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“He told her they committed suicide?”
“Not exactly. He asked her if she was still going to church. Said he wasn’t sure after finding out about her grandparents. Something like that. I don’t remember exactly; my head was spinning, as was Mia’s. One thing’s for sure, he opened up a whole can of worms, forced my hand in sharing all the gruesome details. After finding your stuff at the gas station and learning the damning information about her grandparents, she blew up.” She hesitated and then added, “Said she hated me.”
“Bird, she didn’t mean it.”
“You know, I’ve had a lot of people say worse things to me. Especially my mother. Wow, she could really tear me to shreds. But hearing those words come out of Mia’s mouth was—well—devastating. All I’ve ever done, every decision I’ve ever made where she was concerned, was always to protect her.”
She laughed dully. “You know the saying,‘The road to hell is paved with good intentions’?If my parents really did have the inside track on heaven and hell, I think we all know where I’m headed.”
“Now you’re just overdramatizing. We’ll get through this. Together.”
He knew this woman inside and out, and instinctively knew she was going to try to end things. He had to make an attempt to save the relationship. Hell, it hadn’t even started yet.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Lucas,” she said, pulling at her fingers again. “You’ve made a name for yourself and have so much going for you here. Let’s face it, I’ll never be considered good enough for you by this town. To be honest, I’m having difficulties believing it myself.”
“Give them time. The town and Mia.” He attempted to bring levity into the conversation. “I mean, who would have thought so many women would be seeking you out for TikTak consultations?”
She smiled. “That was a total fluke.”
“I don’t know.” He nudged her. “It did go bacterial.”
He wasn’t going to give up. While doing his best to refrain from begging her to stay and give them a fighting chance. Birdie leaving him again, well, he just didn’t think he’d survive it.
The truth of the matter was, Birdie was a one-and-done-then-run kind of girl. She wasn’t one to stick around and fight the good fight. Rather, she was the consummate flight risk. When flying under the radar no longer worked, she became the mysterious escape artist.
And she was about to disappear. He could feel it.
He had to try to hang on to her. Harder this time.
“Seriously, don’t give up on us so fast. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could turn this all into a Hallmark-worthy, second-chance romance story? It would give Mia a happy ending to tell her friends about how she jumped an Amtrak to South Georgia, which culminated in her mom and bio-dad reuniting. The town would eat that shit up.”
“When did you become such an optimist? Need I remind you of the mangled chair in your office?”
He thought of Rachel. How losing her was like ripping a piece of his soul from his body. Somehow, he knew that if Birdie left town, left him, he’d feel no differently.
But, again, he had to try.
“Lucas,” Birdie said. He watched her face go instantly pale. “Is that Grant?”
He turned toward where her eyes were focused and it was like he was watching everything in slo-mo. Grant walking toward them, his police car haphazardly parked in the middle of the parking lot, the door wide open, and the engine running. Walking toward them as if on a harrowing mission. His deputy chief following close behind him and with his head down.
The body language was so familiar, the serious expressions on their faces leaving no margin for hope.
He was underwater. Trying to breathe, trying to fight for air. Grant’s voice managing to find its way through the quagmire of watery depths holding him under.
“Lucas, Birdie. You need to come with me. There’s been an accident.”
* * *
Birdie satbeside Mia’s hospital bed as she slept.
When they had first arrived, running to the front desk of the ER asking for information, the attending physician, Dr. Gainer, advised Mia had suffered a fractured pelvis and abdominal trauma, and that she was being prepped for surgery. Thankfully, her doctor assured both her and Lucas that despite having suffered serious injuries, the surgery wasn’t a difficult one. Then added surgeries always held an amount of risk. But thankfully, this one comparatively, not as much.
He did ask if they would give blood, just in case. He added that with the complexities of blood group genetics, parents very well may not be compatible donors for their children. But the hospital found it a failsafe.
Both she and Lucas readily agreed. Giving them something to do while they waited.
Now, Mia was sleeping peacefully in her private room.
