“You’re wrong,” Ryan said. “The only thing on her mind now is what’s best for Lamar, and he needs to see his daddy before he goes into surgery.”
Jamal seemed startled. “Thought you said he couldn’t have it, because they lost their insurance.”
Ryan carefully avoided Maggie’s gaze. “The shelter was able to help,” he explained. “The surgery’s this morning. If you’re willing, we can take you to see him. I know if I were a father, there’s nowhere else I’d be today.”
Maggie gave Jamal’s hand a squeeze. “Please. Lamar needs you. He’s scared. Having you there will go a long way toward reassuring him that everything’s going to turn out all right, especially once you tell him that you had the same surgery a long time ago.”
Jamal seemed to struggle with himself, but he finally nodded and pushed back from the table. “Take me to see my boy.”
Ryan paid the check and led the way back to the car. It was still early enough that they didn’t get tangled up in rush hour as they made their way to the children’s hospital where Lamar’s surgery was scheduled for eight o’clock. He pulled up at the front entrance.
“Maggie, why don’t you take him to Lamar’s room while I park the car? I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
She regarded him with a penetrating look. “You are coming in, though, aren’t you? Lamar will want to see you, too.”
“I’ll be there,” he said, overcoming his reluctance to give her the answer she was all but demanding.
She bent down to whisper in his ear. “Five minutes, Devaney. If you’re not there, I’m going to come looking for you.”
Ryan didn’t doubt for a second that she would do just that. “I gave you my word,” he said.
“And promises mean as much to you as they do to me?” she asked.
He gazed into her eyes. “I don’t make them unless I mean to keep them. If anyone knows the devastation of broken promises, it’s me.”
She rested her hand against his cheek. “I’ll see you inside, then.”
Ryan watched her walk away with Jamal.
“She’s a remarkable woman, isn’t she?” Jack noted.
“Yeah, she certainly is.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t let her get away.”
Ryan scowled. “Not you, too,” he protested. “Geez, if I get any more matchmaking advice from people who hang out at the pub, I’ll have to turn the place into a lonely-hearts club.”
“Not a bad idea,” Jack said. “And if there are any more out there like Maggie, send ’em my way.” He reached for his door handle. “I think I’ll catch a cab and head for home.”
“You’re not going to stick around to make sure I go inside?” Ryan inquired. “I thought maybe you’d nominate yourself to see to it I don’t let Maggie down.”
“If you let her down, you’re an idiot,” Jack said succinctly. “And frankly, if you’re that dumb, I don’t want to know about it. Right now I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy toward you for helping Lamar.”
Ryan laughed. “Go. I’ll give you a call once he’s out of surgery.”
Jack nodded. “You do that.” He grinned. “Or give Maggie the honor. I wouldn’t mind waking up to the sound of her voice in my ear.”
“Go to hell,” Ryan said. If Maggie was going to be whispering in any man’s ear, it was going to be his. And it was looking more and more as if that was going to be inevitable.
Chapter Nine
Maggie knew precisely why Ryan had let her be the one to escort Mr. Monroe into the hospital to see his son. He hadn’t wanted to be a part of an emotional family reunion, even if he was the one responsible for making it happen. Because there had been no reunion for him and his brothers, the prospect of this one made him uncomfortable.
He needed to be there, though. He needed to put his discomfort aside if he was ever to know that happy endings were possible.
As Maggie and Jamal Monroe stepped off the elevator, she turned and looked at him. “I know I have no right to ask this, especially after insisting that you get right over here, but would you mind waiting a few more minutes before you see Lamar?”
He regarded her with surprise. “You want to go in and make sure they want to see me?”
“No, I know how happy they’ll be that you’re here. In fact, that’s the point.”
He studied her knowingly. “This has something to do with Mr. Devaney, doesn’t it? You seemed real anxious that he not take off. You still worried he might not show up?”
“No, I’m sure he’ll be here any second, and I think he should be a part of this.”
“So he gets the credit he’s due for tracking me down?”
She smiled at the all-too-cynical reaction. “No, so he can see for himself the look in Lamar’s eyes when you walk through the door.”
At her explanation, his natural suspicion gave way. He nodded in apparent understanding. “I suppose a couple more minutes won’t make any difference,” he said. “And I do owe the man for his trouble.”
“He doesn’t want your thanks or your sense of obligation,” Maggie was quick to assure him. “He just wants you and your son to be together. I can’t explain why this meeting is so important to him, but it is. Trust me.”
They were still standing by the elevator when Letitia Monroe emerged from Lamar’s room and spotted them. An entire spectrum of emotions flashed across her face, from anger to love to relief. Her husband took a few hesitant steps in her direction, then paused and waited. She hurried down the corridor and straight into his arms. Her shoulders shook with sobs as he tried ineffectively to console her.
“Jamal Monroe, I ought to slap you silly for putting us through all this worry,” Letitia said finally, sniffing loudly and wiping her eyes with a tissue Maggie provided. “But I’m too relieved to see you. The rest
