Mack’s gut cramped harder, and his leg muscles turned to jelly. He spotted a rickety wooden stool and dropped onto it. “Will she be okay?”
“It’s too early to tell,” she replied. “We’re still assessing the extent of her injuries, but you should get here. Soon.”
Soon? As in she was going to die? “I’m in Alabama.”
“Then do your very best to get here,” she said, and the call ended.
Shocked, he pocketed his phone and stared over the lawn, if you could call it that. He could hardly focus. Not on anything but the thought of losing Addy. He couldn’t lose her. And he had to be with her. But he was needed here. Tough. She needed him more.
“You have to see this,” Kiley said from the doorway, taking a long look at him. “What’s wrong? Is it the girls?”
He managed to think clearly enough to shake his head. “Addy. Car accident.”
“Sean, get out here!” Kiley shouted as she rushed over to Mack and squatted by his knees. “Will she be okay?”
“They don’t know yet.”
Sean joined them. “What is it?”
“Addy’s been in a car accident.”
“The nurse told me to come as soon as I can.”
“Then why are you just sitting here?” Kiley made shooing motions with her hands. “Go.”
“I need to—”
“Do nothing. Get in the car and head to the airport. Now.” Kiley got up and tugged him to his feet. “We’ve got things here.”
“But the girls—”
“We got them,” Sean said. “Go.”
“I didn’t get ahold of Eisenhower.”
“I’ll call him,” Sean said.
Mack nodded, the reason he was stalling becoming clear. The minute he got in their rental SUV to drive to the airport was the minute he had to admit he’d failed the person he loved most on this earth. Failed her big-time, and she was clinging to life in an emergency room.
Chapter 4
THE SMELLOF ANTISEPTICand vomit comingled in the emergency room waiting area, but Mack didn’t care. All he cared about was finding Addy. Ten long hours had passed since the phone call and it was nearing midnight. He was tired. Cranky. And hungry. Not a good combination, and it didn’t bode well for anyone who crossed his path.
Hoping to at least freshen his breath, he popped one of his favorite mints into his mouth. He marched up to the desk and took a second to compose himself so he didn’t snap at the young woman behind the desk. “I’m Mack Jordan. My wife, Addison Leigh, was brought in this afternoon. Car accident. I need to see her. Now!”
“Let me check.” She offered a kind smile and let her fingers race across her keyboard. Her eyes narrowed, and Mack braced himself for bad news. She looked up. “She’s been moved to a room.”
“What’s the number?”
“Um, I’m afraid I can’t give that out without Addison’s permission.”
“But I’m her emergency contact.”
“Sorry. That’s not in her file.”
He was so close to losing it. “The nurse—her name’s Beth Ann—called me from here. Told me to come. Can’t you check with her?”
“Um. Well. Okay. Hold on a second.” She tapped a button onher phone and her index finger on the desktop. She explained the situation to someone on the other end of the line. Her finger stilled, and suddenly she looked up and gave him a tight smile. “It’ll be just a second while they check it out.”
