Changing Lanes (Lake Park University Book 1)

by Christina Escue

  “Eden,” Uncle James says softly and takes her other hand. “Gray needs you, probably more than either of you realize. You have to pull through this and get the help you need.”

  “I love you, Mom,” I say, and kiss her forehead just as the door opens and a very large, very male nurse walks in.

  “I’m here to take Ms. Kelley downstairs,” he tells us then glances at me before focusing on my mom.

  “We’ll be in the waiting room,” Uncle James tells him, and he nods in response.

  Once we’re in the waiting room, I pull out my phone and tap dad’s picture.

  “Hey, Gray,” he answers cheerfully. “Thought you were spending the day with your mom.”

  “Dad,” I say and close my eyes. “Mom’s in the hospital.”

  “Why? What happened?”

  “She took a bottle of antidepressants,” I tell him, and he gasps.

  “What the hell was she thinking?” He asks.

  “I don’t know,” I answer. “I came home for the day and found her passed out in my bed. Dad, they were my antidepressants.”

  “Shit,” he says, and I hear the frustration in his voice. “Are you alone?”

  “No, Uncle James is here with me,” I answer and hear him relax a little. “You don’t have to come. I just wanted you to know what’s going on.”

  “Like hell I don’t have to come,” he responds. “I’ll be there just as soon as I can get there.”

  “Dad, it’s a five hour drive up the Turnpike. Don’t be crazy. Uncle James is here with me.”

  “I’m coming,” he responds, and I hear a finality in his voice that makes me sigh. He’s stubborn, and once he sets his mind to something, there’s no stopping him.

  “Fine,” I say and roll my eyes. I tell him the name of the hospital, and he assures me he’ll be here as soon as he can.

  “I love you, Graycen,” he says, and tears come to my eyes.

  “I love you, too, Dad,” I respond quietly. “I’ll see you soon. Be careful.”

  “See you soon, babygirl,” he says and ends the call.

  “Dad’s coming,” I tell Uncle James and he frowns. “Don’t. I need him right now as much as I need you.”

  “I know, kiddo,” he says on a sigh. “I’ll be civil, but that’s all I can promise.”

  “Thank you,” I tell him then look at my phone again. “I’m going to call Coach M and tell him what’s going on.”

  “Okay, kiddo,” he responds, and I smile a little. For as long as I can remember, Uncle James has always called me kiddo. It was a nickname I hated through high school, but right now, in this moment, I love it. It shows me that he loves me.

  I step into the hall and call Coach M.

  I tell him what’s going on, and he assures me that if I need to miss practice, he understands, and I won’t be penalized.

  I end the call after thanking him and assuring him I was okay.

  Sighing again, I turn back toward the waiting room and open the door. All I can do at this point is wait, so that’s exactly what I do.

  Chapter Eight

  Rico

  “Hello?” I answer on the first ring. It’s Joy, and I immediately think it’s about practice on Monday.

  “Al,” she breathes out and I can tell she’s upset.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, going on alert.

  “It’s Gray,” she answers, and I inhale sharply. “Well, it’s her mom actually.”

  “What’s going on, Joy?”

  “Xander called Aunt Margie to make sure Gray made it there safely after what happened this morning,” she started, and I could hear the tears in her voice. “After answering Aunt Margie’s questions about how he knows Gray, she told him that Gray’s mom had been taken to the hospital by ambulance. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but Aunt Margie said something about pills, and suicide. Xander wasn’t really coherent when he told me.”

  “Suicide?” I ask, my voice louder than I expected it to be. “Shit.”

  “I’m calling the team and we’re going to head to the hospital to show our support for Gray,” she tells me. “Do you want to come?”

  “Definitely,” I answer immediately. I don’t care that her mom probably hates me, or that her dad will most likely be there. I can’t not go. “I’m leaving work now.”

  “We’re meeting at my house,” she tells me. “We are going to carpool up there.”

  “I’ll drive,” I tell her. “If no one wants to ride with me, that’s fine.”

  “Why wouldn’t anyone want to ride with you?” She asks as I clock out and toss my apron behind the counter.

  “Don’t know,” I respond and sigh. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  “Be safe, Al,” she says and ends the call.

  “Dustin, I’m leaving. Family emergency,” I call out and he comes out of the back.

  “What’s going on?” He asks, and I shake my head.

  “No time to explain,” I tell him then grab my keys off the hook where I always hang them. “I’m not sure I’ll be in tomorrow, either. I’ll call if anything changes but find someone to cover my shift.”

  “Al,” he says, and I hear the frustration in his voice.

  “Dustin, I have worked here for two years, and have never called out. Understand that I have to go, or accept my notice, but I’m going either way,” I tell him and turn toward the door. “This job isn’t nearly as important to me as my family is.”

  With that, I walk out, leaving him gaping at me. I don’t really care if he fires me, there are other jobs out there. What I care about is getting to Gray. She doesn’t need to be dealing with this alone, and I will make damn sure she is taken care of.

  Shaking my head, I climb into my car and lean my head against the steering wheel for a second. If she loses another person in her life, she will be devastated, and I am so afraid she’s going to blame me for this. Or, maybe just regret staying at the coffeeshop as long as she did instead of heading to her mom’s right away.

  Sighing, I raise my head and start my car. I can’t think about what she may or may not think. What I need to think about now is the fact that my teammate, my friend, needs me.

  “Please don’t die,” I whisper to the empty car as I pull out of the parking lot.

  Five minutes later, I pull into the Sadler’s driveway and cut the engine. I see most of my teammates there already, and I smile slightly. They’re rallying behind Gray, supporting her, and I know that’s exactly what she needs right now.

  “Al,” Xander says as he walks up to my car. “Thanks for coming, man.”

  “You all know about my history with Gray, and with her family,” I tell him. “There’s no way I could not come.”

  “I should have been there with her,” he says and runs his hands through his hair. “Dad should have kept his damn mouth shut. If he had, Gray and I would have been there hours ago, and maybe we could have stopped her.”

  Suddenly, I no longer feel as though Gray will blame me. Had Mr. Sadler not said the things he’d said, she and Xander would have been there an hour or so earlier than she got there because she’d have never stopped in the coffeeshop had he not pissed her off.

  “Don’t blame your dad,” I tell him, surprising myself. “He couldn’t have known she’d do this, none of could have.”

  “You guys ready?” Micah asks as he walks up beside us. “I’m driving Joy’s car, and Ryder is driving his SUV. Al, Joy mentioned you wanted to drive up there, so that’ll be enough vehicles to haul everyone.”

  “I’m definitely driving,” I tell him, and he smiles. “But I may not be ready to head back when everyone else is.”

  “That’s cool,” Xander says. “I’ll ride with you. I don’t plan on leaving until we know what’s going on, anyway.”

  “You really like Gray, don’t you?” I ask and sigh. Xander isn’t a bad guy, but he can be a real jerk at times, and I don’t think he’s the right guy for Graycen.

  “Yeah, I really do,” he answers and
smiles. “More than I’ve ever liked someone.”

  “Then you should tell her,” I encourage him, then mentally kick myself. What the hell am I doing? I don’t want him with Gray.

  “I’m not so sure,” he says and sighs. “Let’s head out so we can get there. I have a feeling she’s going to need a lot of support right now.”

  “Yeah,” I mutter then walk back to my car. “Let’s get going. I want to get there in case something happens.”

  Xander looks at the others for a second before he slides into the passenger side seat of my car. “Do you know how to get there?”

  “Yeah,” I answer as I back out of his driveway. “I’ve been to Newberry’s watermelon festival before.”

  “Oh, did you know she lived there?”

  “No,” I answer. “What all did your dad say to her this morning?”

  “Just some things my aunt has told him,” he replies.

  “About her mother?”

  “Yeah,” he tells me then sighs. “Some of the things were pretty bad.”

  “Could your aunt have said something to her mom?” I ask. I’m trying to figure out why, after all this time, Eden Kelley would try to kill herself.

  “I don’t know,” he answers then runs his hands through his hair again. “I hope not, but I really don’t know. In the four years Gray has lived there, I’ve never seen her when I went to visit. I knew Uncle James’ sister and her teenage daughter lived on the property, but I never bothered to seek them out and meet them.”

  “Why?” I ask and glance at him for a second.

  “Honestly?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Because Aunt Margie always said they weren’t the kind of people I should associate with,” he answers then runs his hands through his hair for about the tenth time. I can tell he’s frustrated, and worried about Gray. “I never bothered to question her. I never bothered to try to find out for myself. If I had, I’d have known Gray years ago, and maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation now.”

  “And what situation is that?” I ask, glancing at him again.

  “I like her, Al. Like really like her, and I’m afraid after today all she’ll ever want from me is friendship, if she wants that.”

  “You can figure that out once we get there,” I tell him as I focus on the road in front of us. I do not want them to get together, but there is no way I can keep them apart.

  “Yeah,” he says and focuses his attention out the window.

  The rest of the drive is made with casual conversation, and before I know it, we’re pulling into the parking lot of the hospital.

  “There’s Gray’s car,” Xander points out, and I nod and pull into the empty space beside her car.

  “Look, Xander,” I say before I can stop myself. “I knew you liked Graycen, even before you told me you did, but I want you to know that she’s not like other girls. Now, she may have changed since I knew her, but four years ago, if she wasn’t bowling she was pretty shy around guys. If she doesn’t seem interested, just give her time.”

  “Why are you telling me this when you clearly like her, too?” He asks and I shake my head.

  “I don’t stand a chance with her, but you may,” I tell him honestly. “Gray and I have a past, a turbulent one, and I think that past will stop us from ever being more than teammates, more than friends.”

  “She likes you, too,” he says and gets out of the car.

  “What? How do you know that?” I ask as I follow him out of the car and up the sidewalk.

  “The way she looks at you,” he answers. “I’ll stop pursuing her, and back off if you want.”

  “Graycen and I aren’t ready for anything other than friendship,” I tell him and shake my head. “I think you’re wrong though. I think she hates me less than before, but I don’t see us ever getting together.”

  “So, you’d be okay if she and I started dating?” He asks with an arched eyebrow.

  “Not really,” I answer honestly. “But I will support it, and still be friends with you both. I lost Gray once and would never do anything to have her shut me out again.”

  “You’re a better man then I could ever be,” he tells me, and I sigh.

  “Go on in and find her. I’ll be there in a minute,” I tell him and stop at the door. Once he’s gone, I pull a pack of cigarettes from my pocket and sigh. Since Gray came back into my life, I’ve been trying to quick smoking, but right now, in this moment, I need one more than I have in the past couple of weeks.

  “Don’t do it,” Wren says as she steps up beside me and pulls the pack from my hand. “You don’t need to go in there smelling like an ashtray.”

  “I am so damn scared,” I confess to her and Brennon. “If she loses anyone else.”

  “Don’t,” Brennon says and lays a hand on my shoulder. “Her mom is going to be fine, and we’re all here to help her deal with whatever happens.”

  “I’m afraid she’s going to blame me,” I tell them and Brennon’s forehead wrinkles in confusion. “After what happened with Xander’s dad, she stopped in Mean Bean. She was there for about half an hour. We talked, really talked, for the first time in years. I’m afraid she’s going to blame me because I’m the one suggested she sit and talk for a bit instead of just heading up here.”

  “If she does, she’s dumb,” Joy says as she walks up. “If she blames anyone other than her own mother, it should be my dad or Aunt Margie. Had he not said anything, her and Xan would have been at her Mom’s at least an hour earlier than she got there. Speaking of Xan, where is he?”

  “He went inside already,” I answer and look at Joy. “He likes her, so I told him to go on in.”

  “Why would you do that?” Ryder asks in confusion. “You like her, too.”

  “Yeah, but the difference is, Xan actually stands a chance with her,” I mutter. “As long as she’s happy, then I will step back and let them be happy together.”

  “You don’t just like her, do you?” Micah asks and I shake my head.

  “Like I told you all that first practice, she’s the one I always wanted to be with. Even after Gavyn was killed, Gray has always been the one I want. I denied it, I buried it, I pushed it aside and moved on, but seeing her again, it’s brought it all back to the surface,” I tell them and shake my head. “You can never tell her, or Xan though. She deserves to be happy, even if it isn’t with me.”

  “And what about you?” Wren asks. “Don’t you deserve to be happy?”

  “No,” I answer then turn from them and walk inside. I don’t deserve Graycen, I never did, and nothing other than being with her will make me truly happy.

  Chapter Nine

  Graycen

  “Gray,” a soft voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I look up.

  “Xander, what are you doing here? How did you know I was here?”

  “I called Aunt Margie to make sure you made it there safely,” he tells me. “She told me what happened.”

  “She shouldn’t be telling people shit,” I snap out and turn back to the window I’d been looking out. “I don’t need you here.”

  “Well too bad,” he snaps back. “You have me here, as well as the rest of the team.”

  “Rest of the team?” I ask and turn back to face him. “As in, all of them?”

  “Yes,” he tells me. “After Aunt Margie told me what happened, I told Joy, and she called the others. We’re here for you, Gray. We’re here to support you.”

  “Xander?” I hear Uncle James ask as he walks back into the waiting room carrying two coffees. “What are you doing here? How do you know Gray?”

  “We’re teammates,” Xander answers. “And friends.”

  “Small world,” he says, and I shake my head.

  “Uncle James, how did you not know Xander and Joy went to LPU and bowled?” I ask.

  “I knew they went to LPU, but I had no idea they bowled,” he responds and shrugs. “You know I suck at keeping up with things. If you hadn’t programed all your bowling stuff, and all of Nata
sha and Nathan’s stuff into my phone, I’d never have remembered anything.”

  “That’s true,” I respond with a small grin. “You are pretty hopeless.”

  “How did you know we were here?” Uncle James asks Xander, but Xan doesn’t get the chance to answer before the waiting room door opens again, and Rico walks in.

  “Graycen,” he says softly, and my eyes widen.

  “Alarico?” Uncle James asks, his eyes wide as saucers. “Why the hell are you here?”

  “I’m here for Graycen,” he answers, and I can feel the animosity rolling off Uncle James.

  “Don’t,” I say and step between them. “Rico is also a teammate at LPU, and a friend.”

  “Your mom is going to flip,” Uncle James says, and I shake my head.

  “Mom can’t flip,” I snap out. “She can’t do anything except lay in that damn bed because she decided death was better than me going to college.”

  “Gray,” Xander says and lays a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off and turn back to the window.

  “You should all leave,” I say without looking at them. “I don’t want any of you here.”

  “Well too bad,” Rico says and turns me to face them all. “We’re here, Graycen, and we aren’t leaving. Deal with it.”

  “Go to hell, Alarico,” I say and push him away from me.

  “I’m sure I will someday,” he replies and grabs my shoulders again. “But that day isn’t today, so deal with it.”

  “What the hell is going on here?” Ryder asks as he enters the room. “Al, get your hands off her.”

  “No. Not until she accepts we aren’t leaving,” he says without looking away from me. “Graycen, you don’t have to deal with this alone. We’re your teammates, your friends, and we want to help you.”

  My eyes fill with tears, and I try to turn from him again, but his grip tightens on my shoulders.

  “We aren’t leaving you to deal with this alone,” he tells me again, softer this time.

  “Fine, whatever,” I say and push him away again. “I need some air.”