Shark Out of Water (18 page)

Kissing her softly, Guy shook his head. “I do not want to lose you, either.”

“Are you sure? You seemed so upset about Sabine earlier, because she was pushing us together. I know this type of relationship is knew for you, and I’m scared of it moving too fast, too, but…”

“That is not why I was upset with Sabine,” Guy said. “I do not want to break my promise to you, but she nearly pushed me too far. I am not afraid of a relationship with you, Charlotte. You make me want things I have never wanted before, like commitment and family, but for some reason it does not scare me. I only fear causing a problem for you.”

Charlotte stared up at him in surprise. “Do you really want those things with me?”

“It has crossed my mind,” Guy said, smiling, “but they are discussions for when you are well again, yes?”

She nodded slowly, but as she settled back against Guy’s chest, she was smiling. “This really would be a beautiful place to live,” she said as she closed her eyes.

Chapter 20

Toujours

The week in France passed more quickly than Guy would have preferred. More quickly than Charlotte would have preferred as well. As they stood waiting for her to be called back for her first chemo treatment, she looked as though she wished she were back at his parents’
château
. Usually, Guy was glad to return to his normal life after visiting his family, but this time was different. He hated the idea of Charlotte having to face something so frightening.

He had seen the effects of chemo many times, and knew the aggressive approach Dr. Myles was taking would be hard on her body and spirit. Charlotte had opted out of the clinical trial Myles had presented to her, because she feared what would happen if she was selected to receive the new treatment and it did not work. The standard treatment for the type of cancer she had was not going to be easy, either. Guy’s hand tightened around hers, reassuring her that she was not facing it alone.

“Charlotte?” a nurse called out.

It took Charlotte several seconds to reply. She took a deep breath before standing, her hand holding tight to Guy’s. The nurse saw her and directed them through a set of doors to a treatment room. Charlotte was forced to let go of Guy for a few seconds in order to sit down, but as soon as she was in place, her hand reached for his again. Her grip was nearly to the point of strangling. Guy did not think it could get much tighter, yet he was proven wrong when the nurse approached Charlotte with her supplies.

Losing all her color, Charlotte closed her eyes and leaned her head against Guy’s shoulder, breathing hard. “I don’t like needles,” she whispered.

“I am so sorry. Why did you not let Myles prepare you with a PICC line? It would take away the need for the IV every time.”

Charlotte blanched. “I thought this would be better than letting him cut into my chest and insert a catheter into my vein, but I was wrong.”

“Shh, it is all right, Charlotte. You will be fine. I will distract you, yes?” Guy said as he lifted her head from his chest.

“I don’t think anything will distract me from this,” she said seriously.

Guy chided her with a shake of his head. “You underestimate me.”

To prove his point, Guy touched his lips to her bottom lip, barely making contact. He kissed her again, this time catching her bottom lip between his. He could hear Charlotte’s breathing change, yet he did not let up. He turned her head away from the needle the nurse was preparing, and repeated the same process, first only grazing her earlobe, then pulling it between his lips. Charlotte whimpered at that, making Guy smile as he realized how much she enjoyed being kissed there. He moved down to the base of her neck, kissing her delicate skin.

She was breathless when he pulled back, and the plaintive expression on her face killed him, but he had accomplished his goal. He gestured to the IV hooked to her arm and Charlotte stared at it in surprise. “I didn’t even feel it!”

“I told you I could distract you.”

“Damn near distracted me, too,” the nurse muttered. She looked somewhat flushed herself.

Guy supposed he should have been embarrassed, but he only laughed at her comment. He kept his mouth closed and to himself as the nurse began speaking with Charlotte about what to expect and how long it would take. Once she was done speaking, Guy handed Charlotte the book she had brought and settled in beside her. He busied himself with work emails and negotiations between the other doctors who worked on his floor.

Charlotte was scheduled for chemo every Tuesday morning. Guy had intended to make sure he could be with her for each appointment even before seeing how frightened she was of needles. Tuesday was one of his regular workdays, though, and he worried about trading a day shift for a night shift to be with her because she would likely need help in the evening after treatment. Attempting to shift his schedule to accommodate Charlotte’s needs was proving more difficult than expected.

Luckily for Charlotte, her boss had been very understanding. Once she revealed to him what she was facing, he was gracious to allow her to take time off whenever she needed to for treatment and appointments, and agreed to let her work from home whenever she needed to as well. It would still be a challenge, and he understood she would likely need to cut back her workload, but he was supportive of whatever changes she needed to make.

It was not that Guy’s colleagues were any less sympathetic to the situation, but Canton worked at a community clinic on his off days, and the other day time doctor, Phillips, had visitation with his children on the weekends, so it was difficult for either one to switch him days. He had been able to get that day off only because he had originally planned to stay in France a little longer in order to make a stop in Paris before going home, so he had already been scheduled to be off.

“Everything okay?” Charlotte asked when she caught sight of his pensive expression.

“
Oui
, just work concerns.”

“Hospital work or date shark work?” she asked with a wry smile.

When Guy had explained about the date shark business and how he had taken it over from Eli when he and Leila became engaged, he had worried she would be put off, but she had surprised him by finding it a rather fascinating concept. It probably helped that he told her about the bugs and obsessive mirror checking and baby talk. She was not intimidated by the idea of Guy trying to retrain women’s shocking social habits at all. He suspected she even knew that his struggle to deal with Patricia’s death had something to do with his need to continue the business.

“Hospital,” Guy said.

“Guy, if you need to get some work done, I’m fine here on my own.”

Guy shook his head firmly. “No. It is fine. I am taking you home once you are done and looking after you for the rest of the evening. You and Warren.”

Frowning, she looked at Guy worriedly. “Should I have told him? I just don’t want to scare him.”

Guy
did
think Warren should have been told about his mother’s condition, but that decision was hers to make. Warren was young, but an intelligent boy. Still, it was not Guy’s place to contradict her. “It will be fine. If the time comes that you decide to tell him everything, I will help you.”

“Thank you, Guy,” Charlotte said. She smiled and squeezed his hand before turning her attention back to her book.

***

Guy heard Warren’s approach long before he made it to the apartment door. He flinched at the noise when Warren’s body landed hard against the door. Guy pulled the door open only a few inches, suspecting his little friend was leaning against it. He was proven right when Warren was startled and fell to the ground. He peered up at Guy, grinning.

“Guy! Are you babysitting me today?”

“
Oui
, your
maman
is not feeling well.” Warren’s face fell for a moment, but he was distracted when Mindy finally made it up the stairs after him, trailed by a young man toting a backpack and a curious expression.

“Warren, you’re too fast! I can’t keep up with you, you crazy little boy!” Mindy complained, though still smiling. She realized Guy was standing there and immediately smiled at him. “Mr. Guy, it’s nice to see you again. Mrs. Brooks said she didn’t need me today because you’d be here to watch Warren, but if you need help with anything, just let me know.”

She continued to smile at him. The boy behind her could not help but notice. His frown said how little he appreciated her inattention to him. “Is this your boyfriend?” Guy asked, tipping his head toward the irritated young man.

“Hmm?” Mindy said, still staring, before realizing what he had said. “Oh, yes! This is my boyfriend, Nick. We both have our last hour free, so we’re studying together today since I didn’t need to watch Warren.”

“Well, good luck with your studies,” Guy said as he helped Warren up off the floor. He had no intention of calling on Mindy for anything, not with how she was behaving. Guy knew better than to even compliment impressionable, young teenage girls. He was polite, but strictly out of reach.

Once he and Warren were inside the apartment, Warren dumped his coat and backpack on the floor and stared up at Guy with a wide smile. “What are we going to do first?”

“First,” Guy said, “you are going to pick your things up. Second, you are going to go change your clothes and wash your hands so you don’t share any germs with your
maman
, and then you are going to do your homework.”

Scrunching his face up in annoyance, Warren made a big show of picking his coat and backpack up from the floor. “What’ll we do third, then?” He paused and counted the tasks Guy had listed. “I mean fourth.”

“How about a game? I am told you are very good at board games.”

Warren’s expression brightened. He was off a few seconds later, rushing through hanging up his coat and backpack in order to get to his bedroom more quickly. Guy smiled at his energy. Charlotte had given him instructions before lying down to rest on what Warren was allowed to do and what he was not. Guy had not expected watching Warren to be so complicated. Charlotte set limits on how much television he could watch and how long he could spend playing video games. He was also only allowed healthy snacks, and she rarely allowed him to eat fast food.

Guy was not particularly fond of fast food, mainly due to taste, but it made him worry that ordering in was not an option for dinner that night. Charlotte had told him to wake her when it was time for dinner so she could make something, but Guy was determined to try and fill in for her. He was uncertain of how well he would do. He spent the time while Warren was doing homework looking through the refrigerator for something simple.

“I’m done!” Warren shouted, waving his worksheet in the air.

After shushing him so he did not wake Charlotte, Guy accepted the homework after Warren told him he needed to check it for him. He nodded at the somewhat wobbly letters on the handwriting worksheet. He was not completely sure what he was expected to check, but it looked fine to him. “
Très bien
.” He handed it back to Warren, who ran over to his backpack and shoved it into the main compartment.

“Can we play now?” he asked excitedly.

“
Oui
, but we must be quiet while your
maman
sleeps.”

Warren nodded eagerly. “I’ll go get the games!” he said before running off as quietly as his feet could carry him, which was still rather loud. It was not long before Warren returned carrying three large game boxes. He allowed Guy to choose the game, then proceeded to set up
Scrabble Junior
. They slowly made their way through each of Warren’s three favorite games, only stopping when hunger alerted them that it was time for dinner.

“You’re not going to make French toast again, are you?” Warren asked warily.

“No,” Guy said with a laugh. “I am going to make soup. It will hopefully make your
maman
feel better.”

Warren looked far from convinced. “Can I watch TV while you make dinner?”

“Absolutely.”

His excitement was clear as he ran off and abandoned Guy to the kitchen. Guy was really not sure he could make soup, but his mother had given him several recipes she promised were very easy, but she had said the same thing about the French toast. A low buzz of noise carried through the apartment as Warren watched cartoons and Guy tried to put together the ingredients for a simple potato soup. He was doubtful of his abilities as he set the pot on the stove and turned on the burner.

“Warren, I am going to check on your
maman
. The soup will be done in a little while and we will eat, all right?”

Warren nodded, though Guy suspected he had not been listening. He continued down the hall, but stopped at the bathroom first to wash his hands. Knowing how weak Charlotte’s immune system was going to become while undergoing chemo, he was reluctant to expose her unnecessarily. As he pushed her bedroom door open, he took a medical mask from a box on her dresser and covered his mouth and nose with it before sitting down on her bed.

Her eyes fluttered, but did not open when he sat down next to her. She still looked exhausted, but Guy knew it would take her a while to recover from the harsh effects of the chemo that morning. Guy silently stroked her hair, waiting to see if she would wake, or if she would continue to sleep. After a few minutes, her eyes opened slowly and she peered up at Guy.

“How are you feeling?” Guy asked.

She closed her eyes again. “Not very good. I don’t think I’m going to make it to work tomorrow.”

“No,” Guy said. “You may have been too optimistic about returning so soon.”

“Can you ask Mindy if she can take Warren to school in the morning?” Charlotte asked as she tried to inch her way up to sitting.

Guy was quick to help her, gently getting her propped up on several pillows. “I will take care of Warren in the morning. Do not worry.”