Free The Lancaster Men by Janet Dailey Page B

shudder shook it away.
    “Are you okay?” Whit was beside her, a hand on her waist in a silent offer of support if she needed it.
    “Yes,” she nodded affirmatively and breathed in deeply. Lifting her head, Shari studied his handsomely carved features and the compassion written in his amber-brown eyes. “I want to stay with her.” She expected him to argue, so she rushed to justify her request. “I know she’s receiving excellent care from the hospital staff, but they’re all strangers to her. It would be less of an ordeal if she could see a familiar face.”
    “You don’t need to convince me, Shari,” Whitsmiled faintly, the sun-creased lines deepening around his eyes. “I agree.”
    “You do?” She was vaguely surprised, although she wasn’t sure why.
    “A member of the family should sit with her. I know she’ll be very pleased if that person is you. She’s missed you a great deal since you’ve been away at college. We all have,” he added with an intently probing look.
    There was a tightness in her throat. She made a little move toward him. A second later, he was taking her into his arms to hold her close and rest a hard cheek against her hair. Shari reveled in the strength and comfort she found in his undemanding embrace. His hand gently rubbed her shoulder blade, his touch familiar yet with a trace of intimacy.
    “You belong at Gold Leaf,” Whit muttered near her ear, his warm breath stirring her hair. “It is your home, Shari. Someday I’ll prove it to you.”
    Something unsettled her. She was too confused to decipher whether it was his subject matter or the hard flesh and bone of his male body pressed to her length. Whit seemed to sense the beginnings of resistance in her and loosened the circle of his arms to let her stand alone. There seemed to be a veil over his expression, yet there wasn’t anything different in the way he looked at her.
    A nurse walked by them in the corridor, her white uniform rustling softly. Shari was reminded of where they were and why. Concern for her mother overrode the vague confusion of the moment.
    “I’ll let Mother know I’ll be staying with her,” she said.
    “Just during the day,” Whit qualified. “After visiting hours are over at night, you’ll be coming home to Gold Leaf.”
    That day started a routine that was followed for an entire week. Shari spent the daylight hours at her mother’s side and drove back to Gold Leaf late in the evenings to sleep. In one short week, her mother had made a lot of progress.
    From not being able to make any intelligible sound at all that first day, she could make understandable words. It was still difficult for her to speak in complete sentences, so their conversation usually included a sign language they had developed. She had recovered some use of her left side, and the doctors hoped she would regain more of it with physical therapy.
    After witnessing some of the minor triumphs her mother had achieved, Shari was encouraged by her progress. Her mother would definitely get better.
    She told Beth that when her friend phoned on a Friday morning before Shari had left for the hospital. “The doctors are talking about releasing her next week,” she added.
    “Shari, I’m so glad to hear it,” her friend declared.
    “We all are.” It was a tremendous relief.
    “Doré and I are back at the sorority house. Will you be arriving Sunday?” Beth asked. “Don’t forget classes start again on Monday morning.”
    “I wish I could,” Shari smiled ruefully. “I suppose I’ll come sometime late Sunday night.”
    “We’ll be watching for you,” she promised. “Letus know if there is any change in your plans—and drive carefully.”
    “I will.”
    There was an exchange of good-byes before Shari hung up the telephone receiver. She glanced at her watch and saw she was running late. A cup of coffee and some toast were all she’d have time to have for breakfast this morning. She wasn’t worried about being hungry