Page 6 of Mr. Edwards
“I wasn’t, the constant blowing up of your phone woke me.” He extends his arm and I notice it’s sitting in the palm of his hand. “You left your bag just inside the door.” He raises an eyebrow as he speaks, knowing full well that’s out of character for me. My need for order has driven him crazy over the years.
Who’d be calling me this time of morning?
Taking the few steps that separate us, I take my phone from his hand as he stands. “Emma,” he says, nodding down at the screen. “I thought it must be important.”
Emma?
Why would she be calling? It’s her wedding night, she’s supposed to be on her honeymoon.
I glance down and see that there are four missed calls and three messages.
Emma: Carlee, pick up. I need to speak to you.
Emma: Please call me as soon as you get this!
Emma: It’s urgent.
Urgent?
My stomach churns and my hands start to tremble as I press call. My heart is now lodged somewhere in the back of my throat as I wait for her to answer.
“Carlee,” she says breathlessly the moment she answers.
“Em, is everything okay?”
“Car… oh God… I’m at the hospital.”
“The hospital? Why, did something happen after I left? Shit, Charlie… is she alright?” I may only be her godmother, but I love that little girl like she’s my own. Panic starts to set in when the line goes quiet. “Em, please say something, you’re freaking me out.”
“It’s Gray, Car… he’s… he’s been in an accident.”
The phone slips from my grasp and I drop to my knees as her words settle over me like a dark cloud.Oh, dear God, no.
Reece is a man of few words, the silent broody type to be exact, but he undoubtedly has a heart the size of Texas. He’s been my rock since I was a young girl, and this time is no different. Although neither of us has said a word since we rushed from our apartment, his hand clutched around mine has been a constant. I’m gratefulfor that because I’m not sure I could face this on my own.
An accident… I still can’t wrap my head around those words.
Torrance Memorial Hospital is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Temecula, but less than ten miles from Gardena, the place where I used to live. I swore I’d never go back, but given the circumstances, I can’t stay away. Not this time.
“Hey, look at me,” Reece says as his eyes move from my bouncing knee back to my face. He’s ten years older than me, but you’d never know it. He treats his body like it’s a temple and it shows. He’s a hard-ass most of the time but there’s a softness on his face, a look I’ve witnessed a handful of times over the years… one I know he only reserves for me. I divert my gaze before it becomes my undoing. I’m too fragile right now, and I can’t handle his pity. His grip on my hand tightens. “He’s going to be okay.”
Tears rise to my eyes. “You don’t know that,” I whisper, my voice cracking.
This is all my fault.
Reece was the one who finished the call with Emma—getting as much detail as he could—while I remained in a devastated heap on the floor by his feet. All we know is Grayson was stable when they wheeled him into surgery…fucking surgery. He lost control of his vehicle on a sharp bend after leaving the wedding, colliding with a streetlight. I saw what his emotional state was when he left Ashton’s parent’s house, and it wasn’t good. It was also my doing. That thought weighs heavily on my heart. I’m responsible for this. I’m the reason the love of my life is in this condition.
Leaning my head back into the seat I release a shakybreath. I should’ve kicked his ass when he barged into the bathroom instead of letting him have his way with me. It was a selfish move on my part. He’s my weakness, hence why I’ve stayed well away since we split. But I can’t help feeling if I’d only remained strong as I’ve done for the past few years, he may not be in this current situation. I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to him.
Never.
I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience by the time we reach the hospital. I remove my seat belt and exit the car before Reece even turns off the ignition.Be strong, I tell myself.My stomach is in knots and I actually feel like I’m going to puke, but again, I pull my shoulders back like I always do, preparing myself to tackle this catastrophe head-on.
Reece’s hand is resting on my shoulder as he maneuvers me to where Emma told him they’d be waiting. The moment we round the corner and see them, my heart drops. They’re both still clad in their wedding attire. Ashton is sitting on a chair positioned along the wall with his face buried in his hands. His wife is beside him, her hand soothingly running up and down his back. Her lips are moving, but I can’t hear what she is saying from here. Words of comfort, no doubt. After all, Grayson is like a brother to him. They’ve been best friends since elementary school.
Grayson’s mother is leaning against the opposite wall and Kaitlin, his little sister, is wrapped in her arms. Thegraveness I see on her face does nothing to ease my anxiety. I divert my eyes when she looks in my direction because I’m a coward. I avoided his mom like the plague at Emma and Ashton’s wedding. Not because I don’t like her, because I do. She welcomed me into her family with open arms from the very beginning. I’m embarrassed…ashamedof how I have treated her son. He deserved so much more than what I gave him. So much more.
I come to a complete stop, unable to take another step forward. Reece pauses beside me but doesn’t remove his hand from my shoulder.
