Page 78 of One Southern Summer

“The kids are fine. They’re back at the house with that amazing nanny my mother hired. I’ve checked on her twice. She says they’re doing great and Hayes is already asleep.”

His reassurances did nothing to settle the anxiety buzzing in her veins like a swarm of angry honeybees. “Then why are you calling?”

“It’s your grandmother. Someone just told me that she went down in the lobby waiting in line to get into the auditorium.”

“Wait, where are you?”

“The Oasis. I’m supposed to be speaking right now, but the event’s been delayed a few minutes because the ambulance had to come for Nana.”

“My nana?” She squeaked out the words.

“Yes. I wish I had more information. Do you know if she came with anyone?”

“I—I don’t know.” She paced the ground in front of her SUV. Nana had tickets to Pax and Trey’s event. Who knew? She glanced at Cole, who tracked her with that still-smoldering gaze. Willing her to end the call.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“Hang on a sec.” He spoke in a muffled voice to someone nearby. “My mother said to tell you they took her to Camellia Community Hospital.”

“I’m on my way there now. Thank you, Pax.”

“You’re welcome. Avery?”

She paused. “Yes?”

“You’ll text me later and let me know that she’s all right? It’s been a while since I’ve seen her, but your nana is a special lady. I’d hate for anything to happen to her.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something.” She ended the call then pocketed her phone. “It’s my grandmother. She fell down waiting inside The Oasis. Pax was calling to let me know. His book signing or whatever has been delayed because of her medical emergency.”

Cole’s forehead crimped. “That’s awful. Do you know where she is now?”

“Yes. Whitney says they took her to Camellia Community.”

“Do you want to go?”

She nodded.

“Are you okay to drive?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Then I’ll follow you there.”

“Thank you.” She turned and got into her car. Worry threaded its fingers around her heart. Nana was exasperating sometimes, but they couldn’t lose her.

Cole fed both the dollar bills he’d found in his wallet, plus a handful of quarters scrounged from the tray in his vehicle, into the hospital’s vending machine. Then he chose peanut butter M&Ms and a Twix bar. The candy dropped to the bottom of the machine with a satisfying thunk. He grabbed the water and the candy and strode back down the hall to the waiting room.

Avery sat in a beige plastic chair in the corner, one leg crossed over the other, and her sandaled foot tapping the air. A nervous posture reminiscent of how she’d often sat in high school when they’d waited for their teachers to return their graded exams.

“Hey.” He sat down beside her. “Options are limited around here.”

She eyed the chocolate in his hand.

“I have fresh water bottled at the source, as well as your choice of gourmet chocolate.”

“Thank you.” She accepted the water and took the peanut butter M&Ms. Selfishly, he’d hoped she’d go for the Twix bar instead.

She leaned over and brushed his cheek with a kiss. He froze. It took everything in him not to turn his head ever so slightly and capture her lips with his.

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