Page 185 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Okay, she couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to call Piper. She reached for her phone. Her heart pounded against her ribcage like the march of doom as it rang. For a split second she thought it might go to voicemail, but Piper answered.

“Hello.”

Tears clouded Addie’s eyes. A sob rose in her throat as she coughed to clear the emotion.

“Addie? Are you okay?”

“No,” she croaked.

“What’s wrong?”

Her mind scrambled to find the words. She knew what she needed to say, but couldn’t seem to force her tongue to get them out.

“Addie?” Piper asked impatiently.

“It’s Jordan,” she managed to squeak.

Concern sounded in Piper’s voice. “What?”

“He’s been killed.”

This was met with stunned silence.

The words fell out in a tangled heap. “I’m so sorry. He stopped by the Bear Claw Resort today. As he was leaving, he was hit by a car that sped off.”

Piper gasped. Then her voice went shrill. “No, that’s not true! Jordan left for work this morning at the research lab. He wasn’t even in Birchwood Springs.”

Addie’s heart felt like it was splintering into pieces. “He was.”

“No, that can’t be right. There must be some mistake.”

“I’m afraid it’s true.” Her voice sounded small in her own ears. She wanted to crawl into a hole—anything to escape the present.

“No!” Piper made a strangled sound. Then she started weeping.

Tears streamed down Addie’s cheeks. “I’m so sorry.” She put a fist to her lower lip to stay the quivering. The only sounds were Piper’s ragged grief. Addie wished she was there with Piper. It was so cruel to have to tell her this over the phone, but she wanted it to come from her instead of a stranger. “Piper, are you okay?” It was a stupid question. Of course Piper wasn’t okay, but what did one say to another person during a time like this?

“I’ve—” She choked. “I’ve gotta let you go.”

Panic fluttered through Addie. She didn’t want to end the call right now, not when Piper was in such a terrible emotional state. “Are you home?”

Silence.

Her voice rose. “Piper, are you home?”

“Yes,” Piper finally uttered.

“Are you alone?”

“Dad’s here.”

The tone of Piper’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion like she was in shock.

Addie let out a relieved breath. At least Piper wasn’t alone. “I’m so sorry.” Her voice broke. There were no words sufficient for this. “I love you. Know that I’m here and will help in any way I can.”

“Thanks,” Piper croaked as she ended the call.

Addie just sat there, clutching the phone with both hands as she stared into nothing, her mind spinning a million miles a minute. She had to tell Piper everything that happened. However, now wasn’t the appropriate time. Jordan was fromBirchwood Springs. His funeral and burial would most likely be here. Piper and her dad would come into town. She’d wait and talk to Piper in person, after Piper had a few days to digest the tragedy.

---