by Ward, Alice
“So what’s the deal? I mean, really?” Becca leaned forward and placed her head in her hands. “I know there’s the whole Sean thing, but Andy, it was falling apart way before you met Jace.”
“I know. I think I’m just so confused about where my life is going now,” I said. “It’s like, one minute, I thought it was going to look like one thing, and now—now I have no idea what it’s going to look like next week, let alone next year.”
“Honey, life’s like that for all of us. Shit happens. You adapt.”
“But what if I don’t?”
“You will.”
***
The rest of my classes for the day were practically a blur; I think I might have even sat in on the wrong one at some point because I hadn’t recognized anyone in the room. Thankfully, they were finally over. All I had to do was drop off my books and I’d be on my way to the coffee shop to meet Jace... only, I never made it there.
I had just set my books down on my desk when a call from home came through. I couldn’t say why, but that feeling of dread that had been nagging me all day suddenly hit me at full force, twisting and curdling in my stomach like sour milk.
“Mom? Dad?” I asked, picking up on the first ring.
“Andy, sweetie.” It was my mom. “Don’t panic.”
Oh, God. Things were never good when someone started a conversation with those words. Never.
“Mom, what’s going on?”
“It’s your brother.” I could hear the strained crack in her voice. My heart thundered away as she continued to speak. “He’s—he’s been in an accident.”
And just like that, the last nail had been driven into the coffin and the entire world opened up to swallow me whole. I didn’t even recognize my own voice as the next words left my mouth. “Is he—how—do I need to come home?”
“You should. Yes. He’s—“ my mom released a choked sob. “He’s stable now, but still not doing so well. The doctors have him in ICU.”
“I’ll be there tonight.”
Feeling numb and completely out of sorts, I hung up the phone, booked my ticket, and then sent a text to both Jace and Becca, letting them know I needed to go home. Jace was the first one to respond.
What happened?
My brother was in an accident.
No more responses came through until Becca’s message.
On my way.
Jace came crashing through the door just about the time her message came through. He was panting, covered in sweat. Oh, God, he really was my knight in shining armor.
“I’m going with you,” he said, not even bothering to ask how I felt over the matter.
“I already booked my ticket, Jace,” I said, grabbing my bag from off my dresser. I didn’t even grace him with a look; I was afraid that, if I did, I would fall apart completely. I could feel the fear, worry, and tears all simmering below the surface, just waiting for me to slow down for a second so they could take over.
“I don’t care,” he said, stepping into my path as I tried to grab my things from the restroom. His jaw was set and those sexy lips were pulled tight. “I’m going.”
I could feel the frustration mounting; the last thing I needed was an argument in that moment. Couldn’t he see that? Couldn’t he see that I was ready to crumble at any given second?
Thankfully, Becca walked through the door before I had a chance to explode. “Need a ride to the airport?” she asked, already tossing stuff into my bag.
I had the best friend on the planet. Period.
“Please,” I responded, giving Jace a pointed look.
He didn’t say a word. Instead, he puffed out his chest and then turned on his heel to walk out the door. I wanted to care, really I did. But my baby brother needed me and I wasn’t about to let a rocker with an ego mess with my head right then.
“Sheesh, what was that about?” Becca asked, turning to look at the door as he slammed it behind him.
I shrugged. “I told him he couldn’t go.”
Becca’s pierced features twisted and scrunched in confusion. “Why the hell not?” she asked.
God, not her, too.
“Becca, this is my family. In a crisis. Sean’s probably going to be there, and shit’s going to be stressful enough without them having a damn pissing contest right there in the ICU.”
Becca’s mouth fell open and her eyes started to tear. “ICU? That bad?”
I could feel the emotion trying to take over, the panic setting in again, but I shook it away. I had to get ready. “Yeah,” I said, clearing my throat and then looking around for anything else I needed to pack. “My plane leaves in three hours. I have to get ready.”
***
In less than an hour, I was packed and on my way to the airport. As we drove away from campus, I was starting to regret being so short with Jace. I’d promised him six weeks, and here I was, taking off to Seattle, just days after making that promise.
I decided to send him a quick text message.
Sorry for being short. Worried. Scared. Forgive me?
I waited and waited, checked my phone every few minutes for a message to come in. But it never did, not on the ride, not after I checked in my bags, not even as I said good-bye to Becca just outside the terminal entrance.
“It’s going to be okay,” she said, hugging me so hard, I could barely breathe.
“Thanks, Becca,” I said choking on the tears that had been trying to drown me from the moment I’d picked up the phone that day.
“Call me when you get there, okay?” She hugged me again before finally releasing me.
I nodded my agreement and then turned to go. She stood there, waving like a damn fool as I walked away; I knew because I kept looking back, as if I might not ever see her again. Or maybe I was secretly hoping that someone else—a rocker with tattoos and warm brown eyes—would show up behind her, to wave me off. That, before I walked into whatever was waiting for me in Seattle, I could see him just one last time.
Only, he never came.
It wasn’t long before they started boarding for my plane, and I still hadn’t received a text message from Jace. I took my window seat in row 19, and still no text. I thought about keeping the phone on until they told us to shut them down, but since my mom knew I was on my way, Becca knew I was boarding and Jace apparently wasn’t responding... I didn’t see much of a point.
I put my phone in airplane mode and then dug around in my purse for my earbuds. Maybe some music or an audiobook would help drown out the noise in my heart and in my head; if that didn’t work, I’d sacrifice a few dollars for an in-flight show. Even some stupid action film would do; I just needed something to numb the pain.
After inserting my headphones, I sat back in my seat, closed my eyes and tried to loose myself in the song playing in my ears; an Evanescence classic, Bring Me to Life. Normally, I would have belted out the lyrics, but I was sure that my plane mates wouldn’t have appreciated it much, so I sat in silence, trying to keep the tears at bay.
My brother was a big part of that, but it was so much more. In just a matter of weeks, my perfectly planned life had fallen apart. I didn’t have a job anymore and my career was probably about to go down the drain. I was further behind in my studies than I’d ever been. My best friend was busy being head over heels for the bass guitarist for the band that belonged to a rocker that had just taken me on a whirlwind of a ride. Of course, thanks to all my accusations, prodding, pushing and shoving at every turn, he was probably done with me by now. And I’d probably thrown away any chance I’d had at repairing my relationship with Sean.
At least I was going home. At least the rain could help soothe my soul. And maybe, if my brother got better before I had to return to school (because he had to get better—I wouldn’t survive if he didn’t), I could take a trip out to La Push and throw my cares out to the sea, right where they belonged. My career, my near failing grades, Sean, and even Jace, they could all disappear into the deep blue abyss and maybe, just maybe, I could find a
way to start my life over.
Too bad my heart wasn’t as convinced by the lies as my head.
End of Part 3
To Be Continued in Part 4…
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THE RECKLESS SERIES – RELEASE SCHEDULE
Part 1: October 10
Part 2: October 24
Part 3: November 7
Part 4: November 21
Part 5: December 5
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alice Ward is the author of the New Adult series, RECKLESS.
Reading and Writing romance is her passion and she writes with her true heart.
Living in Miami, the beach is her favorite place to relax with her laptop and write her next spicy romance.
However, when she is not reading or writing romance, she also enjoys being with her beautiful family.
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
This book was a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 Alice Ward
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.