Page 79 of Breathless With Her

Hit by a car?

How could that happen?

He had to be okay. I couldn’t lose him just as I found him. Right when I’d already let him slide through my fingers once.

I would do anything to make sure he was okay. Even never see him again if that’s what I needed to do. Just that thought made me want to break down and cry. But it was fine. He would be okay. He had to be okay.

I grabbed my purse, quickly shut everything down, and locked the door behind me as I ran to Zoey’s car.

I slid into the passenger seat and let her drive. She was a pretty calm driver, and I didn’t think I would be able to do it in her place.

“He’s going to be fine, Erin.”

I looked over at Zoey as she pulled into the emergency room parking lot, and I nodded, wiping the flour and sugar from my pants.

“Yes. He’s fine. Everything’s okay. I just…he has to be okay.”

“He will be.”

“I’m sure.”

I walked like a robot, just going through the motions as I followed Zoey into the ER.

People waited in groups, some coughing, some just sitting there, listening for their name to be called. Zoey kept going, her eyes on her phone as she texted with somebody. I assumed it was Amelia because she seemed to know where she was going. We went down the hallway to another waiting room. This one was a little more private. And everyone was there.

Amelia and Caleb were standing and talking with Tobey pacing nearby. He came and put his arm around his best friend.

Tucker was also in the room, pacing in a corner.

Dimitri and Thea were there, as well, both of them holding each other as they spoke to Caleb.

Everyone was there.

The family had been called. And I hadn’t.

But what did I expect?

I had dumped Devin. I had been a bitch.

They didn’t need to tell me anything.

After all, I was nothing to them.

Amelia looked up at me, her eyes widening for a second, and then she turned her back on me. She leaned into Tobey, and he rubbed his hand down her back. Caleb just glared, and then started to pace on the opposite side of the room from Tucker.

The two of them didn’t talk to each other, and nobody really paid attention to me.

But then Zoey rushed into Thea’s arms, and the two held each other. And I was left standing there alone.

Because I was an idiot.

Because I had been so scared about getting hurt that I had dumped him. What was I doing here?

The family didn’t need me here. They had each other. They were all so close.

Devin didn’t need me.

I was just about to turn away to go catch a cab or schedule an Uber, but then Dimitri was there, putting his hand on my shoulder.

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