Page 58 of Want You Back

“Okay.” Faith coughed again before making a sick, gargling noise.

I shot to my feet, immediately going to the cubicle entrance as Faith’s monitors started beeping louder. “Nurse? Help?”

Medical staff came running out of seemingly nowhere, filling the room in a matter of seconds, crowding around Faith.

“We need you to step outside the room now, Mr. Lovelorn.” One of the nurses, an older woman in pink scrubs, forcibly steered me to the hallway.

“What’s happening?” I demanded as the crowd around Faith continued to work, barking orders at each other.

“We’re trying to stabilize your sister.” The nurse patted my upper arm. “Let us help her.”

Let us help.That was pretty much what I’d told Faith too. A cry escaped my throat.

“Faith! You can do hard things,” I called out. “You’re a Lovelorn, Faith. Please fight.”

And all I could do now was hope she would.

Chapter33

Colt

“What will happenif my mom dies?” Hannah asked while picking at a stack of pancakes. I’d made pancakes and bacon for the girls for breakfast, hoping it might be a good distraction and a way to get some food into Hannah. She hadn’t eaten much last night.

“That’s not going to happen!” Willow barked out. God, I hated this for her too. Inevitably, Faith’s accident had to be triggering memories of losing Betsey. Not a shocker that Willow wouldn’t welcome what-if questions.

“You don’t know that,” Hannah shot back, eyes narrowing with the first real argument I’d seen between the girls all summer.

“None of us knows what is going to happen.” I pitched my voice to be soothing, hoping to reassure them both while also needing to be honest. “The last update from Maverick said he’d know more soon.”

The precise text had been more dire.

Trauma team working on Faith again. Something’s happening, but I can’t get answers. Pray. Will update when I know more.

I’d toned it down slightly to Hannah by telling her that the doctors were still trying to help Faith and Maverick would update us when he could.

“That was a while ago.” Hannah shook her head as she gazed down at all three of our way-too-silent phones on the table.

“Yeah.” I couldn’t disagree with her there. “And to answer your question, we’re all pulling for your mom to make it. But sometimes, bad things happen that aren’t in our control. If something happens to her, you have so many people who love you and who would step up to help. Your Uncle Maverick, of course, but also your friends at the ranch, Willow, me, and our family. You wouldn’t be alone, Hannah. I promise.”

“Okay,” she whispered, eyes big and liquid.

“Oh, Hannah.” Willow stood up from her chair to hug her friend hard. “It will be okay.” Turning toward me, Willow added, “Can you call Kat? I think Hannah needs Magnolia.”

More like Willow needed some Pepperjack time to deal with what had to be a cyclone of conflicting emotions. Nevertheless, I made the call, and Kat said to bring the girls later in the morning. In the meantime, I took them to the diner for some arcade game distraction and a chance for me to help Aunt Georgia with a leaky faucet she hadn’t wanted to bother a plumber about.

“How is Maverick holding up?” Aunt Georgia leaned against the door to the walk-in as I examined the faulty prep sink. She, like most of the town, already knew all about Faith’s accident, and she’d had big hugs for both girls before they made their way to the arcade games.

“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “Text updates have been sporadic.”

“Understandable. Hospitals are nothing but hurry up and wait.” Her eyes went distant, undoubtedly thinking of my father and other hospital vigils of her own. “I guess a better question is, how areyouholding up?”

“Me?” I scoffed. She was far too perceptive, but I’d never come right out and told her Maverick and I were anything other than friends. “I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh.” She gave me a pointed look, so I busied myself with the faucet instead of meeting her shrewd gaze. Aunt Georgia didn’t take my hint, however, and stayed nearby. “Well, I’m pulling for Maverick and Hannah. Faith messed up big time, but they don’t deserve that kind of loss.”

“No one does,” I said softly. My heart pounded and my hand holding the wrench turned clammy. Perhaps Aunt Georgia was right to be concerned. Willow wasn’t the only one dealing with flashbacks to other losses. The official ruling on Betsey’s death had been distracted late-night driving, not intoxication, but I couldn’t deny similar feelings of rage and helplessness. Every time I glanced out at the girls playing arcade games, I saw another kid who needed her mom. And in Hannah’s scared eyes, I saw Maverick at fourteen, confronting his own loss.What about you?I inhaled sharply, not liking that thought one bit. But the truth was, I was in that club as well, missing my dad every damn day of my life.Family first, always.“Hannah has enough on her plate as it is. She doesn’t need to lose her mom.”

My voice, which was usually so strong and steady, legit wobbled.

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