16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen
Gunnar
I whip around to face Willow. “What did she say?”
Willow’s face turns red and she shrinks away from me. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit, darling. What did she say?”
I knew this was a mistake. I knew I shouldn’t have asked Madeline to cover but I was stupid and let myself believe that she would be happy to get the patio to herself on a busy night, something she’s been asking for all summer since Willow started.
While it’s true what Willow says, I did reject Madeline last summer, I didn’t think she was still holding on to that, I thought it was a stupid summertime crush, she’s barely nineteen, and last year she had just hit eighteen for fuck’s sake. She can’t possibly think she has a chance with me?
“She just said that it must be nice to be fucking the boss to get the night off and make people come in for me.” She almost whispers her answer.
“Fuck. I’m so sorry." I scrub my hands over my face. "This right here is exactly what I was worried about. Something I think we maybe need to talk more about before going into this fully.” I shut off the stove so I don’t burn the food and slide it off the burner. I turn back to Willow, placing my palms on the island counter.
“Seriously?” She stares at me, that fire coming to her eyes.
“Seriously. I don’t want employees thinking you are getting special treatment because we’re fucking. ”
“Wow. One jealous bitch is all it takes for you to abandon me. Just like everyone else. I’m only good for one fucking thing, huh?”
She hurls her words at me and I take every one. I never should have asked her to take the night off.
“Fuck, Willow! I don’t want to complicate your life, and you don’t need that right now. All I said was talk, slow down, not end completely!”
“Oh! So now we’re taking the poor Willow she’s so fucked up route? I thought you knew me better!” She stands up and storms back to her room, but turns mid-step in the hall. “No, you know what, you don’t get to do this!” She marches right into my personal space.
“Darling, I -” My phone rings on the counter.
“Don’t you dare. We’re going to finish this now.” She demands, pointing at me, shoving her finger into my chest.
It rings for a second time.
“Gunnar.” She narrows her eyes at me when I look at my phone again out of the side of my eye .
“I have to. My brothers only call multiple times if it’s important. That’s our signal when something is wrong in case I’m busy at work.”
She eyes me as I walk over to the counter to grab my phone.
Hunter’s name flashes across the screen for a third time. He’d only call like this if it was important.
“Hey,” I answer quickly.
“G. Dad fell off the roof.”
Shit .
“What happened?” I turn away from Willow and start toward my room.
“He was helping Liam with something on the roof, or ignoring Liam to leave it to him, and he was trying to fix the gutters or some shit on the roof. He slipped and fell , taking the ladder down with him. He landed on the rocks on his side, and the ladder hit his head.”
Fuck. I rub my hands over my face and grab a bag. I start throwing clothes in without even looking at what I’m grabbing.
“Where is he? Is he okay?”
“Going to the Coastal Medical Center. Following the ambulance now so I don’t know, but I’m guessing concussion and broken hip.”
“Ok. On my way in a few.”
“Drive safe, G.” He hangs up on me and I go into my bathroom to grab more stuff. Willow appears in my doorway.
“What’s wrong?” she asks quietly .
“My Dad fell off the roof of the inn, I can’t do this right now, I have to go.”
“You’re leaving?” she asks with panic in her voice.
“My Dad’s going to the hospital, yea, I’m leaving. So either you wait, or pack a bag and let’s go, but make it fast,” I throw out, not really paying attention to her
“How long?” She chews on her bottom lip, looking up at me with worry lacing her features.
Fuck, I’m an asshole. The exact reason she should just accept the out and walk away.
“I don’t know. But figure it out, I’m leaving in five.” I walk away, leaving her stunned.
God, I’m being an asshole. But I need to get to Pops. He’s my only focus right now. And with five hours between us, I won’t get there fast enough for my liking.
At exactly four minutes, she emerges down the hallway with a bag and her guitar.
I throw my own bag over my shoulder and hold the door open for her. “Go get in the truck, I’ve got to tell Mack.” I pull her bag from her shoulder on the way by me. My mama still taught me manners even if I’m being a dick.
I follow her down and unlock the truck for her before going into the kitchen where Mack is prepping.
“You know we can hear you two up there yelling.” She points her finger at me .
“I don’t have time for a lecture, Mack, I just need you to take over for a few days, maybe more, I don’t know.” I run my hand through my hair.
“What’s going on, boss?” She stops what she is doing and turns to face me, concerned about why I’m having her take control of the bar with no notice.
“My Dad fell off the roof, he’s going to the hospital, I’m on my way there now, Willow is coming with me, so can you and Bennett handle finding some people to come in?" I turn to leave before adding, "And maybe not Madeline.” I add in the last part to avoid any more conflict with my employees.
“Thank fuck, you finally getting rid of her?” Mack asks.
“What? You have issues with her too?” I ask exasperated. Why is everyone waiting until now to tell me about her?
“Who do we have issues with?” Bennett walks in the kitchen too just in time to gossip when I really don’t have the fucking time.
“Madeline.” Mack rolls her eyes.
“Oh yea, bossman. She’s toxic with a capital T,” Bennett chimes in.
“Look, I’ll deal with this later. I have to go though, so please just call someone in and handle it? If you can’t, call Colton. He can get the guys and the Harper women to help you. Mack, Lorelei is an amazing cook. You can fill Bennett in on what’s going on.” I walk out with my instructions given .
I overhear Bennett asking Mack what’s going on but I don’t have the time for any of it. I jog over to my truck, hop in, and start it up.
Willow doesn’t try to start a conversation, she just tucks her feet under her and looks out the window, tapping her pen on her notebook.
I don’t even know if she’s aware of how long the drive is, maybe I should warn her. “I’m stopping at the gas station outside of town, I’ll grab some drinks and snacks. It’s a five hour ride.” I stare straight ahead.
“I’ll get snacks while you pump gas,” she says before turning her head back out the window.
This is going to be a long drive.
“Listen, darling, about earlier-”
She cuts me off. “Nope. Not until you aren’t worried about your Dad. Because honestly, you’re kind of an ass when you’re stressed.” She reaches over and turns up the radio to drown out any other attempts at talking.
I do not deserve this level of forgiveness, if that’s what this is, maybe I overreacted about everything. No, I know I did. I let the anger win for a minute and now I regret it more.
Especially because Mack and Bennett both seemed to be happy that Madeline might not be coming back. I’ve never thought she was toxic like Bennett said, moody and kind of a mean girl, but I thought she got along with everyone.
Now, I need to fix the whole thing. Willow. The Bar. Pops. I feel the stress coming on again .
Breathe in, breathe out.
We arrive at the hospital’s parking lot in just a little over four hours. I’m surprised that we made it without being pulled over, I pushed the limits on speeding to get here.
Liam texted me to let me know that Pops is in surgery and should be out soon, but I still want to be here for Mom. She’s probably worried sick.
I pull the truck into a spot near the emergency department.
Willow fell asleep about two hours ago, so I gently shake her shoulder to wake her up.
She stirs, and looks at me, so innocent and sweet before she realizes that she’s with me in the car. The look I get is one of disdain.
“Hey darling, we’re here.”
“I’ll stay here,” she says looking over my shoulder before curling back up on the seat.
“What?” I ask confused. She just came four hours with me to be here and now she’s staying in the truck?
“Listen, we’re arguing, we’re not even together as far as I know we had one date and I’m just your roommate. I don’t want to meet your parents under these circumstances.” She shrugs her shoulders, but her eyes keep wandering past me to what’s behind me .
“So, you’re what? Hiding in the truck until we go back to Lupine Valley?” I push her to come inside with me.
Tears spring to her eyes. “I can’t go in there, Gunnar. I can’t be in a hospital. Not after-”
Fuck, now I’m an even bigger asshole. Her own father died in a hospital after a drunk driver hit her parents on the highway. How could I forget that? Everyone in Lupine Valley knows how much that tore the Harper family apart. Even moving to Lupine Valley just a few years ago, I’ve still heard the stories about the accident, and the aftermath that got left behind.
“I’m sorry. I should have thought about that. Here are the keys. Feel free to go somewhere if you want, you don’t have to sit here. Just text me so I know where you are.” I hand her the keys and kiss her forehead. “I’m sorry, for how I acted by the way. I know you don’t want to talk yet, but I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”
She doesn’t answer at first, so I place my hand on the door to open it.
“Thank you. Text me when you have an update, please?” she finally replies and I nod before leaving the truck.
I had four hours to think about what an asshole I was in between worrying about Pops. But now that I know he’s in surgery, I can’t help but think about how I’m going to make this up to Willow.
I have a feeling that begging on my knees might be involved.