Page 135 of Bound By Words

The conversation about us being together for real would happen sooner rather than later. While I’d never previously considered moving, if it meant I was there when Kelly needed me, I’d find another job. It wasn’t like commercial construction was geographically restricted.

“How did you find that out?” Chase asked as she glanced back at me through the rearview mirror.

“Her boss texted me back on her phone. He’s there with her, and your parents just showed up. How much longer?”

“Like five minutes. I’ll drop you and Evan at the door.”

“No,” I shook my head, not wanting to leave a pregnant woman to park a car by herself in the dark. It was too soon. “Drop Evan off, and I’ll walk you inside.”

“But––”

I interrupted her, shaking my head. “No. I wasn’t asking. You’re not walking through a parking lot alone in the dark. Just get us there soon.”

She sighed loudly, but Evan gave me a grateful glance over his shoulder. I could tell he was torn between worrying about his injured sister and being concerned for his pregnant wife.

Chase pulled up under the Emergency room overhang at the hospital a few moments later, assuring Evan she could park a car. He still looked visibly shaken as he got out, but he was keeping it together.

On the other hand, I was freaking the fuck out as Chase pulled into a parking space.

“You gonna be okay?” Chase asked as I held out my hand, helping her from the driver’s seat.

“I’m not worried about me.”

“She’s gonna be alright,” Chase reassured me, squeezing my palm.

The walk through the parking lot seemed to take forever, both of us lost in our thoughts, her warm little hand still held in mine. I wasn’t sure which one of us was comforting the other. I knew Chase put on a good show about being tough, but she’d gotten attached to Kelly.

Evan was pacing next to the elevator as we walked in through the sliding doors, waving us over quickly.

“Everyone is in the trauma care waiting room upstairs. She’s getting stitches now, but it looks like she only has a serious concussion. They couldn’t find any bleeding on her brain, just some swelling they wanted to keep an eye on. But they gave her a sedative to keep her calm.”

Fuck.

Part of me was glad she only had a concussion, but she should never have gotten hurt in the first place.

“Am I allowed in there?” I asked as the elevator doors closed and the car started moving upward.

Evan frowned at me. “She’s your girlfriend. Of course, she’d want you there.”

“But with your parents, and…”

“Knock it off, Nathan,” Chase scolded, shaking her head as the doors opened. “You know Kelly won’t let them keep you from seeing her.”

I swallowed heavily, walking behind the couple a few steps back as Evan led Chase toward the waiting room.

As we crossed the threshold of the small room, I saw Evan’s parents, who I recognized from the wedding, sitting with an older man wearing a suit.

“Oh, baby,” the woman cried as she stood and crossed to Evan, pulling his head into her shoulder. His chest shook as his mother embraced him, and my eyes started to water. Suddenly, I didn’t feel worthy of being a part of this, given I’d failed to protect their daughter.

Kelly’s dad looked toward where I stood with Chase, frowning momentarily before he stood and headed in our direction.

“Chase, thank you for getting him here.”

“Of course, Ian,” she smiled sadly as she reached forward to pull him into a hug.

“Who’s this young man?” he asked as he leaned back with an expressionless face. I knew I wasn’t young, but he was at least a decade older than me.

Chase responded since my throat was suddenly dry. “This is Nathan. He’s a friend of ours from Boston. He’s dating Kelly.”

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