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She stepped off the chair and stared sightlessly at the sea of worried faces surrounding her. It didn’t seem possible or real. She wanted to pull her hair and scream and make the day—the entire weekend—start over again…well, except maybe for last night, with Logan.
How could Einstein have done what he’d done?
And how could he say he’d done it for her, putting some of the culpability on her shoulders? She didn’t want anything to do with it, didn’t understand any of it, just wanted it gone. But mostly, she wanted to see Logan.
When a doctor appeared in the entrance of the room, looking grave, she held her breath. He called a name familiar to her, the name of someone she was sure she’d shared her chemistry course with last semester. A handful of people rose and followed the doctor into a tiny room to the side. The cries and wails that followed had Paige shaking all over.
One more life gone.
Blinking rapidly, she glanced toward the television as if she could still see the emergency vehicles flooding her beloved campus on the screen. She closed her eyes and tried to settle her erratic breathing.
Seven people. Dead. For no good reason.
Realizing news of the shooting had been broadcasting on CNN, a national network, Paige winced, thinking of Kayla, who had no doubt seen the coverage. She was probably worried sick. Paige strode from the waiting room, glad she had something to do while she waited for word from Logan’s doctor about how his surgery was going.
She approached the nurses’ station. She knew the hospital was busy—Logan certainly wasn’t the only gunshot victim with a critical injury who was being treated. But the nurses had been kind to her so far. They’d given her an extra pair of scrubs to wear so she could change out of her blood-splattered clothes. Then they’d let her use the phone so she could call Logan’s family because she’d left her cell in the dorm room when she’d snuck away from Tess and Bailey. One more request shouldn’t be asking too much.
“The doctor’s just finishing up with your boyfriend’s surgery,” a sympathetic RN told her as Paige approached. “I bet he’ll be out in a few minutes to update you. ’Kay?”
Paige blew out a breath, not sure if she was relieved she’d get news soon, or scared to death it might not be positive news. “Thanks.” She gulped once more before asking, “Is it okay if I borrow the phone again? I forgot to call my own family the first time and tell them I was okay.”
Pity filled the nurse’s gaze as she nodded. “Yes, today it’s fine. Go ahead, hon.”
Paige slid gratefully behind the counter to the phone. She’d yet to mention it to anyone, but she’d found a hole in her shirt when she’d changed into the borrowed scrubs.
A bullet hole.
Actually, one of the nurses had spotted it. For the longest time, Paige had just stared at it, confused. The nurse had searched her for an injury Paige already knew she didn’t have. The only thing they discovered was a bruise forming on her breastbone. And suddenly, everything became clear.
The round Einstein had fired at Logan must’ve passed through him and caught her. She was unharmed only because she’d been wearing her brother’s thick, metal cross amulet—now dented and the ruby shattered.
After the nurse had confiscated her old clothes to give to the police for evidence and loaned her a pair of scrubs to wear, Paige kept rubbing the necklace with awe.
She fingered it now as she dialed Kayla’s number.
It was a sign, she told herself. Trace had helped protect her, letting her know he wasn’t upset with her, so he must approve of her decision to be with Logan.
At least, that’s what she chose to believe it meant.
The phone barely rang once before Kayla answered with, “Paige?”
Paige closed her eyes. “Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t—”
“Oh, my God. Oh, my God.” Kayla began to sob. “I thought you were dead. We saw the news on TV, and I called you immediately, but your roommate answered your phone, hysterical, saying you had run off. She didn’t know where you were and was sure something awful had happened. I thought I was never going to see you again. Oh my God, I thought—”
“Kayla. Kayla!” Paige laughed as tears prickled her eyes. “I’m fine. I swear to you, I’m okay.”
“Oh my God, why didn’t you call sooner?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I just…everything’s been so insane. Logan was shot. I’m at the hospital. He’s been in surgery for hours, and I can’t…I just can’t think straight. I’m sorry.”
“You’re at the hospital? We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Okay.” Paige nodded and closed her eyes, relieved to know she’d soon have her best friend in the world with her. Then her eyes opened wide. “Wait. Did you say a few minutes?”
“Yeah. We’re in Granton now. We left as soon as we saw the report on TV. God, this entire town is a chaotic mess. They’re not letting anyone on or off campus, and no one seems to know anything. We’ve been driving around the streets, just looking for you for the past hour.”
Astonished to learn Kayla had jumped into a car to come to her, Paige pressed her hand to her heart. “Who’s we?” she asked, expecting to hear Kayla say her boyfriend or her parents had come with her.
