Chapter 21
I’m up in a flash.
I don’t look back to see if the blanket I toss aside lands in the fire.
I’m on autopilot, ignoring the clamoring heartbeat drumming in my ears, the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
I yank open the gate and dash across the paddock, cursing as the soft dirt sucks at my feet, slowing me down.
Up ahead in the shadows, outlined in the haze of the string lights, Parker is crouched on the ground beside Zeke.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.
“What happened? Is everyone okay?”
“He tripped. Easy boy, it’s okay,” he mutters. Despite the soothing words as he strokes the horse’s neck, I can hear the waver in his voice. “He couldn’t get up when he tried. I don’t know what’s wrong.”
The tremor in Parker’s voice scares me even more, but Zeke isn’t the only one I’m worried about.
As the others catch up, I rush towards Lucy, standing a few feet away, cradling one arm with the other; her eyes are wide and distant.
Fuck. I should have been here, not indulging in girl talk like I was attending the party instead of hosting it!
How could I have been so irresponsible? There isn’t time to freak out, though.
Parker is focused on Zeke, who is still on the ground, and Tabitha is out with Jim, and Lyla didn’t want to be here.
I’m in this alone … failing alone. This situation is entirely on me, and I have no idea what to do.
Calm down, I tell myself with a shaky exhale. This has to be handled. Handle it.
Unlocking an inner reservoir of calm, I shut down the emotional side of my head entirely as I gently gripped Lucy by the shoulders and asked her to explain what had happened.
“I landed on my wrist.”
With her slight nod of permission, I pull it tenderly away from her body to get a closer look, which causes her to hiss in pain.
Molly blows up like a fuse. “You broke my sister’s arm!”
I immediately turn into the mediator, maintaining a calm but firm tone I didn’t know I was capable of. “We don’t know it’s broken, and none of this is Parker’s fault.”
“Not him, her!” Molly jabs a finger at Veronica, who balks. “We wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you!”
Her face goes from shocked to furious in a matter of seconds. “I wouldn’t have even planned this if you had done your job. You’re the Maid of Honor, but you couldn’t even be bothered to make the reservations for her bachelorette party!”
“Stop! Just stop, both of you!” Lucy wails.
The sight of tears streaming down her face silences them both, and their anger melts into concern. I want to cry too. How did things go so wrong so fast?
“Everybody, calm down!” My no-nonsense voice surprises even me, and once I get their attention, I make the most of it.
The situation is barely within my grasp, and I need to do everything I can to keep it that way.
“Molly, there’s a first aid kit hanging on the wall in the office,” I say, pointing towards the barn door.
“First door on your left. Get it and bring it back here for your sister. Veronica, take the girls and grab your stuff from the loft. Get the limo to take everyone home. Parker—” The moment my eyes make contact with his, I stutter.
My chest gets tight, and every shallow breath feels like an effort to pull in, while something thick and heavy fills my throat.
I feel it coming, the slight tremble of my hands, my bottom lip, the prickle of tears behind my eyes.
He sees it all, and I’m sure he can see the panic behind my eyes.
But then he gives me the tiniest nod. That subtle motion pushes the fear back enough that I can hear myself think and realize that he’s silently waiting for my instructions—waiting for me to take charge.
Because he trusts me.
I swallow. “Do you have your cell phone on you?”
He nods.
“Call the emergency vet and stay with Zeke until they get here.”
Molly appears at my side, extending the first aid kit to me.
It was mostly a task to keep her distracted, but I want to make her feel useful, so I open it and find an instant cold pack.
Placing the kit at my feet, I twist and squeeze the pack, then give it a quick shake before pressing it carefully against Lucy’s wrist. “Come on. Let’s get you to the hospital. ”
Boot heels click on the barn floor. Before I even see him, I can tell by the gait that they belong to Parker. He finds me huddled in the corner, knees tucked up to my chest. Like me, Parker’s still dressed in his clothes from last night.
“I couldn’t sleep after I got back from the hospital,” I explain, my eyes lingering on the wraps around Zeke’s legs. “Wanted to see for myself that he was still okay.”
“Yeah, me too.” He steps towards Zeke, eyes ringed with dark circles, and strokes his long nose before doing another once-over. Settling in next to me, back against the wall, he drapes his forearms over his knees and tilts his head back, letting out a sigh.
“What did the vet say?” I ask, rubbing my tired eyes.
“He needs his legs wrapped for a few days to give him extra support, but he’s not seriously injured. He’s just getting old, and his joints are weak.”
I nod, relieved it’s nothing more serious. If anything had happened to Zeke on my watch, I’d never forgive myself.
“You should go try and get some sleep,” I say, pulling my eyes away from Parker. “I’ll stay with him.”
“I’m not sitting here for Zeke.”
I turn my head slowly to look at him, not trusting that I heard him right.
I sink into his gaze, the sympathy in them enough to make my throat squeeze.
Too tired to say anything, we let our eyes do the talking.
The air around us turns heavy, until finally I turn away, afraid I might see his expression change. Afraid he might look away first.
“You know it’s not as bad as it seems, right? It was a close call, but in the light of day it won’t seem so bad.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “I doubt Veronica and her friends will think so.”
“Are you kidding? You gave them a hell of a night to remember. They’ll be telling this story for years.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” I can feel his eyes on me, but this time I don’t return the look.
“It was going so well,” I mutter, thinking back to how the evening began. “They were having a great time. And then with the campfire and everything you did … it was the cherry on top. I never imagined it ending this way.”
“Nobody did. That’s why they call them accidents.”
“Right, but this was my first time out of the gate. I just … couldn’t afford this one.” I realize what it sounds like I’m saying, and quickly backtrack. “Sorry, I’m not blaming you,” I say quickly, turning to look at him now. “You were trying to help, and it was perfect.”
Until it wasn’t.
“I guess I have my answer,” I say miserably.
“I was never meant to be a business owner. My bad luck is going to haunt me forever. I swear, it knows how to lull me into a false sense of security, making me think things are finally going right for me. But it’s just waiting until the moment it can do the most damage.
” I drop my gaze, plucking at a rip in my jeans with a sniff that I don’t care if Parker notices.
“People face setbacks all the time, Sloan,” he reasons. “If you want this, you shouldn’t let what happened last night get in the way.”
I shake my head. If it wasn’t Lucy’s fractured wrist last night, something else would have happened—just like if Adam hadn’t lost his job, there would have been another reason why Lyla had to pull out.
“Even if I could get a business up and running, I don’t think I’ll ever trust that it won’t disappear overnight.
I can’t put everything into something when I know it’s not going to be permanent. ”
I feel his gaze on me again and let it linger.
Not pausing long enough to think about what I do next, I tilt my head sideways and rest it on him, his shoulder warm and comforting against my cheek.
I barely have a chance to appreciate the musky scent of his aftershave mingling with his green apple shampoo before he pats my knee, his hand lingering for a second longer than it has to on my jean-clad thigh.
“Come on, Princess. We’ve got work to do.”
“We? Since when is the union strike over?”
“Since you’re not the only one running on a few hours of sleep. Besides, you could use the distraction.”
“I’d rather stay here and let my world implode around me while I wait for Lucy to post whatever horrible review is coming for me.”
Zeke lifts his head, staring at me while he munches loudly on a mouthful of hay.
“I know.” Parker rises gracefully to his feet and reaches out a hand towards me.
“Too bad the horses don’t give a shit if you’re having a bad day.
They still have to eat.” When I still don’t move, he gently tips my chin up with a crooked knuckle.
“Trust me, on the bad days, it doesn’t hurt to have something to take care of other than yourself. ”
I try to ignore how his skin feels in my hand as he pulls me up, his palm warm and rough.
But I have a few extra seconds to enjoy it, because he doesn’t release me right away.
Slowly, I lift my eyes to his. We’re standing close together, almost as close as yesterday when his hands were on my hips, when he looked hungry for me.