Page 34 of Until I Found You
She laughs, tilting her head back to glance up at me. Holding her chin in my hand, I pull her lips back to mine and get lost in her.
“I can’t wait to get back to your place,” she whispers, her warm breath feathering over my wet lips.
“Mm,” I hum, sliding my hand down the curve of her back, grabbing her ass and pressing her against me. “I can’t wait to hold you tonight.”
There’s a peace that washes over me having her in my arms at night.
I don’t even realize how long we stand here pressed against each other until my phone vibrates in my pocket. I know it’s Gage, so I don’t even bother looking at the screen as I swipe it to answer.
“We’re waiting for you,” I say, slipping my hand into Halle’s and motion toward the front of the drive. The crowd of people in the distance is far enough away from the road that you wouldn’t know what we’re up to unless you drive all the way onto the Reid property.
Not wanting to leave Gage waiting, I opt to just send Mason a text message telling him I’ll catch up with him tomorrow as Halle and I head toward the front of the house where the cars are parked.
“I’m just turning down Tucker Road,” he says. “What the fuck?” he shouts. The sound of tires screeching in the background causes my adrenaline to spike.
“What the hell, man? Back the fuck up off me!” he yells.
“Graham, I’m on the way but this guy—” he cuts off again. I feel like I can hear my heart beating in my ears, as I clutch my phone into my hand.
My hand squeezes around Halle’s, as she wraps hers around my arm as I hear her muffled words asking me if everything is alright.
“Gage, you alright?” I ask.
I hear him shout my name, followed by the sound of metal crunching on the other end of the phone before the call disconnects.
“Gage!” I shout, my voice growing hoarse as I hold my phone out in front of me. I quickly click on his name again, redialing is number as the line continues to ring and ring repeatedly in my ear.
“What happened?” Halle asks. There’s a fear in her voice. It’s the same fear I feel wrapping around my heart and squeezing it.
“I don’t,” my voice cracks, “I don’t know.”
Looking down the road, I look for a sign of his headlights in the distance, anything that would give me a clue that he’s okay and what I just heard on the other end of the line was not what it seemed to be.
When I don’t see him, the realization hits me like a ton of bricks as ice rushes through my veins.
“I have to go,” I mutter out, dropping Halle’s hand, as I take off running down the gravel driveway, cutting across the yard onto Tucker Road.
My chest heaves as my lungs struggle to pump air through my chest, as my feet pound against the pavement. The red and blue lights flashing in the distance, grow closer as my eyes turn blurry from the tears filling my eyes.
I don’t think about anything. It’s as if my mind is completely blank, which is good. I’m scared if I were to think about anything in this moment, I’d be pulled into the darkness. It’s inevitable though.
My throat burns, as the sweat drips down my face, mixing with the tears. I make it there, just as the paramedics pull up at the scene.
I immediately recognize Kane, Brannon’s brother, as he steps out of the driver’s side of the ambulance. He must’ve seen me approaching because as soon as he’s out, he quickly slams the door shut and stops me from coming any closer.
“Hey, buddy. We need you to stay back, okay? I know you’re worried, I get it, but there’s nothing you can do to help right now. Let us focus on helping him.”
Forcing air into my chest, I attempt to swallow. I can hardly breathe, much less speak, as I nod my head and hold my hands up as I take a step back.
My eyes are wild, trying to look around them, for any sign of Gage and that he may be okay. I keep hoping I’ll hear his voice, that I’ll see him sitting there talking to the firefighters.
As I see them kneeling next to his vehicle, I realize in that moment it’s not going to happen. The sound of metal crunching again, as they try to open the driver’s side door is a sound I remember all too well, and just like that, my knees give out beneath me.
There’s no stopping the storm that follows, as the tears pour down my face. The gravel cutting into my bare knees is a welcomed pain, a distraction from the impending fear in front of me.
If there is a God, I pray to him and ask for mercy on Gage. I don’t ask for much, so it may seem greedy in this moment, but I promise it will be the last thing I ever ask if he’ll just not take him away from me.
Watching as the firefighter throws his helmet on the ground in frustration, I know my fears have just been confirmed.
Kane turns around, approaching me. “Graham, man, I’m so sorry.”
I hold my hand up to him, not wanting to hear him say what I already know.
The guilt that filters in is the same guilt that will torment me for years to follow. Staying in Arbor Creek is just a painful reminder of everything I’ve lost along the way. First my father, now Gage.
I’ll be damned if I let the same thing happen to the two women I love more than life itself. They’re better off without me.
