Cal’s mum.
‘What the hell?’ I muttered, shooting Jesse an apologetic glance as I picked up, holding it to my ear as our bill arrived.
‘Hi Diane,’ I answered, passing my wallet to Jesse, which he promptly pushed away. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘Oh, hello love,’ she said, a quiet, underlying tiredness in her tone immediately setting me on edge. We’d always got along, even during the time Cal and I were falling apart. ‘It’s not great news, I’m afraid. Cal’s . . . unwell. He’s been admitted to hospital again.’ She paused for a second, her voice cracking. ‘It all happened last night, when he was alone. His new friend found him.’
I froze, thinking – knowing – why.
‘Shit. Is it the same as before?’ I asked, Jesse now watching with concern.
‘Yes,’ she choked as I closed my eyes, leaning on the table. ‘Not quite as bad, but . . .’ She seemed to gather herself, exhaling deeply. ‘Hestia, I don’t want to have to ask this of you, but I think he needs help – with the business, at least. I knew he wasn’t coping, but . . . I’m not sure he can do it without you. He fell out with Blake last week and he took off – it sounds like things have been too much. I know how hard you’ve both worked for it. I just thought you’d want a chance to fix things before it goes too far.’
I swallowed, feeling Jesse’s hand on my arm.
‘Okay,’ I whispered, ‘I’ll see what I can do. Is someone with him?’
‘I’m here right now,’ she said, sighing. ‘Taking turns with his . . . friend.’
‘Becca, by any chance?’ I asked, remembering the phone call, how hard I’d been on him.
‘I’m sorry, love, yeah, it is,’ she replied, further sadness in her tone.
‘It’s okay,’ I lied, leaning into Jesse’s touch for a moment, the realization sinking in. ‘I’ll let you know when I’ve made plans.’
We hung up and I swore under my breath, Jesse waiting until I looked up at him.
‘Long story,’ I clarified. ‘I’ll tell you in the truck.’
Back outside and climbing in, my head began to spin in the sudden quiet.
Launching into an explanation, I included the last time Cal had landed in hospital after a huge bender, taking so many pills that the doctors hadn’t known if he’d wake up with any kind of brain function.
Jesse’s face darkened, one hand gripping the steering wheel as the implication dawned.
‘So . . . you’ve got to go home, for your business? For . . . him?’ he questioned, bowing his head for a moment.
‘I think so . . . unless there’s a way I can convince Blake to come back and run things, but it sounds like Cal’s fucked that up too.’
He swore, his whole upper body tensing.
‘Will it be temporary? You can come back here, right?’ he checked, turning to me. There was no disguising the pain in his eyes.
A sense of hopelessness washed over me at the awful inevitability of what was now playing out.
‘Maybe,’ I said, barely able to tolerate the desperation that widened his eyes. ‘I’m not sure how, without losing the studio. It’s everything I’ve worked towards . . . but I . . .’
‘Hestia,’ he murmured, leaning over to me, his hand brushing my neck, along my jaw. ‘I can’t lose you. Not so soon, please.’
I nodded, biting my lip, unable to see a way out.
‘I was always going to have to go back,’ I replied, lifting my hand to cover his.
‘I know, but . . .’ His brow furrowed as he struggled with the words I knew were there, waiting to be said. ‘Things have changed,’ he added, looking into my eyes, a sense of urgency building. ‘I hoped – maybe with some more time . . .’
I nodded, a numbness building in my chest, trying to block out the creeping dread.
‘Let’s go back to the ranch,’ I suggested, my voice flat. ‘I’ll make some calls, okay?’
