“Good grief. I haven’t been gone that long.” Drying my hands, I linked my arm with hers. “Let’s go.”
As we reached the table, my cell began vibrating. Sliding it out of my purse, I tapped it to answer the call before looking to see who it was. Sully slid my chair out as I sat down.
“Hello?”
“Maggie Jameson?” said a woman on the line.
“Yes.” Damn, why hadn’t I looked at the number. Now I was likely going to have to hang up on some poor telemarketer just trying to do their job.
“I’m calling on behalf of your father.”
I sat up straight, my heartbeat pounding out a new beat. I felt Sully lean in, putting his hand on my arm.
“What about my father?” I saw Emma’s gaze swing to mine, Max put down his beer.
I heard the words, “There has been an accident,” and my world stopped spinning.
28
His Whole World
Sully
Glancing over at the sleeping passenger, I couldn’t help but smile. Maggie had protested the notion of my inclusion in this trip, but there was no way in hell I was going to let her drive up to Chicago on her own. Fuck, my heart clenched when I thought of her face when she got the phone call about her dad. All color had drained from it, and I’d grabbed the phone and taken over without thinking. Not the way I’d usually play anything with Maggie. Typically taking over without asking would earn a harsh comment, if not a slug to my biceps while she lectured me about the capability of women everywhere.
The woman on the line had explained she worked with Maggie’s dad, Tom. Maggie’s dad was a long-haul trucker, and this week’s route had taken him through Chicago. It seemed that earlier today there’d been an accident on the interstate, and he’d been taken to a hospital in the city. The woman, Irene, said he was in stable condition but would have to remain in the hospital at least for another day, if not two, and she thought Maggie should know. I’d quickly relayed that her dad was okay and was grateful to see color begin to return to her face. Giving Irene my number, I’d asked her to text the address to the hospital. Hanging up, I told Maggie we’d swing by the house, grab some stuff, then hit the road.
The overwhelmed state she’d been in had gotten us out of the brewery, home, and almost out the door again before she froze, looking over at me to ask what I was doing. When I’d replied she wasn’t driving three hours north on her own in this emotional state, I saw her backbone straighten as she prepared to let fly whatever was on her mind. I’d quickly dropped my duffel on the island and moved toward her, putting my hand on her belly to remind her of the bigger issues at stake here.
With a light kiss, I’d pleaded the lateness of the hour and my desire to get her to a hotel for the night near the hospital so that she could see her dad as soon as visiting hours began tomorrow. I’d reassured her that I’d only had one beer, then switched to water with dinner, so I was perfectly fine to drive. I’d felt her entire body tense up before she took a deep breath and relented. I wasn’t sure if it was the reminder of the baby she was carrying, her current state of exhaustion, or just the fact that she didn’t want to be alone, but I wasn’t going to question it.
Now it was a bit after eleven, and I was finally pulling into the parking lot of our hotel for the night. Irene had texted the address and let us know that Tom was looking good. He’d broken his left wrist and been knocked out but seemed to be doing well. If all went well overnight and with any tests tomorrow, the doctors hoped he’d be released tomorrow afternoon or early evening. We probably didn’t have to come up, but I was certain Maggie wouldn’t relax until she saw her dad with her own eyes.
Tom and Maggie had an interesting father-daughter relationship. Tom had been around when we were growing up, and my parents always included him in large family dinners with Maggie. Often Tom would be working, but Maggie would come. I figured it was one way they were sure she had a decent meal. My dad always said that Tom was one of the hardest-working men he knew. Unfortunately, the jobs he could get just didn’t pay a lot, but that didn’t change the effort the man put in.
Maggie had been crazy proud of her dad for getting his CDL as she neared the end of high school. Hell, we all were. She saw him a lot less often, but they talked on the phone quite a bit. I knew she’d looked forward to visiting with him at the end of this month, of telling him our news. Fuck, this wasn’t the way I’d wanted that visit to go. But, I thought as I pulled in to park, at least he was going to be fine.
Glancing over at Maggie, my heart took a direct hit as I watched her sleep. The lights of the parking lot gave her a soft glow. The look of peace on her face reminded me of waking up next to her for the past few weeks. I’d felt we were moving forward together and that Maggie curled up next to me as we slept was something I could count on. Damn, her comment about moving out in two weeks had really rocked me tonight. That was certainly a conversation we’d need to come back to, but first to deal with her dad.
“Babe, babe.” I lightly shook Maggie’s shoulder, trying to wake her. “Princess, we’re here.”
Maggie stretched before sitting up and looking around with a bit of confusion. Meeting my eyes, she leaned toward me, grabbing my shirt and pulling my lips toward hers. I met them, softly, opening my mouth and letting her tongue find mine. Gently I sucked in her lower lip before pulling back, running my hand from her temple to her jaw.
“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”
Maggie leaned forward again, lightly kissing me before pulling back. “Just saying thanks,” she said, her voice thick with sleep. “It has been a shitty night in many respects, but I am glad you drove me. Hell, I don’t even remember getting on the interstate outside Highland.”
I chuckled. “I think you might have been out before we even left my drive. Our bean is clearly sucking you dry.”
Maggie smiled, but then it faded. “Have you heard anymore from Irene?”
I glanced at my phone. “Not since I stopped to get gas. She just mentioned that he was doing well and would likely be released tomorrow afternoon before dinner as long as everything went well.”
Maggie sighed in relief as she grabbed her bag. “That’s good. Let’s check in.”
I watched her trudge away from my truck before I pulled myself out of a trance. Adjusting my jeans, I moved to follow her. Tonight was not about anything beyond making sure Maggie was okay, that she felt safe and secure. I just needed to remind my lower brain of what was, and wasn’t, on the agenda.
The night passed in a flash, and all too soon Maggie and I were standing outside her dad’s hospital room. I glanced inside and saw that it was a room for two, one bed currently empty. Tom’s bed was near a window, but he was sleeping. I was grateful to see that beyond the cast on his wrist, Tom looked the same as ever.
