? Where’s Courtney? I was so confused. He tried to touch me, but I recoiled. My breathing started getting rapid and I thought I was gonna pass out from sheer panic alone. Looking down at my body, I noticed the ugly hospital gown and casts on both legs. That did not help the rising panic in my chest. This strange man, although he was hot as sin, was in my room, and if something happened or he tried to hurt me, I wouldn’t be able to get away with two broken legs.

He reached over and hit the call button for the nurse. My vision was turning fuzzy and my hands started cramping. I felt like I was going to pass out as the nurse and several others came rushing in. Court was standing by me in an instant. Hey, honey, are you okay?

Do I look okay? I snarled through ragged breaths. I wake up with no memories of how I got here and a strange man is in the room.

Strange man? Honey, that’s your boyfriend, J. What the fuck? I did not have a boyfriend. I didn’t do the boyfriend thing after Tim. It made no sense; guys were liars and cheaters. Her words only caused me to panic more. Had I woken up in the twilight zone? Did I have some sort of amnesia?

Court, I don’t have a boyfriend. What the hell was happening to me? That was the last thought before the nurse shot something into my IV.

It’s just a mild sedative. It won’t hurt the baby. I thought I heard the nurse say as I passed into oblivion.

***

What the hell is going on? I heard an unfamiliar voice whisper harshly as the last dregs of drug induced sleep fell away.

The doctors aren’t sure. She has some sort of amnesia. They need her to wake up so they can run some tests, Courtney whispered at the man from earlier.

Amnesia? Are you serious? That’s really a thing? Tell them I’m awake. Run the damn tests. How many times could I say what the fuck in my head before it became redundant? Somehow my life was a fucked-up mess and I didn’t even remember it.

Hey, they said it might be temporary. That’s why I told J to come. They’re hoping we can jog your memory somehow. That was the first good news since I woke up.

What happened to me, Court? I cried. Why couldn’t I remember anything? What kind of hell had I woken up to?

You were walking away from the courthouse and got hit by a drunk driver, J said solemnly.

What was I doing at the courthouse? Why was I walking? I really only walk when I need to clear my head.

Honey? What’s the last thing you remember? Court sat on the bed next to me and clasped my hands in hers.

Um, you going crazy over the new nighttime radio DJ. I looked up at them and Courtney cursed.

That was almost a year ago. J exhaled. Brice has been at the station about eight months now.

Holy fuck. I’d lost eight months of my life? How the hell does something like this happen?

Yeah. J ran a hand over his face. This is all my fucking fault.

"J, I swear to God if you start with the guilt thing again, I will throat punch you." Courtney growled. I raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t comment. Even if they said I was his girlfriend, I didn’t know him.

I was the reason you were at the courthouse and the reason you left upset. It’s all because of me. Court made a strangled sound.

I’m going to get Brice, so he can kick the shit out of you, Courtney warned. It was a freak accident. Stop. She’s going to be fine.

I was so confused and they weren’t helping with the situation. Brice? You mean nighttime DJ guy?

Sorry, I forgot. She showed me her left hand and I couldn’t help the gasp that left my lips as I saw her wedding ring. It was gorgeous. We’re married now. A lot has happened over the last eight months. You were in the wedding.

A lot was right. I couldn’t believe she was married to a smokin’ hot radio DJ. I wished I could remember what happened, but I had a feeling it was one hell of a story.

Chapter Two

J

What in the actual fuck? I watched the woman I loved, that I would give up my own life for, as she listened to stories about the last eight months of her life. I thought I knew what pain was. I thought I knew heartache. Anger, even hate I could deal with, but she looked at me with complete indifference. No memory and no feeling whatsoever.