Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“I’m going to take Layla and the kids home, and then I’ll be back,” Camden says to his dad. “If anything changes…”
“I’ll keep you informed.”
One by one, everyone hugs Easton, telling him if they need anything, to let them know, until it’s only Kyle, Easton, and me left.
“I left without showering,” Kyle says awkwardly. “I’m going to go home and shower and change, and then I’ll be back up. Do you need anything?”
“No, I’m good,” Easton says, giving him a small smile, “but thank you.”
With a nod, Kyle leaves, and it’s just Easton and me.
“If you want to get going…”
“Actually, I think I’ll stay, if that’s okay,” I tell him.
He nods. “Of course, I know you and Kendall have grown close. She’s been so excited about recording that song. She made us all listen to it over a dozen times at dinner.”
“It’s going to blow the hell up,” I say with a small laugh to lighten the mood. “It’s a side of Kendall her fans haven’t seen… raw… real.”
Easton chokes out a watery laugh. “She’s an expert at putting on a good front, isn’t she?” He laughs a little harder, fresh tears filling his eyes and falling. “I remember when I first met her. Her mom was soft and sweet, but Kendall… She was all mouth and sass.” He chuckles softly. “We argued for hours over the lyrics of ‘I’m Looking for a Love.’”
It takes me a second to place the song, but once I do, I give him a brow up in confusion. “Isn’t that your song?”
Easton full-blown laughs. “Yeah, but she swore the lyrics were looking for a dove, and nobody could tell her any differently. ‘Doves fly, so obviously, it flew away, and he’s looking for it,’ she argued, hand on her hip, brows dipped in determination. ‘Why would anyone be looking for love?’”
I can’t help but think about the irony in his words—Kendall’s spent half her life looking for and running from love…
A few minutes later, Sophia comes back, looking a mixture of relief that her daughter is alive and distraught that she’s in a coma.
Since Kendall’s been moved to a private room, they’re both able to go visit with her, so while they do that, I go to the gift shop to pick up a couple of things for her room. I pass on the flowers since they’re cliché as fuck, and instead, I grab some candy since she has a huge sweet tooth, playing cards since she loves to play solitaire when she’s alone and Rummy with her family when they’re hanging out and bullshitting, and a stuffed puppy holding a huge heart. It’s cheesy as fuck, but I’ve been in Kendall’s room and know she loves stuffed animals, especially dogs. She would love to have a real one, but with her traveling, she can’t. She once told me that she wants to get a puppy whenever she finally settles down.
I’m waiting in the private waiting room when Camden returns, saying his dad texted and said the room is big enough for a few more people to go in.
When we walk in, my eyes go straight to Kendall. I imagined she’d look rough since she was in an accident, but aside from the monitors attached to her chest and arms, and the bandage covering her head, she looks like she’s simply asleep.
“She didn’t break or bruise anything,” Sophia says. “It was just horrible luck that she wasn’t wearing her seat belt and her head hit the ceiling.”
I place the stuffed dog on the nightstand, along with the candy and cards. I glance over, and her parents and Camden are talking about something the doctor said, so I take the moment to lean over and kiss her forehead. “Come back to me, Kendall,” I plead softly. “We haven’t even gotten started yet.”
CHAPTER SIX
KENDALL
There’s a thump, thump, thump in my head as if someone with the worst rhythm is drumming against my skull. I attempt to open my eyes, but they’re heavy, like a pair of weights have been set on my lids. A constant beeping has me questioning where I am and why I feel like death warmed over.
Inhaling, the scent of antiseptic assaults my nostrils. What the…?
“Kendall, you can do it. Wake up, sweetheart. Just open those beautiful blue eyes and come back to me.”
The sound of Declan’s soothing voice has me sighing in contentment and wanting to open my eyes so he knows I’m awake. Where does he think I went? I’m right here…
With all the strength I possess, I take a deep breath and pry my lids apart. At first, it’s blurry, and with the constant drumming, it hurts. But I can see. White walls. A whiteboard with writing on it. A sink… cabinets… machines. What the hell? Why am I in a hospital?