42. Clara
CLARA
“Iam gonna wring that boy’s red fuckin’ neck, I swear to Christ on a cracker.”
I chew nervously on my nails, watching Bailey pace back and forth, hands on her hips, shaking her head as mutters to herself.
We’ve been waiting outside the medic trailer for what feels like an eternity. My whole body is shivering despite the warm air, but I can’t seem to get my shit together. It’s the not knowing that’s eating at me. Is he okay in there? My stomach roils; I feel physically sick.
“Sit down,” Brady gruffs, spearing Bailey with an incredulous look. “You’re wearin’ me the fuck out.”
With an exasperated huff, Bailey flicks her hair over her shoulder and sits down on the chair next to me, crossing one long leg over the other with another huff added for good measure.
The new guy, Jagger I think his name is, looks up from where he’s crouched down by the fence chewing on a toothpick. “If it were anything serious, he’d have been taken off to hospital in an ambulance by now,” he says, his low, gravelly voice not much more than a murmur.
“I don’t remember askin’ your opinion.” Bailey spears him with a glower that he appears to challenge with a slight arch of one of his eyebrows, the two of them sharing some sort of unspoken argument before Jagger eventually concedes and averts his gaze to the ground instead.
“He’s right, Bailey.” I try my hardest to reassure her, placing a hand on her arm because I know her agitation has a lot more to do with losing her fiancé a few months ago, than whatever beef she’s got going on with this new guy.
“I just wish someone would tell us somethin’ dammit.” She throws her hands in the air, and I give her arm another soft squeeze.
Darcy and Wyatt took Billie and Tommy to get something to eat.
Tommy wanted to stay, to make sure Cole was okay.
But I didn’t want either of them here in case it was something serious.
It was bad enough them seeing Cole collapse.
Hell, it was almost too much for me. So, I asked Tommy to go, to help make sure Billie was okay and I think he liked the thought of doing me the favor, like he was helping somehow.
Suddenly, the door to the trailer swings open, and we all stand at the same time. I don’t know about everyone else, but my breath catches in the back of my throat, and time and everything around me seems to come to a standstill.
Cole steps out, placing his hat onto his head, his eyes landing on me almost immediately.
“Are you okay?” I ask on a rushed exhale as he steps toward me, wrapping me in his arms.
He doesn’t answer right away, just holds me for a long moment, and it’s only then I realize just how scared I was because my legs nearly give way by the weight of the worry lifting off my shoulders.
“I’m fine, darlin’,” Cole whispers, cupping my cheek and pressing his lips to my temple, a ghost of a whisper kiss skating across my skin as he whispers, “You in this dress, baby…”
His hand skates down my back and over the curve of my ass, squeezing, and I ignore the traitorous shiver that rolls through me, pulling back to get a good look at him.
He doesn’t appear to be hurt. He’s his normal, cocky self.
He looks fine. Aside from the smear of red dirt lining his cheek, he doesn’t appear to have a scratch on him.
But fine people don’t just collapse for no reason.
“You’re fine?” Bailey snorts.
Keeping one arm around me, Cole turns, finding Bailey standing there looking more than a little pissed off and full of disbelief.
“Yeah.” Cole shrugs with a carefree laugh. “I ain’t eaten all day, so… Probably just low blood sugar or somethin’.”
Bailey narrows her eyes, studying him closely, but before she can tell him she doesn’t believe a word he says, Brady steps in, his big hands squeezing Cole’s shoulders.
“Sounds like we need to go get some food and beers to celebrate, brother.”
“Damn straight.” Cole chuckles. “My treat, y’all.”
As we walk out through the gates and into the throng of revelers milling about the fairgrounds, I can’t help but cast Cole a sidelong glance because I don’t know what it is, but there’s something there.
It’s in the look he trades with Bailey. It’s in the way his smile barely reaches his eyes.
It’s in the way his jaw ticks a little tighter than usual.
And again, I feel sick, my stomach roiling, because for the first time since I’ve fallen in love with this man, I don’t know if I believe him.
Fireworks light up the sky in bursts of brilliant color, spreading across the vast night like blooming flowers of light.
Pink, purple, white, blue, gold and silver sparks streak upward before exploding into dazzling patterns.
The crowd gathers beneath, watching bright trails arc overhead and fade into lingering chemtrails of smoke, only to be followed by another wave of vivid explosions.
Cole stands behind me, his arms around my waist as we stare up at the display. I rest my head back against his chest, smiling at the sight of Billie sitting perched on her new bestie, Brady’s shoulders, admiring the view with wide eyes and a grin half as big as Texas.
Despite the lingering concern that’s settled in my chest over Cole’s fall, it’s been a super fun night of carnival rides, yummy food, music and dancing, and now a grand finale of fireworks that seem to just keep on going.
Bailey left earlier, citing a headache as the reason for her sudden departure, but I could tell there was something going on between her and Cole.
She was pissed at him. And not just pissed; there was sadness in her eyes.
I wanted to check on her. Make sure she was okay.
But Jagger offered to drive her back to Summer so the rest of us could stay, and I didn’t get a chance.
“You okay?” Cole whispers against my ear, the feel of his lips grazing the shell causing a delicious shiver to run through me.
Turning in his hold, I wrap my arms around his neck, looking deep into his eyes and smiling, despite the worry and concern battling in my chest. “I’m okay,” I tell him, my fingers toying with the longer lengths of hair at his nape. “Are you… okay?”
Cole grins. “I got you here,” he says, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Tommy and Billie. All my friends. I took the points and the W. I couldn’t be fuckin’ better, baby.”
My eyes flit between his, trying but failing to find the lie.
But there’s something there. Something… missing.
But he’s so happy, I can’t bear the thought of pushing him and possibly taking away any of that joy.
So, lifting onto my tip toes, I kiss him, soft, yet chaste, pulling away before he’s ready and receiving a playful scowl in return that makes me giggle and causes my trepidation to melt away.
Turning again, I relax back against Cole’s strong chest, placing my hands over his as they rest on my waist, looking from Billie, to Tommy standing next to Brady, my heart swelling at just how perfect this moment is.
But then I feel something. Something hot, like the residual warmth of a fire long burnt out.
It’s obvious, and heavy, and it makes me stop.
Turning my head, I scan the crowd of faceless strangers and shadows, looking through a break in the throng which is when my gaze lands on something—or someone, rather—across the way that causes my blood to run cold like ice through my veins, my whole body freezing.
Standing there, in front of a beer tent, dressed in a black T-shirt that shows off the familiar set of his broad shoulders, watching me from beneath the shade of a ball cap, is Cain.
No. No, it can’t be.
I blink hard, squeezing my eyes shut. But when I open them again, he’s still there, and now he’s smiling at me, baring his teeth in a way that is full of menace and threat.
My heart races, my skin prickling and hot.
I know I’m not dreaming this time. It’s him. It’s really him. He’s here. I blink hard again, shaking my head to myself, sucking in a breath I can’t quite seem to catch.
“Baby?” Cole’s voice breaks through the thudding of my heart pounding in my ears. “Clara?”
Startling, I jump, spinning around again to find Cole’s eyes blazing through the muted light, his brows knitted together so tight there’s a deep crease of concern wedged between them.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his hold of me tightening.
I shake my head quickly, looking back toward the beer tent and craning my neck to get a better look.
But instead of Cain, there’s a different man in his place wearing a black T-shirt and a ball cap, smiling and laughing with the beautiful brunette under his arm.
I search the nearby area, frantically, but it’s nothing but the same crowd of faceless strangers milling about.
“Talk to me, darlin’.”
I turn back to Cole, finding nothing but concern in his eyes.
I shake my head again, offering him the most pathetic attempt at a smile I can manage.
I already woke him screaming from a bad dream, sure that Cain was outside my bedroom window.
God, he’s going to think I’m certifiable if I tell him I just saw Cain standing by the Millie Lite tent smiling at me.
“It’s nothing, I…” I trail off, shrugging a shoulder and adding a casual laugh for effect. “Nothing.”