Page 32 of The One I Left Behind

I point at him. “See, you can’t talk to me like that.”

He shrugs. “I’m being truthful.”

“You’re causing trouble, Noughton.”

“You should know, I’m starting to get off on you calling me Noughton.”

My fists clench, my patience running on its last drop. “Then I’ll have to find something else to call you.”

“Can’t wait to see what you come up with.” He flashes me a smile.

Both of our phones go off at the same time, and I scurry to the truck bed to dig into my sweatshirt, hoping it’s not anything to do with Clayton. Then again, why would both of our phones go off?

We each answer the call. I’m not sure who called him, but Laurel is on my other end.

“Coach Marks?” I whisper.

Chapter Eleven

Ben

Gillian packs everything, I grab the blanket, and we’re in the cab no more than two minutes after we both received phone calls telling us that Coach Marks suffered a heart attack last night. Laurel called her, and Jude called me.

“I can’t believe it. I just saw him yesterday.” I turn the key in the ignition and speed away, putting on my seat belt while I drive.

“Did Jude say how he was? Laurel didn’t know much.”

I shake my head. “He just said that he was headed up there with Dad. No one knows anything yet.”

“I better call Clayton. I don’t want him to hear it from someone else.” She grabs her phone from her pocket. She dials, and she grunts after a few seconds. “Why do I get him a phone if he’s not going to answer it?”

I’m sure between our conversation and hearing the news about Coach Marks, she’s wound tighter than normal, but it’s odd hearing her parental voice.

She presses her screen again and lifts it to her ear, her fingers tapping on her leg.

“We can go there first. Pick him up,” I say.

Her thumbs move across the screen, and from the corner of my eye, I see her sending text after text.

“No, I should drive him. Drop me off, and I’ll take Clayton up there.”

She wipes her face, and I take a quick glance away from the road to see a few tears falling down her cheeks.

“I’m sure he’s going to be okay.” I touch her knee.

She doesn’t pull away, and I want to keep my hand there, but I don’t want to overstep. I squeeze and return my hand to the wheel.

“He’s done so much for us over the years.” She doesn’t say anything else, and I have so many questions I want to ask, but now isn’t the time. “He’s like a second father. Had us over for Christmas last year.”

She should have been at my family’s house on Christmas. And I should have been the one to invite her.

“I had no idea.” Coach Marks was always friendly with Gillian, but I thought it was because she was my girlfriend. Plus, everyone loves Gillian. She’s too sweet for anyone to hate.

“You wouldn’t.” She shakes her head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. Not how it sounded at least.”

“Don’t be sorry. I deserve it.”

Her phone rings, and I’m happy for the distraction.

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