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Ignoring Bryce, Devin made sure he was out of everybody’s way before pulling out his phone.
Only to find three missed calls from Zoe.
His heart thunked around in his chest, thrown by a whole warring set of reactions. Pleasure at hearing from her. Surprise, because she never called unless it was too late to come over and she still wanted to tell him something dirty.
Worry.
He tapped on her number and brought his phone to his ear. As it rang, he glanced around. The rest of his crew was still working. Bryce was continuing with his little tantrum, but he’d actually nailed two pieces of wood together, so who cared.
On the third ring, Zoe picked up.
“Hey—” he started.
“Devin.”
He straightened, adrenaline rushing his system. Her voice was all breathy and watery and wrong. “What happened.”
“Uncle Arthur. He had a heart attack.”
A ten-ton weight fell right on Devin’s chest. He changed direction midstride. “Where is he?”
“Pine Ridge.”
“I’ll be there in ten.”
“You don’t have to.” She sniffled. “I just—I thought you should know. Arthur—”
Arthur was like a father to him. A better one than his own had ever been, but Devin couldn’t focus on his own concern right now.
Zoe put on such a front. She acted carefree, like nothing could touch her, but under all that she was tender and soft, and he knew her well enough now. The raw emotion in her voice reached into his chest and squeezed.
“Who’s there with you?”
“Just my mom. She’s trying not to freak out, but it’s not working. Han’s on his way, but Lian’s car broke down, so he had to drive out to Lincoln to get her.”
Right. “I’ll be there in ten.”
“Devin…” The way her voice broke made him stop.
He exhaled out, deep and rough. He covered his eyes with his hand. “Do you not want me to come?”
Everything in him was itching to go. A crisis demanded action. This was Arthur they were talking about.
“I just… If you don’t… You’re working.”
She’d called him three times. She’d reached out.
“Tell me not to come.”
“I—”
“Tell me explicitly, specifically, that you do not want me there, or I am getting in my truck.”
Silence held across the line. A sob broke it.
“I want you to come,” she whispered.
He dropped his hand from his face. “Ten minutes.” His voice was still too hard. With a deep breath, he forced himself to be soft for her. “Hang on, baby.”
