“Got it, extra shot of espresso,” Mindy said, returning the smile. “Muffin to go with that?”
She always gave the police officers a free pastry. There were only four on the force and, to her, it was a way to show her appreciation. “They are fresh.”
He nodded. “I could never turn that down. Oh, and can you give me a coffee to go for my cousin?”
Mindy laughed. “Which one are you talking about?”
“Eric.” He let out a breath. “He’s stuck working on paperwork all day.”
The statement made her sad, she’d looked forward to seeing him. She turned and began making the beverages. “He told me about the job offer.”
“What do you think?”
“Sounds like a good opportunity for him.”
“If that’s what he wants.”
The whirl of the espresso machine gave Mindy an opportunity to collect her thoughts. She poured the dark liquid into a portable coffee cup and carefully placed a cover on it.
When she turned, thankfully, the urge to cry had passed. “It almost sounds like you’re not sure it’s the best thing for him.”
Taylor frowned. “You are correct. It’s not all about work. There are always more important things.” He picked up the cup carrier and the bag with two muffins and gave her a crooked grin. “Thanks.”
The rest of the morning went quickly and at three in the afternoon, Mindy was ready to head home for the day. Her afternoon employee always arrived at three and would remain until closing. She went outside, deciding to walk to Allison’s flower shop and chat before going home to an empty house.
In the afternoons, Mindy went to a yoga studio twice a week and then once a week she and several ladies met for coffee. This day, however, she was free, normally one of the days when she cleaned or shopped for groceries.
Mindy trotted up the steps to the front door of the flower shop. Instead of the tinkle of a bell, Allison’s door had a chime and three musical notes sounded.
Tori was sitting next to Allison and both women turned with wide-eyed looks of people who’d been conspiring. Once realizing it was her, they visibly relaxed.
“What are you two up to?” Mindy neared and plopped down into a chair. “You look guilty about something.”
Allison tossed her wild curls behind her shoulders. “We are plotting how to escape for a day to Billings. You should come with us.”
“Why do you have to plot?” Mindy asked perplexed.
“Because we don’t want to invite Leah,” Tori said. “We want to shop for her birthday. But if she finds out we went without her, her feelings will get hurt.”
“If we both close shop and go, people will talk. It shouldn’t be so damned hard to get away,” Mindy said.
Allison chuckled. “Small towns make life hard. What if we ask Luke to make plans with her for the day? So even if you invite her, she’ll say no.”
Tori, who sat in a plush chair, pulled her legs up and hugged them to her chest. “Thought of that, but he’ll screw it up. Besides, I wouldn’t put it past her to tell him they’ll do it another day just to go with us.”
A customer entered and Allison went to help them. Tori looked to Mindy. “Are you okay? I heard about Eric’s possible transfer.”
“I’m not okay. But I will be.”
Tori nodded. “I’m sorry. It sucks.”
“Yes, it does.”
The sun setting made it hard to see and Tobias squinted against it. Country music blasted from the radio and the air whipped into the cabin of his truck. A long drive normally settled his mind and gave him a chance to be alone with his thoughts.
Ever since the night he’d almost made love to Tori, he’d not been able to concentrate on shit. Every single moment of that night replayed in his mind over and over again. As soon as he woke up, she was there, the picture of her under him. Her breasts perfectly positioned for him to suckle.
Damn, he was doing it again. Where the hell did he put his sunglasses?
The good thing about living in Montana was the opportunity for long drives with no distractions but the slopes and valleys of the landscape. He pulled down the visor and it helped a bit with the glare of the sun. It was too late now, but he should have headed east so not to have the annoyance of the sun in his face.
A song came on the radio and he began to sing along. Damn if he didn’t sound good. Tobias chuckled and began singing again. Tori and he had a song. Whenever Boys II Men came on the radio, Tori would shriek and force him to slow dance with her. He’d acted annoyed but, secretly, he had loved any chance to hold her close. Damn, she’d felt so good against him. No one else ever came close to that. She was his one. And damn it, he was man enough to admit it. Just like he was man enough to know he would never fully trust her.
The sound of a horn jarred him to reality, but too late to respond correctly. Tobias cranked the steering wheel to the right. But he turned it much too sharply. He realized the mistake when the truck careened out of control.
It wasn’t clear if the vehicle rolled or slid on its side. Metal against metal grinded and something cut into his left leg. The music continued to play. It was too loud. Suddenly, the truck came to a stop, hitting something so hard his upper body flew forward and his face smashing into something.
And then a thick fog fell. A groan sounded. Tobias wasn’t sure who made the guttural sound. Maybe him. The smell of automotive liquids and smoke burned his nose and he struggled against the tightness pushing in his chest.
This was not the time to pass out.
“No.”
Darkness fell.
Chapter Nine
Anxiety was real. Tori felt tingles of awareness sweep through her and she did her best to push it away. “I need some lavender tea,” she said, more to herself as she made her way to where Allison kept a beautifully decorated tea area in the flower shop.
Enchanted Garden was the most Zen place Tori knew. With the perfect ambiance of soft music, flowers, a gurgling fountain and the aroma of tea brewing, a person had no choice but to relax.
And yet, her body was strung tighter than a guitar string.
“Something wrong?” Allison gave her a puzzled look. “You look on edge.”
Mindy had left, heading to the grocery store, so they were alone again. “I have no reason to feel anxious and yet I do. Maybe I need to go to the gym and sit in the sauna for a couple hours.”
“That’s about an hour and a half too long,” Allison said with a grin. “You never make it past fifteen minutes.
“You’re right. I hate the heat.” Tori poured the hot water and went back to the round table set in the back of the flower shop. “I’ll drink this. It will make me relax.”
The chimes sounded as Taylor stormed in with a thunderous expression. He raced up the stairs and came back down at a sprint. “I forgot my damned keys.”
He went to Allison and kissed her forehead. “Meet me at the hospital. Tobias has been in an accident. Sounds bad.”
In a flash, he was outside and, minutes later, the siren sounded.
Both Allison and Tori sat frozen. Neither said a word for a few moments. It seemed as if everything swirled around Tori, the entire room swaying and going in and out of focus. Allison must have been having a similar reaction because she remained without moving as well.
“Oh my God,” Allison finally said. “Someone has to tell Luke. In a way that won’t have him ripping off to the hospital and ending up in a wreck himself.”
Tori nodded, hearing only every other word. “I bet Eric is heading to the scene. That only leaves us and maybe Ernest to break the news.”
“Shit. Come on.” Allison grabbed Tori’s hand, tugging her to the door. She flipped the sign on the door to “Closed” and locked it. “I’ll drive. You talk to me so I don’t lose control. We need to go to Ernest’s office and then head to the hospital. Hopefully, Taylor will call me with updates.”
Hamilton Law Offices was located two streets over in a one-story building. The re
ceptionist must have seen something in their expressions because she didn’t bother to try to stop them from going straight to Ernest’s office.
The attorney sat in a corner chair. There were papers strewn all over his desk and on the floor. He held a folder and flipped it closed when they walked in. His expression of surprise quickly changed to concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Tobias was in an accident. Taylor said it sounds bad,” Allison started wiping tears.
Ernest immediately jumped to his feet.
“We’re headed to the hospital,” Allison continued. “I’m hoping you can break the news to Luke. No telling how he’ll react.”
Shadows of concern marred his handsome face. “Yeah. I’ll do it. Shit. Do you know what happened?”
“Hold on.” Allison dug her cell phone out and pushed a button.
“Any news?” she asked and then listened.
“Mmm hmmm.”
She ended the call. “A trucker was on the scene. Apparently, Tobias veered into the oncoming traffic lane and then lost control. The ambulance is there now. They’re extricating him from the truck.”
There were a couple beats of silence before Ernest went to his desk and opened a drawer. He grabbed his wallet and keys and motioned for them to exit before him.
“I’ll see you at the hospital.”
Luke watched as two calves circled playfully and he pushed his baseball cap down to keep the glare at bay. The end of a day was always his favorite part. Not today, however. He’d been restless and not able to focus. Hopefully, it didn’t mean he would have another flashback or some shit.
He dismounted and released the horse to graze. If spending time out in the wide open, being married to a damned-near perfect woman and surrounded by family didn’t fix him, nothing would.
Admittedly, things were better. The episodes were far apart and although it sucked, he couldn’t really complain. It sure beat how horribly things were headed just a couple years earlier.
His cell phone buzzed. It was tempting to let it go to voicemail and not worry about it. If the call was important, they’d leave a message. When it buzzed the third time, he pulled it from his shirt pocket and looked at the display.
The picture of Leah’s face always brought lightness to his chest. She was his salve, the only prescription he really needed.
Before he could say anything, she spoke. “Come to the house. Ernest’s here.”
His annoying cousin. The one who he wanted to punch every time they saw each other. What the hell was Ernest doing there?
“I’ll be there in a minute.” He ended the call, suddenly filled with urgency.
Moments later, he released a still-saddled horse into a corral and hurried to the house. Ernest met him outside. Unlike the usually scowl upon seeing him, his cousin seemed more cautious as if gauging his mood.
Yeah, so he was like a volcano, lava always brewing just under the surface. But did the asshole have to act like he was a wild bear not to be fucked with? Luke almost chuckled. Then again, it was good that Ernest was not exactly at ease around him.
“What?” Luke said, nearing. “Someone steal your panties and you think it was me?”
“I didn’t know you wore panties,” Ernest snapped.
Leah peered from the doorway. “Don’t start. This isn’t the time.” Her worry-filled gaze met his, making his heart sink.
“What happened? It’s Tobias, isn’t it?” Automatically, he knew and not waiting for Ernest to say anything, he ran into the house to find his truck keys.
“I’ll drive,” Leah said.
“What the fuck happened to my brother?” Luke glared at Ernest who followed them out the front door.
“Car accident. When I left the office, they were extricating him from the truck. Ambulance was there.”
“You’re coming with us, asshole.” Luke didn’t want to hear any excuses and he wasn’t quite sure why he wanted Ernest there in the truck with them. Then again, of course he did. If for some reason he lost it, Ernest would keep Leah safe.
“I can drive,” he said, gently taking Leah by the shoulders. “Please.”
“What if you lose control? Sweetheart, let either me or Ernie drive.”
He met his cousin’s gaze. Yeah, so they fought like two bulls, but he was family and the Hamiltons always stuck together.
“Let’s go in mine, the engine’s running,” Ernest said without inflection.
“Fine.”
“I’ll call your parents,” Leah said as they climbed into Ernest’s SUV.
The drive was excruciatingly long. Every mile seemed to stretch to three. Leah spoke to his parents in low tones, ensuring to keep her voice calm to not alarm them more. She didn’t say anything about the fact Tobias had to be cut out of the truck. Instead, she just said he’d lost control and was heading to the hospital to be checked out.
She tapped Luke’s shoulder. “Your Dad.”
“We’re heading there now. Call me as soon as you get to the hospital and give us an update,” his father said without preamble.
“I will,” Luke replied, a lump forming in his throat. In the silence, he knew what his father was expecting. As identical twins, he and Tobias had an uncanny connection that to this day still puzzled him. “He’s gonna be fine, Dad,” Luke finally said.
There was another silence. “Good,” his father finally said. “Luke?”
“Yes?”
“I need you to keep it together, Son. Need you to be there for your brother and for us. You hear me?”
“Yes, sir.” He ended the call, his eyes stinging. “Damn it, why is it taking so long to get there?”
Ernest sped up. They were already way over the speed limit but, at this point, all they cared about was getting to the damned hospital.
Leah’s phone rang and he realized it was still in his hand. “It’s Allison,” he said to his wife and passed the phone back to her.
The road ahead seemed to melt away and his vision blurred. Luke shook his head and he blinked several times. It was hard to focus, but he couldn’t lose control. Not today.
Chapter Ten
When Luke walked into the waiting room, every eye turned. Tori jumped to her feet and rushed to him. Not as an attempt to stop any reaction from him, but because she’d known him and Tobias since childhood.
“He was rushed to surgery,” she said, touching his lower arm.
Luke’s gaze bored into hers. The look was so lethal, she almost took a step backward. There was no reaction and he didn’t respond.
Seeming to sense the dark place her husband was headed, Leah placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Let’s see if a doctor can give us an update.”
Tori walked alongside as they went to the area where a nurse stood talking to Taylor.
The nurse looked up as they neared, her gaze narrowing on Luke. “You’re the brother.” Her voice remained calm, without inflection. She didn’t wait for anyone to give Luke any details. It was as if she instinctively understood he needed to hear any news directly from her.
“Your brother has sustained head trauma. There is a brain bleed that must be stopped, which is what the surgery is for. He’s broken his left leg and right wrist. There wasn’t any time to assess any other injuries. So far as we know, there could be some internal bleeding, but not enough to be worrisome at this point.”
She waited, allowing Luke to digest the information. Tori had to take shallow breaths. She was having trouble imagining Tobias, who was so strong, being in a life-threatening condition.
“How long has my brother been in surgery?”
“They just went in,” the nurse replied. “I will return as soon as there’s any news.”
No one moved as the doors closed behind her. Finally, Leah stepped back and motioned for Tori to follow. “He needs to be left alone for a few moments,” she whispered, the entire time keeping an eye on her silent husband.
Taylor, Ernest and Allison stood quietly speaking about who would talk to Luke and Tobia
s’ parents upon their imminent arrival.
Tori didn’t listen any further. Instead, she lowered to a chair by a window. Seconds later, a loud sob echoed.
Dressed in screaming yellow, Mimi dashed into the waiting room, her blonde hair in a high ponytail. She wore tight leggings, tank top and matching running shoes.
Rushing to Luke, Mimi almost grabbed him when Taylor half-tackled her away. “Not a good idea,” he said, pulling her to where Leah and Allison were. “They’ll fill you in.”
By this time, Mimi was making strange sounds. “Ah. Ah. Ah. What happened to Tobias? Is it bad? Ah. Ah. Ah.”
Thankfully, Mimi was too deep in the throes of despair to notice her, so Tori remained seated. She eyed the exit and wondered if she could make it out without Mimi seeing her. Of course, in the hurry to get there, she’d left her purse in Allison’s car. The only thing she had with her was her phone.
“You’re staying,” Eric said, lowering to sit next to her. “That woman has the most annoying cry,” he mumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
A cup of water was poured and shoved into Mimi’s hand. She was aided to sit. The entire time, she continued to make the strange sounds. If not for the situation, Tori would have rolled her eyes and told her to shut up.
Leah went to Luke and spoke to him in low tones. He’d not moved from the same spot. Still like a statue, it was interesting to watch his body relax after a long moment. Finally, he allowed Leah to guide him to sit down, but not too far from where the nurse had walked out. His gaze remained locked to the door.
Tori’s heart broke for him. So much had happened to him, it would be a travesty of justice for his twin to die. At the thought, a sob got caught in her throat and she gulped it away, not wanting to draw any attention to herself. The nurse had said Tobias was suffering from a brain bleed. He was in the operating room having brain surgery.
How in the hell did this happen? Tobias wasn’t the reckless type. If anything, she would have expected any of the other men in the room to get in a car accident before him. It was probable the truck driver was the one that crossed in front of him. That had to be it. Since Tobias was unconscious, the semi driver could have said anything to cover up his fault in the accident.
Ruined: Tobias Page 7
