Page 22 of Heartbreak Hill

Grayson chuckled again. “Ah, she likes this. Duly noted.” He paid attention to her other breast and then worked his way back up her body. “Look at me, Reid. I want to see you when ...”

She met his gaze, and he didn’t need to finish his sentence.

Reid wiped an errant tear from her cheek. She’d thought that was going to be their turning point. She looked back at Grayson. “I thought things were going to be different for us, and they sort of were. You were always there, but never close enough. You let me in, and you keep me there, but always on the edge. I feel like you’re always waiting for the next shoe to drop, and I guess it has. This was the shoe. It’s finally dropped, and there isn’t anything either of us can do about it unless you get a new heart. And if you don’t ...” Reid trailed off.

She was in love with Grayson, but she was ready to settle down and start a family. Reid wanted kids, a house, a husband to love her. At this point, she wanted a boyfriend. Someone to adore her, worship her, make her feel like no one else mattered in their world.

Grayson wouldn’t give her what she needed, and it was foolish to think she could have everything she desired with him as her friend. Anyone looking at them would assume they were a couple or at least messing around with each other. Their closeness went way beyondfriendship. No one would believe her if she told them they were just friends.

Friends were all they’d ever be unless ...

Thinking about the alternative made her stomach twist into knots. She didn’t want her last conversation with Grayson to be about her dating. They’d argued, and she’d accused him of faking the heart attack. It was like him to prank her. He’d pulled silly little jokes on her before. This time, there was a hint of panic in his voice that had made her go to him.

Reid sighed and went back to her chair. She was out of things to talk to him about. The spring weather only went so far in conversation, and she had no idea what was happening in his department at work. Pearce would have to fill him in there.

She reached for the blanket Sydney kept at the end of the bed and wrapped herself in it. Reid nestled into the chair, getting as comfortable as she could before closing her eyes. She’d grown accustomed to the beeping and whooshing from the machines and oddly found it pacifying. As much as she hated what those noises stood for, she’d learned to accept them. Grayson would recover. He had to. Reid wasn’t ready for him to leave her. She refused to give up on loving him or him loving her. If what Pearce said was true, then maybe Grayson and Reid had a future together. Of course, once he was out of the hospital. He needed a miracle, and she was confident one would come.

When she woke, it was dark out. She combed through her purse, looking for her phone. Melanie should be in town, and Sydney should’ve been back by now. Reid stood, stretched, and glanced at Grayson, and while he hadn’t moved a muscle, she secretly hoped he’d be awake. She was about to head to the door when Sydney burst into the room, startling Reid. The two women looked at each other, eyes wide and hearts beating fast.

“There’s a heart, and it’s a match.”

SEVEN

REID

“What?” Reid was certain she hadn’t heard Sydney correctly.

“We have a heart, and it’s a match,” Sydney repeated. “We got the call right when we pulled into the parking lot.” Gilbert leaned around and waved at Reid, bringing a tiny bit of humor to a very delicate situation.

“He’s going to be okay?” Reid asked as she burst into tears. She stood and went to Sydney, hugging her tightly. “He’s going to be okay,” she said again, but this time it was more for Grayson’s mom than anything else, even though Reid needed the reassurance as well.

As happy as they were that Grayson would get a second chance at life, someone had died. A family, somewhere out there, was going through the unthinkable. They had lost someone they loved and would move forward with their lives without them, while Sydney, Gilbert, and Reid would have endless days with the one they loved.

Reid expected the surgery to be first thing in the morning and was shocked when the staff came in moments later and started prepping Grayson for surgery. They moved like well-trained robots, and within seconds, they were pushing Grayson’s hospital bed out of the room before Reid could blink.

“What just happened?”

“They’re taking him to surgery,” Gilbert told her. “The heart is in transport.”

“Just like that?” Reid shook her head. “The doctors drop everything?”

Sydney nodded. “Time is of the essence.”

Reid blinked and cleared the fuzziness away. She’d been napping when Sydney startled her with the most amazing yet heartbreaking news. Thoughts of the latter wouldn’t do any of them any good, so she pushed them out of her mind. Unsure of what to do, she gathered her things, folded the throw blanket she’d taken from Grayson’s bed, and went to put it back, only to see it was gone. She sat in the chair and sighed. “Wow.”

“I know, it’s a lot to wrap my mind around as well,” Sydney said. “Come on, let’s go to the atrium. The restaurant there is twenty-four hours. We can at least drink some coffee and eat something while we wait. It’s going to be a while.”

Reid nodded and stood. She followed Sydney out, with Gilbert trailing behind them. “I just don’t understand how doctors are alert at this hour to do surgery.”

“They’ll be fine,” Gilbert said as they stepped into the elevator. “They wouldn’t risk anyone’s life.”

She hoped he was right.

Upon entering the restaurant, they placed an order for food and coffee and found a booth near the window, which Reid was thankful for. Her body welcomed the cushioned bench with a sigh. Finally feeling more relaxed, she pulled out her phone and texted Pearce to give him an update. She expected him to return to the hospital, knowing he’d want to be there, and then she sent one to her dad. Lastly, she sent one to Melanie, letting her know what was going on.

Their food came: pasta for her, and an assortment of cookies and pastries for Sydney and Gilbert.

“You’re so calm,” Reid said to them both. “How can you eat, knowing your son is ...” Reid couldn’t finish her question.

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