So Much More (Made for Love #3)

by R. C. Martin

  It’s from Sarah.

  Sarah: i need you…

  My heart burns, as if someone is squeezing the life right out of me. I’m at the wrong hospital. I was with the wrong girl. I need to get out of here!

  When my phone rings, I jump—desperate to hear from Sarah. It’s Daphne, but I answer anyway.

  “Hello?”

  “Tell me you’re on your way. That’s all I need to hear.”

  “I’m working on it.”

  “I just got off the phone with her a few minutes ago. She’s at Sky Ridge, just off the interstate. I told her to call me when she got there. Aria must have driven like a bat out of hell to get her down there so fast.”

  “How is she?”

  “Scared shitless. How do you think she is?”

  I scrub my hand down my face with a sigh. If Sage doesn’t get here soon, I swear, I’ll come out of my skin.

  “She asked about you. Just hurry, okay?”

  “Yeah,” I reply as I spot Sage’s car pull up. “I’ll call you back in a bit.”

  WHEN ARIA PULLS INTO the hospital parking lot, my stomach twists itself into another knot. For a fraction of a second, I think how grateful I am that I skipped lunch. Even swallowing makes me want to gag. I know, already, that I’m not prepared for what I’m about to see.

  “Come on, girly. I’m right with you,” says Aria, patting my knee.

  I nod before we both climb out of the car and make our way inside. We follow the signs that tell us which floor the ICU is located. As soon as we step off the elevator, I spot Harper sitting on the floor propped up against the wall. When she sees me she gasps and stands to her feet.

  Earlier, I managed to send out a mass text to my closest friends. I didn’t say much, but I needed their prayers. I didn’t expect anyone would show up, but I’m so grateful to have her support. She hurries over and crashes into me, wrapping me in a tight embrace.

  “The fuckers won’t even let me into the waiting room. I can’t go beyond the doors. I’m not immediate family. I couldn’t get any information. I fucking hate these damn shit-show hospitals.”

  I love her foul mouth. Just now, it’s keeping my tears at bay. I know I’m bound to dissolve into a damn puddle any moment now, but I’m relieved to be in control of my emotions for at least another couple of minutes.

  Turns out, Harper wasn’t exaggerating about the strict rules regarding visitors in the ICU. I’m the only one they let in the door. No matter what I say, no matter how much I beg, I’m the only one allowed in. Aria and Harper both promise that they’ll be nearby, but it’s all I can do to leave them—to face my parents and their conditions alone.

  I learn that my dad is still in surgery. He was suffering from internal bleeding that they had to get under control. I listen as I’m told that despite his banged up condition, his prognosis is favorable. However, surgery is always dangerous and comes with many risks. He’s been under for just over an hour and there is no estimated time that they’ll be done. They couldn’t gage the extent of the internal damage until they had cut him open.

  Picturing my dad—exposed,vulnerable, hurt—I can’t speak. I can’t think. I can barely move. Silent tears spill down my cheeks but I don’t bother to wipe them away. I know the act is useless. When they lead me down the hall to see my mom, I have to lean against the wall for support. She’s hooked up to so many machines! She looks so small. So fragile. Now, as the doctor speaks, I don’t hear a thing. It’s all I can do to keep myself from sinking to the floor and curling up into a ball as I surrender to my cry.

  I’m faintly aware of the two nurses who lead me back to the waiting room and set me in a chair. One of them comes back with some water, but I refuse it, knowing I won’t be able to keep it down. If I don’t throw it up, I’ll cry it out, so what’s the point?

  I need to talk to someone about what happened. I need details about the accident. Whose fault was this? Was anyone else hurt? Where did it happen? How do I get in contact with the authorities that were at the scene? I need to be a grown up and take charge of this situation, but I can’t. Right now, I’m just their little girl and I’m so scared. I feel helpless and alone and full of regret.

  I haven’t spoken to my parents in weeks. Not since I moved. With everything that happened with Luke and my job, they were so disappointed. Their reprimand was more than I could handle; I was already beating myself up about it enough. Now I can’t speak to them at all and the reality that I could lose one or both of them, when I can’t remember the last time I told them that I love them—it crushes me.

  Time seems not to exist as I sit curled up in the uncomfortable chair. I’m in the company of strangers, a handful of other visitors who wait right along with me. Wait. Worry. Wonder. Whichever. After an insufferable and undistinguishable amount of silence, my eyes grow heavy with sleep. I surrender to my exhaustion, grateful for a momentary reprieve from the weight of my heavy heart. Just as I begin to slip into a dream state, I hear his voice. Brandon. I know, now, that I am dreaming—and I anxiously embrace the sleep that will take me to him.

  As soon as I step off the elevator, I see Aria and Harper sitting next to each other on the floor. They’re propped up against the wall just beside the door that leads into the Intensive Care Unit. I head straight for them, both confused and angry to find them not with Sarah.

  “What the hell are you two doing?”

  “Shit. It’s about time you showed up!” cries Harper as she stands.

  “Whoa, you two—take it down a notch, would you?” hisses Aria, joining us on her feet.

  “Where’s Sarah? Why aren’t you with her?” I demand to know.

  Harper scoffs and I scowl at her before Aria steps between us. “Harper—I know we just met, and I hate to tell you this, but he’s got a dick and you’re a member of the vagina squad. In this contest, his is bigger.

  “Brandon—you’re going to need to calm the fuck down. We’re all on the brink of losing it, but it won’t help Sarah if we’re at each other’s throats. Can we agree on that?”

  I draw in a deep breath and try and do as she says. Seeing her now, I’m glad it was her who brought Sarah—it should have been me, but I’m glad it was her.

  “Okay,” she begins to say, returning to the spot beside Harper. “Sarah is in there,” she tells me, hooking her thumb over her shoulder. “They won’t let us back because we’re not immediate family. Unfortunately, we know nothing. We’ve been sitting here for an hour and a half with no news. Cell phones aren’t allowed in there so we haven’t heard so much as a peep since they let her in.”

  I shake my head, walking toward the intercom. “This is unacceptable. I’m going back there.”

  “And how do you propose to pull that off?” asks Harper.

  Before I have a chance to answer, a voice comes through the intercom inquiring who I am and who I’ve come to see.

  “My name is Brandon King, I’m here to see Mr. and Mrs. Prescott.”

  “I’m sorry, sir,” the woman on the other side says. “Only immediate family is permitted and—”

  “I’m their son-in-law. Or—I will be,” I interrupt. “Please, my fiancée is in there by herself. You need to let me back.” There’s a pause. As I wait, I look over at Harper and Aria. They’re both gaping at me as if they can hardly believe what I’ve just done. “What? It’s only a lie if she says no.”

  The door unlocks and I’m permitted back. I don’t waste a second before I step through. My eyes scan the waiting room for my sweet girl and I spot her almost instantly. She’s curled up in a chair sleeping. I want to go to her, to scoop her into my arms and hold her, to tell her that I’m here and that we’re going to get through this. Together. But I also want to know how her parents are doing. Since she’s sleeping, I head to the nurses station to ask after the Prescotts.

  I’m told that Mr. Prescott is still in surgery but that he should be out any moment. It went well and they were able to stop the bleeding. He hasn’t been conscious since they bro
ught him in, but apparently that’s not a bad thing as his brain activity seems to be fine and his body is demanding rest.

  Mrs. Prescott has been in and out of consciousness since the accident. Her right leg is broken and she’s got a few cracked ribs. She’s been having trouble breathing, so they’ve got her on oxygen and they are monitoring her very closely to make sure that her head is okay. So far, there hasn’t been any swelling or bleeding, but until she’s more stable, they can’t be too sure.

  I inquire about more details in regards to the accident, but the nurse knows nothing. She does tell me that the authorities have been notified that Sarah is here. We should expect them to arrive any time now.

  I can’t say that I feel great about such vague prognoses, but I’m satisfied that I’m caught up on their statuses and I need to be with Sarah now. I approach her quietly, hesitant to wake her. After the laughable amount of sleep we got last night and the traumatic day she’s had, I know she could use the sleep—but I need her to know that I’m here.

  I kiss her forehead before I crouch down in front of her. I slide my hand up and down her arm as I whisper her name and anxiously wait for her to wake. When she opens her eyes and sees me, she gasps before the launches herself at me. I almost lose my balance before I stand, bringing her with me.

  “You’re here,” she cries, holding onto me with such urgency that it breaks my heart.

  “I’m sorry,” I murmur, burying my face in her neck. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

  “You’re here,” she whimpers as her body starts to shake with her sobs.

  “I came as soon as I heard,” I tell her, squeezing her tighter.

  “You’re—here,” she hiccups.

  “Shh. I’m here. I’m here, sweet girl.”

  Never. Never again will I leave her side.

  I scoop her up and cradle her in my arms before settling us in a chair. It takes her a couple minutes to calm down. When she moves so that she can look into my eyes, I reach up to dry her cheeks. I fucking hate seeing her like this—her eyes red and rimmed with worry and fear.

  “They’re going to be okay. I believe that. God is a healer and they’re still here—you just have to believe they’ll be okay, too.”

  “But what if—”

  “Don’t even speak it,” I insist. “Just trust that God’s got them. Whatever happens, we’ll be okay. We’re going to get through this together.”

  She nods and then rests her forehead against mine. For a moment, neither of us speaks.

  “Wait,” she shakes her head as she pulls away from me. “How did you get back here? They wouldn’t let Aria or Harper come with me, so how did you—?”

  “I told them you were my fiancée, that they were my parents too.”

  “You did?”

  I cup my hand around her cheek before planting a soft kiss against her lips. “Always, remember?”

  “Always,” she repeats as her eyes well up with fresh tears. I kiss her again and then she cuddles against me, resting her head on my shoulder.

  As far as proposals go, something tells me I can do a hell of a lot better than that. We’re in a damn hospital, for crying out loud. Yet I know, with everything that I am, that we just solidified that promise.

  Always. Forever.

  HAVING BRANDON WITH ME makes it easier to breathe. I haven't let him go since the moment I knew he was here. His very presence gives me strength. I shouldn't be surprised, really. Hasn't it been like that since the beginning? It's part of what drew me to him in the first place. I know, with all my heart, that he was meant to be a part of my life. He entered the scene exactly when I needed him. God's timing is impeccable. I have no words to express how much it means to have this man's love.

  He's my everything. My always.

  He held my hand when the doctors brought my dad back and told me about the surgery. He tucked me under his arm when I went in to see my mom, reminding me to breathe as I stood holding her hand. He rubbed my shoulders after the police came and talked to us about the accident.

  Some jackass ran a red light. A fucking impatient jackass ran a damn red light and almost killed my parents.

  I cry when the police officers leave. This time, my tears are angry ones. Brandon soothes me, encouraging me to not waste my energy on the things I cannot change.

  He walks with me when I decide I really need a breath of non-ICU air and we go fill Aria and Harper in on all the news. I also insist they both go home. They've spent hours wandering around the hospital and sitting in the hallway. I love them dearly for their endurance, but it's that same love that has me pushing them out the door. The hospital is a depressing place to hang out and it’s getting late.

  Much to my dismay, I’m given the same speech when we make it back to the ICU. We show up just as the doctors are making their rounds. When I’m told that my parents are both stable and in desperate need of rest after all that their bodies have been through today, I’m encouraged to get some rest myself.

  I argue, of course, uncertain as to whether or not it’s a good idea for me to leave the hospital. I spoke two words to my mother while she was in and out of consciousness and I’m worried how she’ll feel if I’m gone when she asks for me in the middle of the night. Then, of course, there’s my dad. I haven’t had the chance to speak to him at all.

  When the doctors and the nurses tell me that it’ll be better for all parties involved if I get a good night’s rest, I look to Brandon for his opinion. He tells me he’ll do whatever I want, but that he agrees with the staff.

  “You need a good night’s rest, Sunshine. Tomorrow’s bound to be another long day.”

  Begrudgingly, I let him lead me out of the hospital. It isn’t until we get to his car that I remember—

  “Shit! Neither of us did the baking for tomorrow. What are we going to—”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it taken care of.”

  I shake my head at him, burying my fingers in my hair. Who the hell knows what my braid looks like at this point. “How? How could you have taken care of—”

  “Baby, I’m not worried about muffins right now, okay? You shouldn’t be either. The shop will survive.”

  “But what about—?”

  “Sarah.” He grips my chin, lifting my face so that he can look into my eyes. “They’ll get through tomorrow the best they can and we’ll deal with Monday when it gets here. What’d I tell you? You’re my girl first and my employee second. You will always come first.”

  I don’t know if it’s because I’m tired and all over the place or if it’s because my brain feels like taking a stroll down memory lane, but I think back to the Olivia Incident that occurred this morning. I remember watching him walk out the door with her and I’m not emotionally strong enough to push away the disappointment I felt earlier as it resurfaces…

  But he’s here now! my heart argues.

  I shake my head, too exhausted to endure the back and forth between my emotions and my logic. I don’t think about how the movement will free my chin from Brandon’s grasp. When he places his hands around my face instead, I know he’s caught on to what I’m thinking.

  “It was a mistake. What’s happening with William is awful, but I should never have gone with her. Whatever goodness used to exist in our friendship is no longer there. No matter what I do, no matter what I say to convince myself otherwise, we’re no good. We can’t even speak to each other without arguing anymore. It’s not healthy for either of us.

  “It kills me that I left you this morning. Even if you hadn’t needed me, I still would regret it. I’m not her white knight. I can’t be the hero in her story, but baby—I sure as hell want to be the hero in yours.”

  My heart puffs out its chest triumphantly and my first smile in hours, tiny as it may be, graces my lips. I push myself up onto my tiptoes as I reach for a kiss. He kisses me back tenderly and I think, in this moment, I love him more than I did a second ago.

  My book boyfriend. In the flesh.

  “I lo
ve you,” I whisper when I pull away.

  “I love you, too.” He kisses me once more before he gently turns me towards the car. “Let’s get you home.”

  It takes just over twenty minutes for us to reach my parents house. As I give Brandon directions, I catch up on text messages. Addie, Avery, Claire, Rachael, Tabitha, Sage, Daphne—the list seems to go on and on. I don’t think I’ve ever been more appreciative of the people I get to call my friends. I’m just finishing up a text when Brandon pulls into my parents’ driveway. I hit send as Brandon opens the passenger side door for me. It’s then that I notice the duffle he has thrown over his shoulder.

  “You packed a bag?”

  “More like frantically tossed shit into a bag. I make no promises that the clothes I brought for either of us will coordinate in the slightest—but at least we’ll get to brush our teeth in the morning.”

  I step out of the Camaro and wrap my arms around his waist, looking up at him as I ask, “Babe, who are you? What on earth did I ever do to deserve you?”

  He smirks at me, tucking a wayward lock of blonde hair behind my ear. “I’m just a man—a man who’d do anything for you. And you didn’t do anything to deserve me,” he says, brushing a kiss across my cheek. “You were simply made for love. I just happen to be the lucky bastard who gets to love you.”

  I shake my head at him as I pull myself out of his arms and head for my parent’s garage door. “You’ve got it so twisted, babe. You have no idea how amazing it feels to be the one who gets to love you. No idea.”

  “How ‘bout we just call it destiny and leave it at that?”

  I smile at him from over my shoulder as I offer him a nod. “Deal.”

  She enters the passcode for the garage so that we can get inside. As the door ascends, she gasps, turning back to hide herself in my chest. I wrap my arms around her, confused by her reaction.

  “What is it?” I murmur, pressing a kiss on top of her head.

  “I just—I just registered why there’s only one car in the garage. Shit, Brandon—what if it had been worse? What if—”