Page 69 of Timeless: Encore

Always about fucking Carter. “Two stents. He’s in ICU. Ty’s in jail.”

“Yeah. I know. Connor told me he got arrested.” Her eyes flick to the door. “Speak of the devil.”

Our big bass player stands there, his hand in a fist poised to knock. “Just wanted to tell you we thought we should head out now that you’re here.”

“Thanks for staying, man.” I don’t know what else to say.

He cocks his head. “I overheard about Carter. He’s okay?”

“He’ll be in the hospital for days.” I sigh deeply. I’m exhausted.

Connor looks like he’s about to speak then thinks better of it. “I’ll call you tomorrow. You, me and Jace should check on Ty.”

“Zoey’s dad is bringing him home.” I rub my temple.

Fee nods. “Zoey just sent a text asking if you got here okay. I’m not going to answer. I can’t get sucked into a big text string. I’m too fried.”

Connor takes a step back. “Yeah, I get it.” There’s an awkward pause. “I’ll just … go.” He leaves with a wave.

Fee gets up. Stretches her back. Starts gathering her stuff.

“So …” I scratch my head. “Zeke was waiting for me. I rode in the ambulance.”

She glances up. Starts to laugh. “Of course. Fuck. Of course.”

“Where are the keys to the car?” I wince. I literally have no idea.

Fee throws her hands up in the air. “I have no clue. None.” She plops back down at her desk. Buries her face in her forearms again, this time laughing ruefully. “Figures. It fucking figures,” she mumbles.

I don’t find humor in any of this.

“Let’s go to Hawaii. Or something.” She pounds her fist on the table. “I put the staff on paid leave. We can deal with all of this shit in a few weeks. Okay?” Fee’s blue eyes search mine.

I’ve got nothing. How she’s even thinking about traveling, I do not know.

“Oh fuck.” Something catches her eye. Fee reaches down and holds up a Valentino purse. “This is Ronni’s. I better get this to her before they leave.”

She jumps up and darts out the door toward the dining area. I trail behind her in clothes I’ve worn for nearly twenty-four hours. I’m so fucking over all of this. I’m done peopling for the day.

Connor stands behind Ronni, massaging her neck. She winces. “This wasn’t the best place to sleep. My purse is back in the office, though.”

“I’ve got it.” Fiona holds out the purse to her as she approaches them.

Rather than take it, Ronni throws her arms around my wife’s neck. “Babe, are you okay?”

“Honestly? No.” Fiona steps away. Crosses her arms around her middle. “We’re going to close the venue and postpone opening the restaurant until later this year. I want to get out of here for a while. Maybe Hawaii. I think the three of us need to get away and do nothing. Recalibrate.”

I feel like I’m living in the twilight zone. We haven’t talked about this. Hawaii? When my life’s fallen apart? Goddammit. I just want to go home.

Luckily, Connor takes his cue. “We’re off to retrieve our wee boys. My ma wanted me to invite yous over for some Irish stew tonight. Just us, my folks. I think Cillian and Seamus might join. Might be an opportunity for us to have a peaceful night.”

Sounds. Fucking. Awful.

I’ll say anything just to get this conversation over and them gone. “Can I call you later? We need to go back to the hospital for a while. My mom won’t leave Carter’s side. I don’t get it. She just found out he fucked an underage homeless girl and fathered a child a couple of months before she was pregnant with me. Why she didn’t fly back to Denver, I don’t know.”

Unfortunately, my shock-them-the-fuck-away approach backfires. It has the opposite effect.

Fee caresses my cheek. “She loves him, Zaney. He’s her person. It’s not all that different than our story.”

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