Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Immediately, sobs so loud they were nearly wails came through the phone. Alex grabbed my arm, clearly able to hear even though I hadn’t put the phone on speaker.
“Mom? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I clutched the phone hard as my heart raced. “Where are you?”
“At the h-h-hospital. E-emergency R-room.”
I met Alex’s worried gaze. “She’s here,” I mouthed.
He still held my arm, but now his thumb rubbed back and forth in a soothing motion.
“What happened?” I was yelling now. Alex and I started jogging in the direction of the Emergency Room.
“I-it’s your father. H-he had a-a stroke.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “What?” I whispered. A cold wave washed over me, numbing my entire body.
“It’s bad, Ryder.” Her meek voice pierced through my heart, and my stomach bottomed out. “Can you come?”
The teary question zapped me out of my shock. “Yes. Yes, of course. “I’m…” My head spun. My stomach lurched. I was going to be sick.
Alex pulled me close and pried the phone from my clenched fist. “Mrs. Calloway?” he said as he lifted it to his ear. “I’m Alex. Ryder is with me in the hospital right now, waiting for my mother to come out of surgery. I’ll bring him to you in the ER right now.” He fell silent, rubbing his hand up and down my back as I leaned into him.
My father had a stroke. He was only fifty. He played golf all the damn time. He wasn’t unhealthy. How had this happened?
“Yes, ma’am… okay, he’ll be right there.” Alex ended his call and slid my phone into my pocket while I stood there, useless, with my mind rioting. “Hey,” he said as he cupped my face and forced me to meet his gaze. “Your mom said they’re admitting him to the ICU. That’s where she wants you to meet her, okay?”
I nodded. His big thumbs stroked over my cheeks in a move I’d have nuzzled into like an attention-seeking cat only seconds ago. Now, his touch was the only thing keeping me grounded as my world descended into chaos.
“Okay, all you need to do right now is keep breathing slow and steady. I’ll get you there.”
Of the two of us, Alex had dealt with more than his share of devastating medical news. Plus, he was rock steady. I had no problem putting myself entirely in his hands.
“Let’s go,” he said.
“Wait—” I caught him by his wrists before he could release my face. “I… we don’t get along. Most of the time, I don’t even like him. But this…” I shook my head as shame gripped my throat. “I’d never want something like this for him, but I’m still angry at him. What kind of person does that make me?”
“Oh, baby…” He yanked me into a bone-crushing hug, surrounding me with his warmth and strength, exactly what I needed. “Of course you didn’t. I’d never think that of you for a second. Just because something tragic happened doesn’t change who he was or that you had a complicated relationship. That’s all still valid, but it doesn’t mean you don’t want the best for him. Okay?”
God, this man, how did he always know exactly what to say? What the hell would have happened if he hadn’t been with me when I got the call?
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Always.” He released me, then gave me a thorough once-over with his assessing gaze. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Hand in hand, we walked to a bank of elevators. I had no idea which floor he pushed or if anyone else joined us in the elevator. All I could do was stare at the slit where the doors joined and feel the strength of Alex’s hand clutching mine.
“We’re here,” he said in a low tone when the doors slid open.
I felt numb, as though he was guiding me through a sensory deprivation tunnel while he led me out of the elevators and down a short hallway.
“Hey,” he said, concern marring his voice.
I blinked. A set of closed double doors came into focus.
“I can’t go in with you.”
“What?” Panic clawed at my throat. “Why not?”
He pointed to a white sign on the wall above a mounted phone. It read Two visitors at a time. Immediate family only. Use the phone to give the receptionist the name and room number.
Shit.
“I can’t—”
“Shh…” Alex kissed the side of my head. “You can. And I’ll be right here when you’re done, okay?” He pointed left, where a small waiting area with four vinyl chairs and a fuzzy television playing the local news awaited him.
I shook my head. “Alex, your mom. You can’t—”
His expression hardened to the most serious I’ve ever seen from him, even as his eyes radiated with something profound. Something I was terrified to hope for because it might crush me if I misread him.
“I said I will be here, Ryder. I. Will. Be. Here.”