“I’ve got to go and find her, Ryan; she’s not answering her phone.”
“Go, I’ve got it here. Let me know she’s safe.”
The worried look on Ryan’s face stoked the fear building in Jake’s gut as he shot a grim nod at Ryan then turned and ran to his truck.
Jake sped to the hospital, praying that he would find Callie at work helping the evacuated patients. As he was rushing to the hospital, his phone rang. Not bothering to look at who it was, he answered immediately.
“Callie? Gorgeous, please tell me you’re safe!”
His mother’s voice filled his ears, and Jake keenly felt the disappointment that it wasn’t Callie on the other end of the phone.
“Honey it’s Mom, I guess that means you haven’t heard from her. We just saw the news about the gunman, and I had to check to make sure Callie was okay. Oh, Jake, is it her? Is she trapped?”
“I don’t know, I’m on my way to the hospital now to see if she’s there.”
“So, she is working tonight? Oh no, Jake!”
Jake grimly realized his mother didn’t know that he and Callie hadn’t spoken for several days, meaning he wasn’t entirely sure where she was tonight.
“I think so. I haven’t talked to her in a few days so I’m not sure. We uh, had a bit of a disagreement.”
“Jacob Evans. Don’t you dare let that woman go, you hear me? She is the best thing to ever happen to you and to this family. You get to that hospital and find her and keep her safe. We are not losing her.”
His mother’s lecture was the first thing to bring a smile to Jake’s face since hearing the news about the hostage situation. Not that he had ever doubted how his family felt about Callie, but it was a soothing balm to his fractured heart to hear his mom be so strong in her convictions about Callie being the woman for him.
“I’m planning on it, Mom, I promise.”
“Okay. Your Dad and I love you Jake, and we love Callie too. Please let us know as soon as you find her.”
“I will, as soon as I do. Love you, Mom.”
Jake hung up the phone, just as he pulled up near the hospital. He couldn’t get close, the road were so full of news vans, police cars, hell even a SWAT truck lined the street. He could see a crowd of people standing closer to the main building, many in scrubs. His heart in his throat he hurried over there, praying he would see the woman he loved standing in the crowd.
Faced with the uncertainty of Callie’s location and safety, all his frustration with her indecision about her parents disappeared. Jake knew without a doubt that when he found her, he was never going to let her go. He would do whatever it took to get her to see that he was going to be the family she had always wanted. Phillip and Laura Scott could go to hell as far as he was concerned. Jake vowed he wouldn’t let a single day go past without Callie knowing how important she was to him. Had it actually been only a few months since that ridiculous challenge he gave her? He never could have guessed that springing for a round of beers would lead to him finding the one woman who would complete him so perfectly.
As he searched through the crowd, his gaze landed on a familiar looking face. It was one of the nurses he had met weeks ago at the Lucky Strike. He couldn’t remember her name, but he knew she was Callie’s friend. He made his way over to her as fast as he could, weaving through medical personnel, news crews, and the nosy public.
Tapping her on her shoulder, he asked, “Hey, excuse me, I’m so sorry I can’t remember your name, but you work with Callie Scott don’t you? Can you tell me where she is? Please tell me she’s safe.”
Jake’s voice cracked from his fear, but he didn’t care. The nurse looked at him in recognition, and with tears pooling in her eyes she told Jake the worst possible news.
“Oh my god. You’re the bartender who’s dating Callie. I’m so sorry, but she’s one of the doctors who’s being held hostage.” The young woman’s voice caught as she went on, “She’s in there with Doctor Haynes and two other nurses.”
Jake staggered backwards, collapsing against a nearby tree. Before he could begin to wrap his head around the fact that Callie was being held hostage at gunpoint, he felt his world shift again, as a shout went up from the crowd, and the local SWAT team stormed through the ambulance bay entrance to the ER. Jake tried to breathe and calm his racing heart as he waited for this nightmare to end. Later he would remember muttering prayers for Callie’s safety under his breath, begging someone, anyone, to deliver her from harm. But in that moment, Jake was focused only on the doorway through which he fervently hoped to see Callie emerge soon.
Several moments later, not soon enough for Jake, the bay doors slid open again, and with a strangled groan of relief Jake saw Callie’s beautiful hair swinging back and forth as she and Melanie ran out, followed by the two nurses and three SWAT team members who directed them to the safety of the group of uniformed officers.
She’s out. She’s free. She’s alive. She’s mine.
Jake kept repeating these words to himself as he tried to push his way through the mob of onlookers and first responders, desperate to reach Callie. When he was stopped at the police line, Jake tried to get her attention by calling her name over and over. But she couldn’t seem to hear him, and the big police officers in front of him didn’t seem to care that he was her boyfriend, they were not letting him past.
Feeling a touch on his shoulder, he turned to see the nurse he had spoken to earlier standing next to him.
“Look, Callie and Melanie will be busy talking with the police and hospital administrators for hours. I can get a note to her if you want, they will probably let me past with my ID badge.”
Gratefully Jake smiled at the nurse and said, “That would be awesome. Thank you. I’m sorry I don’t even remember your name, but next time you come to my pub your drinks are on the house.”
The young nurse nodded and flashed a quick smile in response. “It’s Sandy, and thanks.”
