Page 33 of An Engagement for Erica

“No games,” she said seriously. “But I’m not moving right either if that makes you feel any better.”

He nodded his head, then Alice opened the door and came rushing in.

“Tucker, Michael just called. The ambulance is taking your grandfather to the hospital. He thinks TC is having a stroke.”

Tucker pushed from his chair, the heavy piece moving back several feet. He moved to his desk, grabbed his cell phone that he’d been ignoring while they talked, looked at it and paled as if he’d missed all the messages while he met with her.

“Go,” Erica said. “Don’t worry about anything else. Just be with him and please keep me posted.”

She needed the reprieve from their conversation but would have never wished it came in that form.

12

SPEAKING FROM HIS HEART

Why did it feel as if his world was crashing down on him?

He wasn’t sure the last time he’d driven this fast anywhere in his life.

There were two people on the face of this earth he’d drop anything for. His mother and his grandfather.

The fact those thoughts almost added Erica to the list scared the shit out of him even more.

He parked and ran out of his car and into the ER as fast as he could.

“TC Nelay was just brought in. Tucker Charles Nelay. I’m his grandson Tucker.”

In a small area like this, the name was well known.

A name his father would be throwing around. He hated to do that, but would if he had to.

“He was,” the woman at the desk said. “But there is nothing to tell you right now. We will let you go into the family lounge if you want to go through those doors and take a right. Going to the nurse’s station won’t do you any good.”

Tucker nodded. He wouldn’t be a dick.

He took a seat and waited and then saw Michael come rushing over to him.

“Tell me what is going on,” he said to his grandfather’s assistant.

“I don’t know,” Michael said. “It all happened so fast. We were going over this week’s schedule in his office and he said he had a headache. I went to get him aspirin. He took them, but the water was coming out the side of his mouth.”

“What?” he asked.

“Like he couldn’t move one side of his face. Then he started to slur his words and I just called nine-one-one immediately.”

“Jesus,” he said. “Was he able to say much more?”

“Not really. He was awake and scared. I know I shouldn’t say that.”

“I want to know,” he said. “I need to be prepared for the worst.”

“TC is strong and healthy,” Michael said.

“Which doesn’t mean he can’t have a stroke,” he said.

“We don’t know if that is it,” Michael argued.

“Yeah, could be a brain tumor. I’d rather think of a stroke if it’s between the two of them.”

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