Page 63 of While You're There
A flurry of thoughts clashed for dominance in her mind, each one knocking on the door of her subconscious and demanding attention. She didn’t know what to focus on. She didn’t know how to keep her balance when it felt like the earth was literally crumbling beneath her feet.
“I—I didn’t know,” Rhett confessed in a whisper. He was uncharacteristically pale, his steel grey-blue eyes wider than she had ever seen them. She watched his Adam’s apple work overtime as he gulped. “I swear I didn’t know,” he repeated.
It was then that she realized he expected her to say something. To react. To say anything.
“You have to go.” She didn’t even think about it. She just said it. She took three steps forward to close the space between them. As soon as she was within range, he fell into her arms.
“I swear I didn’t know, V,” he whispered into her ear. A confession, a muffled sob. She believed him. And yet…
Rhett had just admitted that Chandler had been calling him for weeks. He said she was playing a game. That obviously wasn’t true. He said he didn’t know. But he should have known.
“I believe you. But you need to call her, Ev. You need to call her right now.”
He pulled away just enough to lift his phone between them. Neither of them moved any further apart. They stood toe-to-toe in the sunroom as he lifted the phone to his ear.
“Chandler,” he croaked. “I just saw your text. What’s going on?”
Tori watched his face contort as he absorbed what was being said.
“When did it start?”
“What did the doctor say?”
“Who’s there with you now?”
Tori reached out to get his attention, placing her hand on the arm hanging at his side. “You have to go,” she mouthed to him, repeating her initial reaction to the news. “You have to be there for her.”
Tori watched as his expression hardened. Resolve had set in. She already knew what he needed to do. Now he knew it, too. “Text me the name of the hospital. I’ll get in the car right now and be there as soon as I can.” He stood up straighter as he listened to whatever she said in reply.
“Columbus?” he questioned.
Tori glanced over at the clock hanging above the mahogany bar. It was just after ten. The drive to Columbus was more than two hours from here. Her eyes trailed back down, landing on the empty lowball glass he had left on the bar.
Shit.
Rhett had been drinking all. Damn. Day. She had been willing to downplay that fact earlier when he only had to drive them five minutes through town. But then he came home and drank even more. There was absolutely no way he could drive anywhere now.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he repeated into the phone, softer, as he ended the call and hung his head. He lifted a closed fist to his mouth and shook his head in dismay.
Tori knew he was just barely holding on. She also knew what she was about to say was possibly going to make him fly off the handle.
“Rhett…” she started, closing her eyes to conjure up the strength she needed. She had already run through all the options in her head. It was the only way. “I’ll drive you.”
Anger crossed his expression as he opened his mouth to object.
Tori held up a hand and looked him in the eye.
“You’ve been drinking. Your mind is reeling. You cannot drive yourself to Columbus right now.”
“Tori,” he pleaded. “I have to go. I have to be there.”
“I know that. I agree. But you can’t drive. You weren’t in any position to drive us home earlier, then you came home and drank even more.”
He stared at her a beat, then another. His face was expressionless now, his in-control mask fixed in place.
“You’re my wife. I can’t ask you to do this.”
“You’re right. I’m your wife. That’s why I can’t let you do this alone.”
