Page 126 of Holiday on the Rocks
One hand went over his heart and the other punched the air. “Yes!”
Rachel grabbed my hand. “Allie, what are you doing?”
My heart did a triple back handspring with a twist. “I’m marrying the only man I’ve ever loved.”
Will shook his head. “This is not happening.”
I threw my arms in the air. “I don’t care what you or anyone thinks.”
Levi took a step and grabbed my hand. A second later Clint had Levi by his coat and pushed him hard. “Get the fuck out of here! You’re not marrying anyone.”
Levi leaned in. “Watch me.”
With that Clint punched Levi in the jaw and he stumbled back.
Levi let out a sarcastic laugh. “That all you got? She’s always been mine, we all know that.”
Levi nailed Clint in the face as Rachel screamed. Clint stood, lunged forward, grabbed Levi by the jacket, and pushed him so hard he went off of the sidewalk and into the street.
My heart stopped when a passing car hit Levi and sent him onto the hood of the car and over the top. I heard screams and tore into the street behind the car to find Levi lying on his side. My heart beat violently, with a frantic pounding in my ears. What?
I dropped to my knees, everything being hyper-slow, as fragmented thoughts tried to comprehend what was happening. His eyes closed, how still he was, the blood coming from his head.
A numbness wrapped around me; this wasn’t happening. Was this real? It couldn’t be.
There was commotion all around me but in the space between Levi and me, there was silence. I leaned down and cradled his head in my arms as my white coat was turning red. I took my scarf and held it against his head and my vision blurred.
I couldn’t lose him.
They’d just rolled him into the hospital room after surgery and my soul ached looking at him. Evan sat in the corner of the room and Will was smart enough to be in the waiting area outside after the girls sent Clint away.
Kristina knocked and walked in. “Hey. Can I get you some coffee or water?”
I shook my head as a nurse entered and checked the machines next to Levi’s bed. “The doctor will be in soon to discuss the surgery.”
Kristina leaned down. “What can we do? Anything you want, I’ll do.”
“Bring a Christmas tree here. And lights, lots of lights.”
“What?”
I wiped my eyes. “He loves Christmas, it’s his favorite. And tomorrow is Christmas.”
Kristina squeezed my arm. “Honey, I don’t think they allow that in ICU.”
The nurse looked over. “Normally not.” Her eyes told me the chances weren’t good. “But I think a small tree would be just fine.”
“The girls and I will go get one right now, okay?”
I nodded as I looked at Levi. His face was calm while all hell was breaking loose inside him.
I stood when a man in blue scrubs and a white doctor’s coat entered and extended his hand. “I’m Dr. Ferguson.”
“I’m Allie.”
“Please have a seat.” He sat in the empty chair beside me. “I apologize I wasn’t able to speak with you prior to the surgery. We wanted to get in there as soon as possible.”
He motioned to Levi. “He has a condition known as a cerebral edema. It’s something that turns our most precious organ into a battleground.”
