“So, just cut things off with my friend as if he no longer matters.”
Her sharp gaze narrowed. “I said nothing of the sort. Hanging out with Nolan is one thing, KB, but living with him is something else altogether. I don’t think he’s the best influence on you at this stage of the game. Be friends with him, hang out with him, but limit your daily influence of him over your life.”
“I don’t know. We’ll see.”
That sinking feeling shifted my insides because I knew I would have to change my lifestyle and circle of influence if I wanted to grow the way I planned to. Nolan could be a jerk; he disrespected women; he was wild and didn’t consider others’ feelings much.
In college, if Nolan wanted to party, it didn’t matter if everyone else wanted to chill and study. Nolan would invite people to our house, and there would be a party. If Nolan wanted to bone a girl, it didn’t matter that a house full of dudes were there, he’d screw her and leave the door partially open while doing it.
If Nolan wanted to do a line of coke on the dashboard of your car in front of a police station, then he’d do it. There were no limits to Nolan’s behavior. But he’d been around for a long time, and even if he wasn’t a good friend, he was damned sure a fun one.
Yes, a change of lifestyle was in order. But that didn’t mean it would be easy.
CHAPTER 7 – KENT
I’d been back in Savannah all of two weeks and was missing Madison like hell. Stuck here in the Savannah office of Black Hospitality Group was driving me out of my mind. I was tired of seeing four walls and planning events for people looking for a measure of happiness. Hell, I needed my own at this point.
I’d made plans to go back to Atlanta for the weekend to hang with Madison if she wasn’t busy. I needed to finish off this final email for a wedding our Miami resort was hosting next week, and I would be hitting the road.
“Kent, I think that’s it. You’ve summarized everything perfectly in the email. I can send that baby off now,” Michelle Fairway, my executive assistant said, after she’d read aloud the email I dictated to her.
“Good. Send that off, and you can have the rest of the afternoon to yourself. I’m heading out, too. So, have fun this weekend,” I said as Michelle picked up her laptop, preparing to leave my office.
“Thanks, Kent. Jarrod and I are driving to Jekyll Island this weekend for some quality time away from the kids,” Michelle shared.
Michelle and her husband had six-month-old twins and a two-year-old. She deserved all the breaks she could get. I couldn’t even imagine responsibility like that.
“Michelle, can you close that door behind you,” I asked, as I looked at my ringing phone.
“Sure,” she said, pulling it closed behind her.
I wondered why Grant was calling in the middle of the day. His new company kept him busy. Whenever he wasn’t traveling, he was out scouting new property. And when he wasn’t doing that, then he was consumed with his new bride, Alexandra. They were one of the happiest couples I’d ever seen.
Hell, all of my brothers had happy marriages, no thanks to my parents’ marriage. My father had not been an excellent example of a father or husband, but my brothers had created their mold. I’d like to think that was thanks in part to my mother’s strength and love.
“Hello?”
“Kent.”
Grant sounded disturbed at the other end of the call. His voice was muffled and thick.
“Grant?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Where are you?”
“Savannah. At work. Why?”
“Are you in your office?”
“Yeah, what’s up, Grant?”
“Hey, I think you need to get up here right away, Kent.”
“What’re you talking about, dude?”
Grant cleared his throat before speaking. “Nolan was in a bad accident. I was at a construction site meeting up with Nolan’s dad about a project, and Nolan was supposed to be on his way to meet his dad for lunch.”
“Grant. Get. To. The point,” I growled, chills running up and down my body.
“He was...he had a motorcycle accident at the intersection of North Avenue and Peachtree Street. His bike flipped a few times, and he’s in critical condition right now.”
Tiny pinpricks of fear rose all over my skin, my eyes stung, and my vision blurred.
“Is he going to be all right?”
“I don’t know. They’ve got him back in surgery now, but you need to get up here right away.”
This was madness. I’d talked to Nolan the evening before. I was supposed to be staying at his place while I was in Atlanta this weekend visiting Madison.
I blew out a loud breath over the phone as my thoughts jumbled together. I couldn’t figure out what to do first.
“Kent, I called Dad. He’s contacted your pilot to pick you up and bring you up here. I’ll have a car waiting for you when you arrive.”
I was shaking my head, unable to receive what he was saying. Let alone process what he wanted me to do.
Nolan Banks was my best male friend since I was in the fourth grade. We had grown up together, partied in college and our adult years together, traveled the world together, and a whole lot of other shit we had no business doing together.
He just had to make it through this. There was no way that he could not survive, yet the fear that he wouldn’t rose in me just the same.
“Kent, are you still there?” Grant asked through the phone that was still in my hand.
“I...I can’t fucking believe this, Grant,” I said, my voice on the edge of breaking as I bent over and rested a hand on my knee.
“Hang up. I’m calling Michelle. She’ll help you out and know what to do.”
The phone clicked off, and I stood in the middle of my office in a daze.
A knock on my door pulled me out of my stupor.
“Hey, Kent,” Michelle said softly, her hand resting on the doorknob.
I stared at her. No words came.
“Honey, come on. Your helicopter’s landing on the building now. Let’s get you out of here,” she said as I snatched up my phone and my keys. I followed her out of my office and to the rooftop.
THE LAST PLACE IN THE world I wanted to be was at a fucking hospital!
Nolan had just gotten out of surgery when I arrived. He was in ICU. Mr. and Mrs. Banks were visiting him when I came.
“Hey, there,” a friendly and familiar voice said.
I looked up and spotted Madison. Seeing her was a welcome surprise and sent comfort and relief through me. I was glad that I wouldn’t have to go through this alone.
Standing, I walked to where she stood and pulled her into a bear hug. When she squeezed me tight, I felt the tears threatening to come for the first time. Pressing my eyes closed, I willed them away before I pulled back from her embrace.
We walked back to the stiff fabric-covered chairs I’d just abandoned.
“What’re you doing here?” I asked, turning to stare at her.
“I heard...about what happened. Grant told Nicole and Grey, and she called me. I thought I’d come out to sit with you. I know what he means to you,” she said, reaching for my hand.
“Yeah,” I mumbled.
My mind was already drifting away from her again as I worried about if my friend would survive. I couldn’t help but think of his wild, partying behaviors and how I’d never made a stance against them.
Even when I’d decided to turn over a new life, I acted as if his decisions were no problem. When I knew they were. For him, for me, and everyone else who was a part of our lives.
“Look, Kent, I know that I said some things about him the last time we were together. And I’m sorry if—”
I squeezed her hand tightly in mine. “Nah, Mads. You were right. It’s time to stop all that childish bullshit we’ve been on all these years. It’s about time for all of us to grow up. I mean, what if he doesn’t make it?” I said, my voice growing thick with emotion.
She placed her fi
ngertip at my lips and shook her head. “Don’t say things like that, KB. We’re going to believe the best, and we’ll send positive energy his way. You got that?”
“Yeah,” I grunted.
“And I’ll be here with you every step of the way while you support him.”
“Thank you.”
We stayed in the hospital for the next few hours. Madison had gone to get us something to eat, but I hadn’t been able to eat. Thanks to my worry over Nolan, I had no appetite.
Madison and I spent most of our evening chatting about things we’d done together in the past; concerts, sporting events, shopping excursions, dinner, and everything else we’d done together, including a few sporadic trips out of town with Nolan and some of my other friends.
Madison had always been a part of my world since we’d met one another. And I was thankful she still was. I felt her strength pulling on me, willing me to stay strong.
As time wore on, Grant finally went home to check on Alexandra. Eventually, Madison and I received permission to visit Nolan.
She stood by my side, holding my hand as I took in my friend lying on the hospital bed, hooked up to machinery.
The crazy thing was Nolan looked the same. Except for the laceration above his left eye, and the pale skin, he looked the same as he usually did.
But not really, because when he was awake, Nolan could never quite manage to keep still. He’d be bouncing off the walls, looking for something to get into, and more than likely, he’d be high. He was always high.
He wouldn’t be lying on a bed, hooked up to monitors and asleep with no awareness of what was happening around him.
The subtle rise and fall of his chest were reassuring. I walked closer to his bed and rested my hand on his head.
“Buddy, we’ve got a lot of talking to do if...when you pull through this,” I whispered.
Madison gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
Shaking my head, I couldn’t say anything else. I was about to break, and it was too hard looking at him like this.
“I can’t,” I said, turning to leave.
When we made it to the door, his parents were just coming back to the doorway.
It was hard seeing Mr. and Mrs. Banks. The sorrow, despair, and disbelief etched on their faces could have been avoidable. If only I’d made a stance with Nolan to change when I did.
Nolan was their only child, and the possibility of losing him was devastating.
“Mr. and Mrs. Banks, good evening,” I greeted solemnly.
Mrs. Banks opened her arms and embraced me. She held on to me tight for a few moments as she wept. I rubbed her back in soothing circles before she stepped away.
Mr. Banks pulled me into his embrace, patted my back a couple of times, and stepped away.
“How’re you two holding up?” I asked.
“Just praying. Waiting for the change to come to know that he’ll pull through this,” Mrs. Banks said.
“He will. Just have faith,” Madison supplied.
They both smiled warmly at her before turning their gaze on me.
“Kent, when Nolan comes out of this...we’re insisting that he go into rehab,” Mr. Banks declared.
Nodding my head and recalling what Grant had shared with me, I said, “Yeah, it’s for the best.”
We exchanged our goodbyes, and Madison and I headed for the elevators.
“Hey, do you need a ride somewhere?”
I glanced at my watch. It was late, and I didn’t want to disturb Grant, but I didn’t feel like waiting for an Uber.
“Uh, I was going to my parents’ condo in Buckhead.”
“Come on; I’ll give you a ride,” she offered with a compassionate smile.
“Thanks.”
“What happened? Grant didn’t give us the details,” Madison said as we were riding to the condo.
I pulled a hand down my face in exhaustion.
“He’d left this girl’s house he’d spent the night with. She said he had done a few lines of coke before leaving, smoked a joint, and had been drinking all yesterday, and since he woke up around ten this morning. They’d argued about him driving, but he promised he had it all covered. Then he left. Grant and Mr. Banks were at Mr. Banks’ construction site holding an impromptu business meeting. They were standing on the corner and heard him coming before they saw him. He was speeding so fast; he didn’t have time to slow down to avoid a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Luckily she got out of the way, but when he tried to slow down, he lost control of the motorcycle and then...it flipped several times.”
“I’m sorry,” she muttered as we pulled up outside of my parents’ building they kept in town.
“Pull into the garage. I’d like you to come on up,” I invited.
“Okay,” she replied softly.
I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts. Not now.
CHAPTER 8 – MADISON
Watching an old movie on TV had always been our favorite pastime. Lying on the bed of the guest room in his parents’ condo this night was no different than all the other nights we had done the same thing over the last few years. Except it was.
Kent was in pain. Never had I seen such misery and heartache on his face before. Those boyish good looks twisted in agony. Gone was that mischievous smile that defied all life’s perils. No laughter pealed from those beautiful dusty rose lips.
And his eyes? Well, they were empty and clear, like shards of green glass.
When we arrived in the condo, the conversation ceased. Kent prepared drinks for us and then headed straight for the bedroom. While I planned to nurse my drink, he’d taken his straight to the head before leaving the bar area.
Plopping down onto the bed, he lay back with his legs hanging off the edge. I removed his shoes for him and watched as he climbed up.
I climbed beside him and curled up in his right arm.
We watched the movie in silence, and as it neared an end, I was sure he had fallen asleep. I shifted and prepared to get up and head home.
“Where’re you going?” he mumbled, catching me by surprise.
I turned over and faced him. “I was going to let you catch some sleep. I didn’t want to disturb you,” I whispered.
“Stay. I don’t want to be alone, Mads.”
“All right,” I said, nodding my head.
We lay in silence for a while before he started speaking.
“Remember that time that Nolan and I flew to New York?”
“Yes, you were supposed to be in town for a gala your parents were hosting,” I smiled, recalling the weekend.
“Uh-huh, that was the excuse I gave anyway. Nolan came into town looking for a party, but I came because I wanted to see you.”
“Yeah,” I replied softly. “I remember your dad was pissed because he couldn’t find you the entire weekend.”
Kent chuckled. “We’d stuffed our faces at Smorgasburg all afternoon.”
“Yup, and then I had to walk off the calories, so we’d headed over to High Line for a walk.”
Smiling, he said, “We got cones from the Chinatown Factory, then headed back to your place.”
I nodded, thinking about the fun we’d had all that weekend. Kent had crashed on my couch that night. Steve was out of town that weekend, so spending time with Kent was easy.
“Then you’d had to stop and smell the roses literally, so our asses ended up at the Flower District. That was some corny shit,” he said, turning his head to meet my gaze.
“Was not,” I argued.
“Was, too,” he countered, snickering.
We fell back into a comfortable silence.
“That last night, when I should’ve been with my dad, we were hanging out at Chumley’s.”
“We had hella fun that night!” I said, beaming.
“Yeah...that was the first night I decided I didn’t want to get high anymore. I knew I wanted something else other than partying all the time. I mean, I knew without a doubt.”
“Yeah?” I asked, shifting onto my
side to face him.
He nodded. “Nolan had spent the whole weekend high as a kite.”
I recalled that. It was so sad how messed up Nolan was and how Victor had to get the kid cleaned up before Kent and Nolan returned to Savannah. Kent hadn’t wanted Nolan’s parents to see him that way, and Victor had stepped in and done what he felt he needed to do.
“Your dad came through like a trooper, even though he was pissed at you for not showing up at his gala.”
“Yeah, he did. But it wasn’t really for Nolan that he came through. He didn’t want me to look bad and for the Banks’ to blame me for the reason their son was out of control. Especially when he’d come in town with me supposedly to attend my father’s affair,” Kent said.
Kent moved, shifting the bed underneath me.
“Hey,” he whispered, tugging my arm. “You ever wonder why you and I didn’t end up together?”
I laughed.
“Are you serious? You’ve never been the settling type, KB.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”
“You know I am.”
He went silent again, and after a few moments, I said, “Your thoughts?”
“Just...wish I'd been more persistent about him getting help. I should’ve talked more with him about rehab. Shouldn’t have been at the parties he was always throwing after I’d stopped. I—”
“Uh-uh, I’m not about to let you take that shit on. No guilt, KB. Whatever you do, no guilt. It won’t change a thing. Unfortunately, we can’t make others do what we want them to do. All we can do is be responsible for our choices. Everyone has a decision to make, and when they make it, there’s nothing we can do about it. Nolan’s choices were his own. We’ll pray for his sake and his parents’ sake, he makes it through this, but you will not do this to yourself. You got that?”
He closed his eyes. “Yeah.”
Kent turned on his side and stared at me, smiling.
“You’re a good friend, Mads,” he said, running a hand down my arm.
Smooth: The Sons of Victor Black: A BWWM Romance Page 5