57. Grady
GRADY
“I’m telling you, it’s all she wants.” I look between Teah’s parents.
Her mother’s face scrunches in disbelief. “But he’s so awful. All pierced and pale and rough around the edges.”
I shrug. “She loves him. And you raised her right, so she must love him for a reason.”
I can’t believe I’m advocating for this guy, but Teah needs him, and so I’ll do it for her.
Mr. Rogers lets out a disgusted scoff. “He’s nothing but trouble. Look at where she is right now. It’s all his fault.”
My insides knot. Shit, what if he’s right? What if it wasn’t an accident? What if Mac is totally to blame?
Then he’ll go down for that, and it won’t be your problem.
Right now, Teah wants Mac, so help her.
For some bizarre reason, I feel compelled to make that happen. There’s this urgency firing through me that I don’t understand, but I need to wrap this up.
Teah wants to wake up and find Mac by her bedside, so the sooner I can make that happen, the sooner I can go.
Checking my watch, I look at the time and cringe. Shit. I’ve been here for hours. And I still don’t know where Blake is.
Why hasn’t she come back already?
I need to find her… if I can just wrap up this conversation.
“Look, I know you love her and you care deeply about her welfare, but she’s old enough to make her own decisions, and she wants Mac. Denying her access is only going to drive a wedge between you. Surely you can see that.”
“Of course we can.” Her father glares at me. “Why are you standing up for this idiot?”
“I’m not.” I raise my eyebrows. “I’m standing up for Teah. She loves him… and I think it’s genuine. She’s not trying to rebel or break free. She doesn’t have to. You guys have a great relationship. She’s just… in love.”
“Why can’t she still be in love with you?” Mrs. Rogers whines. “I much prefer you.”
My lips twitch and I nod my thanks but get back to the point as quickly as I can.
“I’ve seen families suffer from lies and secrecy. If you don’t let Mac be part of Teah’s life, you’ll be forcing her to go behind your backs. And that’s only going to cause more pain. Things will go better if you accept what she wants.”
They both look sick, swallowing hard before glancing at each other.
“Who knows, maybe she’ll get bored with him the way she got bored of me.” I’m trying to be encouraging, but it sounds horrible when I say it like that.
The truth is, the way she was talking about him, the look on her face… I don’t think she’ll ever get over him.
I don’t remember her ever calling me “the one.”
She loved me. I believe that.
But if I’d proposed my senior year, the way I was planning to? Would she have said yes?
I honestly don’t know.
“Let me go find Mac. Please. She’s hurting and upset. I think having him around will keep her calm. She was gutted when she woke up and found me instead of him. Don’t make her go through that again.”
Her father huffs. “Fine.”
“Colin.” Mrs. Rogers looks up in surprise. “Are you sure?”
“What else are we supposed to do, Nat? I won’t lose my daughter over this.”
I lightly slap his arm, congratulating his decision before hightailing it down the corridor.
I’m scanning for Blake the whole time, and my stomach pinches when I get to the waiting room and can’t see her.
Has she left?
Running out into the parking lot, I spot my Jeep behind the pillar and am relieved to see she must still be here. She’s got my keys, and she wouldn’t have taken off with those.
Spinning back toward the entrance, I’m about to go and see if someone can page for her on the PA system when I notice a guy standing against the edge of the building .
His hands are in his pockets, and he’s got his head leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed.
“Macalister?” I move toward him.
His head pops off the wall and he narrows his eyes at me, his guard instantly going up. I can practically see it forming, his expression hardening, his shoulders flinging back like he’s tensing for a fight.
I raise my hands to show him I’m not about to start one.
“What the fuck do you want?” he seethes.
His complexion looks so pale in the moonlight.
He really is a vampire. Those angular features and high cheekbones.
He would have been perfect in the Twilight series.
Teah made me watch them, and she couldn’t stop gushing over the amazing Edward Cullen.
I was Team Jacob, all the way. He was the sensible choice. The obvious one.
But of course Teah’s heart belonged to the vampire.
This is just real life mirroring fiction.
And that cosmic connection she was talking about… the one Edward and Bella shared… I can see it.
“Have you been out here the whole time?” I raise my chin at the wall behind Mac.
He nods. “Told you I’m not leaving her.”
“Yeah.” My lips twitch and I raise my eyebrows, tipping my head. Guess he does have some good in him if he’s willing to stand out here all night. “You love her?”
I have to ask.
He narrows his eyes at me like it’s none of my damn business, but then he lets out a huff. “Not really into all that romantic shit, but…” He shakes his head, then clicks his tongue. “She got me. ”
“So that’s a yes, then.”
“It’s a yes.” His reply is gruff, and is that a blush I’m seeing under the hospital lights?
I lick my lips, and with a soft sigh, I finally give myself the closure I’ve been waiting for.
“She only wants you, man.” I raise my chin toward the hospital doors. “You should go in there.”
“Yeah, right.” He snickers. “You trying to get me arrested?”
“I’m serious. If she wakes up again and finds you not there…” I shake my head.
He straightens. “She woke up? You spoke to her? Is she okay?”
I nod. “She will be… as long as you’re there.”
And he bolts for the door.
The glass slides open to let him in, and I watch him disappear through the waiting room, charging past surprised patients waiting to be seen and hauling ass down to his woman.
Damn, I hope they let him in, because I’m not going down there to check.
I need to find Blake.
Wandering back in through the entrance, I scan the waiting room one more time before I spot a hand waving at me from behind the glass.
With a frown, I point at myself and she nods, beckoning me over.
“Uh… hi.” I stop against the desk, and she gives me a pointed look before slapping my keys and a note down.
“She left these for you.”
My eyebrows dip together as I pocket my keys and open the note .
You’re busy, and I’ll only get in the way. Here are your keys. Take care, Grady.
And that’s it.
Reading the note again, I can’t help this pinching sensation in my gut when I read those three words at the end again.
Take care, Grady.
There’s something farewell-ish about them, and it’s making me uneasy.
Pulling out my phone, I try to call her, but it goes straight to voicemail.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath, then dial Wily as I walk to my Jeep.
“Hey.” His tone is clipped and I roll my eyes, wishing he wasn’t still pissed off with me. I have some major damage control to do. Dammit. “How’s Teah?”
“Yeah, she’s pretty banged up, but she’s gonna be okay,” I mumble. “Is Blake with you?”
“What?” His tone sharpens. “I thought she was with you.”
I pause by my Jeep and have to confess, “She left. Must have caught an Uber back to Football Frat or something. I tried to call her, but her phone went straight to voicemail. You sure she’s not in her room? ”
Wily growls. “You better not have lost my sister.”
“I’ll go check her room.” Satch’s sweet voice filters down to me, and I hop into the Jeep, starting the engine and waiting for her to come back and say, “Yep, she’s in there.”
Setting my phone in the cradle, I reverse out of my spot and start heading toward the exit, only slamming on my brakes when Satch walks back into hearing distance and destroys my night.
“She’s gone.”
“What?” Wily whispers. “What do you mean?”
“All her stuff. It’s gone. Her room is… empty.”