Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Just as she’s stepping into her snow boots, Melanie pokes her head around the corner.
“Willa?”
“Hi, Mel. We’re almost done here. Do you need me?”
“No, I just wanted to make sure everyone was dressed. Brad Hull is here to see you.”
“Must be wedding stuff,” Jenna says with a grin as Brad walks around the corner, but I can see by the look on his face that it’s not wedding stuff.
It’s bad.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Well, Willa, we went skiing.”
I have to sit in the chair before my legs give out from under me.
“Who? Was Alex there?” I know that my son is with my mom today, but maybe Max picked him up. Wouldn’t he call me?”
“No, Max, Christian, and some of the other guys. We went up this afternoon for a few runs, but Max was hurt.”
“No.” I shake my head, focusing on the floor. “No. He’s not hurt.”
“Jesus, how badly?” I hear Jenna ask as my heart beats out of my chest, and my hands shake. I can’t breathe. Is it hot in here? Why is it so hot in here?
“We don’t know,” Brad says grimly. “The ambulance took him to the hospital, and I came here to get you two.”
No. This can not be happening again. Not again. Not to Max.
“Come on, Willa, we have to go.”
“I can’t go,” I reply and jump up, putting my pins and scissors away. “I have too much to do. I have to hem Jenna’s dress, and I have to see to the store.”
“Willa,” Brad says, but I shake my head.
“I’m sorry, I can’t go.”
“Hey.” Jenna grabs my shoulders in her hands and makes me look her in the eye. “You have got to get your shit together, Willa, because Max needs us at the hospital.”
Tears swim in my eyes. “I can’t,” I whisper. “I can’t do this again.”
“Oh, baby,” she says, but doesn’t lose the firm grip on my shoulders. “You can, and you will. Your fiancé needs you right now.”
“Fiancé?” Brad asks in confusion.
“He asked her last night,” Jenna says, not looking away from me.
“Bastard didn’t say anything,” he mutters. “The car’s running, girls.”
“Come on,” she says, taking my hand and leading me out to the car, parked just outside the back door of the shop. She guides me into the passenger seat, and when both Jenna and Brad are seated, we zoom off toward the hospital, Brad flipping on the siren.
“You have a siren in your personal car?” I ask.
He doesn’t answer. He’s too intent on getting to the hospital, and I just feel numb.
What will I do if Max is gone? How can this be happening to me again?
***
“Concussion,” the doctor says grimly. I’m sitting next to Max, who has a bandage wrapped around his head. He’s sleeping. He hasn’t woken up since the accident. “He’ll be here for a couple of days while we monitor. I don’t like that he’s still unconscious.”
The doctor says more things, but I tune him out, staring at Max as I hold his hand and will him to wake up.
Wake up.
Jenna and Brad are both with me, and all the others are in the waiting room, anxious to hear how Max is doing.
“I’ll go tell the others,” Brad says. “Can I bring you two anything?”
I don’t reply, but I hear Jenna say, “Just some water, please.”
The door closes behind Brad, and Jenna sits across from me, taking his other hand.
“He’s ruined your wedding,” I whisper.
“Christian’s already called the vendors, and they’re on standby for an alternate date,” she says easily. “That’s the thing about a simple wedding. It can be changed.”
“I’m sorry,” I say and lay my forehead against the back of Max’s hand.
“What are you sorry for?”
“That I’m so weak.” It’s barely a whisper. “I’m scared out of my fucking mind.”
“Hey, that’s normal under any circumstances, but with your past? Willa, of course, you’re terrified. But you heard the doctor, he has a concussion, and he’s going to be okay.”
I swallow hard as Max shifts on the bed and briefly opens his eyes, looking around the room as if he’s drunk out of his mind.
“There she is,” he says, but falls back to sleep.
“The doctor said he’s been doing that off and on,” Jenna says.
Brad comes back with water. “Mom and Dad are here.”
“They were going to surprise you all tomorrow at the wedding,” Jenna says with a shrug. “So it’s good they came today. They should come in.”
They do. I’m hugged and fussed over. I don’t really pay too much attention to what’s said. I can’t breathe well. I’m having the longest anxiety attack on record.
Finally, everyone leaves for the night, and I’m left alone with Max, still sitting in the same chair by his side, willing him to wake up.
The sun set hours ago. Jenna checked in with my mom to give her an update on Max and to make sure Alex was okay.