Page 70 of Tempting the Heart

“It must be nice,” he said softly, glancing at me as we turned onto the road leading to my house. “I took it for granted when I was a kid.”

I smiled and looked outside at the gorgeous view. The Douglas firs and pine trees traded out for fields and views of the water in the distance.

“I think that’s our job when we’re young. Only when we’re older do we realize what truly makes things unique.” I shrugged. “Except for Emily and Amelia. They were wise beyond their years.”

“Oh, yeah?” His phone buzzed again as he turned into my driveway. “You think they’re the wise ones?”

“I know it.”

“Funny. I always thought it was you.”

I chuckled. “Well, it’s certainly not Brad.”

Tyler grinned. “He’s just being a good brother.”

“I know.” I climbed out of the truck with my bag. “But it’s still annoying.”

Although, I couldn’t be too mad at him since he'd agreed to drive Tyler’s dad to his therapy appointment tomorrow. I just wish it were a different kind of therapy.

Tyler shut the truck door and slid his phone out of his front pocket. “Oh, no.”

My eyes darted to Tyler’s. “What?”

“My dad. He’s headed to the hospital in Seattle. He fell over a pile of papers, and my mom couldn’t get him up.”

My heart hammered in my chest as I touched Tyler’s arm. He looked at me with defeat in his eyes and shook his head.

“I need to go, Mae. I’ll take a rain check on the stew. Is that okay?”

“Absolutely. Did you want me to come? I’d be more than happy to—”

“No. It might be a long day and night ahead.” He glanced at my little house. “Get some rest, and enjoy your lunch with Dottie.”

Seeing the emotion running through Tyler’s gaze nearly crippled me.

I nodded and quickly hugged him as he climbed back into the truck and pulled out of my drive, leaving me to wonder if I’d actually see him again.

Chapter Twenty

Tyler

My parents wouldn’t win any parenting awards, but they were still human. It pained me to think of my dad falling over the very pile that we’d argued about tossing in the dumpster when Brad had been there. It wasn’t exactly the I-told-you-so moment I’d hoped for, but it was bothersome.

I’d texted Bethany about what happened, and she sent a few sentences asking which hospital.

He was in surgery now, and my mom had barely raised her eyes to look at me when I’d arrived, so I stood at the window that overlooked the city of Seattle and wondered why, no matter what, things didn’t change.

Since my mom didn’t tell me much, I spoke to the nurse, who informed me of the extent of my dad’s injuries.

“Mrs. Grant?” A man dressed in blue scrubs with a white coat entered the waiting room.

I turned around as my mom stood, and the surgeon came over.

“Your husband is in recovery. The surgery went well, but we do need him to move to a rehabilitation facility here in the city.”

“Ridiculous,” my mom muttered, glaring at me.

I shook my head. “The surgeon knows better than we do about Dad’s needs.”

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