by JA Low
“You’re right. There’s a lot of activity out there,” Ariana adds. “Otherwise, I was looking at maybe The Hamptons.”
“Nooo. Then you are too far away from us,” Chloe moans.
“Maybe you can buy and boat and sail on over from The Hamptons to Connecticut.”
“They have ferries.” Ariana smirks.
“It’s still so far,” Chloe continues to groan.
“Wherever you go, we’ll support you.” Letting Ariana know that we have her back, I smile.
“Of course, we will,” Chloe adds. “I’ll miss you if you move all the way out there, and we are in Connecticut, though.”
“How about this… I will seriously look at all options,” Ariana tells her.
“Or, I could convince Noah to hire you, and you can help design hotels for them.” Chloe grins.
Ariana shakes her head and smiles at her friend.
After spending most of the day relaxing and shopping, it’s time to head back to the hotel.
“Our car is here. We’ll meet you back at the hotel,” I tell Chloe, Lenna, and Ariana, who are waiting for their car to arrive, which is right behind ours.
We say our goodbyes and jump into the car. There is no way I am walking back in this heat. Stella, Elise, and I slide into the back of the town car, the air conditioning cooling our skin as we settle.
We’re all so excited for tonight, we are happily chatting away as the bright lights of Vegas flash us by. We didn’t know, in that moment, that things were about to change. That our entire lives would be turned upside down. That the carefree laughs we were having wouldn’t last long.
The sound of tires screeching, the smell of burning rubber, the crunching of metal, and your entire body moving around like an uncontrollable ragdoll.
All that happened before the darkness takes over.
43
Anderson
“Anderson.” Noah rushes into the private room of EJ’s restaurant where we are setting up for tonight. His face is pale, his eyes wide, his hand is holding his phone, and it’s shaking.
Shit! What the hell has happened?
“There’s been an accident.” My stomach sinks when I feel EJ placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “It’s Emma and Elise…” my legs crumple under the weight of his words, “… and Stella.” Noah’s eyes move over my shoulder to where EJ is standing, his hand falls away from my shoulder. “They were involved in a car accident and have been rushed to the hospital.”
Fuck. Fuck.
No. No.
Please, God, you would not be so cruel as to take the love of my life away just when I found her and my sister.
Somehow my legs find the strength to take a couple of steps and follow after Noah as he leads us back through the hotel to where a car is waiting for us.
“What happened?” EJ asks as we join Logan in the car.
“All Chloe said was that they were in the car behind… they watched as a car ran a red light and ran straight into them.” He gives me a fuck-man-I’m-sorry look.
My mind doesn’t seem to be able to process the words he’s saying. I must be in shock.
“Are they okay?” EJ asks.
I can see the look on Logan and Noah’s faces. Apparently, they are not okay.
I have to call Mom and Dad.
I have to… fuck!
Raking my hands through my hair, I want to punch the seat in front of me.
Fuck! I want to scream at the top of my lungs.
The car arrives at the emergency entrance, and we run inside.
“My wife… my wife and sister were involved in an accident. They were just brought in,” I plead with the nurse manning the desk.
“What is your wife’s name, sir?” She looks up at me.
“Emma Banks and my sister is Elise Parker.” Her eyes widen as she recognizes my sister’s name. I mean, who wouldn’t? She is one of the biggest names in Hollywood at the moment.
“Right.” She furiously types into the keyboard while her eyes scan the computer. “Let me take you to our VIP room. A doctor will be right out to speak to you.”
We desperately follow after her down the long, sterile hallway, up a couple of flights of stairs until we are ushered into a waiting room.
“A doctor will be out soon,” she tells me.
“Please, tell if they are okay?” I implore her.
The nurse gives me a weak smile. “All I know is everyone in that accident is currently in surgery. I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you anymore.” Then she’s gone.
Fuck! I begin to pace the waiting room like a caged animal.
Please be okay, Emma and Elise, and of course, Stella.
EJ is pacing as furiously as I am.
Moments later, the doors open. Chloe, Ariana, and Lenna run in. The girls rush to their partners while Ariana walks over to EJ and me. Tears are streaming down her face, her eyes all puffy and red from crying.
“Are they okay?” I ask her while my heart almost bursts from my chest.
“I don’t know. We don’t know. It looked bad. Really bad.” Her body begins to shake as she relives the accident obviously playing out in her mind. I reach out and pull her to me to try and stop her from shaking so badly. We hold onto each other tightly. The room is eerily silent as we wait for news, any news, and it feels like an eternity until someone comes finally comes in. We all look up at the doctor who is walking into the room.
“Mr. West?” He looks around the room.
“That’s me.” I step forward.
“You’re Miss Bank’s husband and Miss Parker’s brother, is that correct?” the doctor asks.
“Yes. And a friend of Stella, too.”
He nods. “Miss Parker and Miss Price have broken legs. They have some cuts and bruises but will make a full recovery.”
Okay. That’s good.
But what does that mean for Emma?
Why did he not mention her name with them?
“And Emma? Is she okay?” Panic runs through my veins at the thought.
“Emma was lucky not to sustain any broken bones, which is a miracle,” he tells me. “But she did sustain a large cut to her face. She’s with the plastic surgeon as we speak.”
A frown falls across my face. What does he mean, plastic surgeon?
“It seems she took either some metal or glass to the face.”
“Can I see her?”
The doctor shakes his head. “She is still in surgery and will be for a couple more hours, but Elise and Stella are now set up in their suites.” Relief washes over me that they are okay. “I’ll take you to them now.”
Pushing the waiting room door wide open, he escorts us back down the long, sterile hallways and up another level to where Elise and Stella are located.
“Here is Miss. Parker’s room.” I don’t listen to what else he has to say as I rush into the room, and there lying on the bed is my sister looking pretty banged up.
“Andy.” She says my name groggily as I enter. I rush toward where she’s lying and pull her into my arms. “Ouch,” she grumbles as I hug her way too tightly.
“I’m sorry.” Letting go, I run my hand across her battered face. “I was so scared something bad had happened to you.” As my emotions get the better of me, she reaches out and takes my hand in hers. “I’m okay,” she reassures me. “Have you seen Ems?”
Shaking my head, I hiccup with emotion as I try and explain to her what the doctor told me. “I’m so worried.” I look down at her.
“It’s going to be okay,” Elise tells me.
“Is it?” I don’t sound convinced.
“Will you still love Emma if something has happened to her face?” Elise asks.
What kind of question is that? Of course, I will still love Emma. Nothing will make me ever stop loving her.
“She is my heart and soul, Elise.”
She gives me a sad smile. “Then you’re probably going to have to make sure she knows that if something terrible has happened… you know, that
you still love her.”
“I know I was this shallow guy in the past, but…”
My sister squeezes my hand. “I know.” Her hand taps mine. “And, I know how much you love, Emma. If she has lost her looks, then… she might need you to convince her that she’s still as beautiful as she ever was. It might be a long road.”
“I can do that,” I tell her confidently.
44
Emma
My eyes slowly open. My head hurts like a bitch. Why is everything so blurry? The beep, beep, beep of something echoes in my ears.
Where the hell am I?
The sound of wheels screeching in my mind brings it all flashing back.
The pain.
The screaming.
The smell of burning rubber, and it makes me gag.
“Hey, baby.” Anderson’s voice filters through the smog of the accident filtering through my mind.
My neck aches as I turn my head toward him. He looks pale, his eyes are a little red as if he’s been crying, yet he still looks so damn handsome. Something white catches my attention through my peripheral vision, and my hand gingerly reaches for my face, and I realize there’s a bandage covering my cheek. My stomach somersaults, my heart skips a beat, what the hell has happened? My eyes meet Anderson’s, and he gives me a small smile.
“You have a bad cut to the face. The doc said that they had the best plastic surgeons working on you.”
What? Panic takes over. The beeping increases as my heart rushes out of control. My hand touches my face, and it hurts. A lot. Am I disfigured?
“Babe, you need to calm down.” Anderson tries to soothe me, his large hand taking mine. “I’ve been so worried.”
“I’m tired.” The words come out scratchy, and his face sinks, but he nods.
“I understand. Stella and Elise both have broken legs,” he adds. I nod but let his hand go. He leans in and kisses my forehead. “I love you, Ems.”
I don’t reply and watch him sadly walk out of my room.
I must have fallen asleep because I’m woken by a nurse coming into my room. She checks me over and gives me a small smile.
“Excuse me,” I call out to her.
She looks up from her paperwork. “Yes.”
“What is the matter with me?” She looks down at her paperwork and then up at me. “Am I deformed?” Tears well in my eyes, I simply can’t help them from forming.
“You came in with a rather large gash on your face. Dr. Radcliff is the best plastic surgeon in Las Vegas, and he worked on you.”
That’s great and all, but what does that mean?
“I’m a m-model.” My voice cracks as I say the words.
The nurse’s face changes, and it sinks a little. “Dr. Radcliff is amazing, and I’m sure he has worked his magic on you.”
“So, I needed magic?”
Her face softens again. “It seems like either the glass sliced down your face or it was metal. Your friends were crushed by the impact, hence their broken bones. You’re very lucky as a large shard missed you and embedded in your seat after you were flung from it. It was a close call, Miss Banks.” She places my chart back at the end of my bed and disappears from my room as my emotions take over, and the tears fall down my cheeks.
“Morning, babe.” Anderson comes in looking refreshed and cheery with a huge smile on his face. He presses a kiss to my cheek. “It sucks not having you in bed with me.”
I give him a small smile when, in reality, I just want to curl up and pretend this nightmare is over.
“Good news, you should be able to go home tomorrow.” His turquoise eyes light up, but I don’t say anything. “I bet you will be happy to be home, in your own bed, where I can play nurse.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. I don’t react, which makes him pause as he takes in my darkened disposition. “You feeling okay?” I shake my head. “Want me to get the nurse or something?”
Shaking my head, I say, “I just want to be left alone.” Curling in tighter to my pillow, Anderson’s face sinks.
“I’ll go check on Elise and let you rest for a little bit, okay?” I nod, and he turns on his heel and disappears.
A couple of moments later, Ariana, Chloe, and Lenna enter my room.
“We’ve been so worried.” Chloe takes a seat beside me.
“How you feeling?” Ariana asks.
I watch as Lenna’s eyes fall to my face then back to mine.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “I can’t see my face.”
The girls look at each other, concern is written all over their faces.
“They told us the best plastic surgeon worked on you, and it should be nothing more than a faded scar,” Chloe adds.
“A scar that’s the length of my face. A face that makes me money,” my voice raises.
“But you have your business now, you don’t need to model anymore?” Lenna tells me.
“I’m my brand.” Pointing to myself, I continue, “Who wants to do business with a deformed ex-model?”
“You’re not deformed, Ems,” Ariana tries to tell me.
“A massive scar right down my face is pretty damned deformed,” I reply, my tone cutting.
They all frown and stare at me.
“Ems, you’re still beautiful,” Chloe reassures me.
“What about Anderson? He won’t find me attractive anymore. I mean, who wants someone scarred-up on their arm at whatever function he needs me to be at?” Tears well in my eyes at the thought.
“You think Anderson’s with you because you look good on his arm?” Lenna asks.
Raising a brow in her direction, of course, he is. If I were ugly, he wouldn’t have given me a second glance.
“Ems, he loves you.”
“Only because I’m hot.”
“Ems, no, he loves you with all his heart,” Chloe tries to convince me.
“That may have been true but not anymore. Once these bandages come off, and he sees what’s underneath, he won’t want to be tied to me anymore.”
“Ems. No. He’s been so worried about you. He’s pulling his hair out. He’s had to be escorted out of the hospital because he refuses to leave. He wants to be beside you,” Chloe adds.
I don’t want to hear it.
He feels obligated.
Once he sees me, he won’t want me.
Why would he? He could have anyone in the world.
“I’m tired, guys.” Turning my back on them, the room falls silent, then I hear the sound of their feet moving and the click of the door closing behind them.
It’s then, I fall apart.
45
Anderson
Don’t they say when you get married, it’s through sickness and in health? Well, we are putting that vow to the test at the moment, and nothing can stop me from loving her.
Elise insisted on going back home to LA, even though Mom and Dad said they would look after her, which for her was not an option. Her exact words were ‘like hell.’ It ended up being a silent trip home on the jet, Stella with her large cast and Emma curled up in a ball away from everyone.
I’m worried about her. It’s as if she’s sunk into a deep depression. I need to give her time. Maybe once we’re back home in familiar surroundings, she might feel better.
“You doing okay?” Noah sits beside me on the jet.
“Not really,” I reply, telling him the truth.
“I understand. Chloe has shut down on me, too. Emma might have some trauma from the accident that she’s unable to process as well as losing her identity with the scar on her face.”
I look up at my friend and take in what he’s saying.
“Emma has made a career from being perfect,” Noah tells me. “Not unlike Walker, who was great at football…” Noah’s lip curls up a little upon mentioning him, “… being a supermodel or football player, that is their whole identity, and when it’s taken away, it must be scary.”
Maybe Noah has a point.
“But she has her business now. She doesn’t mod
el like she used to,” I add.
“Yeah. But that business is all about looks, and maybe she isn’t feeling that beautiful anymore. Like, she thinks she’s lost her beauty, and that she’s nothing without that.”
Oh shit! Maybe Noah is right.
“She thinks that once the bandages come off, you might not want her anymore,” Noah confesses.
Looking up at him, pain rips through my heart that Emma would even consider I wouldn't want her. I love her.
“That’s what Chloe told me.”
Well, fuck. I rake my hand through my hair. Does she not realize she’s more than a beautiful face or perfect body?
“Her whole life, people have probably told her how beautiful she is and now…” Noah shrugs, “… now, she’s worried she doesn’t know who she is anymore.”
When did Noah get so wise?
“I love her, man. I love her with all my heart,” I tell him.
“I know you do.” He slaps me on the shoulder. “You’re just going to have to convince Emma that you do. No matter what she says or throws at you, you are going to have to be there, roll with the punches until she processes what she needs to process.”
“Is that what you did?”
“Yep,” he replies sadly. “There was a point where I didn’t know if Chloe and I would make it, especially when she was leaning on Walker instead of me.”
Honestly, that would devastate me if Emma leaned on her ex instead of me.
“But she was going through something I could never imagine. I just had to show her that no matter what, I was her rock.”
Eventually, we arrive back in New York.
“Home sweet home.” I am trying to put on a brave voice as we step back inside our apartment. Emma didn’t say anything all the way home from the airport to our apartment. I place our bags by the front door. “Want me to run you a bath? You must be tired?”