Page 72 of Willow Vale

He gave her a wry smile. “She’s being moved to PACU on the second floor now. But only two people are allowed in the room overnight.”

“You guys go in and see her first,” I told my parents.

“Thank you, son.” Dad clapped my shoulder before taking my mother’s hand and leading her out into the hall with the doctor.

“Did you want to stay the night here? I can go bring you a change of clothes,” Delilah said to Finn and me.

“I’m good. I’ll stay here until I can see her. Thanks, Lila.” Finn cracked a small smile.

“No need to thank me. That’s what friends are for.”

“You’re more than that now,” Finn said as he gave her a quick hug before punching my arm. “I’ll see you upstairs.”

I nodded and turned to face Delilah and her misty eyes. “I’ll take you to your apartment once I see Wren, okay?”

“If you want to stay, you can?—”

“I’m not letting you drive at this hour alone. Please, give me some peace of mind.” I pleaded with her though my voice was rough. If my worrying was irrational, she didn’t call me out on it.

All I knew was that I needed her, and I think she knew that too because her voice was gentle as she said, “Okay, we’ll go together then.”

CHAPTER 29

Lila

The driveback to the ranch was quiet and tense. Our thoughts were on the last few hours.

After we each slipped into Wren’s room to see her and nearly broke down at the sight of all the wires and machines surrounding her, Travis and I left the hospital to come back to the apartment and check on River. He was awake when we walked in, watching a Disney movie with Desi. River also seemed to notice Travis’s mood and he ran up to him with a drawing he’d made. One of the three of us sitting on horses with the mountains behind us.

“For you,” he said. “So that you’re not sad anymore.”

We both had to look away to hide the tears that his innocent gesture brought forth. Travis let out a wet laugh, and I knew if I saw the hurt on his face, I wouldn’t be able to keep it together.

“Thanks, buddy. I love it.”

Travis tried to leave, saying he had to go check up on the ranch and notify the ranch hands that he and Finn wouldn’t be there tomorrow, but River begged him to let us go with him to the ranch too.

A part of me knew he wanted some space to process everything while another didn’t want to leave him. I expected Travis to break down the same way the rest of his family had at some point in the evening, but I knew he was trying to be strong for them. Ever the loyal protector.

I loved him for always being so willing to take care of others. Only right now I was worried about him. He hadn’t said much since seeing Wren and the whole drive through town wasn’t much different.

If I expected him to be angry that River and I were intruding on his space, Travis didn’t show it when we got into the truck. As soon as I sat in the passenger seat, however, Travis’s large hand held mine and he didn’t let go the whole drive to Silver Hill. His thumb caressed the back of my hand in small circles. Such a gentle, calming gesture that didn’t match the storm currently waging in his tired eyes.

I texted Desi once we were in the living room of Travis’s house that we’d made it, and she promised to go see Wren tomorrow with us.

“You guys can take the spare bedroom down the hall,” Travis said to me as he dropped the truck’s keys onto the kitchen counter. I carried River, who was now fast asleep in my arms, to the queen-size bed and laid him down before tucking him in.

By the time I stepped out into the living room, Travis was nowhere to be found. I went upstairs where he’d said his bedroom was, but he wasn’t in there either.

“Trav?” I turned only to spot a sliver of light pouring into the darkened space coming from the bathroom. I slowly pushed the door open and found him hunched over the sink, his head bowed between his shoulders. He’d changed into a black t-shirt and sweatpants. “Travis?”

He didn’t look at me when he said, “You might want tosleep with River tonight in case he wakes up looking for you. I don’t want to keep you up any later than you already have.”

“Travis—”

“I’m going to get you guys a couple of blankets in case it gets too cold in the room.” Without another word he spun on his heel and strode out of the bathroom without sparing me a glance.

Taking a deep breath, I quietly followed him.

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