Page 62 of Unconventionally, Elle
"Babe? Babe, what is it?" I turned my body completely to his, trying to get him to look at me.
"Elle, Barrett, is everything okay?" Finn called out. I saw him shut the door and start to head toward us.
Barrett turned his phone for me to see. The texts were in all caps.
"It's from Emma," I choked out.
Barrett was staring at me with a fierce expression.
"Oh my God, Barrett, it's your dad," I whispered in shock.
Barrett pulled his phone back and looked over my shoulder as Finn ran up behind me.
"I have to go." Barrett turned back to the car. "I need to meet Emma at the hospital--she can't be alone. Not with my mother. Not with my father... in that condition."
"Barrett, I don't think..." Idiotically, I wanted to say that I didn't think his father was going to make it. It was a coronary artery blockage--one of the nurses called it a widow-maker--and it was serious. But he seemed to read my mind and whirled around, his face flushed with anger.
"He's still alive. I need to be there. I don't care if his chances are slim. I have to be there for my family." His lips pressed together, and I saw rage building in his beautiful eyes. He was shaking, burning. I noticed vapor rising from his body in the cold Boston night.
I wanted to reach out and touch him, comfort him. "Barrett, I want to come. Let me go with you, please."
He scoffed. "Elle, you don't get it. You can't understand this thing with me and my dad." He looked back to his car and ran his hands through his hair. He always did that when he was flustered.
Finn was standing next to me now, his hand on my lower back, letting me know he was there.
"You never knew your father. You didn't have this fucked-up relationship because he disappeared. You're lucky, you know that?" His voice was shaking, spite lacing his every word.
"Then tell me. Tell me what I don't understand!" I pleaded, heart sinking with every outburst from his lips.
Finn moved his hand and pulled me into him, holding me tight.
"You don't have a father leaving you a huge fucking company to run with real goddamn responsibility." Barrett's tone seethed with... something. I couldn't put my finger on it. Was that jealousy?
Speechless, I put my hand over my mouth and felt his verbal knife pierce my heart and twist. Who was this person spewing out venomous rage? He'd never spoken to me this way before. He would never say these things.
He continued with the final blow. "This is serious, and I'm serious. I have to go. I'm sorry, I have to go." He hurried to the driver's side of the car, jumped in, and sped away.
Finn's face was dark, lips tight and eyes narrowed. "Elle, I'm right here." He gave my shoulders a squeeze and didn't let go.
I hadn't realized tears were rolling down my cheeks until I turned into Finn's shoulder and began to sob uncontrollably. I thought I heard Finn saying my name or talking to me, but everything was an echo. I felt myself falling, maybe floating? All I knew was that my world went completely dark.
"Elle? Elle? Can you hear me?" Finn was shouting.
Where was I? I blinked a few times and then stared into my best friend's face. I was inside his house lying on the couch. Fear spread through my veins. What happened? I was standing outside... and now what?
"I don't know what just happened." I sat up and lifted my hands to my head.
"You just kind of went limp in my arms, so I hurried you inside to get warm." Finn's tone was soft and comforting.
"I'm sorry. That's so embarrassing," I groaned. "I think I just became overwhelmed, and then, well, then..." I rolled my eyes.
"I know." His firm voice made my eyes lift to his.
"He's never done that before. He's never spoken to me like that. I thought he believed in me. Do you think that's what he really thinks?" My voice cracked as I remembered Barrett's horrible words.
"I can't answer that because I don't know. But I will say... I was two seconds away from punching him in the face for the wayhe was talking to you. That was unacceptable." Finn brushed a piece of hair out of my face and gave me a soft smile.
Jackson was standing behind me, behind the couch. "We're here, Ellz. Just tell us, what do you need from us?"
