Page 49 of Your Heart & Mine

With the stoic trooper supporting her other side, Cam and Brenna guided Harper's weak legs back to the market office. Gently they lowered her into a plush armchair. Harper was grateful for its softness, her bones suddenly hollow and brittle as a bird's.

Cam crouched before her, cradling her icy hands in his warmer ones. His eyes were full of sorrow and sympathy. "There's been an accident, Love." His voice was gravelly, barely controlled.

The words slammed into Harper, pushing the air from her lungs in a painful wheeze. She shook her head in helpless denial, mute with dread. Memories swarmed like hornets, stinging her heart - another accident, Brenna's sobs, her world changed forever.

Brenna knelt next to Cam, tears spilling down her wan cheeks. "It's Wyck," she managed between sobs. "There was a crash outside Roanoke."

Agony knifed through Harper at Brenna's confirmation. Not Wyck. She couldn't lose him now, just when they'd found their way back to each other. Fate wouldn't be so cruel...would it?

Harper's soul recoiled from the words being spoken around her. She heard them as though from underwater, the roaring tide of grief and fear drowning out all else. She stared blindly as Brenna pressed a tissue into her frozen hands.

Images flashed like lightning - the shy boy who'd stolen her heart, their unborn baby's tiny grave, a mountain cabin littered with ruined dreams. Joy and sorrow, forever intertwined. Was this how their story ended?

Chapter thirty-eight

Accident

Camfollowedrightonthe trooper's bumper flying down I-81 toward Roanoke. The flashing red and blue strobe lights hypnotized Harper. She was numb. And cold. So cold. All she could think of was the words Cam had spoken 'There's been an accident'. She couldn't really process anything after that. An accident. A single tear tracked down her cheek.

"He's going to be fine, Love. You've got to believe that." Cam gripped her hand as if he could ground her in reality by his touch alone. "He's young and strong."

Harper didn't respond. Her hand lay limp in his grasp. She stared straight ahead.

"Harp? We're almost there. You just hang on, okay?" Brenna said from the back seat. Her voice wavered just a bit, but she wasn't crying any longer. "Elizabeth is bringing Mama. We'll all be here for you."

Cam met Brenna's eyes for a moment in the rear-view mirror, silently worrying about what would happen to Harper if Wyck didn't make it. She would never forget the Trooper's calm, matter of fact voice as he relayed the events of the evening.

"Mr. Ward was involved in a motor vehicle accident with another SUV, He was run off the road and down an embankment. Mr. Ward's car flipped several times before hitting a tree, according to witness reports. The other man's car was also damaged and his tire flattened so he was at the scene when first responders arrived. A sobriety test was performed. He failed." His brow furrowed and his mouth turned down with the pronouncement but his voice remained impassive.

"Mr. Ward was extricated from the vehicle and subsequently life-flighted to Roanoke Memorial for treatment. It's the closest Leve 1 Trauma Center. Before he lost consciousness, he gave paramedics your name and location, Ms. Carrington," the Trooper continued.

"So, he's going to be okay?" Brenna asked, her voice thick with tears, when Harper simply stared at the man. "He was talking. That's good, right?"

"I'm sorry, miss. I don't have any more information on his condition other than it's serious." The man's voice suddenly took on a softer, more compassionate tone and he looked younger than he had only a moment before. He removed his hat and gripped it tightly in front of his chest. "I normally don't do this, but I grew up here. My mama has been telling me everything Mr. Ward has been doing for the community. I'd like to give you an escort to the hospital, if you'd like, so you can get there faster."

"Brenna, go bring Harper's car around," Cam said in answer.

Five minutes later, they were in Harper's SUV, chasing the Trooper's car out of town.

The sharp scent of disinfectant hung in the air, its antiseptic bite stinging Harper's nose. As she exited the elevator on the eight floor, the overhead fluorescent lights cast a harsh glow over every surface and made the riot of people in the waiting area look as if they should be patients themselves. The stainless steel and white tile made the room seem harsh and unwelcoming. Harper pulled her sweater more closely around herself. She hated hospitals.

Cam stepped up to the bored looking woman at the desk. "We're here to see Wyck Ward."

"Sign in," the woman said, pointing to a sheet in front of her and returning to the screen of her cell phone.

The Trooper stepped forward and leaned over the desk, a distinctly menacing gaze directed her way. "He was brought in by Life Flight about an hour ago. How 'bout you get on that phone and see where he is?"

The woman swallowed audibly and sat up straighter. "Yes, sir."

As the cowed receptionist made muted calls, Harper scanned the room. Families huddled together, faces etched with fear or shellshocked numbness. Quiet sobs mingled with the low drone of a TV. The space seemed steeped in despair. Harper's knees weakened, only Cam's supportive grip keeping her upright.

Finally, the woman redirected her attention to the small, terrified group. "He's still in surgery. I've let Dr. Nash know his family is here. He'll be out to talk to you as soon as he can."

"Thank you," the Trooper said, then turned his back on the flustered woman. He handed Cam a small card. "This is my contact information. If you get a chance, I'd appreciate an update later."

He nodded at Harper and Brenna. "I'll be praying for you."

Brenna gave him a tremulous smile at the sentiment, but Harper didn't even seem to hear him. His gaze turned regretful before he turned to leave. His black shoes squeaking on the white tile.

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