Page 7 of Mr. Edwards
Emma’s head darts up, eyeing us down the corridor. She doesn’t hesitate as she leaps out of her seat and rushes toward me. “Carlee,” she mutters as the tears stream down her face.
“Em,” I cry, closing the distance between us. The tears I held back on the drive here, are now finally falling free.
She wraps me in her arms, squeezing me tight. I bury my face in the crook of her neck and my body shudders as I break down.
“How is he?” I ask although I’m petrified to hear the answer to that question.
“No news yet, he’s still in surgery.”
I pull back from her, trying hard to hold myself together. I’m sure the worry and devastation I see on her face is mirrored on my own.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Carlee?” Ashton sneers, coming to stand beside his wife. I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his douchebaggery. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy, but we’ve had more than our fair share of clashes throughout the years.
“Ashton,” Emma gasps. “She’s here because I called her… because she cares about Grayson.”
She’s right, I do. We may no longer be together, but she knows how much he still means to me.
Ashton’s eyes ping-pong from me to Reece, and I feel Reece’s hand squeeze my shoulder. It’s his silent reminder that he’s still here and has my back.He always has my back.
“I came as soon as I heard. I… I—” I stammer.
Ashton holds up his hand, stopping me from finishing my sentence. “I don’t give a shit. And the audacity of you to come here with…him.” His piercing gaze moves back to Reece as he flicks his chin in that direction. “That’s a new low even for you, Carlee. Leave, you have no right to be here. You gave all that up when you walked away.”
As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. To this day, nobody knows why I left,why I had to leave. Not even Reece. It’s my shame… my secret. One that I refuse to share with anyone. Some things are better left unsaid.
“Hey,” Reece barks, suddenly moving me behind him and stepping up to Ashton. “Who the fuck are you?”
Ashton’s face contorts in anger. “Who the fuck are you is more like it?”
Ashton has no idea who Reece is, or how important he is to me. Emma does, but I know my secrets are safe with her. God knows where I would’ve ended up if it wasn’t for this man. He was the first person to ever show me kindness and compassion, and I doubt I’d even be alive today if it wasn’t for him.
“Don’t,” I warn, reaching for Reece’s arm when he growls. He’s about to lose his shit. His body is rigid and his stance tells me everything I need to know. I know what he’s capable of and this isn’t the time or the place. Besides, Ashton has a point. Do I have a right to be here? I can’t fault him; he’s only looking out for his friend. “Reece, we should go.”
Reece frowns as he glances at me over his shoulder. “You sure, killer?” It’s his nickname for me, which is kind of ironic coming from a guy like him. The ninja skills I have are because he taught me everything he knows.
He studies me for a moment as his eyes scan over my face, I know he’s giving me a choice, despite what Ashton’s saying. If I want to stay, he’ll make it happen. Reece doesn’t know the logistics of my and Grayson’s breakup, but he knows I still care about him, even after all this time. I’ve fallen apart twice in front of him—once when I first returned to Temecula, and again tonight—that alone speaks volumes because, despite the shit I’ve gone through in my life, I’m not usually a crier.
“Yes, I’m sure.” I give him a small nod. “Please.” It’s going to slay me to leave, but I know it’s for the best.
Emma shoots daggers at her husband as she steps toward me, gathering me in her arms again. This is their wedding night, and the last thing I want to do is cause trouble for them. I shouldn’t have come, but when Emma called, I didn’t give it a second thought.
I needed to be here.
I needed to know he was okay.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers into my ear.
“Don’t be. I understand.” It hurts like hell, but I do. “Will you keep me updated?”
“Of course.” She tightens her embrace and I hear her sniffle. I squeeze my eyes closed attempting to halt a fresh wave of tears from falling. “Jesus, Carlee, I hate this,” she utters before she eventually releases me and takes a step back.
Her eyes dart to Reece. They both know about each other, but they’ve never officially met. “It’s nice to finally meet you,” Emma says, extending her hand to him. “I only wish it was under better circumstances.”
“Likewise,” he replies with a small nod.
Emma’s gaze moves back to me and the conflict I see on her face makes my heart ache. As much as I hate this whole situation, leaving is the best option for everyone involved.
With that in mind, I reach for her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze before I turn and walk away from my heart, my everything… and probably for the final time.
