Page 167 of Dream Chaser

He shook his head, then his fingers coasted over my face as if he wanted to commit every line to memory. “That it took me so long to find you, Nova Lockhart.”

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

Nova

March

“Want to grab dinner? Or we could order takeout,” Alejandro said as we stood by the carousel at the airport, waiting for our luggage. It was Thursday. Tomorrow, a long list of work commitments awaited us both. Next weekend, I was shooting the Aeterno campaign. I couldn’t wait.

“Sure,” I said. “Your place or mine?”

“Well”—he draped an arm across my shoulders—“since your suitcase is here, you could leave some of your clothes at my place.”

“Or you at mine.”

He dropped a quick kiss on top of my head. “Deal.”

My burgundy suitcase emerged through the rubber curtain. Alejandro lifted it off the belt, then got his black one. My phone buzzed as we headed for the parking garage where he’d left his SUV.

My mother’s name on the screen halted my steps.

My throat tightened; I let the cell ring. It must’ve been about the divorce. Why else would she call?

“Nova?” Alejandro frowned. “What’s wrong?”

I dropped the phone into my purse. “My mother called. I don’t really want to talk to her now.”

He nodded with quiet understanding. Just as I took his hand, the phone buzzed again, then once more. Crap. Something must’ve been wrong, or she wouldn’t have insisted.

“Guess I do need to take it,” I mumbled, then pressed the phone to my ear. “Mom.”

“Nova,” she said. “I’ve been calling you for hours.”

Something in her tone made me wary. “Why?”

“I’m in the ER at Peterson Hospital.”

Despite how she treated me, worry squeezed my chest, memories of what happened to Dad resurfacing. “What happened?”

“My blood pressure spiked, and my chest hurt. I had to take a cab here because you didn’t answer.”

I swallowed my explanation. She couldn’t expect me to answer after how things ended between us. An emergency shouldn’t wait two hours for a ride anyway.

“Are you coming now?” she went on. “I’m waiting to be admitted.”

I stole a glance at Ale. He looked up from his cell, one brow rising. “Everything all right?”

“My mother’s at the hospital.”

He must’ve read the hesitation on my face because he pocketed his phone and asked, “What do you want to do?”

“Who are you talking to?” Mom said.

“Ale. Hold on.”

I covered the cell with my palm. “I guess I should go see her,” I said. “You should go home and get some rest. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

He shook his head. “If you need to go, we’ll go together.”