Page 37 of Feels Like Falling
I see Montana’s head nod slowly in my periphery, but I can’t make out the words that Celeste is saying.
“Hey, are y’all ready to head to the hospital?” Jensen says as he walks in through the open door. “I already called Mason and Bodhi. They’ll stay here and watch the dog. Can you drive?” He directs the question at Montana who nods, and maybe it’s because his presence is so imposing or that subconsciously I can recognize that he’s not just standing here as Montana’s friend but as Sheriff Kade, but it’s enough to bring me back to the present.
“You’re here. How did you—” My voice is raspy, and I’m not entirely sure I’m making sense.
“Heard the call come in on the radio and was in my car before the transmission was even finished.” His smile is reassuring like he has everything under control, and maybe he does; I just know I’m relieved to see him.
“You wanna change?” Montana asks and I nod, thankful for a minute to gather myself. I push up on my toes and kiss his cheek before racing toward the bedroom.
I don’t even bother closing the door before my dress is in a pile on the floor and I’m pulling on panties, jeans, and a T-shirt and grabbing one of Montana’s flannels. I know the hospital will be cold, but I throw my hair into a messy bun anyway and hustle back to the living room. No one has moved, and I thread my fingers with Montana’s like I’m the one holding him up and not the other way around.
Pressing a kiss to my forehead, he leads me out behind Celeste and Jensen, helping me into the truck before we take off for the hospital. It’s silent except for the low hum of “This Heart” by Corey Kent mixed with the sound of the tires on the asphalt.
I want to say something buthe’s gonna be finefeels empty when I don’t know if he is. I don’t know what’s wrong and I don’t know how to fix it; I just know I’d give anything to make him okay.
“He’s going to be fine,” Montana says quietly but firmly as we park in a spot close to the emergency room entrance.
My head whips to him as my lips part. “I’m supposed to be sayin’ that to you.”
He nods and rolls his lips inward as he stares out the windshield, making it feel like he’s a million miles from here.
“Grandad sees a cardiologist, has an appointment next week to talk about getting a couple stents put in. I think that’s probably what we’re lookin’ at.”
“Do you need me to call anyone? Your parents or your sisters? I can do that so you can focus on Grandad.”
Like I’ve broken a spell, I watch as his lips turn up ever so slightly on one side, his head turning slowly to look at me.
“Thanks for bein’ here, Eddie.” I nod frantically because I need that reassurance more than he could ever know. “Celeste called my parents, and I’ll text my sisters when we know more.”
“Of course, that makes sense. Are you ready to go in? Do you need a minute?”
“No, I’m ready,” he says with a half smile before leaning across the cab and placing a soft kiss on my lips. “Thank you.”
“Always.”
* * *
It was wellinto the early-morning hours when we finally got cleared to go back and see Grandad. Montana had been right about the stents, and even just seeing him postsurgery, he looked like himself again—said he felt better too.
It was good news.Great news.
And I’d lost it.
No one pointed out the tears streaming down my cheeks as I stood frozen in the doorway. I was blindsided by my reaction, but what was worse was I couldn’t stop it. It wasn’t until Grandad held out his hand toward me, beckoning me to him, that I felt my heartbeat start to slow.
He was the second Greene man in the room to offer me comfort, and I accepted it, shamelessly tracing the freckles and scars on his hand with my fingers. His nurse had kicked us out not long after, and I’d felt every muscle in my body the entire drive home.
Mason and Bodhi had gone back to their place, saying they’d take care of the morning chores so Montana could rest. Archer and Bea had texted us while we were at the hospital to say they’d dropped off muffins, a breakfast casserole, and a couple of pints of fruit for breakfast.
As everyone rallied around Grandad, my heart was damn near ready to burst. It’s not that I didn’t know how people in Blackstone Falls treated their neighbors, but I’d never been a part of it.
People had been more likely to bless my mother’s heart than bring her a casserole. She’d alienated us from this town and the wonderful people in it. No one had been unkind to me, but I never felt like I fit in anywhere.
Except with Montana.
But maybe that was my fault too. I’d feared rejection so I stopped putting myself out there at all. It wasn’t something I could fix overnight, but I could make the effort now that I’d claimed Blackstone Falls as home.
But that would have to wait till morning.
