“Will someone please update me as his condition changes?” Brett asked.
“Yes, we’ll let you know.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
After seven hours of waiting, Brett and Chelsea were allowed to see Hannah.
Standing on each side of the bed, they cried.
“Thank you, Brett. I can’t thank you enough for protecting her,” Chelsea said.
He didn’t know his heart could hurt like it did. He felt only despair as he looked at the woman he’d protected so many times hooked to tubes and machines. Through all the bandages he could only see a few spots of her face.
He held her small hand inside his gauzed covered hands for hours until the Masons convinced him to go home to sleep. All of their friends decided to leave for a while, too.
Brett saw the radiant sun breaking through the horizon as Matt drove them home. He thought of all the times he’d spent with Hannah in her yard and in the sunlight. He pictured the grin she always gave him that lit up his world.
“Brett, I know you’ve already been up the entire night and are only thinking of Hannah, but I think it’s time you call your parents. Do they even know you’ve been seeing her?”
“I was going to call them this week to tell them about Hannah.”
“I don’t know if you’ve put much thought into this, but you’re likely to be in the paper and on TV in a matter of hours. They need to hear this from you.”
When Brett got home he called his parent and explained everything. He felt comforted knowing they were coming to Nashville to be there with him. Showering as best he could with the bandages on, he sobbed as he watched red run to the drain, three people’s blood sliding off his tainted skin.
***
Brett had only been asleep a few hours when he heard his bedroom door open.
“Brett, get up. We have a situation,” Dylan said.
“What’s wrong?” Brett sat up, terrified something had happened to Hannah.
“All the commotion woke me up. The paparazzi are outside the front door, and it’s bad. I don’t know how you’ll get out of here.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Dylan. This is why I didn’t want to fall in love with her, but it’s too late for that now, so I guess I just have to deal with it,” he said irritated, rubbing his eyes.
“We called into work, so we’re all going out of this house together,” Dylan said.
After they got ready, Matt and Austin went out the door first, with Brett behind them, followed by Cody and Dylan. Brett could tell it confused the photographers, so he hoped they didn’t get any clear shots of him.
Todd was in the waiting room when the guys arrived at the hospital.
“Sorry, Brett, but there’s no change in Hannah’s condition.”
“I have to see her.”
“You can go back. Lorna’s the only one in her room,” Todd said.
He sat with Hannah for over an hour, holding her hand and talking to her. “Shortcake, I love you. Please wake up for us. Everyone is here waiting to see that you’re OK.”
Brett dreaded what the future held for her. Aware that although the physical wounds may heal and scars fade, the emotional wound could lay open, seeping and oozing for a lifetime. Both of them, robbed of the happiness they were just creating, fueled the fury he still felt toward Jim. He would give anything to trade her places.
Todd walked into Hannah’s room.
“Brett, your parents are here.”
Brett went into the waiting room and spent a long time talking with them.
“Shit guys, look,” Cody said, pointing.
Brett glanced to the TV on the wall and saw a picture of Hannah and him on an entertainment news show. The volume was turned down to where no one could hear. Matt walked over and turned it off.
“Tell me what they’re saying about this,” Brett said to his friends.
They all sat silent.
“I mean it. Someone tell me, now,” he said frustrated.
“They don’t have a lot of details. They’re saying she was attacked by a family friend and that you rescued her, and then they’re saying Jim’s clinging for his life,” Matt said.
“They even showed a picture of me entering the hospital,” Brett said aggravated.
As the hours passed, everyone’s nerves were on edge. In the afternoon, the Masons were sent out of Hannah’s room so she could be evaluated. A doctor then came into the waiting room to speak to the Masons. Brett went right to them to listen.
“Mr. and Mrs. Mason. I’m sorry, but Hannah’s condition hasn’t improved. We’re still hopeful, but there’s no change yet,” the doctor said.
“OK, thank you for letting us know,” Lorna said before the doctor left the room.
Soon after, Olivia arrived, and Nick was right behind her. They both approached Brett. He saw that Nick was visibly upset and understood why he’d be there. Just like with Dylan he couldn’t fault Nick for his feelings toward Hannah. He’d been her friend for a year.
“Thank you for saving Hannah,” Nick said as he reached his hand out.
Brett shook it and gave him a nod, but he wasn’t feeling like a hero. He may have taken another life, and that was weighing on him heavily.
“Brett, I’m very sorry for you, Hannah and your friends,” Olivia said as she hugged him.
Matt stood and gave Olivia a hug before he glanced to Brett. “Let’s all go get something to eat. You have to eat today.”
“They’ll get more photos of me if I go out.”
“Matt’s right. We have to eat, and the food here sucks. I know it’ll be hard, but we’re going to have to act like they’re not there,” Austin said.
Since Hannah’s family was visiting with her, Brett agreed to go. His parents, and all of his friends went with him. Photos were taken of Brett as they left the hospital, and photographers sat outside the restaurant waiting for another opportunity. Brett was wearing down. He was exhausted and worried, so he didn’t pay much attention to them.
***
The same detectives were waiting to speak with Brett when he returned to the hospital. Brett, his parents and Matt sat down with them in a corner of the waiting room.
“Mr. Adams, I’m sorry to inform you that Mr. Hatfield has died,” said one of the detectives.
Brett stood and paced in a circle with his hands entwined behind his head. Letting out huge breaths, he stared at the bright lights above him in the room, but all he saw was red, red blood as he relived his assault on Jim.
His mother got up and hugged him. Brett cried and had to go to the restroom to regain his composure before he returned to sit and speak to the detectives.
“It’s still unlikely you’ll face any charges. The video clearly shows that it was self-defense. We’re waiting to see if we can get a statement from Ms. Mason before a final decision is made. We’ll be in touch with you again soon, Mr. Adams,” the detective said before leaving.
Brett hugged his parents before they left to go to their hotel. “I can’t believe I took another human’s life.”
Matt shook his head. “Bro, look at me. You did it to save two. Come on. Let’s sit with everyone else. You have to give your mind a break.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“I see you’re getting pretty close with Jasmine,” Dylan said, looking at Cody who was sitting next to him. The guys were lined up in one row of chairs while the girls did the same across from them.
“I like her. It’s kinda strange. She’s so wild, the complete opposite of me, but it turns me on. I think it’s what I need,” Cody said, smiling. “I don’t have the nerve to tell her. She’s flirty in general, so I can’t tell if she’s into me.”
Dylan chuckled as he glanced from Cody to Jasmine, thinking about how different they were. He found it funny, looking at Cody with his blonde hair under a ball cap, wearing jeans and cowboy boots, and then looking at Jasmine with her dark hair and her dark skin that was scantily covered in flashy clothes. He was pulled
from his train of thought when his eyes flashed to the doorway.
“Fuck, who’s that?” Dylan asked, eyes fixed on a woman who entered the room.
“Taylor! Oh my God, you’re here!” Chelsea yelled, letting out a squeal afterwards as she ran to hug her friend.
Cody started laughing. “Oh my God,” he squealed mockingly.
“Taylor … there she is, and look at her. She’s fucking gorgeous, and she’s going to be mine.
“Is there a database of hot women that celebrities get to pick their friends from?” Dylan asked.
The guys chuckled.
“I know, right? Every single friend of Hannah’s is hot as hell,” Austin said.
Morgan looked over at the guys.
“Could you all stop your drooling?”
“Baby, we all drooled over you, too when we met you, and I still do,” Matt said as he grinned and patted his lap. Morgan went to sit on it.
“Dude, she’s going to see that you’re staring at her,” Brett said to Dylan.
“I don’t care, man. I feel like I’m being pulled toward a magnet.”
“I love her, but you may not find Taylor as attractive once you speak to her,” Morgan whispered. “She’s really defensive. She has a wall up that’s made of steel. I still want to fix her up with you. It’d be good for her to open up.”
“Well, get on that,” Dylan said as he watched Taylor.
“Taylor, let me introduce you to our new friends,” Chelsea said as she pulled her over to the men. Chelsea introduced her to each of them.
“Taylor studied in New York her freshman year. She was supposed to be back in a couple of weeks but got right on a plane when she heard about Hannah. She’ll be going to Vanderbilt this year and is one of our closest friends,” Chelsea said.
“Damn, Chelsea, how many gorgeous friends do you all have hiding?” Dylan asked, smiling at Taylor.
Taylor rolled her eyes. “I see you all charmed your way right into my friend’s pants, I mean their hearts,” she said wryly.
“Taylor!” Morgan said.
“Hey, from what I’ve heard I’m just stating the obvious.”
“And we thought Hannah and Jasmine were the feisty ones,” Cody said.
Taylor crossed her arms and turned to Chelsea. “And what again are the redeeming qualities you all see in these guys?” she asked curtly.
Chelsea sighed. “Taylor, Brett saved Hannah’s life. We couldn’t thank him enough for what he did. I’ll have to fill you in on the details.”
Taylor looked at Brett for several seconds without saying a word.
“Come on, Taylor, we’ll go sit by Jasmine,” Chelsea said, grabbing Taylor’s arm and pulling her over to sit across from the guys and Morgan.
Dylan could tell Chelsea was angry at Taylor from the grimacing look on her face. He found Chelsea to be the most serious of the girls, and besides Jasmine, the one who tolerated the least shit from anyone. He watched Chelsea whisper harshly to Taylor after they sat down.
“Shit, Morgan. You weren’t lying about her. What a shame such a gorgeous specimen acts like a bitch, but she can’t be all bad. I’ll break her. Just give me some time,” Dylan whispered as his eyes lingered on Taylor.
“I can only hope, so you’ll get Hannah out of your system,” Brett said.
Dylan rolled his eyes before he settled them back onto Taylor, taking in her beautiful shape, long dark hair and deep brown eyes that he wanted a better look at.
“Taylor isn’t that bad. She probably feels a little threatened and left out. I mean, we all became very close quickly, and she couldn’t possibly understand since she wasn’t here,” Morgan said.
Unlike the differences he saw in Cody and Jasmine, Dylan thought Taylor looked made for him in her tight denim shorts, black tank top and black eye liner that matched her hair and eyes.
A chick straight out of a female rock band. He liked how she could pull the look off without appearing trashy. He figured she only listened to country like most of the other chicks he came across in Nashville and frowned from the thought.
Dylan stood up. “I’m going to go talk to her.” He walked to the row of chairs across from them and sat by Taylor. She turned and looked at him. Being that close to her sent his heart rate soaring, and he sensed she was nervous, too.
“Taylor, you should come hang out with all of us when Hannah gets better,” he said.
“Let me see, there’s five of you, so you must be the one who hasn’t gotten into any of my friend’s pants yet,” Taylor said facetiously.
Chelsea snapped her head to Taylor. “What’s wrong with you, Taylor? They’re our friends, and you don’t have to be rude.”
“Aren’t you just a ray of sunshine? I was thinking something more along the lines of us all hanging out and eating pizza,” Dylan said irritated.
Taylor looked at him. “I’m sorry. I’m just really upset over Hannah, and nothing is like it was when I left a year ago. I should probably go.” She got up and faced her girlfriends before she left. “I’ll be here tomorrow.”
Dylan looked at Jasmine after Taylor walked away.
“She’s going to be more of a challenge than I thought.”
“She’s very sweet once she lets you in. I don’t know what’s up with her today,” Jasmine said.
***
It was almost eleven o’clock, and everyone was leaving. Brett decided to go home, too. Matt sat up with him for a while in the family room.
“I don’t know how I’ll make it if Hannah dies, too,” Brett said.
“You can’t think that way, bro.”
“Even if she gets through this, I don’t know how we will. She’s going to be a mess, and I’m not going to be much better.”
“Your friends will be there for you, and God knows the girls will be there for Hannah. They’re all attached at their cute little hips.”
Brett chuckled. “You’re right. We have a lot of support. I’m sorry you have to be at the hospital, man. I know how you hate anything to do with medical stuff.”
“Really? Look what you’ve been through. I’ll survive.”
“Yeah, but you really hate it. I don’t know how you haven’t had a full blown panic attack.”
“How much of a pussy are you trying to make me out to be? I know you’re badass and all now, but—” Matt stopped mid-sentence and rubbed his forehead.
“Dammit, Brett. I’m sorry. I … I shouldn’t have said that. I’m trying to make you laugh, but that wasn’t the right thing to say.”
“I was afraid to fall for her because of who she is, and this is how my life is going to be now until I lose her for good!” Brett buried his face in his injured hands.
“This was someone she knew. It didn’t have to do with her mother and could happen to any girl. You can’t freak out on her now. You can’t do the shit you did to her at first.
“Go to bed and get some sleep, and we’ll get your ass there tomorrow to be by her side. Stop thinking,” Matt said as he grabbed Brett’s shoulder.
“You’re right. I love her. I love her so damn much.”
***
Matt drove Brett back to the hospital the next morning, his other friends following in Cody’s car. The Masons were in the waiting room when Brett went in.
“Brett, they won’t let us back there. We don’t know what’s wrong,” Lorna said before giving Brett a hug.
“Please let her be OK,” Brett said, sitting down next to Todd and Lorna.
Slowly, all of Brett and Hannah’s friends arrived again along with his parents. They were all solemn as they waited to hear something. After thirty minutes, a doctor came out and approached the Masons.
“Hannah has woken up a little. She keeps asking for Brett. She’s not out of the woods yet, but this is a very good sign. You can go back and see her now,” the doctor said.
Brett let out a deep breath as everyone talked about the good news.
“Why don’t you and I go back to see her first since she’s askin
g for you,” Lorna said to him.
He ran to her side when he entered the room.
“Hannah, I love you so much,” he said urgently as he took hold of her hand and kissed it.
Tears ran down her cheeks.
“You saved my life. You protected me again.”
“Not enough. I shouldn’t have left you alone. Seeing you like that was the most terrifying moment of my life.”
“Hannah, sweetheart. Your dad and I are here for you, and we’re not going anywhere until you’re healed up.” Lorna held her daughter’s other hand.
“Mom, I love you,” Hannah said between her cries.
Brett wanted to punch something again after seeing how visibly upset she was.
“I don’t remember anything after he told me what he was going to do to me ... and to you,” she said, looking to Brett. “I can’t even think about you being charged with my murder when you’re such a good person. He was going to kill me and frame you for it. Thinking that was going to happen to you is what terrified me the most when he was hurting me. I love you, Brett.” Hannah burst into loud, uncontrollable sobs.
“I love you, too, shortcake.” Brett squeezed her hand and fought back his tears. He and Lorna were asked to leave the room, so Hannah could be taken for some tests. Brett could hardly take having to leave her.
After sitting back in the waiting room, he overheard a conversation between Lorna and Chelsea.
“You know, Chelsea, Hannah won’t be able to go to LA for that audition. They should be calling her anytime. Maybe the movie will get pushed back, and she’ll be healed enough. It’s not what’s important right now, but I hate for her to miss out on the opportunity,” Lorna said.
“I don’t think you should worry about that right now. You’re under enough stress,” Chelsea said, patting Lorna on her back.
Brett and Hannah (Soul Mates 101 Series) Page 16
