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“You don’t mind? I called Harper but she’s out of town with her grandma.”
“Of course I don’t mind.” Delilah found her purse in her bedroom, discarded on the floor. Her keys were on her dresser, and she snatched them up, making a face at her reflection in the mirror. She looked a wreck with her hair in a messy bun on top of her head and mascara smeared beneath her eyes. Forget it. Who cared? She wasn’t going to the emergency room to impress anyone. “Lane’s still with you, right?”
“Yes.” Wren sniffed. “He’s getting irritated at me for crying too much,” she admitted in a low whisper.
“Men don’t like crying.” Especially Gallagher men. She recalled West wasn’t a fan of the water works either. “It makes them feel helpless.”
“Well, he’s being a jerk.” Wren sniffed again. “Holden’s on his way though. He should be here any minute.”
“What about your dad?”
“He’s out of town. We can’t get a hold of him.” Wren’s voice was cold. Their father was never around. “West is out on a call and he’s not off shift for another few days, so he couldn’t make it if he wanted to. Though he did ask us to keep him posted.”
“Okay, hold tight. I’ll be there soon, I promise.” Delilah exited the house, locking the door before she darted to her car and got inside.
“Thanks, Dee. I appreciate it. I need someone who’ll hold my hand, not bite it off with every word,” Wren said irritably.
No doubt she was talking about her big brother. That was another thing Delilah remembered about Lane—he may deal with trauma and scary moments like any seasoned-professional cop, but when it came to dealing with his family, he clammed up and became angry. It was just his way.
And everyone sort of hated him when he acted this way.
Delilah gripped the steering wheel tight as she drove toward the hospital. She’d set him straight. Offer him comfort during his time of need. Guess Wren hadn’t been wrong when she’d voiced her concerns about their mother. Angela Gallagher was one of the strongest women she knew. She’d shouldered so much when her marriage became rocky. She was still shouldering it all these years later, and always with a smile on her face.
Hopefully Angela was okay. And Lane and Wren too.
Delilah didn’t know what she would do if there was a serious problem. Her mom was a friend of Angela’s. Long ago, when they’d all been kids, their moms had been very close. This wasn’t her family by blood but they felt like family to her. If something was wrong with Angela . . .
She didn’t want to think about it.
“THANK GOD YOU’RE here,” Wren said the moment Delilah strode into the waiting room. She hopped to her feet, rushing to Delilah and giving her a tight hug. “It smells weird in here,” she whispered close to her ear.
Delilah gave her a squeeze and then let her go, wrinkling her nose. Smelled like a combination of sterile hospital mixed with sweat. Gross. “At least it doesn’t smell like the dance studio after an afternoon full of classes.”
Wren laughed weakly. She was always complaining about the scent of smelly feet and sweaty girl bodies that permeated the air every single afternoon Monday through Friday. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“Have you heard anything?” Delilah glanced around in search of Lane. She finally found him standing in the farthest corner of the waiting room, his back facing everyone and his cell phone pressed against his cheek. Clearly he was talking to someone, but who? Not that it was any of her business. “Has a doctor come out yet?”
“I don’t even know if they’ve gotten to her yet.” Wren’s gaze was full of worry. “A boating accident took precedence, and I don’t even know where she is! They won’t let us back there. Said it’s too chaotic.”
“Listen, she’ll be all right. I promise.” Delilah rubbed Wren’s arm, hoping she wasn’t lying to one of her best friends.
“Dee. What are you doing here?” Lane asked as he approached.
Delilah glanced up, her gaze going to his. She wished she could give him a hug, tell him it was going to be just fine and maybe even give him a kiss, but she did none of that. Instead she smiled at him, trying her best to convey all the emotions swirling within her with that one gesture. “Wren called. When she told me what happened, I said I’d be right here.”
“You didn’t have to do—”
“I wanted to.”
He clamped his lips shut, running a hand through his da
rk hair until it was gloriously messy. Ugh. Even when he was stressed out and worried, he was gorgeous. “I just spoke to one of the nurses and threw my weight around. Plus, I knew her. They’re letting me in there so I can at least sit with Mom while she waits for a doctor.”
Wren turned to Delilah. “See, I told you they hadn’t seen her yet.” She glanced over at Lane with tear-filled eyes. “Can I go with you?”
He shook his head, his expression grim. “It’s pretty crazy back there, what with that accident and how many were involved. Guess a speedboat crashed into a party barge and quite a few people were injured.”
“That’s awful,” Delilah murmured, earning a lingering gaze from Lane. She felt his eyes on her as if he’d physically touched her and she licked her lips, wishing he would actually touch her.
