Worth Fighting For (Hope Harbor Book 4) Read online

  “It’s a bit different. You have Arlo.” She wished she had the time for a relationship but her work schedule didn’t allow for it no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise. Up until now, she hadn’t thought she was missing too much. Her life was full and she was content. Or was she?

  Arlo offered them coffee. After he poured it, they all walked outside and sat at the table. “I really wish you would give it serious thought, Mia. Pretty sure you could make it work with the way the world does business these days. Commuting is easy with the ferry too. The island folk would love to have someone like you living here. You could open a shop and do contract work. People would gladly pay for your skills.”

  “And you’d have a friend who understands the change from city to island life. I could help you adjust.” Hilary winked. “Not that I could help you as much as Matt could, but just saying.”

  She’d thought about it too. Lying in bed listening to the crash of the waves on the shore, Mia had let her mind wander and imagined living on the island. Being around Matt had made her rethink her crazy lifestyle. But it wasn’t that simple. Not when she had so many people relying on her. No one starts a massive company like she had and walks away from it due to a case of the holiday bug. At least she didn’t, as tempting as it might be to investigate that idea further. “Matt’s a nice guy, but he’s serious about his business too.”

  Arlo laughed. “You’re both too blind to see what’s in front of you.” He shook his head.

  “You’re not being very delicate, Arlo.” Hilary shooed him away. Coffee mug in hand, he walked off down the jetty, leaving them alone. “Sorry. Guys have no idea about relationships sometimes.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and focused on Mia, making her feel as though she was under the spotlight.

  “We don’t have a relationship. I’m a guest at his B&B. We’re both just getting along because we have no choice.” Although if she drilled down and thought about it, it was more than that. She didn’t believe for a moment that he walked hand in hand with guests, or kissed them. At least she hoped he didn’t.

  “But don’t you want one? Especially with someone as cute and nice as Matt?”

  She shrugged, hoping she could lie without blushing and giving herself away. Matt was special and she couldn’t ask for someone better to have a relationship with but Mia didn’t want to put herself out there because her life was crazy. She didn’t want to lead anyone on—certainly not someone as nice as Matt. It wasn’t her style. “Maybe. Yes. One day when I’m not so busy, probably.”

  “Listen to you. I feel sorry for you, Mia Morgan, if that’s your way of thinking. Life is short. You never know when it will end. It’s like those people who save all their money so they can take a trip around the world when they retire and drop dead the day they leave work. Bam! Gone! Too late.”

  “I think you’re being a little bit dramatic.”

  Hilary leaned forward. “No, I’m not. I’ve been there. Lost everything, had to start again. I know how quickly things can get ripped away from you. Don’t wait for that to happen, Mia. If there’s even the tiniest spark between you and Matt, go for it. Fan that little sucker into a raging fire and make the most of it. Because we never know if we’re going to wake up tomorrow, and that’s a sad thought if you haven’t made the most of today.”

  Chapter 11

  Hilary’s words kept Mia awake most of the night. They were still ringing in her head the next morning when she pulled on her running shoes and met Matt outside the kitchen door for their morning run. They were also the words that rang through her head when Atticus Hope pulled into the driveway as they rounded the road on their way home.

  “What’s up, Dad?” Matt put his arm around her shoulders as they walked into the driveway.

  Her stomach dropped at the sad way Atticus looked at her. “I’m sorry, Mia. I have bad news. It’s your uncle. He had a heart attack and is in hospital.”

  White noise rushed through her head. No. This wasn’t happening. Not again. Uncle Ryan was the only family member she had left and she wasn’t about to lose him like she’d lost her father. She refused to contemplate that option.

  Her tongue felt thick in her mouth. “What happened?”

  Matt held her tight. She resisted falling apart in his arms, but she appreciated his support.

  Atticus sighed and leaned on the door of his car. He sounded as gutted as she felt. “I got a phone call from the hospital. He managed to call an ambulance and he gave them my number when he couldn’t get a hold of you.”

  Her cell phone had been turned off for days. “Thank you.” Her words sounded hollow to her own ears.

  “The next ferry is at eight so you have plenty of time to get packed and grab a ticket. If you like, I’ll go with you to Seattle.”

  She lifted her head and stared at him. Why would he want to do that? She was capable of taking care of herself. Besides, if Ryan was out of commission, she’d have to take over running the company again. “Thanks, Atticus, for the offer, but I’ll be alright. I’ll call you when I know something.”

  She hurried inside and ran upstairs to pack her bag. Just when she was getting comfortable being away from the office, this came to smack her in the face. Nothing better happen to Ryan or she didn’t know what she’d do. He complained about her working too hard, but it looked like he wasn’t doing any better. What a terrible pair they were.

  She grabbed her toiletry bag and filled it with everything she could see that was hers and tossed it on the bed. As she was pulling her suitcase out of the closet and opening it so she could throw everything in, she heard footsteps.

  “Can I help, Mia?” Matt stood at the door, a worried frown on his face.

  “I don’t know. I’m in panic mode right now.” Her voice shook, despite how much she fought it. He was beside her instantly and wrapped her in his arms. She trembled and then the tears started. “I don’t want to lose him, Matt. I can’t. He’s all I have left.”

  He whispered, “I know, sweetheart. I know.”

  He held her tight until she stopped shaking. She rested her face against his chest, the fresh scent of his aftershave going a small way to help soothe her. Just when she was starting to relax and feel comfortable in Matt’s world, she was being yanked out and thrown back into her own. After a few moments of silence and controlled breathing, Mia pulled away and wiped her eyes with her hands. “Sorry. I didn’t meant to lose it like that. I’m just so damned scared for him.”

  Matt held her at arm’s length and peered into her eyes. “Do you want me to come with you? I don’t think you should go alone.”

  She stared at him. “You’d do that for me?”

  “Sure, why not? We’re friends, aren’t we?” He smiled and wiped the single tear from her cheek. “I thought we were, and this is what friends do.”

  Friends? She deserved that after stepping back from their budding relationship but now wasn’t the time to think about it. Ryan was her sole focus right now. To have Matt by her side through this would be amazing. She didn’t trust herself to make it to the hospital without losing it. “Thank you. I’d like that.” Mia turned to pack her clothes and had a thought. “What about the house and your other guest?”

  His guest didn’t seem one for mixing and wanted to keep to himself, but Matt should still be here to look after him. He brushed that aside. “Aunt Gigi fills in for me when I need her. I’ll call her now and pack myself a change of clothes.”

  He hurried from the room, and Mia did a quick change out of her running clothes and finished packing. Before she could carry her suitcase down from the bed, Matt was there to carry it for her. When he offered to drive her car, Mia was more than happy to hand over the keys. The way her hands were shaking, she worried she’d cause an accident.

  By seven o’clock, they were at the ferry, their tickets in their hands. The trip over was stressful and Mia was grateful she had Matt with her. When they arrived at the wharf in Seattle, she was a bundle of nerves.

 
; “Let me drive to the hospital as well. You give me directions, okay?”

  “Thanks.”

  Congestion was terrible. The streets were insane but it was still rush hour. They got caught in a slow lane. “Take a left next street and see if we can get around this traffic.”

  “Sure.” Matt did as she suggested but a car blocked the road halfway down, waiting for another vehicle to move out of the park.

  “Move it, pal.” Mia cursed under her breath.

  Finally they got past the car only to hit a red light. She drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. Goddamnit!

  Matt put a hand out and grabbed hers. “Chill, we’ll get there.”

  Mia had forgotten how bad the traffic was in Seattle this time of the morning. She had gotten so used to the limited number of vehicles on Hope Island that this was driving her crazy. Matt slammed on the brakes as a delivery truck pulled out in front of them, cutting them off. Tears of frustration threatened.

  By the time they got to the hospital, she was ready to snap, more out of fear than anything else. She wasn’t sure what to expect when she got to Uncle Ryan.

  They found a place to park and Mia ran inside with Matt close on her tail. They stopped at the admissions desk to find out where he was. “Mr. Ryan Morgan.”

  “Family?”

  “Yes.”

  * * *

  Matt held onto Mia as she struggled to keep it together. On the ride over, she’d told him about the heart attack that took her father and the slow demise of her mother not long after. Her Uncle Ryan was all the family she had left and she was terrified she would lose him.

  “The doctor would like to see you.” The receptionist gave them directions to the doctor’s office. When they were seated in front of him, Mia clung to Matt’s hand.

  “Your uncle’s condition is critical, Ms. Morgan. I have to tell you, I’m greatly concerned.”

  Mia’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Is he going to make it?”

  The doctor leaned back in his chair. “I certainly hope so. He got here fast, which is in his favor, but what concerns me is the history of heart disease in the family. He should’ve been under a specialist’s care but he wasn’t.”

  Mia shook her head and looked at Matt, confused. “I don’t understand.”

  “According to his hospital records, his brother—your father, I presume—died young from heart failure. We believe they may share a genetic condition, one that your uncle could’ve been kept under control with strict lifestyle changes. Do you have any idea why he didn’t take advantage of that knowledge? Why he let it get this bad?”

  Mia’s throat worked as she listened to the doctor. “This is the first time anyone’s told me what my father had is hereditary. I’m not sure if Ryan knows any different either; he’s never said anything to me. Are you sure?” She clung to Matt’s hand and he could feel the cold seeping from her fingers into his. “We understood my father died of a heart attack. Nothing else was mentioned at the time.”

  “I’ve been running tests since he was brought in. Your uncle has a serious case of arrhythmia as well as other minor heart deformities. Both can be hard to detect unless the patient is hooked up to a machine when it happens. In layman’s terms, his heart races so fast it stops, which I believe is what happened in this case. I’m sorry to say, the type he has is definitely genetic. I want to operate and put in a pacemaker, but your uncle needs to be stable to survive the anesthetic. The next twenty-four hours will be critical.”

  Matt could see the questions in her eyes. “Do you think he knew he had this…this condition?”

  “I’m not sure what he knows. We can ask him that when he recovers.” He peered over his glasses and focused on Mia. “It’d be in your best interests to have some tests done to clear yourself as well. You don’t want to find yourself in the same position, Miss Morgan, because not everyone is as lucky as your uncle.” He closed the file in front of him and sat back in his chair. “In most cases we can keep the condition under control with diet and medication but not always. If he survives, I’m hopeful he’ll have a full recovery.”

  “If he survives.” Mia sat up straight and stared at the doctor. “What exactly is this disease called?”

  “Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. ARVC for short.” The doctor cleared his throat. “As I said, it can be hard to detect. A lot of people put their symptoms down to stress or panic attacks and never take it any further.”

  Mia repeated the diagnosis in her head. “Thank you. Now, if I could see him please, I’d really appreciate it.”

  “Don’t forget what I said about you, Miss. Morgan. Get yourself checked to make sure you don’t have the same disease. I can suggest a top cardiac specialist, or if you like, you can come to my clinic here at the hospital. Let the nurse know what you decide and she’ll book you in. The last thing you want to do is see me in an emergency.”

  “I’ll make sure she gets it done, doctor.” Matt had only just found her. He wasn’t about to lose her before they got the chance to see if there was something between them.

  The doctor led them out of his office and up to intensive care. “Just five minutes. I’ll be checking him hourly, and if all goes well, we’ll operate first thing in the morning.”

  “Thanks, doctor.” Matt spoke because Mia seemed incapable now having gotten a look at her uncle.

  Mia clung to Matt’s hand as she stood at the door, staring into the private room closest to the nurses’ station. The sound of machines beeping was intimidating and she was shaking. “I’m so scared.”

  He rubbed her arm, noticing the goosebumps on her skin. “You’ll be fine. I’ll wait right here, okay? I’m not leaving you alone, Mia.”

  She nodded and walked closer. Matt said a silent prayer that things would turn out okay for the man tethered to monitors that marked every heartbeat, every breath he took.

  When Mia came out of the cubicle shortly thereafter, she collapsed in his arms. She seemed totally downtrodden and frail compared to the woman she was yesterday. He didn’t blame her. Facing death was enough to bring even the strongest person to his knees. The best he could do was be there for her and support her.

  Matt sat with her through the night outside her uncle’s room, checking on him as often as possible. Mia had refused to leave the hospital, and he didn’t want her to be alone. Earlier that night, he’d called his father and given him the news, and Atticus had promised to pass it on to Gigi.

  Atticus had also sent his best wishes to Mia. “I hope he makes it. I like Ryan; he’s a good man. Very caring and a good businessman and friend. He pretty much brought Mia up after her parents died. I think she was about fifteen when her mom passed away.”

  “How did you meet?” Matt kept his eye on Mia who slept in the chair next to him, totally exhausted by their day.

  “He used to be my bank manager. Guy knows his stuff and we hit it off early on. Advised me on investments and our friendship grew from there. Eventually he quit the bank to run Mia’s business when it all went crazy for her. He didn’t have to tell me to invest when the company went public three years ago. He’d already been telling me how wonderful it was. Made sense to put my money there. Turned out to be one of the best investments I made.”

  “What’ll happen now? I mean, he shouldn’t go back to work, based on what the doctor says.”

  His father cleared his throat. “It might be time for him to retire. His whole life has been about work ever since I’ve known him. It’s going to be hard on the company but I’ve been thinking about it. Maybe now the board will listen to the idea of selling the shops off, like a franchise deal. That way, all Mia would have to maintain is the stock buying as the face of the company and that’s only if she wanted to. Pretty sure they could manage without her now that the line is established. She wouldn’t have to work so hard herself if she decided to stay on the island and Ryan can retire either way. If the board doesn’t agree, they’ll have to find someone else to manage the company. I doubt
she’ll let him go back to work after this.”

  “You think the franchise idea will work?” If it would free up Mia and her uncle, it could only be a good thing.

  “I do. I’ve seen it happen to other companies and with a good reputation similar to the one her company already has. I think it would be a great move.”

  “Let’s see how it all goes tomorrow. Ryan seems to be holding his own at the moment, so fingers crossed the doctor will go ahead and put in his pacemaker. It’s going to be a slow recovery, though.”

  “At least he has a fighting chance. Keep me informed, son. I want to know how he’s doing. And take care of that little lady. I’ve gotten to like her a lot.”

  He wasn’t the only one. “Yeah. Me too, Dad. Me too.”

  Matt hung up and tucked his arm around Mia as she slept. She mumbled and snuggled into his shoulder and they stayed wrapped up together until the doctor woke them the next morning.

  “Your uncle is getting better, Mia. He had a good night. I’m taking him into surgery shortly. Did you want to go and say hello before they take him down?”

  She gasped and pressed her hand to her mouth. “He’s going to be okay? Matt, did you hear that?”

  “Yes! It’s fabulous news.” He pulled her close and rubbed her back.

  The doctor interrupted them. “I’ll walk you down to see him if you like.”

  “Come on, let’s go see him before they come for him.” Matt walked down the hallway to her uncle’s room and stood at the doorway while Mia sat beside the bed, clinging to her uncle’s hand.

  She cried as she held his hand and told him off. Informed him he wasn’t going to leave her. She wasn’t about to let him off that easy. Matt listened with a smile on his face.

  Mia looked up with tears in her eyes and beckoned Matt into the room. “Ryan, I’d like you to meet Matt. He owns the B&B you sent me to.”