by Katie Knight
“Valley General,” Nancy said. “Take a right at the bottom of the hill and go down about two miles. It’s on the left.”
“Thanks.” Rushed, he swooped Parker up into his arms and took off across the road at a brisk jog.
“I want Mommy!” the little boy cried, tears welling.
“I know, son. I know.” He balanced the kid on one hip while he unlocked the front door of Lila’s cabin with the other. “We’re going to see her right now. Daddy just needs to grab a few things first.”
He walked through the living room, snatching up the diaper bag Lila kept stashed by the kitchen on his way, then headed into her bedroom to find her purse and phone charger before going outside and locking the door behind them. Next, he went to his own place and snagged his phone from its charging pad in the kitchen. Sure enough, when he clicked it on, the screen filled with numerous messages from Tom. None from James, thank God.
Parker was squirming in his arms, crying and trying to get down. Preston took a deep breath and sat his son on the edge of the kitchen counter, putting them at eye level. “Listen, buddy. Your mom’s been in a little accident. She fell and hurt herself. She’s in the hospital for a while so the doctors can look after her. I know you miss her and this is all weird, but I promise it’s going to be okay. I’ll make sure of it, all right?”
He had no idea how to make good on that vow, but dammit he’d sure as hell try for his son.
It must have worked, because Parker stopped fussing and blinked at him, eyes sparkling with unshed tears and cheeks red and wet from crying. “Daddy!”
“I’m here, son.” He pulled the little boy back into his arms, closing his eyes as Parker wrapped his arms around Preston’s neck tight and held on for dear life. “I’m here for you.”
Right. Time to put his money where his mouth was. He grabbed the keys to his truck then hauled ass out to the curb. Damn. He needed a car seat. Going a block down the road with Lila in the passenger seat to watch him here at the lodge was one thing. Going out on the highway with an unrestrained child was quite another. Preston might be green when it came to parenting but he wasn’t stupid. He looked around and spotted the small red compact car parked alongside Lila’s cabin he’d seen earlier during his perimeter check. He dropped the diaper bag off at his truck and sat Parker on the seat inside. “Daddy needs to go get something from Mommy’s car, okay? You stay right here until I get back and be a good boy.”
Parker nodded and Preston closed him inside the truck for warmth before taking off across the snowy lawn toward Lila’s car. He had to get her keys from out of her cabin and wrestle to get the frozen door open on the car, but finally he managed to get the car seat out of the back of her vehicle. Parker had discovered the horn in his truck and was tooting it non-stop as Preston ran back and did his best to figure out how the hell to get the stupid car seat secured properly in his truck. He’d always laughed about people telling horror stories about needing an engineering degree to install one, but after doing it himself he understood the frustration.
And yes, he was a bit stressed. Lila had been hurt. He had no idea how badly, but it was enough that she’d needed to be hospitalized. He needed to see her to reassure himself, and Parker, that she was all right.
At last, he got the car seat in and Parker situated inside it and started the engine. They took off down the hill at a moderate speed. Tom had put salt out, but there were still slick patches on the drive down. The last thing he needed was to get into another accident on the way to see Lila.
They reached the bottom of the hill unscathed and he turned out onto the highway. It was getting late and the sun was setting. It got dark so earlier in the winter. He flipped on the headlights and headed down the narrow two-lane highway, following the directions Nancy had given him.
A few miles ahead on the left. You can’t miss it.
But as the scenery flew past, the drive seemed to take far too long.
Lila. His precious, wonderful Lila was injured and it was all his fault.
He should’ve been there with her. He should’ve protected her.
Images of the night the IED had gone off and blown Randy to bits flashed in his head. He should have protected him too. Should have been there for him and instead, look what happened.
Jesus. I’m sorry, Lila. I’m so sorry.
“Daddy!” Parker cried, looking over at him from the back seat. “I want Mommy!”
“I know, son. We’re getting there.” He needed to keep it together, for Parker’s sake. He was letting his emotions get the better of him, against his training. Focusing straight ahead, Preston concentrated on his breathing, slowing his heart rate and clearing his mind. Slowly, his thoughts centred on the here and now, on what he needed to deal with at this moment, then the next, then the next.
Get to the hospital. Get to Lila. Get answers.
Up ahead a brightly lit sign read Emergency and Preston heaved a sigh of relief.
After parking, he climbed out of the truck then walked around to the passenger side to get Parker out of his car seat. Stuffing her purse inside the diaper bag, he slung the thing over his chest like a crossbody messenger bag then picked his son up and headed for the automatic doors at the front of the building. Inside, it resembled every other medical facility he’d ever been in—bright lights, squeaky linoleum floors, rows of chairs in the waiting areas. The air smelled of disinfectant and lemon floor cleaner. He rushed to the large desk facing the entrance and spoke to the nurse behind the counter.
“Hi. My…” he realized he didn’t know what to call Lila. She wasn’t his wife. Wasn’t really his girlfriend either. Shit. “My son’s mother was hurt in a skiing accident earlier today. I was told she was brought here.”
The nurse gave him a polite smile. “Her name?”
“Lila Holden.”
“And are you immediate family, Mr.…?” the nurse asked looking up from her computer screen.
“Fleischer.” He’d had enough with lying to last him a lifetime, but right now he knew if he didn’t say the right thing, they wouldn’t let him in to see her. “Yes. Lila’s my fiancée.”
“Right.” The nurse nodded, her smile turning a tad warmer.
He adjusted Parker in his arms. “Can you tell me if she’s okay?”
“Looks like they’re still examining her, but she appears to be holding her own. She’s in radiology now, but if you’d like to have a seat, I’ll let you know as soon as they get her moved to a room. I’ll send the doctor over to you with any updates.”
“Yes. Thank you.” He took a seat in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting area, away from the other people there, and fished into the diaper bag for the book he’d spotted in there earlier. Lila had said Parker loved to read and now seemed as good a time as any to start a story in the hopes that it would keep Parker calm and maybe ease him into a nap.
Luckily, the book did the trick. Within a half hour, Parker was snuggled up against Preston’s chest snoozing away. Preston careful set the story aside and closed his eyes, wishing he could nap so easily. It felt like a million years had passed since this morning. What was it about hospitals that made time stand still?
He picked up an old magazine off the table beside him then tossed it aside. Tried a newspaper next. It was from the day before. Apparently, there was a state-wide manhunt out for some dude that used to work for the mob in Southern California. A brother-in-law of the head honcho. According to the report, the guy had violated his parole the week prior and disappeared off the radar. Sounded like an episode from a cop show. There was a grainy photo of the man that was so bad it could’ve been anyone.
Preston snorted the tossed the paper aside as well, too restless to concentrate. Parker stirred on his chest but luckily didn’t wake up. Heat radiated off the kid as he slept curled up in a tiny ball. He was sucking his thumb. Adorable. Sweetness squeezed Preston’s heart.
Finally, what seemed like a century later, the doors that led back into the ER proper opened and a doctor came o
ut. He stopped by the desk and talked to the nurse, who pointed out Preston in the waiting room.
His pulse notched higher once more as the doctor headed his way. He started to get up, but the doc motioned for him to stay seated.
“Mr. Fleischer?” the doctor said as he approached, keeping his voice low. “I’m Dr. Benson. Don’t stand. Please. I’ve got a daughter at home about your son’s age and I know how hard it can be to get them to sleep.”
Preston nodded.
“Okay. So, we’ve moved your fiancée upstairs to a private room. She’s doing well. Some bumps and bruises and she’ll be pretty sore when she wakes up from the pain medication, but she should be fine. Nothing’s broken and there’s only a mild concussion, which is the best news we could have hoped for in this scenario.”
Preston exhaled slow. “Thank God. When can I see her?”
“Soon.” He glanced over the chart in his hands. “Give the nurses a chance to get her settled in the room, then I’ll have the desk notify you of her location. She’s a lucky woman. Things could’ve been a lot worse.”
“Thank you, doc,” Preston said, raising a hand as the doctor walked away. Then he sank back into his seat, saying a silent prayer of thanks that Lila would be fine and reaffirming his vow to make sure he protected her and Parker with everything he had from now on.
Most of all, that meant finding out what had happened. Who was after Lila—and what would Preston need to do to keep her safe?
Seventeen
Lila slowly blinked her eyes open and squinted into the too-bright light. Her head was pounding and her whole body felt like a mass of pain. Those constant beeps were driving her insane and something kept tightening on her right arm periodically, keeping her from returning to sleep.
She turned her head slightly the side, then moaned as the world went topsy-turvy and the dizziness made her stomach cramp. Jesus. At least she wasn’t cold anymore. Closing her eyes and swallowing hard against the bile rising in her throat, she focused on figuring out where exactly she was.
The biting wind was gone, as was the blue sky, so she wasn’t outside. She remembered being on the ski lift, watching the people on the slope below, then lying on the snow, then…nothing. It was disconcerting to not know what had happened to her, but there was one thing she would never forget.
“Parker?” She managed to force the word out despite the cotton-like dryness in her mouth. “Where’s my son?”
“Hey,” a soothing male voice said from beside her, followed by the comforting warmth of a hand on hers. “He’s right here, asleep in the chair. Don’t worry. I’ve done enough of that for the both of us.”
Preston. Her sore chest squeezed tighter with gratitude and affection. Carefully, she turned toward him, slowly so as not to trigger the vertigo again. “W-what h-happened?”
His grip tightened on her hand and he brought it to his lips, kissing the back before stroking her hair out of her face with the other. His dark eyes were full of relief and concern. “There was an accident on the ski lift. You fell about ten feet and landed hard on your back, sweetheart. You don’t remember?”
“I remember r-riding up. The sun was shining and the wind was cold.” Anxiety made her heart thud harder. She couldn’t remember falling. Why couldn’t she remember? “Did I hurt my head?”
“You have a mild concussion. That can affect memory sometimes.” The gentle touch of his fingers on her scalp felt heavenly. “Don’t push yourself at this point. It’ll come back to you when you’re ready.”
Lila nodded then frowned. “T-thirsty.”
“Here.” Preston let go of her hand then returned a moment later with a cup of water. He held the straw to her lips and she sucked down a few sips of liquid. “Bet that tastes good, huh?”
“Amazing,” she said, sinking back into her pillows. “Tell me more about how I fell.”
“They’re still looking into it. Interviewing witnesses, especially the guy who was riding with you,” Preston said. “Tom keeps texting me with updates and asking how you are.”
“Hmm.” At the mention of someone riding with her on the ski life, an image flashed into her head—there then gone. A dark figure, all in black, with mirrored shades. Her pulse stumbled as terror flooded her system, but then it vanished before she could make sense of it, like smoke in fog. She wanted to ask Preston more about the man in the lift, but then the door to the room creaked open and in walked a woman she assumed was her doctor.
“How are you doing this morning, Miss Holden?” the physician said, checking her records on the computer in the corner of the room. “I’m Dr. Busmati, the hospitalist for this floor. I took over your care from the ER. How are you feeling?”
Lila gave a small shrug then winced as her shoulder ached. Seemed every square inch of her body ached at the moment. “I’m okay.”
“Right.” The doctor came over and checked Lila’s blood pressure and monitors before leaning her hands on the bedrail. “Can you tell me your birthday?”
“March 5, 1992.”
“Good. And what year is it now?”
She frowned. “2019.”
“Correct.” Dr. Busmati smiled. “And what is the name of your son?”
“Parker Riley Holden.” Lila’s head started to pounded again and she closed her eyes. “When can I check out?”
“As long as there are no complications, you should be discharged tomorrow,” the doctor said. “We need to keep you under observation for one more night because of the concussion.” Dr. Busmati then shined a light in Lila’s eyes, which only made her headache worse, followed by having her track the doctor’s finger. “Things appear to be healing well and your memory is good.”
“But I can’t remember the accident,” Lila said. “Preston told me what happened, but it’s like a big black hole in my mind.”
“Nothing to be concerned about.” Dr. Busmati patted her hand. “It’s not uncommon at all for people to block out certain situations that are traumatic for them in some way. Now that you’re safe and sound and well-taken care of, it’s likely the memories will return in good time.” She walked back to the computer in the corner and typed in more notes. “Just rest while you’re here and let us take care of you. I’ll be back in the morning to check on you again and hopefully we’ll get you discharged in the next day or two, depending on how you feel. If you need anything before then or have questions, be sure to let the nurses know. They can get hold of me.”
Dr. Busmati nodded to her and Preston again before leaving.
“You should listen to her,” Preston said, once they were alone again. “Rest. Recover. Let me take care of you.”
“I’m not very good at that.”
“At what?” he asked.
“Letting other people take care of me.” She shifted slightly in the bed, gritting her teeth at the shot of pain from her back. “I’ve been on my own a long time. And I have to look after Parker.”
“I’ve got Parker,” he said, adjusting her pillows for her. “And you’re not alone anymore. You’ve got me.”
“Do I though?” The words escaped before she could stop them. Her filters seemed to be gone, whether because of the pain meds or sheer exhaustion, she wasn’t sure. At his confused look, she continued. “Do I have you, Preston? These past few days have been great, but you’ll be leaving soon again, won’t you? I can’t depend on you, not really. No matter how much I might wish I could.”
This time, it was his turn to wince. “I’m not going anywhere, Lila. At least not until you’re out of here and back on your feet again. Parker and I will do fine until then. I’m taking him back to the cabin with me tonight and we’re having a sleep over.”
She wanted to tell him not to forget Parker’s favourite stuffed animal, a dinosaur named Bigfoot, or that he liked a night light or that he shouldn’t have water before he went to bed or else he might have an accident, but all of that seemed clear as mud in her sore brain now, the words muddled and hard to get out. “I…”
&nb
sp; “Shhh,” Preston said, stroking her forehead again, lulling her closer to slumber. “It’s fine. We’ll get through it, I promise. I’m not you, and it won’t be perfect, but it’ll do. Just rest. Get some sleep. We’ll sit here with you for a while.”
Eyelids heavy, Lila could only nod as she drifted off again. Preston was there and Parker was safe. That was all that mattered for now. There’d be time to deal with the rest of it later, much later…
Eighteen
Preston returned the next morning with Parker in tow, feeling cranky and out of sorts. The sleepover hadn’t gone as well as he’d expected. After they’d left the hospital, he’d stopped at a fast-food hamburger place to pick up dinner for him and his son on the way back to the cabin. After they’d eaten, and each had their baths, it had been time for bed. Except Parker had refused to sleep until Preston had turned on the hall light. Then the little boy had kept asking for something called Bigfoot. Preston had made numerous trips to Lila’s cabin with Parker, trying to find the right toy, and finally managed to get the correct dinosaur. By then though, it had been well after midnight and his brain was still racing from the day’s events. When he had finally managed to close his eyes, the alarm on his phone went off what felt like a few seconds later.
Ugh. He’d always laughed when his buddies on the SEAL team had told him their bedtime parenting horror stories, but he supposed this was paying his dues. To make matters worse, Parker had had an accident last night and had been upset about it. On second thought, that soda with dinner followed by numerous drinks before bedtime probably hadn’t been the wisest choice.
Live and learn.
They walked into the hospital this morning and Preston nodded to the nurse at the front desk as they passed, knowing his way around a lot better now. Instead of taking the elevator up to Lila’s room right away, they rode to the basement first. The doors opened and the smell of bacon and eggs wafted toward him from the cafeteria. He’d not had time to make breakfast this morning and Parker was starving.
