Chapter 11

The laughter down the hall drifted closer and closer to the open door of Jason's room. Sonny had been filling him in on some business deals he was looking into. Though Jason had decided to leave he was still the only person Sonny could trust to talk things over with.

Jason was looking over some papers as he was listening to the mobster's plan. "Yeah see I was thinking about putting him in charge over there. What do you think? You've worked with him on some stuff."

Sonny never heard Jason's reply. Instead he became focused on the sounds outside the room. One stood out above all the rest. Hers.

They hadn't seen much of each other since their talk the other night. It had taken a long time for him to finally go to sleep only to be awakened by what he thought to be a door easing open downstairs. When he got up to check on it he realized it had only been her leaving. He watched as she walked to the guesthouse. She had been so quiet, making sure everything was put back the way it had been before they had said their silent good nights. It was the first time he had realized something else too, that he missed her.

Jason's voice jerked him back to the here and now. "Yo Sonny? Hey man, are you hearing me?"

Rubbing his hand over his face. "Yeah. Sorry about that. What were you saying about my idea?"

Jason was looking at him strange. "I was saying that Al's a good choice. He's proven himself to us over the last couple of years I agree he'd be the one to go with." He closed the folder and reached out to hand it back. "You want to tell me where you were a minute ago?"

Him missing Emily was not a conversation he wanted to have with her older brother. 'What the hell am I even thinking about her for? The fact that she's Jason's sister alone puts her off limits.'

"Nothing man," feeling himself getting aggravated. " Carly called. She wants to see me." Which wasn't exactly a lie but it sure as hell beat telling Jason the honest truth.

"You sure that's all? You looked pretty intense a moment …"

Sonny cut him off. " I'm sure."

Jason sensed there was more to it than that but decided to drop it for now. Instead he laid his head back into the pillow and closed his eyes. "I hope Sam is able to get some answers from somebody as to when I can get out of here. She and I need to make some plans."

Sonny was glad to have a change of subject to focus on. "And what kind of plans would that be?"

"Emily didn't tell you?"

"No. What?" Sonny seemed a little uneasy about what the news might be. Did the young couple know something they weren't telling him about his condition?"

"I asked Sam to marry me."

Sonny breathed a sigh of relief. "When?"

"Right before Robin started the treatment. I was going to tell you but with everything going on it slipped my mind. You and Emily are the only ones that know right now. We told her when she stopped by the other evening. She seemed pretty honored to be the first to know."

"And she should be man. She's your sister."

"Did I hear somebody mention me?" Emily asked as she walked into the room.

Sonny stood up from his perch on the side of Jason's bed allowing her to reach out and hug her brother. He caught the scent of her perfume as she stepped around him.

Jason smiled at her. "I was just telling Sonny about mine and Sam's engagement."

She turned around to face him. "Can you believe it? My brother a settled man."

He never realized before how much she could brighten a room with her smile. "Yep, I'd say they both have their work cut out for them."

Emily looked back to Jason. "Where is Sam anyway?"

"She left to find Robin or Tony or anybody that could tell me what's happening and when I can leave. I would have already been long gone if she hadn't insisted that we see this through."

"Easy Jase. With the holidays and all the labs have probably been backed up. I'm sure you'll know something soon."

Sonny watched Emily calm Jason's growing frustration not so much by what she said but just by the way she said it.

"She's right man. You'll be home soon enough."

"I guess you two are right. Hey Em I hear you're on a leave of absence or something. What's that all about?"

Emily blushed as she thought back to that night. It had only been a talk but it left her the next morning with a lot of questions about the dangerously, seductive man who could be so ruthless in business one moment and yet so caring the next.

"Emily? Hey what's up with everybody today? Em?" Jason was trying to get her attention.

Her eyes met Sonny's. "What?" She shook her head and looked back to Jason but then back to Sonny. "Sorry Jase, It was just a little problem with my conscience but don't worry, a late night talk with a friend set me straight. I start back tomorrow."

"That's great."

Jason looked at them both and wondered if it was just his imagination or was something else going on here.