Read Change of Harte (Harte, #2) (Harte Series) for Free Online

opened, the surprise inside might take your breath away.
    Julian paused, straightened his tie, and adjusted his cufflinks. It was a habit. A way of composing himself. A momentary distraction, even if he wouldn’t admit that to himself. He’d waited a long time for this moment. And now that it was finally here, he wanted to savour every second. Julian pressed the buzzer, waited for a go light, and placed both his palms flat against the doors and pushed hard.
    ‘Mr. Andrews?’ a nurse said softly as she walked toward him, her cheeks suddenly flushing a little as she spoke. ‘You must be Cameron’s son. I’m so glad you could come. He needs his family at a time like this.’
    Julian smiled and extended his hand to shake hers. ‘Julian Harte,’ he corrected. ‘I’m Cameron’s son-in-law.’ The lie slipped off Julian’s tongue so easily he even surprised himself. But he knew non-family members wouldn’t be allowed access and he really needed to be here.
    ‘Of course, I’m sorry. Will your wife be coming in today also?’ The nurse’s tone was barely above a whisper. Julian suspected that was more for his benefit than that of the other patients.
    ‘No,’ he said oddly defensively. ‘Evangeline won’t be coming.’
    ‘I see.’ The nurse didn’t say anything more. She began to walk down the long, magnolia corridor and beckoned Julian to follow.
    Julian could see monitors lighting up and machines working to keep Cameron Andrews alive as they rounded a corner and stopped outside a glass wall, looking in at a frail old man lying in bed.
    ‘He might not be strong enough to respond. But don’t be afraid to talk to him. It will do him a world of good to know you’re here.’
    Julian smiled. He would certainly be talking to him.
    ‘I’ll be just out here…’ the nurse pointed to the nurses’ station behind them, ‘…so if you need anything. Anything at all. You just call me, Mr. eh?’
    ‘Harte,’ Julian reiterated, forcing a dry smile.
    The nurse was twirling a strand of her frizzy hair around her finger and looking him up and down with a sparkle dancing in her eyes. He smirked. His fictional wife would be disgusted by a little flirting over her father’s dying bed. This was so many layers of fucked up. ‘Thank you. I won’t be long.’
    Julian’s highly polished black, leather shoes squeaked as he crossed the floor toward Cameron’s bed. Cameron’s eyes were closed and his breathing was so deep and heavy that the sound filled the whole room. His greyish-blue face was just a shade or two away from blending in with the white cotton sheets. He looked so fragile and weak. Like a flower that had been pressed between the pages of a huge book for years. The old man’s head turned so slowly Julian had to squint to notice it was moving at all. Julian hurried to his bedside and gently pressed his palm against Cameron’s forehead. He could feel some of the tension in Cameron’s body fade.
    ‘Hello, Cameron,’ Julian said bending at the waist instinctively.
    A throaty croak rattled around Cameron’s mouth, not quite fully passing his lips.
    ‘Shh,’ Julian encouraged.
    Julian pulled over the nearby plastic chair and sat as close to the bed as he could. He slipped his jacket off and let it fall against the back of the chair. He rolled up his sleeves to just above his elbow and leaned on the edge of the bed. He reached for Cameron’s hand and held it in his, squeezing a little.
    ‘Do you have everything you need? Are they looking after you okay?’ Julian looked around the room, cluttered with machines and monitors, beeping and pumping like a poignant symphony. He knew as soon as he said it that it was just a platitude. And it wasn’t him. He wasn’t one to bullshit and tiptoe around. Fuck no! But for once, Julian was prepared to be as normal as he could be. Normal people used soft tones when visiting in the hospital. Normal people filled awkward silences with nonsense about the weather. Normal