Page 72 of A Lot Like Forever
“Did they say . . .” He couldn’t even get the words out.
“He had a massive stroke: they don’t expect him to hold on much longer.”
The blood that had been running through him so damn hot turned cold as ice. Nate took a deep breath, then started to walk fast back in the direction he’d come. “Call the doctor back; tell them I’ll be there. Tell them to do anything they can to keep him alive until then. And call Chase.”
As soon as he hung up, Nate’s fast walk turned into an all-out sprint, his legs pumping, covering the ground as fast as he did when he ran in the mornings, trying to jog away his demons.
“Ryder!” he called. “Ryder!”
It didn’t take long for him to find them, Ryder wandering along without a care in the world and Rose still riding on his shoulders.
“Hey, don’t tell me you need more brotherly advice already?” Ryder joked.
The smile died on his brother’s face faster than it had appeared and Nate took a few deep breaths, blowing hard, before breaking the news to him.
“It’s Granddad. I think it’s the end.” Nate reached for Rose, taking her down from Ryder’s shoulders and folding her in his arms instead. He needed to hold her and there was no way Ryder could run with her up there, and every part of him was screaming out that they needed to hurry; hell, they might already be too late. “We need to go now.”
They both jogged back toward the house, pacing themselves, not saying a word.No, not now.Nate wasn’t ready to say good-bye to the man who’d raised them and taught them almost everything they knew, and he doubted either of his brothers was, either. His granddad meant the world to him, and once he was gone Nate would be running the King empire without guidance. It shouldn’t have and he’d never admit it to another soul, but the idea scared the shit out of him.
When they finally stopped, both heaving, Nate set a wide-eyed Rose to her feet and let Ryder take her hand. Nate stared at Ryder.
“This is the end, isn’t it?” Ryder said in a quiet voice. “It’s time to say good-bye.”
Nate nodded. “Take her back to Chloe and I’ll bring the car around.”
They went separate ways. Nate broke into a run again, but it was like he wasn’t in control of his body. When he stopped, his hands were shaking as he hunted for his keys, the back of his throat burning. For a guy used to shielding himself from emotion, the pain was so bad it took all his willpower not to double over and vomit from the waves of terror draining every inch of strength from his body.
His phone rang again and he picked up before getting into the vehicle.
“Yes!” he demanded, thinking it was going to be more news,worse news.
“Nate, it’s Chuck!” the man yelled down the line. “We’ve hit oil! The bloody stuff is spurting up like crazy!”
Nate’s eyes stung, an unfamiliar burn prickling hard. He cleared his throat. “Great. Thanks for the call.”
He hung up, stopped for a moment, needing to catch his breath. Nausea rocked him, the bile in his throat choking him as he bent over beside the car.
“Damn you!” he yelled.
The one thing he’d wanted was his granddad to see the oil, to be there and watch it, to see it happen. And Nate knew in his heart that his grandfather was already gone.
* * *
“Nate?”
Nate looked up. He was exhausted, every bone in his body weary as he finally walked away from his granddad’s room. Nate was grateful to have had the last few hours alone with his brothers, so they could say their good-byes, but it had taken everything from him.
“Hey, Sam,” he managed, locking eyes on his friend as he stood from a seat in the small waiting area. The brothers had requested not to be disturbed, just the three of them wanting to spend time alone, but Nate noticed that Chloe and Hope had both been waiting, too, their arms around Ryder and Chase now they’d walked out behind him.
“Nate, I’m sorry, man,” Sam said, opening his arms and pulling Nate in for a hug, slapping his back and holding him tight.
Nate took a deep breath. He’d prepared for this, he’d known this was coming, but all the prep in the world wasn’t helping right now.
“Thanks for coming,” he managed.
“All this bullshit with Faith, I’m sorry. Let’s just forget about it.”
Nate nodded when Sam stood back. He wasn’t going to talk about Faith right now, didn’t want to discuss the one person in the world he wished was by his side. Sam was right, they could forget what had happened, because when it happened again it was going to be different. No more sneaking around, no more stolen kisses, just Nate telling the whole world that Faith was his. If she’d have him.
