Page 21 of Loving Hard on the Highway

Sean

“This has been one of the best nights of my life,” I confessed as Gabbie lay in my arms.

“Who knew saloons could be so exciting?” Gabbie teased.

I let out a soft laugh. “You are incredible.”

She was quiet, but I hoped she knew how true my words were. She was amazing, and I knew I would do anything for her, for her love. I thought I should tell her, but before I could say another word, my phone rang. I could tell from the ring that it was my brother.

“That’s Max,” I mumbled.

“Your brother?” Gabbie sat up and pulled the bedcover over her body.

“Yeah.” I was tired and confused. “He wouldn’t call at 4 am unless it was serious.”

I answered the phone while pulling on my boxers. “Hey, Max, what’s up?”

“Sorry to call you so late,” Max said. I heard the stress and tiredness in his voice. “I tried to call you sooner, but things were crazy.”

“Bro, what’s going on?”

“It’s Grandpa. He lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital about an hour ago.”

“Is he…” I was afraid to ask.

“He’s alive, but we don’t know what’s going on. When do you get back?” Max asked.

“I had planned to be back in two days, but…” I ran my hands through my hair, thinking. “I can be home tomorrow evening.”

“Dad isn’t going to let you use the jet. Maybe Myra can get you a flight,” Max suggested.

“No, I’m in the middle of nowhere. By the time I get to an airport and make a flight, I’ll be halfway home.”

“Are you still traveling with your friend?” Max asked, with an implied question behind it.

I turned to Gabbie, sitting on the bed, concern in her big brown eyes. “Yeah, but that’s not why.”

“It was just a question,” Max said. “Get some sleep and get back as soon as you can.”

?

The morning light slipped reluctantly through the cracks in the curtains, pale and warm. I opened my eyes, despite sleep arriving in thin, broken threads that unraveled with every shift of thought.

Over the last couple of hours, my thoughts jolted between Gabbie and my grandpa. I’d drift to near sleep with the blissful memories of making love to her, touching her, tasting her, being inside her, only to be rocked by the dread of never seeing Grandpa again.

I placed a kiss on Gabbie’s shoulder. The warmth of her body against mine soothed me.

She stirred. Her hand found mine beneath the blankets, warm and instinctively caressing her breast.

“You didn’t sleep,” she whispered, not quite a question.

I shook my head, taking a breath of her sweet scent. “I kept thinking about him. About what my brother said. I should’ve gone last night.”

“You needed rest,” she said.

“I didn’t get it.”

I sat up, rubbing the sleep, or lack of it, from my eyes. The room was quiet except for the hush of early morning and the creak of the bed frame. Gabbie sat up with me, her hand sliding to my back.

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