Page 86 of Loving Whiskey

I bite my lip. “Oh yeah? Didn’t realize you still had that. Do you wear it often?”

She sighs. “No, I didn’t want your smell to disappear.”

In that moment, I know it’s all going to be okay. Gracie is wearing my shirt. Even after all this time she’s holding on to hope. Not washing the shirt, not letting me go. I will do everything in my fucking power to make sure both she and my child are okay.

“Remind me to give you a pile of them later,” I say in a teasing tone.

She grumbles again into the phone.

“We’re pulling up now, Angel. Don’t come out yourself. I’m coming up for you.” Before Frank can stop the car, I’m bounding up the steps and running into her apartment building.

Grace stands at the door, her purse in hand, with tear-stained cheeks and tiredness in her eyes. “Oh, baby, come here.” I pull her into my arms and rock her against me as she sobs.

“I don’t want to lose this baby, Cash. I can’t lose…” She sobs and I feel my throat close.

Even though it’s not a promise I can make, I say it anyway. “You won’t. I got you. Come on, let’s get you to the hospital.”

Grace leans into me, and I open the door to the backseat. Cat has already moved up front, and Frank takes off once we’re both seated. Cat grabs hold of Grace’s leg as I pull her against my chest, rubbing her shoulder with my hand and willing everything to be okay.

Despite the fact that I growled and pulled at my hair, Cat went inside with Grace. “She just needs some privacy, Cash,” Frank says, trying to keep me calm.

“But I should be in there. That’s my fucking kid. I’m going out of my mind not knowing what’s going on.”

I didn’t want to pressure Grace, but when she looked at Cat and then back to me, I could see she wasn’t completely comfortable with me going with her, and I sent Cat inside saying I’d be right here if she wanted me.

It took everything in me to stay in the car with Frank.

It’sstilltaking everything in me to sit still.

We park the car and I go to get out, but Frank grabs my leg before I can. “You need to calm down. Don’t go in there if you are going to be demanding or bulldozing right now. It will only make it worse for Grace. Can you do that? If not, stay in this car until we hear from Cat.”

I turn around and glare at him. “I run a fortune 100 company. You think I can’t keep calm?”

“Not when it comes to Grace,” he says honestly. I lean back against the seat. I hate that he’s right.

I give myself a few minutes to get my shit together and look back at him. “Alright, I hear you. I’ll stay calm.”

Frank eyes me. “You sure?”

I nod. “Promise. She needs me to be calm and to give her space. This is happening toher. Not me. I need to prove to her that I can be the person she needs, not make her the person I need. I’ve got this.”

Frank smirks and I give him another look. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just…you’re growing up.”

I punch him in the arm. “Shut the fuck up.”

He laughs and my nerves relax slightly. “Thanks,” I mumble as we get out of the car.

Inside we find Cat sitting alone in the waiting area. “They took her back,” she explains.

I squeeze my fists together to keep myself from demanding a nurse let me through. “She didn’t want you to go with her?”

Cat shakes her head. “They don’t let non-family into examination rooms, Cash.”

This wouldn’t be a problem if she was my wife like I want her to be.

The thought doesn’t even scare me. I know I’m miles ahead of Grace when it comes to us. Hell, she just got divorced; who knows if she even wants to get remarried after everything she’s been through.

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