Gabriella’s phone vibrating against the bistro table distracted her for a moment but she ignored it to finish herconversation.
“I’ll let you go,” Heather rushed to say, backing up a step. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your tea. I just stopped by to pick up the guitar I left after performing here the other night, but I’m not sure I want to bring it out in this weather, even in the protective case.” She stared out the window with a frown. “But let’s get together soon. I know Zach is anxious to see you. And you have the alarm code for the house anytime you want to go over, right?”
As if she had any desire to set foot in the childhood home where she’d tried to take her own life. Although she did, indeed, have the app for the alarm system on her phone.
“Yes. But I’ll call Zach tomorrow if I don’t see him in court and we’ll get together soon.” Gabriella needed all her emotional resources to get through the trial, so it made sense to touch base with her brother—the very best of her family.
So why did she long only to drive back to her motel and see if the light was on in Clayton’s cabin?
Her phone vibrated again as Heather walked away. There weren’t many people who had her private number. What if someone else in their support group needed help?
“Mia, I don’t mean to be rude, but I should see who that is just in case it’s important.” Concerned, she was already flipping the device over to check the screen.
“Take your time,” Mia urged, reaching for a pink cupcake decorated with a frosting daisy. “I’m going to try one of these delicious-looking things.”
While Mia peeled away the decorative silver paper on her cupcake, Gabriella returned her attention to the phone.
Her gaze dropped to the first of two short textsfrom Clayton.
Pete had a seizure. I am following ambulance to hospital.
She gripped her phone tight, her heart hurting for Clay. And Mia. The teen was already worried about her father and now this.
Gabriella scanned down to the next message. And her chest squeezed even tighter.
Tell Mia. She can meet us at the hospital.
Chapter Nine
Mia watched Ellie—Gabriella, she reminded herself—read her messages and knew something was wrong. And judging from the way Gabriella looked up from her phone with something like panic in her eyes, Mia got a weird suspicion it somehow involvedher.
After her time in foster homes and all those years living with an addict mother, she had a sixth sense for predicting when the shit was going to hit the fan. That instinct went bananas now…screaming a warning. She shoved aside the rest of the strawberry cupcake she’d been eating, knowing the day had been too good to be true. Free clothes, no school and a meal in a nice restaurant? Ha! That had never been her life. She should have known the universe would make sure she wasn’t that lucky.
“What’s the matter?” She must’ve knotted the napkin on her lap before she realized she was doing it because suddenly it was all balled up. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No.” Gabriella didn’t have a face for lies, her blue eyes sincere and kind. But then again, she’d never told Mia abouther real name. And right now the woman bit her lip like her foster sister Nicole used to when she was worried about something.
“Then what’s going on?” she prompted, hating the sick feeling of not knowing.
“It’s your father.” Gabriella’s voice scratched with something like regret. “He’s being taken to the hospital.”
The floor seemed to open up, swallowing her whole. Mia had to grab the edge of the table for balance, her stomach in sudden revolt.
“Is he—?” She couldn’t say it, even though she’d asked herself the question a hundred times as she tiptoed past his bed while he lay very still. “Will he…?” Shaking her head, she gave up asking the question yet again. She stood, the knotted napkin falling off her lap while she reached for her windbreaker. “I have to go.”
“Please.” Gabriella threw some bills on the table and stood, too. “Let me drive you. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”
“That’s fine, but can we hurry?” Mia was already heading for the door, not caring that heads were turning in the fancy restaurant. She knew that it wouldn’t make Pete live longer if she got to the hospital faster. But then again…what if knowing she was there made the old man fight harder to live another day?
She needed him more than he knew.
Vaguely, Mia heard the hostess call after her—or maybe she just said goodbye. But she was already shoving open the main entrance and heading into the downpour that hadn’t let up.
“I’m parked over here!” Gabriella shouted from nearby, hitting the key fob to make the brake lights flash on awhite sedan.
Mia ran to Gabriella’s car, her heart thundering harder than the rumble of the storm. The door was unlocked when she reached it and she let herself in a moment ahead of Gabriella.
Pete was taken to the hospital. She’d been having a fun day while her father might already be dead.
