“Hello?”
“Is this Tobias Banks?” a voice rushes out.
“Yes.”
“This is Mike Timmons. I live next door to your grandmother.”
My heart rate instantly spikes, and I toss the hanger and coat onto my bed.
“Yeah, okay. Is there a reason you’re calling me?”
“She gave me your number in case of emergencies and?—”
“Where is she? What happened? Put her on the phone.”
“She’s fine, she's fine, but she’s on her way to Lovers’s hospital.”
I’m already down my stairs and grabbing my keys before he can say more.
“Why?” I snap into the phone, repeating myself. “What happened?”
“She fell down her stairs, and she’s pretty banged up, but because of her age, they took her to monitor her.”
“I’m a little over two hours away. Does she have her phone?”
“No, I’m following the ambulance, and I have it with me.”
A fucking ambulance for falling? How bad was it?
I don’t know this guy, but I sure as hell can guarantee he isn't going to tell me all the details. He’ll sugarcoat it. People always do because they don't want anyone to panic.
“If you see her before I get there, tell her I’m on my way.”
“I will. See you soon.”
My tires peel out of the driveway as I head for the highway between Wind Valley and Lovers.
I press the green phone button on my steering wheel. “Call Hero Quinn.”
My car repeats his name back to me and then it rings.
“Hey, man, are you already there?”
“No. I’m … I’m not going to make it.” My heart aches.
“Are you kidding me? What’s going on?”
“Grandma Betty fell, and she’s in an ambulance on her way to the hospital in Lovers.”
“Fuck. Okay. Is she all right?”
“Her neighbor said she’s fine, but I need to?—”
“I’ll explain everything to Natalie. She’ll understand.”
“Actually, don't tell her.”
I tap my thumbs on the steering wheel. No one in our group is a big fan of lying, but this is a special case. Or so I tell myself.
