Page 55 of Dating the DILF
“Dad, I’m going to call an ambulance. It’s going to be fine, okay? Don’t worry about a thing.”
He blinks once, long and slow and a feeling of dread knots my stomach.
Everything is going to be fine. It has to be.
My eyes burn and hot tears trickle down my cheeks as I watch Chloe begging Lucifer not to leave her before they share their final kiss.
I hug the cushion closer to my chest, trying to calm myself. What the hell was I thinking watching this?
I grab the remote and search forThe Big Bang Theory, needing something light and funny. I find the episode where it’s flashing back to how Leonard and Sheldon became roommates, one of my favorites, and I settle back into the sofa. I’m craving something sweet, but I finished my last pint of ice cream earlier, and I’m down to my last pack of candy, so I’m rationing the M&M’s.
I glance at my phone sitting on the coffee table, wanting to call Miles, just as I have every minute for the last six days. I had no intention of leaving it this long. I just needed a day to lick my wounds and indulge in some self-pity. But all day Sunday I kept replaying the moment I was ambushed on the phone. The sick feeling of panic and betrayal brought my childhood rushing back to me and all of my fears came roaring back to life.
How could he do something like that without talking to me? Let me be blindsided that way?
I pick the phone up and scroll to the last message from Miles, sent this morning.
Miles: Do you ever wonder if parallel universes really exist?
Miles: I hope I find you in every one of them.
I bite my lip in an effort to stop the tears, fighting every one of my instincts that are telling me to call him. My deliberation is cut short when I’m interrupted by loud banging on my door.
A sliver of fear shoots through me until I hear Addy’s voice calling out, demanding I open the door.
I jump up, the urgency in her voice feeding my apprehension. When I fling the door open, she doesn’t give me a chance to say a word.
“Grab your keys and purse, Robert’s been taken to the hospital.”
The automatic doors open, and we rush through into the emergency room waiting area. There are people everywhere and the organized chaos kicks my anxiety into overdrive.
Addy assured me that Grayson would be waiting for us and I scan the room searching him out. When I find him, my heart sinks. Gone is playful Gray with the unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. Instead, he’s standing by the elevators, slumped against the wall with his red-rimmed eyes glued to his phone.
Addy runs straight to him and pulls him into a hug. Grayson sinks into her, wrapping his arms tight around her waist and burying his face into her neck. His shoulders shake slightly, and while there is not one part of me that doesn’t want to get to Miles and Lulu as fast as possible, I turn my back and give them their moment.
“Charlie,” Grayson’s roughened voice calls me, and I move back toward them, grasping his hand and offering him a tight smile.
“Is he…” I struggle to finish the sentence.
“Yeah, he seems to be doing okay.” His voice breaks and he scrubs his hands over his face. “They’ve been doing tests, but Dad’s telling anyone who’ll listen that he’s fine, the grumpy bastard. We should be getting results soon.”
Relief washes over me.
“Do you two want a minute? I can go up by myself.”
Adelaide looks at me, suitably contrite. “I guess I owe you an explanation.”
“Yeah, you do.” I give her a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll talk later. Where can I find them, Gray?”
“Sixth floor. Turn left as soon as you step out of the elevator and then it’s the fourth room on your right. You’ll hear Dad bitching, trust me.”
I give them both a hug and then make my way up, needing to get my hands on Miles and Lulu.
The elevator seems to be moving at the speed of a snail, hours seem to fill each second and the apprehension Grayson had managed to calm, takes flight once again.
It suddenly occurs to me that Miles never called me and nerves skitter along my spine. What if he doesn’t want me here?
His earlier text flashes through my mind.I hope I find you in every one of them.
