Page 68 of We Thought We Were Invincible
Noah continued. “She went to the hospital in an ambulance, but should live. Troy Cook, however, did not make it.”
I staggered away from Jamie. He tried to reach for me again, but I put up a hand to stop him. Troy. The sweet boy I only recently met from the perfect family. This was going to tear them apart. I pictured his mom, with her eagerness to please. Parker with her openness and brashness. Hell, even Morgan.
Nothing would ever be the same. Not in Gulf City. Not in any of our lives.
“Jamie.” We all turned toward the man intruding on our moment, realizing it was Jamie's father, and he was as entitled to his reunion as we were.
To my surprise, Jamie went to him, hugging him in much the same way I'd hugged Kat. Mr.Daniels relaxed, even hugging his son back.
“Senator Daniels.” A reporter walked up, camera following behind. “Was your son in the building?”
Mr.Daniels released Jamie, but kept a hand on his shoulder. “He was one of the missing nine.”
Jamie tried to step away, but his father held him in place as he answered question after question.
Our statements were taken, interview requests received and denied. The only thing left to do was try to make sense out of something so senseless.
“Come on,” Kat said, once Noah was ready to go. “Let's go home.”
The reporters moved on and Jamie's dad said something in his ear.
Jamie walked over to me. “I have to go home with my dad.”
I nodded, threading my arms around his back and tilting my head up, not wanting to let go. His kiss was soft, the reassuring touch I sorely needed.
As we walked to the cars, Kat raised an eyebrow at me, but I just shook my head and got into Colby's car. Tonight was not the night for those discussions.
25
Jamie
Dad didn't have much to say to me once we got home. That was nothing new, but this time it seemed different. He seemed different. It was as if he'd actually been scared standing out there waiting to hear where I was. They'd all been scared, the reporters had told us.
When they realized nine kids were still missing, they'd feared the worst, not knowing what state they'd find us in.
I knew that by tomorrow my father would plan how to use this for his political advantage, but tonight he was just a dad.
We stood at the bottom of the tall staircase, looking anywhere but at each other. I shifted from foot to foot. He was still as a statue.
“Son,” he finally said, taking a long pause. “I…” He scratched his chin in thought. “You should get some sleep.”
Before I could respond, he reached out to grip my shoulder. I flinched. Pretending he didn't notice, he gave me a few quick pats on the back and then walked into his study.
My brain was still working on overload from the evening. I shook my head and trudged up the stairs.
Alone in your room, it becomes more real. It happened. There's no escaping it. Nothing to hide behind.
I turned over in the dark, unable to close my eyes without hearing the gunshots or footsteps pacing outside my door.
Rubbing my fists against my eyes, I let out an exasperated groan. A door opened down the hall, making me jump. I couldn't do it, couldn't be there. With a sudden certainty, I knew the only thing I wanted to do was be with the two people I cared most about. The two people who'd gone through the same thing as me.
Whatever happened with me and Callie, we'd always be connected now. I don't think I could ever look back on this day without remembering that the feel of her in my arms grounded me, kept me together. For that, I'd always be grateful. For that, some part of me would always love her.
Because I knew now. I was in love with Callie McCoy. It should have scared me, but in light of everything else, it just didn't.
Kicking off the covers, I got up and pulled on a pair of sweats and a hoodie. I was on autopilot as I got in my car and drove the short distance to the house that felt more like home than my own.
The TV was on in the living room, its sounds drifted past the front door. Using the key I'd had since I was ten, I unlocked the door.
