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Tomorrow I’ll tell Cole he’s been blocked so he has one night of peace and then Cole can decide, on his own, if he wants to keep it that way.
God knows he should, but it’s his decision.
Then it plays the voicemail from my mother. Her voice is angry, harsh, saying only, “You need to call me. Now.”
I don’t know what time it is in Delaware, but I call her back since she’s obviously worried, and the call was recent.
“Cole,” she barks as soon as she picks up.
“Mom? No, it’s me.”
“Emily? Why, why are you calling from Cole’s phone?”
“We’re at the hospital, and I left mine at the track. Isn’t that why you called Cole’s number?”
“The hospital? Are you all right?” Her normal motherly voice has returned, but now I’m confused.
“Yes, we’re fine. Cole and I are fine. You saw the accident?”
There’s a pause, then she says, “Yes, right. You’re both okay?”
Maybe she was asleep, and I woke her up. I’m sure she was panicking and out of her mind worrying about Cole because she saw the horrible crash footage.
“Yes, we’re okay. Cole wasn’t hurt. Still waiting to hear about Alessi, but he’s stable.”
“Thank god,” she sighs. “Okay, well, it’s late, and I don’t want to wake your father. Call me tomorrow, honey.”
“I’ll try. I’ll text if I can’t.”
I hang up but linger in the hallway. Something doesn’t feel right. Mom was acting super weird.
I know I shouldn’t—tomorrow, I will kick myself for doing this—but I scroll through Cole’s call log and messages.
Dante, Silas, some of the other engineers and mechanics, more trash from Stan, Dante sending lewd gestures and emojis, several from me, of course.
Nothing from my mother, though.
I sigh and kick myself for going through his phone.
I’m not sorry for blocking Stan, though. I have my own issues with the Major General, but my parents are saints compared to Cole’s. If I were in his shoes, I’d be a total mess, locked up in an institution or in prison by now. There’s no way I could deal with this shit.
But not Cole.
He didn’t let his parents win. He’s gone on to fulfill his dreams and become one of the most elite athletes in the world, a millionaire, someone who has the respect of all of his coworkers and peers—but most importantly—someone who is selfless and kind, generous and full of love.
He’s strong. He’s always been the strong one of the two of us.
That’s how I know he’s going to get through this, through whatever happens with Alessi. Except, this time, he won’t have to deal with alone. He will have me by his side.
Twenty Four
Emily
“Is he out for the season, then?” I ask Mallory, who has joined me in the hospital waiting room while her trio of men and Cole visit with Alessi.
The door to his private room is open and, from our vantage point, we’re watching them tease and joke with one another as if three days ago Jack didn’t attack Cole and Alessi wasn’t airlifted to the emergency center.
“There are eight more races, so he might be back before the end of the season. These guys are tough and stubborn, you’d be surprised.”
