16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen
I ’m already awake before the alarm goes off, unable to sleep with all the butterflies flittering in my stomach.
Since we’ll be riding all day, I pick out my favorite jeans with the buttery soft and stretchy denim. I struggle choosing a perfect top and end up digging to the bottom of my suitcase before settling on the coral with a sweetheart neckline.
Before long, I’m squeaky clean, dressed, and applying the last bit of makeup, then I start on my hair. Since it’s still wet, I settle on braids and spritz some hairspray as an extra precaution for frizz safety.
Julia rolls out of bed as I’m about to rush out the front door. She gives me two sleepy-eyed thumbs up as she stumbles over to the coffee pot.
“Want one?”
“No, I’m too excited to add more caffeine to my body.”
She grunts, still fighting her tension headache from last night. Based on her swollen eyes, she barely got any sleep.
“I’m not sure how long the date will be, so don’t freak out if I’m home late.” Grabbing the container of fresh sugar cookies, I rush outside in the early morning light. I’m fifteen minutes early, so I sit on the top step, waiting for my date to arrive.
Seriously, how did I go from anti-relationships to counting down the minutes until my date arrives? The answer is Des. Being around him fills me with a sense of contentment and peace. The deep connection between us is everything I didn’t know I was longing for and the salve that would heal the last of my broken heart... just so I could lose it to him.
Love? My fingers clench the Tupperware. Me?
Is that why there’s unexplainable tingles every time I think of him? Or when I have something exciting to share, he’s the first person I want to call? Or why he makes my heart skip when he smiles, and I feel safer in his arms?
Oh, wow.
I am, aren’t I?
How did I not see this sooner? Perhaps I’d just been fighting it for so long that I was blind to all the signs.
“I love Desmond,” I admit aloud, and the truth of my words fills me with a sense of peace.
Grinning until my cheeks hurt, I call his cell, desperate to hear his voice and confess my true feelings before they burst from my chest. His voicemail picks up and I hang up, deciding it’s best to share something this monumental in person.
Sigh. As soon as he gets here.
I blink at my call log, surprised I’ve somehow missed three calls from an unknown number. Telemarketers must be desperate to steal my information if they were calling me in the middle of the night. With a swipe of my thumb, I block the number.
“Not today, scamsters.”
Because today is a day of new beginnings.
Resting my chin in my palm, I wonder about our future as I idly watch the cars pass by. Living two cities apart would be a minor inconvenience at first, but we could make sacrifices and commute as much as possible until we decide which town would work best for the both of us.
Another wave of giddiness hits me at the term “us.”
The wait for Des is torturous. After twenty minutes, my impatience morphs into concern. What is taking him so long? I call his phone and frown when it goes to voicemail again.
“Hey, Des. It’s me. I wanted to make sure I had the time and day right for our date. Give me a call back, okay?”
I hang up, frowning at my reflection in the glare. I tap my fingers on my knees, straining to hear the roar of the motorcycle approach. Five minutes late turns to thirty and then an hour.
Did I give up on my resolution too soon?
No. This is Des. He’s kind, patient, and honest. He wouldn’t stand me up without a reason, right? I call him again, hanging up when it goes to voicemail. In a desperate panic, I call Reese, but her phone doesn’t even ring, the voicemail immediately kicking in.
After another hour, my stomach churns, mainly acid at this point. I don’t want to give up, keeping my eyes trained to the road.
Des wouldn’t do this to me. He told me to trust him. That he was different.
Then why do I feel betrayed like I had with Felipe?
If something had happened, why didn’t he call? Text? Anything?!
I call his phone again, and when I hear his voicemail recording for the umpteenth time, I cover my eyes with my hands and allow the salty tears to roll down my cheeks.
How do I keep falling for these types of men? Ones who so casually toss me aside when they are done with me. At least have the decency to tell me to my face.
I don’t know who I’m more upset at, Des for leading me on or myself for falling in love with him. At least this time I won’t hear him on the radio mocking me while I eat a pint of ice cream.
I don’t know how long I sit on the porch, my head resting on the railing as I contemplate my life choices before I hear the creak of the door behind me.
“Hey,” Julia says. “You’re still here?”
“Yeah. He never came.”
She sits on the step next to me and throws an arm over my shoulder, letting me rest on her instead.
“I can’t believe it. The way he looks at you?—?”
“Stop,” I say, my voice strained. “I don’t want to think about him anymore.”
“It just seems so out of character. And you tried Reese?”
“Goes to voicemail too.” I sniff and wipe my arm over my eyes. “I fell for him, Julia. Hard. I’m freaking mad at myself right now. That I let my guard down. I believed everything he said. Turns out he was just another Felipe.”
She nods and pats my shoulder comfortingly. “I believed him too. Do you want to come inside? I can make you some chocolate chip pancakes.”
“Yeah. Then I want to pack.”
“Maya . . .”
“I’ve been here too long as it is.” I grab her hand. “But I’m thankful I got to spend time with you. It was like old times when we were roommates.”
“I’m going to miss having you around the corner.”
“Remember, I always use all the hot water and forget to take out the trash. I’m a terrible roommate.”
Her eyes glisten. “No, you were the best. I’m going to miss you.”
“Me too.”
She stands and tugs me upright. “Come on.”
I stare a few seconds more at the street, begging to be wrong. That he overslept or stopped to help an old lady across the street.
But I’m not. Des isn’t here.
With a heavy heart I follow Julia back inside and crawl under my covers and face-plant into the pillow. Odd how only a few hours ago, I was so excited I could barely sleep. And now I’m replaying every conversation in my head and questioning my sanity.
Julia’s voice rises from the kitchen, radiating with irritation. “Who is this? Thor? Like the god of thunder? You must think I’m some easy target to fall for that.”
“Thor?” I whisper, jerking upright.
“How did you even get my number? I’m on a no-call list.”
“Julia, wait.” I claw at the covers tangled around me.
“Don’t get curt with me, buddy,” Julia snaps. “I don’t care who you are.”
I run into the kitchen, nearly knocking into the coffee table in my haste.
“Julia, give me the phone. I know him. Please.”
She makes a face but hands me the phone anyway.
“Hello? Thor?” My voice reaches an octave higher than I’ve heard before.
“Maya?”
“Yes, this is she.”
He sighs. “About time someone got through to you. Cai has been trying to reach you all morning.”
If I thought I was sick before, the crippling dread welling in my chest has me reaching for the counter for support. Blood rushes to my ears, pounding to the beat of my heart as I manage to get words out.
“Where’s Des? Is he all right? Why didn’t he show up? Was there an accident? Is he okay? ”
“Des is fine. Take a breath.”
He says it like it’s so simple. Just inhale and calm down. How can I do that when I don’t know where Des is? I need to see him, to touch him, to know that he’s safe. Because if something happened...
Fat teardrops run down my face, and my eyes flutter closed. I refuse to continue that thought.
“Maya, he’s okay. I promise—he just forgot his phone at home. He’s worried about you too. That’s why he asked Cai to call.”
“He is? What is going on?” I croak, gripping the phone like a lifeline.
“It’s not Des—it’s Reese,” he says in a tight voice. “It’s a long story. The short version is she fell during some commotion with her ex-boyfriend. She’s in and out of consciousness still and we are waiting on test results.”
“Oh my goodness. Is she going to be all right?”
“We don’t know, but they think she has a concussion. But Des is... man... he’s a wreck. He’s split between wanting to stay and making sure you’re okay too. Could you meet us here at Lutheran Hospital? He needs you.”
I nod my head, then realize he can’t see it. “Yes, of course. I’m on the way now.”
“Good. We’re all in the ER waiting room.”
“I’ll be right there.” I hang up the phone in a panic. “Julia, Juliaaa.”
She comes around the corner in mismatched sweats, shaking her car keys. “I’m already one step ahead of you. Get in the car. I’m driving.”
I’m an emotional rollercoaster on the way to the hospital. Happiness that Des is all right and didn’t stand me up like I had originally thought but instantly replaced with guilt for not trusting him in the first place. It all churns together with worry and concern for Reese.
Julia pulls into the emergency room entrance like it’s a NASCAR pit stop. I leap from the vehicle before it’s stopped and dash into the chilled and sterile waiting room. My abrupt arrival has all the heads spinning in my direction. I search all their faces, but none of them are Des.
“Maya,” Cai says, splitting away from the small group waiting in the corner to jog over. “Des is still back there with Tristen and Reese. He’s been asking me to call you to make sure you know what’s happening. Thor had to cash in a favor to get your friend’s number so we could reach you. Why aren’t you answering your phone?”
“I’ve had it on me—oh, wait.” I flip through to my settings and groan. “My phone was still in Do Not Disturb mode from when I did my live.”
Brows furrowed, he looks like he wants to shake me.
I turn off the setting, and all my missed messages flood the screen. Panicked texts from Cai—who I think I blocked earlier.
Cai takes a deep breath and swallows what he was about to say. “Well, at least you’re here now.”
“How is Reese?”
“Last I heard she was awake.”
“What happened to her?”
“Burns snuck into the shop and tried to persuade her to take him back. When he didn’t take no for an answer, she fought back. Thank God Tristen was locking up the bar and heard her scream. He held him there until the police came to arrest him.”
“Good. The thought of that man roaming the streets...” I shudder.
Thor waves us over, dark circles under his eyes. I grab a seat across from him.
“How long have you been here?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Hours? I don’t know. I got the call in the night and left.”
“Is it just the three of us?” I ask.
“Tulip is around here too.” Cai scrubs a tired hand down his face. “Chris and Holt are both busy with work, so Tulip volunteered to keep everyone updated via the group chat. She knows a couple nurses, so she’s getting real-time updates.”
“When can we go back?”
“Not until one of them leaves Reese’s room. They are being sticklers about the two-visitor rule,” Thor grumbles. “I hate waiting rooms.”
Julia rushes through the automatic doors, causing a stir as much as I had. I wave her over to our little group and fill her in on Reese’s condition.
“You’re shaking,” Cai says, eyeing my hands. “Have you eaten anything today?”
“No, I was waiting for our picnic.”
Julia wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Let’s grab something from the vending machine. I’m a little hungry too.”
As I’m deciding between a bag of corn chips or chocolate donuts, I hear Des’s desperate voice echo down the hall from the waiting room. Donuts forgotten, I jog down the blinding white hallway.
He’s in jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt, his mussed curls on his head more of a mess than usual. Thor and Cai try to calm him down, but he’s too worked up to listen, ready to charge for the exit doors.
“If she’s not picking up, then something is wrong. Let me go. I can’t lose her.”
“Des, wait, stop. I’m right here.”
His face crumbles when he sees me racing toward him, and he meets me halfway. While I’m expecting the hug, I let out a little squeak when he lifts me off my feet, his arms encircling me. He buries his face in the crook of my neck, his words muffled on my skin.
“Is it Reese? Is she okay?” I ask, cupping his face and lifting it so I can see him.
“She’s confused but stable. The dirtbag really bruised her up. He’s lucky the police were already there when I showed up.” He presses his forehead against mine, inhaling slow, calming breaths. “You didn’t answer your phone.”
“I didn’t realize I had all my notifications off since my live yesterday. But I was trying to call you too. Even left you a few voicemails. I thought... I thought you changed your mind about us.”
“No, never.” He jerks back, horrified at the thought. “I drove off in a panic, and I didn’t realize until I arrived at the hospital that I had left my phone on the counter. Trust me, you have no idea how sorry I am that I messed up our date.”
“Don’t even worry about it. I’m sure we’ll have more in our future.” My thumb brushes over his stubbled jaw.
“Good.” He lowers me until my toes touch the floor. His hands link with mine while his red-rimmed eyes trail over my features. “I don’t know what I would have done if I messed this up. This thing between us... it’s nothing I’ve felt before.”
“Excuse me.” A nurse in maroon scrubs flags Des and me over. “The doctor has some test results he wishes to discuss.”
“Can I bring her too?” He raises our intertwined hands.
“Normally only two guests are allowed.” She leans in to whisper, the others too far to hear. “But I can make an exception this once.” She places her index finger on her lips.
The nurse taps her card on the security lock, and we follow her through into the chaos of the emergency department. Nurses zip in and out of patients’ makeshift rooms, whipping closed the flimsy curtains for privacy. A chorus of beeping machines chirp as we continue down the hall, and Des points to a closed curtain to our right.
We slip inside the snug room. Tristen sits by the hospital bed, hunched over Reese and holding her hand under his chin as he listens to her speak, her words slurring.
Cuts and scrapes dot her knuckles, matching the long gash from her brow to her temple. Exhausted, she blinks at us, slowly taking a few seconds to recognize us.
“Oh, Des is back.” Reese sinks into her pillow like a pouting toddler. “I’m ready to go home.”
“You’re not going anywhere until we get your test results back and the doctor checks on you,” Tristen says, ignoring her sharp glare.
“Why are you so bossy?”
“I’m worried.”
“Tris, I’m fine.” She pulls her hand free. “I’m a little groggy and my head hurts. That’s no reason to keep me here when I can sleep in my own bed. When is the nurse coming back?”
“They said they wanted to talk to us, so hopefully soon,” Des says, taking the spot across from Tristen.
Reese rolls her eyes and winces, then sends me an apologetic smile. “Welcome to the hospital party.”
I move to the foot of the bed. “I’m glad you’re all right. You gave us a scare.”
“You and me both. I just feel... ugh ... groggy.” She lifts a finger to her temple.
“Don’t overdo it,” Tristen says, scooting his chair closer.
“I’m literally lying in bed. I don’t know how to do less.”
“You need to recline more.” He presses a button on the bed remote, and her feet start to rise.
“ Tris .” She snatches the remote out of his hand. “Don’t touch anything. You’re going to catapult me out of bed.”
“It’s not my fault. There are a hundred buttons on this thing. How am I supposed to know?” He snatches the remote back. “Let me try this one.”
When the TV turns on, I stifle a laugh.
“It’s good to see some spunk in her.” Des covers a smile with his hand, letting the two of them argue it out until the doctor arrives.
An older man in a white doctor’s coat whips back the curtain like he owns the place. His mouth is curled downward, adding more wrinkles to his jowls. Two officers follow closely behind him, nodding when we make eye contact.
“Ms. Brooks, glad to see you’re awake. I’m Dr. Cooper and I’ll be taking over for Dr. Ming, so let me just check over her notes in the computer. How are we feeling?”
Reese shoots Tristen a look. “Could be better.”
Dr. Cooper types a few things on the rolling computer. “Pain level? One through ten?”
“Five? I have a bit of a headache. When can I go home?”
“Headaches are common with head traumas and are to be expected with that large knot on your head. Are you sure you don’t want any stronger pain medication?”
She glares at the doctor. “Absolutely not. I suffered through excruciating months of recovery, and I don’t need any other addictions in my life. I’ll wait out the pain.”
“I understand. Now about going home, since you do have a concussion, we want to keep you around a bit longer until some of your symptoms subside. Good news is your CT scan came back normal, so no internal bleeding or broken bones.”
Her eyes flick to the officers. “Um, am I in some sort of trouble?”
One of the officers steps forward and flashes his badge. “Hi, Ms. Brooks. I’m Officer Miles and this is Officer Rodriguez. We are from the Golden Police Department, and we’d like to ask you a few questions about your ex-boyfriend. We have a Drake ‘Burns’ Welton in our custody and are trying to construct a timeline for what happened earlier this morning. This is a normal police procedure, so don’t worry.”
Reese sighs wearily. “Ask away. Everyone knows my business at this point. What is privacy in a small town?”
“I already gave you my statement,” Tristen interrupts, shooting to his feet. “Why do you need to bother her?”
“You were there?” Reese asks, blinking up at him as she thinks. “I don’t remember.”
“Post-traumatic amnesia is expected considering your circumstances,” Dr. Cooper states as he types into his computer. “Your memories may or may not return as you heal.”
“I’m not sure how much help I’ll be then, officers.”
“Any information you have is helpful. Just answer to the best of your ability, Ms. Brooks,” the officer with the notepad says.
She pinches her lips and nods.
“Can you please tell me what you remember from the incident, starting from when you first saw Mr. Welton?”
“Burns showed up unannounced, waiting for me at the tool bench. He tried to convince me to leave with him, telling me how much he had changed and that he still loves me— blah, blah, blah —it’s his usual spiel. When that didn’t work, he resorted to force. Then... it all gets blurry. I remember swinging a wrench at him and then he knocked me into the car, but otherwise it’s just fuzzy shapes and sounds.” She glances between the doctor and the police.
One of the police officers jots notes on his pad while the other crosses his arms, watching all our faces carefully. I press closer to Des, who grabs my hand.
“Around what time do you think that was?”
“Um, I remember it being at least past midnight. I’ve been pulling a lot of late nights, sneaking in some extra hours since I’ve been helping my friend with her library project.” She nods to me.
“Was anyone else with you at the shop?”
“No, I was by myself.”
“And when was the last time you saw your ex before this morning?”
“About seven months ago.” She swallows nervously, and Tristen grabs her hand.
“He has a restraining order, so he shouldn’t be anywhere near her,” Des grumbles.
“It’s already in my notes.” The officer points his pencil at me. “And you are?”
“I’m Maya Santos, a friend of the family.”
“Do you know anything about Mr. Welton?”
“Not firsthand. Only that he was calling Reese and harassing her.”
The police officer scribbles furiously to the point I wonder if his notes are even legible. He directs his next question to Reese. “Has he tried to make contact with you? Phone, email, or through a third party?”
“Yes. He called a few times when he got out of prison. I ended up blocking him. I thought this was all over.” She presses a hand on her stomach.
“You are safe. Mr. Welton is locked up until his hearing and has a pretty shiner on his left eye that’s left him in a quieter mindset. I think he was in the process of forcing you into his vehicle when your friend here stopped him.”
Reese raises her brows, her gaze landing on a scowling Tristen.
“I wish I could have done more, but I didn’t want to share a cell with him.” Tristen flexes his bruised fist.
“Well, we appreciate the assist.” The officer flips his notebook closed. “I think we have all the information we need for the moment. We appreciate your cooperation. If you remember anything else, please give us a call.” One officer hands his business card to Des, and the two men nod before strolling out of the room.
Reese lets out a long breath.
Dr. Cooper stops at the opening of the curtain. “If your nausea returns or you start to feel worse, please hit the call button for the nurse. In this situation, rest is the best medicine, so just lie back and relax. Hopefully you’ll be feeling better soon.”
Tristen smirks at her as the doctor leaves the room. “Told you.”
“I’m resting because the doctor said so, not because of my brother’s bossy friend.” She cranes her neck into the pillow to meet his gaze. “But I am thankful you were there this morning... even if I don’t remember it... gosh, I don’t even want to know where I’d be right now if you hadn’t stopped him.”
Her eyes well up, and her lips begin to tremble.
Des bends over the bed rail and swipes a tangled strand from her forehead. “Think about what the officer said. You’re safe. Don’t let the fear of what-ifs consume you.”
He bends down close, praying quietly over her, the words just between the two of them.
I sidestep out of the room when she starts to sob, letting them have their privacy.
“Maya?” Des calls out, following me. “Are you leaving already?”
“I was just going to head back to the waiting room and update everyone.”
He glances over his shoulder and back to me, torn on what to do.
“Don’t worry about me. Your sister needs you.”
“I wasn’t there when Granny died, so this is my chance to make it up to her. It will probably take some time for all of us to process what happened. I’m not sure how long.” He rakes his fingers through his hair. “But when she is feeling better, do you think we can try our date again?”
“Absolutely. It’s my turn to be patient now. Whenever you’re ready, let me know—just don’t stand me up.”
He picks up my hand and brings it to his lips, searing my knuckles with the heat of his kiss.
“I won’t.”