Sea Breeze 01 - Breathe

hard and looked away. “Because I owe him for being what I couldn’t be, I’m allowing him in here.”
    I smiled as Jax stood and turned to the door.
    “However, if he so much as goes near your face with his lips, all bets are off.”
    I laughed, and Jax gave me one last sexy grin before walking out the door to get my friends.
    Ms. Mary entered first with the anxious frown of a worried mother on her face. “Oh, Sadie, honey, I’m so glad to see those eyes. Girl, you’ve given me the scare of my life. Lord, if I had known things were so bad, I would have done something.” She touched my hand, leaned down, and kissed my forehead.
    “I’m fine now. How’s Sam?”
    She smiled and sat down beside me in the chair Jax had been sitting in earlier. “He’s wonderful. I started him on some rice cereal, and he’s sleeping all night long now. He is such a happy baby.”
    “Thank you so much. I don’t have to worry about him when I know he is with you. It means a lot that you’re taking care of him.” Tears stung my eyes.
    “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sadie, honey, you’re my family now too. I love you just like I do my own kids. Don’t you go thanking me for nothing.”
    At her words, the tears spilled over. I had a family now. It had always been Jessica and me against the world, but now I had others to love and who loved me back.
    “Oh, lordy, if Master Jax catches you crying, he’s gonna shoo me out of here for good. Stop that now. You got Marcus outside with Jax, and the way they’re glaring at each other, it won’t be long before we have a fight on our hands. I’m gonna go.” She squeezed my hand. “I’m so happy you came back to us, sweetie. You’re very loved.” She turned to leave.
    “Ms. Mary.”
    She stopped and said, “Yes, honey?”
    I smiled through my tears. “I love you, too.”
    She sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye. “I know you do, girl, I know you do.” She walked out of the room.
    Jax stepped back inside and frowned at me, concerned. “Are you all right? Ms. Mary is crying, and so are you.” He came over and wiped the tears from my face.
    I smiled through them. “These are happy tears. Now stop fussing over me and let Marcus in.”
    Jax nodded but didn’t smile, and he went back into the hallway. Marcus came in with a fierce frown on his face. “I swear, Sadie, if you ever scare me like that again, I’m not sure I can live through it.”
    I grinned. “I don’t intend to ever scare anyone like this again.”
    He managed a smile and sat down beside me. “I didn’t get to come in here but once while you were, um . . . out of it. . . . Jax refused to leave your side, and they only allowed one at a time. Jax let me in once, but he didn’t leave. He kept sitting in the seat over there playing his guitar and singing. He has every woman in this hospital in love with him.”
    He rolled his eyes, and I laughed.
    “Don’t let it get to you, Marcus. He’s a rock star. They would’ve been in love with him even if he hadn’t sung to me.”
    Marcus sighed and leaned back in the chair. “I don’t know, Sadie. I’m a guy, and I’ll be honest with you, seeing someone like him in a corner of a hospital room playing love song after love song and refusing to leave your side was pretty touching. I’ve managed to let go of most of my resentment toward him.”
    I pictured Jax singing to me, and I wished I had been awake to watch him. “I love him,” I whispered.
    Marcus nodded. “I know you do. You’ve loved him about as long as I’ve known you. It’s something I’ve come to grips with. I never stood a chance. He stole your heart first.”
    I smiled sadly at the friend I would also always love. He had been my knight in shining armor when I needed one.
    “I love you too,” I said, almost without choking up.
    He smiled at me. “I know you do. Just not the way you love him.”
    “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Marcus. You’ve been there for me when I needed someone the most. I’ll never forget that. But he stole my breath away the moment we first spoke. He’s my air.”
    Marcus stared down at the floor for a moment, and I gave him time. Finally he looked back up at me. “I used to think he didn’t deserve your love, but now I think he just may be as in love with you as you are with him. I want you to be happy, and if he makes you happy, then that’s all that matters.”
    “He affects all my emotions. My happiness is connected to