by Chelle Bliss
She picked her purse up and started to rifle through the contents. “Fine. I’ll go for a drink.”
“That’s good.”
“It’s a school night,” she said as she pulled her keys out.
Fucking hell. That made her sound like a kid. “Yeah. Just a quick one.”
“I’ll meet you there.” She reached for the door handle.
“Hey,” I growled, grabbing her arm before she got out.
She froze, but she didn’t look at me. “Yeah?”
“Give me a kiss.” I tried to pull her gently down into her seat. “I want a kiss.”
“We all want things,” she said before pulling her wrist from my grip and slamming the door.
“Motherfucker,” I said, hitting the steering wheel with my palm. “Way to fuck that up, dumbass.”
Not only did I insinuate that she was still a child, but I called her innocent. It wasn’t untrue, but “naïve” wasn’t the best way to put it.
I’d make things right when we got to the Neon Cowboy. My chest ached from thinking that she was pissed at me.
I’d meet her parents.
What could go wrong?
Chapter 12
Slow Motion
Driving behind Georgia, I thought of a million ways to say I was sorry. I didn’t think I’d ever fucked up this badly before, but I’d do everything in my power to make it right. The need was so strong to have her be happy that I had to set shit straight.
I tested out the apologies, trying to figure out which one didn’t sound like I was caving, even though that’s exactly what I was about to do.
“Georgia, I’m sorry. I’d love to meet your parents,” I said, putting a pretend smile on my face.
I shook my head and sighed. “Pussy,” I mumbled to myself.
“Georgia, I didn’t mean what I said before. I’d love to meet your parents.”
Rolling my eyes, I could hear the guys laughing at me.
There was more traffic on the road than most nights. Cars whizzed by as I followed her and practiced my speech. Nothing I said felt right.
“Georgia, I can’t stand the thought of you mad at me,” I said just as something caught my eye.
The car coming in the opposite direction was swerving, crossing the center line and overcorrecting. The driver clearly had a problem, and I could see it coming from a mile away. The road was flat and straight in this section, making it easy to see it before it happened.
I gripped the steering wheel, held my breath, and laid on the horn. I could see the outline of her body, even the strands of her hair as she peeked in the mirror. She wasn’t slowing down or braking. I sucked in a breath, my chest heaving as everything started to move in slow motion.
Flashing my lights, I started to scream as the car came closer, swerving back and forth.
“Pull over, Georgia!” I punched the steering wheel and started to pull off to the side, hoping she’d follow me.
My body began to shake and my heart threatened to crawl up my throat. “Goddamn it!” I shouted.
My eyes grew wide and the air in my lungs disappeared.
I watched helplessly as the oncoming car plowed into the side of Georgia’s, sending it careening off the road right in front of me and leaving me unable to drag my eyes away from the horror show before me.
Even though I screamed, nothing came out. The little bit of air I had inside me came out as a strangled yell.
Before her car came to a stop, the car that had hit her righted itself and started to drive away. I had to make a split-second decision—run for Georgia or try to get his plate.
I flew out of the car so fast he hadn’t even had a chance to get up enough speed to pass me. I tried to make out his plate, getting only a partial as he passed by. Repeating it to myself over and over again in my head, I screamed for Georgia and took off toward her car.
My heart was in my throat and my stomach twisted the closer I got. Smoke was coming from the engine, the airbag had deployed, and the entire driver’s side had been smashed in. The only light in the field was from my headlights shining on the section where her car had stopped.
“Georgia!” I screamed, pulling on the door handle. “Georgia!”
“Frisco.” Her voice was faint and strained as she tried to lift her head.
“Don’t move, babe. Goddamn it!” I tried the door handle again, but during the impact, her window had shattered. It was the quickest way to get her out. “I’m going to get you out.” I batted away the airbag and gently pushed her body back into the seat.
“Oh God,” she wailed. “Don’t move me!” Tears streamed down her face when she closed her eyes.
“I have to move you, Georgia. It’s not safe for you to stay in there.”
“Call the ambulance. They’ll get me out,” she said, choking back tears.
Just as I pulled out my phone, flames joined the smoke licking the hood of the car. “We don’t have time. I’m getting you out.” I stuck the top half of my body inside the car and unhooked the seat belt.
“What’s burning?” she said, her head rolling back and forth.
“Don’t worry about it.” I positioned my arms under her legs and behind her back. “This may hurt.”
“Don’t, Frisco. Everything hurts.”
I didn’t listen and pulled her from the car. Her sobs turned into wails when I tipped her, trying to avoid the window frame.
When her body was free from the mangled steel, she rested her head on my shoulder, barely conscious. I pulled her against my chest and walked with gentle footsteps as far away from the burning car as I could get.
I wanted to scream or break down, but I didn’t let myself. I had to keep my shit together. Although my heart was about to come out of my chest, I had to focus on Georgia.
Dropping to my knees, I set her down in front of me, holding her back as she lay against me. As I pulled out my phone and dialed 911, my eyes roamed her body, checking for injuries.
I rattled off our location and stroked her arms, trying to comfort her as I kept my voice steady. I don’t even remember what I said or the questions the operator asked; it was all just a blur.
After I hung up, I tossed my phone in the grass beside us. “They’re on the way, G. Tell me what hurts.”
“My legs are killing me,” she replied, trying to lean forward and touch them.
I grabbed her hand, pulling it back into her lap. “Don’t move.” It was evident that her leg had been broken in the impact. The bend to it wasn’t natural. “Anything else?”
She touched her cheek, hissing as her fingers danced across her face. “I’m just sore, but my face hurts too.”
“The airbag hit you. What else?” I was babbling at that point. I wanted to keep her awake in case she had any internal injuries or a concussion. The last thing I wanted was for her to fall asleep.
“I think I’m okay otherwise.”
All I could do was to sit there and try to comfort her. Stroking her arm, whispering calming words in her ear, and peppering the top of her head with kisses.
The overwhelming sense of guilt I felt weighed on me like a hundred-ton boulder sitting on my back. If I hadn’t been such a prick about meeting her parents, maybe she wouldn’t have driven and this all would’ve been avoided.
She began to shiver in my arms. “I’m so cold,” she whispered and hugged herself.
Leaning back, I pulled off the button-down shirt I had on and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I’ll keep you warm,” I whispered in her ear and ran my hands down her arms.
She peered up at me as her tears ran down her face. “I’m sorry.”
My hands stilled as I glanced down at her. “For what, babe?”
“For not seeing the damn car.”
I shook my head, letting out a loud sigh. “It’s my fault, love. Not yours.”
“But—” she started but stopped when the ambulance sirens broke the silence around us.
Following behind the ambulance were a fire truck and p
olice cruiser. In the country, especially in this area of Florida, there wasn’t much action besides a car crash every so often.
When the ambulance came to a halt, one man ran to our location carrying a bag, while two more grabbed the gurney inside before making a beeline for us.
The next ten minutes were a whirlwind of activity. All I could do was to stand back and watch. I dragged my hands through my hair as I paced a path in the tall grass.
“Sir.” The police officer interrupted my thoughts.
I stopped and turned to face him. “Yeah?”
He glanced down toward his feet. “We’ll need to interview you about the accident.”
I closed my eyes, fisting my hands at my side. I glanced over at Georgia, who was now on the gurney. “Can we do it at the hospital?”
His eyes followed mine before he nodded. “Sure.” He tucked his small notepad in his pocket and headed toward Georgia’s mangled car. The firefighters had put out the flames, but the white smoke still filled the air.
“Frisco!” Georgia yelled, holding out her hand toward me.
Moving quickly, I headed toward her and clasped her hand in mine. “I’m here.” My heart squeezed at the clear agony etched on her face.
She squeezed my hand. “Don’t leave me.”
“I’ll be right behind the ambulance. I’m not going anywhere.”
“We’re taking her to Florida Hospital in Wesley Chapel if you’re following us,” the paramedic told me before they started to carry the gurney over the uneven terrain.
I clutched her hand, following them as they moved, and didn’t let go. “I’ll be right on your tail.”
“Promise me,” Georgia said when my fingers began to slip from hers.
I lurched forward, grasping her hand in mine. “I promise, Georgia. I’ll be with you for the entire thing.”
Chapter 13
Meet the Parents
After I had been kicked out of the ER, I paced a new path in the waiting room. Wiping my sweaty hands on my shirt, I tried to calm my shit. She’d be okay. She had to be.
Just when I was about to do my hundredth pass by the reception desk, a man and a woman ran into the ER in tears. They looked exactly how I felt inside.
“We’re looking for our daughter,” the man said, slightly out of breath and leaning against the desk.
The nurse glanced up, giving the man a sweet smile. “What’s her name?”
“Georgia Phillips.” He pulled the woman into his side, holding her close.
I closed my eyes, swallowing hard, and cautiously approached them. These were Georgia’s parents. The very ones she wanted me to meet. The ones we argued over that led her to drive herself. The ones who made me act like a dumbass. The ones who led me to piss her off and made the entire night go the way it had.
“The doctors are evaluating her, sir. You’ll need to take a seat, and I’ll have someone come talk to you as soon as possible.”
He slammed his hand down on the desk. “I want to see her now.”
“Sir,” the nurse said in a snotty voice as her sweet smile faded, “someone will be with you in a few minutes.”
The woman stroked his back and glanced up at him. “Come on, honey. Let’s go wait for the doctor. We don’t want anyone to get angry.”
“I don’t give a shit about angry. I want to know how my baby is doing.”
Taking another step closer, I took a deep breath and prayed this would turn out okay. If he hit me, I would totally understand and know that I deserved it.
“Mr. and Mrs. Phillips,” I said with a shaky voice.
They both turned, their eyes raking over me. “Yes,” the man said through gritted teeth.
I tucked my hands into my pockets, glancing down at the floor. “I’m Georgia’s friend. I was with her when the accident happened.”
“How is she?” her mother asked as she took a step forward.
I dragged my eyes to hers, swallowing down the lump that had been lodged in my throat since the accident. “She was awake when they kicked me out of the ER. She has a broken leg, but they’re assessing her for other injuries.”
She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, God. My poor baby.”
“What the hell happened?” her father snapped as he held his wife by the shoulders and stroked her skin with his thumbs.
“I need to sit down,” she said tearily.
“Come on, love.” He helped her to an empty waiting room chair.
I sat next to her, feeling she was safer than sitting next to Georgia’s father. “We were driving to meet some friends to have a drink.”
“On a school night?”
That statement made me feel like a pedophile.
“Yes.” I gritted my teeth. “I had been following her car. I saw the oncoming car in the distance. Noticed it was swerving and driving erratically. I tried to get her attention. I tried to get her to pull over, but nothing I did worked.” I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to ease the perpetual tension that had settled there.
“Dear God,” her mother whispered, a tear trickling down her face, following the path of her already dried tears.
“The car swiped the side of hers, causing her to lose control and sending her car off the side of the road into a field. I got her out as quickly as possible and called 911.”
Her father’s eyes sliced right through me. “You shouldn’t move someone after an accident.”
I nodded and rubbed my hands against my jeans mindlessly. “I know, sir, but the car had caught on fire and I had no other choice but to get her out.”
“Georgia Phillips’ family,” a woman called out from across the room.
We turned in unison, standing quickly from our chairs. “Yes,” her father said. “We are.” He motioned to his wife as I stood behind them.
“The doctor said you can come back now and see her.”
Mrs. Phillips peered up at her husband, wrapping her arm tightly around his middle. “That’s good, right?”
“I hope so, love. I hope so.”
The woman looked around Mrs. Phillips and stared at me. “Family only, please.”
I took a step forward, needing to see her too. “But I—”
“He’s family,” Mrs. Phillips told the nurse before glancing over her shoulder at me. “He’s coming also.”
I sighed, thankful that she’d stuck up for me.
Honestly, I was going back there no matter what.
No one would stop me.
“Fine.” The nurse quickly turned on her heel and swiped her keycard before opening the door.
I leaned forward and whispered in Mrs. Phillips’ ear, “Thank you.”
She nodded as she and Mr. Phillips started to follow the nurse through the door, with me quick on their heels. The farther we walked, the bigger the knot in my stomach became.
“Next curtain on the right,” the nurse said before leaving us.
The doctor stood outside staring at a chart as we approached. He flipped it closed as Mrs. Phillips came to a stop in front of him.
“Doctor,” she said, digging her fingers into the back of her husband’s shirt. “I’m Georgia’s mother. How is she?” I couldn’t see her face, but her voice was laced with worry.
The doctor tucked the chart into the crook of his arm. “Ah, Mrs. Phillips. She’s fine. A little banged up and has a broken leg. She’ll be sore for a couple of days, but she’s really lucky she doesn’t have more injuries.”
Mrs. Phillips turned into her husband’s chest, clutching him as if her life depended on it, and she began to cry.
“Thank you, Doctor. When can we take her home?” Mr. Phillips gripped his wife tightly.
“We need to set her leg and do a few more tests, but I’d say she can leave in a few hours.”
Mrs. Phillips lifted her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. “May we see her?”
He nodded and moved the curtain to the side. “She’s waiting for you.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Phillips said before
leaving Mr. Phillips’ side as the doctor walked away.
Mr. Phillips turned to face me with a cold stare. “You and I are going to talk.”
My eyes widened and the lump in my throat returned to join the knot in my stomach. “Yes, sir.” I tried to keep my voice strong and steady.
“We’re going to go in and check on her, and then I’ll meet you out here.”
“Okay,” I whispered as he turned his back and followed his wife into the room.
I stood in the hallway alone, looking around and rubbing my face. What a total clusterfuck. This wasn’t how I wanted to meet her parents. Her dad probably wanted to string me up by the balls, and I wouldn’t blame him.
This entire thing was my fault.
No matter what Georgia said, in the end, I was the one to blame.
“Frisco!” Georgia yelled.
I jumped, surprised by the strength in her voice. Without hesitation, I walked into the room. “I’m here.”
For having been through such a traumatic accident, Georgia looked beautiful. “Where did you run off to? You just left me here.” The girl loved busting my balls.
“They kicked me out, G.”
“I thought you were tougher than that.”
Mr. Phillips coughed and glared at me.
“Dad and Mom, this is Frisco. The man I told you about.”
“Kinda figured that out, kid.”
Oh God! He called her kid. Fuck me.
“Don’t be such a sourpuss, Dad,” Georgia said, pursing her lips and shaking her head. “Frisco saved my life tonight.”
His face softened. “That’s true, baby girl.”
“Cut everyone some slack today,” Mrs. Phillips warned him, shocking the hell out of me.
“This isn’t really how I hoped to be introduced, but it’s nice to meet you both.” I held out my hand to her father.
He glanced down and just gawked. Way to be an asshole. Clearly he didn’t have as high an opinion of me as his daughter, and we still had to have the “chat” in the hallway.
Mrs. Phillips batted his hand away, sliding her palm into mine. “It’s great to finally meet you, Frisco. Georgia speaks every highly of you.”