Page 104 of I Got You

I swipe at a tear. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Chapter 39

SHANE

I’ve waited all morning for Maggie to call and tell me what her lawyer said, but she hasn’t. I have to head into a meeting, and I’d rather be doing anything else. I don’t want to sit in a room with a bunch of men as my frustration continues to build. A dull ache grows at the base of my skull and down through my neck as I take my seat, and my entire body seizes up with tension.

I want to know what the hell is going on. I want to know what her attorney advised. The thought of fighting for Liv is like a fist to my stomach. I can’t imagine her being separated from Maggie and the boys. It’s all Liv knows, and she already struggles to understand where her mom is. This suit can’t go forward, but given that Maggie didn’t call me like she said she would, my stomach knots with dread.

Things have been off with her the last few days. Really since Danny showed up. When I tried to get her to tell me what was going on, she asked me to drop it. How could I not? I could see her struggle and hear the pain in her admission that she didn’t want to tell me. I understood.

I have a mile-long list of things I don’t want to talk about or discuss. Ever. Watching her try to be ok when I know she’s not has something festering inside me. She allowed me into all of this. I’m part of their lives, and she’s keeping things from me that matter.

I want to know what they are, and I want to help. I don’t want to feel like I’m being left out in the cold. Does she not trust me? Have I not shown her that I’m in this? That I want to be a part of whatever is happening.

I check my phone again as Coach Cavanaugh enters. No message. If this meeting weren’t important, I’d drive to the gym and wait for her class to be over. Instead, I sit here, my knee bouncing, my head pounding, and my level of patience very close to hitting its limit.

My meeting runs long, and I hustle to practice, only stopping in my office to grab my spreadsheets. A jackhammer is at work in my head, and every ounce of patience is gone, but my focus needs to be on my guys and the things we need to work on for the upcoming game. On the field, I don’t have to hide my boiling temper, and I can tell the guys are feeling it when Nick rolls his eyes after I tell them their sloppy attempt isn’t good enough.

Halfway through practice, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I rip it out of my pocket, wanting it to be Maggie so I can ignore her. It’s not. My stomach hits the turf, seeing it’s Garrett’s and Teddy’s school.

My frustration is replaced with a sudden uneasiness as I press the green button. “Hello.”

“Mr. Carter. This is the nurse at Franklin Academy. I wasn’t able to reach Mrs. Carter. Garrett has had an anaphylactic allergy attack, and he’s being transported to Mercy Hospital as we speak.”

The wind is knocked out of me, and a burning ignites in my chest, but my feet force me into action.

“He administered the EpiPen right away, and Principal Johnson is riding with him in the ambulance.”

“Ok. I’m on my way. Thank you.” I hang up and start running, yelling to Coach Cavanaugh that I have an emergency. I dial Maggie as I run to my truck, but it goes to voicemail, so I leave her a frantic message even though I know she already has one from the school.

Once in my truck, I floor it out of the parking lot, my heart and mind racing with thoughts of Garrett and what he’s going through. I try to remind myself of what the nurse said. She said that he administered the EpiPen, which I know should help reverse the effects of the reaction. Maggie told me that was what I needed to do if he started to have an attack.

I suck in a breath and try to call Maggie again. She doesn’t answer. Fuck! I’ve been scared in my life, but I’m not sure I’ve ever been this scared. I hit a red light, and my fist slams into the steering wheel. Pain shoots through my knuckles up to my elbow.

Come on. Come on.

I pull into a parking space in the emergency entrance as blood pulses through my veins. I jump out and jog to the entrance, where I meet the security guard who appears to recognize me. His eyes widen, but I ignore him, giving him Garrett’s name. It takes him a second before he starts typing.

“Are you family?” he asks.

“I should be on his emergency contact list.”

“Shane Carter, right?” the man asks.

“Yes.”

“He’s in room four just through those doors.” He pushes a button and points to the automatic doors.

I hurry through them, searching the ceiling for the number four. I swallow the vomit threatening to force itself upward, and my throat burns with relief when I see my buddy resting comfortably in the bed. He looks so small and a bit pale, but just being able to lay my eyes on him almost brings me to my knees.

I step into the small, sterile room, and Garrett tries to smile.

“Hey, partner. You doing ok?”

He nods, and the thumping of my heart begins to lessen.

---