Page 98 of Eight Years Gone

Gaining her feet, she moved to the upper half of the bed, bending closer to her dad’s bandaged head. “We have a lot to talk about, so you need to wake up.”

Touching her fingers to her lips, she carefully brushed his cheek. “I love you. I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

Jagger reached out his hand to her.

She grabbed it, holding on tight as she walked out with him, looking over her shoulder, willing her dad to open his eyes before they disappeared from his sight.

Jagger settled his arm around her shoulders. “What do you say we head down to the cafeteria for something warm to drink? Maybe we’ll find something to eat too.”

Food was the last thing on her mind. “I want to stop by the bathroom first.”

“Okay.” He kissed the top of her head as they stopped by the women’s room. “I’ll wait here.”

She nodded, pushing her way into the bathroom, stopping as she passed the large mirror, staring at her face—her chin, just like her father’s.

Turning on the sink, she locked eyes with herself in the glass. “He’s going to wake up. He’s going to be okay.”

Terrified that even as she said so, it might not be true, she put her chilly hands under the warm flow of water and allowed herself to tremble as she’d needed to for the last few hours.

* * *

Jagger clenched his jaw as he leaned against the wall outside the women’s room. He’d only ever felt this helpless once before, which was something he could do without. Everything about this situation sucked.

He’d stood by Grace’s side while Paul had given them an update on Steve’s condition, but he’d still been shocked to see the invincible Steven Evans in such bad shape.

Steve had always been larger than life. Now the world-famous doctor would be lucky to make it through the night.

He steamed out a breath as he glanced toward the bathroom door.

Grace was doing all she could to stay strong, but he knew her well enough to understand that she was barely keeping it together.

When she’d turned to look at him in her father’s room, her cheeks had lacked any color. Her hands were ice-cold, and her eyes were huge and haunted. He doubted she recognized that she was in shock.

It turned his stomach to imagine she’d looked much the same when she fell apart in Aunt Maggie’s driveway eight years ago.

But this time Grace wouldn’t go through whatever this would be without him. He would be here for her the way he hadn’t been after they lost her brother—the biggest failure of his life. He’d done a lot of things wrong, but never anything more wrong than that.

He stood straight when Paul walked his way, studying the man dressed in khaki slacks and a white button-down that accentuated his grim brandy-colored eyes and the ghostly pallor of his skin. “How’s Steve doing?”

“About the same. Stable but extremely critical.” Paul reached into his pocket, handing Jagger a set of keys. “These are Steve’s. I know he would want you and Grace to stay at his place and be comfortable.”

Jagger pocketed the set, even when he wasn’t sure that Steve would want him in his house. But the complications of the past would have to be sorted out later. The only thing that mattered was what Grace needed now—and that was a quiet place to get some sleep, catch her breath, and have a solid meal.

When Grace got upset, her appetite was the first thing to go. He’d be damned if she would lose a shit-ton of weight again. “Thanks.”

Paul looked over his shoulder. “Where’s Grace?”

“In the bathroom.” He waited for Paul to meet his gaze again. “How do you think this will go? What are Steve’s odds?”

Paul sighed as he shook his head. “Trauma isn’t my scope, but he’s sustained a lot of damage.” He glanced around as he took another step closer. “The car creamed him—sent him up and over the vehicle’s roof.”

Jagger blinked his surprise. They’d been so worried about Steve’s current condition that the details of how all of this had come about hadn’t been a thought until now. “Do you know what happened?”

“Yeah, mostly.” Paul rubbed at the back of his neck. “Steve was wearing jogging clothes when they brought him in, so it’s easy to surmise he was out for one of his evening runs.”

Jagger nodded because everyone knew Steve had always taken excellent care of his body.

“When I got the call that they’d brought Steve in, I ran over from our place,” Paul continued.

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