This is the nightmare I’ve been dreading for years, and I’m not ready to lose him. He’s been there for me when every other man in my life has let me down. He’s my partner in crime, my sounding board, my shoulder to cry on, and my best friend.
“Yeah. I’ll be there in a minute. Get him on his side in case he pukes.”
Too late for that.
“O-okay.”
I turn the phone on speaker, stretching the charger across the room to lay it on the coffee table, so I can crawl over to the couch and grab Shane’s hand.
“Gabriel?”
“Yeah?”
“Please don’t hang up.”
I press a kiss to Shane’s forehead and brush the hair from his face. “Please be okay. Please. I need you,” I whisper so only Shane can hear me.
“I won’t. I’m pulling out now. Everything’s gonna be fine. Is he on his side?” The turn signal clicks in the background.
“Yeah.” I sniff.
“Okay, good. That’s good. You’ve got this.”
“I can’t lose him,” I sob, dropping my forehead to his arm.
“I know. I’m so sorry, Ash. When’s the last time you heard from him?”
“Um…”
He was here a week ago, when everything happened with my dad. Nik called this weekend asking if I’d seen him, but I figured he was just avoiding me because he felt guilty.
“I guess a week ago. God, where’s he been this whole time? He looks terrible.”
“A week-long binge will do that to you,” he mumbles.
21
GABE
MAY PRESENT DAY
I’m going to be responsible for the death of my best friend.
I brought him into this world, and it’s going to kill him.
Her voice was a shock after that conversation we had this afternoon. Things got a little too real, and all I could think wasmake it stop. So, I acted like an asshole. I’m good at that these days.
Now, her sobs over the line are about enough to make my heart stop beating in my chest. I know how much he means to her, and I’m not sure she can handle losing him. Until they went to live with their Gran, Shane was the one who watched out for her. He was more like a parent than a brother for a long time.
Jumping out of the truck, I race to the front door. It’s unlocked, so I barge in.
“Is he breathing?” I ask, tearing through the house to where Ash sits, looking every bit the broken girl I saw leaving town six years ago. She’s beside the couch, holding Shane’s hand.
“Yeah. I think so.” She sits back onto her butt.
I kneel and tap his face. “Hey. Wake up, fucker. We’ve gotta go.”
He groans, rolling his head to the side. At least he’s still alive. I’ve seen him every which way but sober over the years, but I’ve never seen him this bad.
