Page 75 of Every Beat of My Heart

“We’ll call a tow for it. It will be fine.” There weren’t any other cars on the road tonight.

Wes hovered nearby, the stress coming off him in waves. I had to be calm so that we didn’t upset Sutton.

I did a scan of her body, touching and probing for additional injuries. When I didn’t see any, I said, “I’m going to unbuckle your seatbelt and carry you to my truck.”

At Sutton’s nod, I released the buckle, but then Wes pushed me out of the way. “I’ve got her.”

“Be careful. We don’t know what other injuries she could have.”

Wes grunted as he carefully lifted her, one hand under her knees and the other around her back. Sutton rested her head on his chest.

Wes’s expression was tender as he carried her carefully to the passenger side. I scanned her car for her purse and phone, grabbing both before searching for her keys. When I located them, I closed her door, pressed the button to lock it, and called for Harbor Garage’s tow truck and left a message, knowing they wouldn’t come out until the roads were cleared.

Wes sat in the back with Sutton’s head on his lap. He brushed her hair off her forehead.

I threw my bag on the floor of the passenger seat. “Can you handle the wound?”

“I got it.”

Knowing he had basic first aid knowledge, I pulled out onto the road slowly, determined to get us back to the house in one piece.

“Claire shouldn’t drive home tonight,” Wes said quietly, probably not wanting to disturb Sutton if she was resting.

My knuckles were white as they pressed around the wheel. I couldn’t handle her and Owen out in this.

“They can stay in the main house.”

“We’ll figure it out.” The main house had five bedrooms so there was enough room. But I wanted Claire close to me.

CHAPTER 16

CLAIRE

We cleaned up dinner and the dishes, but the mood was somber. Everyone was worried about Sutton, Wes, and Jameson. I hoped they found her before she got into an accident. Ice was impossible to drive in, and this storm came up quicker and worse than what was predicted.

When the door opened, everyone rushed to the foyer. Wes carried Sutton inside.

Jameson held up his hands. “She’s okay. Just hit her head and knee.”

“I’m going to take her upstairs to one of the bedrooms,” Wes said to Jameson as he edged past him and up the stairs.

Al followed closely behind him, presumably to turn on the lights and to get the room ready.

“Sutton slipped off the road, but she didn’t hit a tree.” Jameson’s tone was clear. It could have been a lot worse.

“I’m glad she’s here. We’ll take good care of her,” Fiona said.

“I’m going to check her out again,” Jameson said, carrying his black bag up the steps.

We hung out in the family room, watching a football game and eating pie until Al and Jameson returned. “Wes is staying with her. She has a gash and a pretty big goose egg on her head. She bumped her knee too, but she’ll be okay.”

“I’m going to grab a slice of pie,” Jameson said as he made his way into the kitchen.

I stood to follow him because I was worried.

I found him with his hands braced on the counter and his head hanging down.

I rubbed his back and then slipped under his arm so that I was caged between his body and the counter. “Are you okay?”

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