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“No, I will deal with the reporters if they are there. Thanks for the upgrade on my ticket.”

“I didn’t upgrade your ticket.”

“Oh, well someone did.”

“I’m sure you’ll find out sooner than later. People don’t do nice things for nothing.”

Hanging up, she wondered who would have upgraded her ticket and why. Rubbing a hand over her tired eyes, then leaned toward the window and pulled the shade. She hoped that no one sat next to her as she closed her eyes.

Chapter Three

River had thought having no luggage would mean reporters would be waiting for her to come out downstairs. As she made her way through the airport, all she could think about was getting to the hospital. She wouldn’t call Ben until she was safely in a taxi. As she stepped from the terminal area, she was bombarded with reporters. Taking a breath, she realized she had been wrong.

The barrage of questions surrounding the day’s events was overwhelming. She wasn’t sure how they want her to answer. She wished she had a bag so she could swing it at them. She stopped as the cameras flashed in her face, blinded for a moment.For fuck’s sake, can’t they just give me time to get home?

“All right, if you all would back up and give me some space, I will talk to you.”Sometimes you have to feed the animals, River.Clearing her throat, she gathered her thoughts together. It was hard to find the words that would simplify the situation. God, Cypress was not a situation.

“Please bear with me while I talk to you all. The events of today have been crippling for not only myself, and both Cypress’s team and my own. My heart goes out to Fisher Morgan’s family during this difficult time—” She was cut off by more questions.

“What about the rumor Cypress and Laurel tied the knot last evening?”

River wasn’t thrown by the question. It was an old ploy that stopped working a long time ago. “At this time, I’m asking you to please respect my privacy and allow me to get to the hospital.”

“River, is it true Johnny Meniere died hours ago while in surgery?”

Her feet stumble at the question. Keep moving, River. Don’t engage that question.

“My PR people have not told me anything of the sort.” As she pushed through the swarm of reporters, her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and her head was in a million places. What if Riot died while she was trying to get home? Everything in her stilled as she looked out into the sea of cars and people looking for their loved ones picking them up. Watching as they embrace, the smiles on their faces, it hits her full on. One week ago, was the last time she saw her brother smile at her, the last time he hugged her, the last time she would ever plop down on the sofa while he played video games, asking him questions to distract him. The last time they would ever be together.

And Riot—was a week ago her last with him as well? The last kiss, the last time she would feel his touch, hear him say “I love you, JoJo”? Would it? Standing there, she watched a black Lexus pull up. The window slid down, revealing a young woman in her late thirties smiling at her.

“River?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Liz, your driver. Ben sent me.”

“Okay.” It was all she could get out as she slipped into the back seat. She restd her head back against the cool leather as her fingers settled on her phone.Do I want to turn it back on? Do I want to find out now rather than at the hospital if I’ve lost everyone?Riot deserved more than her being a coward. For a minute she wished this were a limo so the privacy screen could go up and the phone call she was about to have would be private.

When she turned on the phone she shouldn’t have been surprised it started going mad with missed calls and text alerts. The forty to fifty missed calls and text messages from Laurel was what surprised River. Ben had called at least ten in the last half-hour. Mal had called a dozen or more, and there was at least forty missed calls from numbers she didn’t recognize. The last number she vaguely recognized. She hit the voicemail—it was Colton Donavan telling her to call him if there’s anything she needs. What she needed was her world to go back to that morning when all she had to worry about was not losing the chance at a pro spot.

Shit, damn, hell… Fumbling to end the accidental call, River heard a man’s voice.

“River, is that you?”

“Hey, Colton, sorry I hit call instead of end. I didn’t mean to…” Silence. That’s all she has left.

“Listen, it’s cool. Things are going to get crazy before they settle down. Don’t let the reporters goad you into a confrontation. They’re good at that, believe me.” River knew that was the god’s truth; the reporters had hounded him from before he ever got into racing. She wondered if you ever got used to the constant invasion of your privacy. She bet Colton’s wife would say NO.

“They were waiting on me at the airport. I just landed and am on my way to the hospital.” She was babbling. What else should she say to the man? River knew he won today.Do I say congratulations to him? Do I just hang up because my voice is starting to shake and I’m not sure I can keep my shit together much longer?And as if he knows, he lets her off the hook.

“Remember, anything you need, just call me.”

“Thanks.” The phone went dead. The next voicemail was Laurel. She was yelling about not being allowed in the house and how she will sue River for everything she has if River didn’t call her back ASAP.Fuck her, she can talk a long walk on a short pier.The next one was from Ben. He wanted River to call as soon as she lands.

She scrubbed a hand over her tired face and called him back, bracing herself for more bad news. “Ben?” she croaks out.

“River?”

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