But I knew we both had to try.
“What are you going to do now?”
I didn’t answer right away. He wasn’t asking about my plans for the evening, or the weekend. He was asking what I was going to do about Nathan, and I didn’t know that just yet. I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and shrugged. “Honestly? I have no idea.”
“Have you talked to him? Since you left, I mean.”
“No. I. . .can’t. I was so mad when I left, Jacob. What he did. . .the things he never told me. . .it really hurt. And I had to go.”
“Then you don’t know that he quit working for his father, then.”
My eyes widened. “He quit? Why, because of me? Why would he do that?”
Jacob lifted his head and looked down at me. “I don’t know. I don’t know everything because he won’t say; he just said it was time. But I know him, Reagan. Things have always come easy to him, and he’s never really had to work for anything in his life. Until you.” He laid his cheek back down on my head. “And he can be relentless when it comes to what he wants, manipulative even, but I do know him well enough to know that he never wanted you to get hurt. Be mad all you want, but at least hear him out.”
I shifted away from him and crossed my legs Indian-style. “I don’t want to be manipulated. I want to be. . .”
“Loved? I’m pretty sure he already does. But Roger Preston is his father, and he’s the most manipulative bastard I know. Nathan’s never been in love before--that I know of anyway, and he sure hasn’t been given the best examples to go by.”
I sighed and stared back out at the dusky sky. I knew Nathan loved me. But was that enough to push me beyond the hurt and anger he had caused? My head ached and I closed my eyes, rubbing my fingers against my temples.
I was startled from my thoughts by the ringing of Jacob’s cell. He pulled away and fished it out of his pocket, cursing as he recognized the name on the display. “Who is it?”
He shoved the phone back in his pocket, letting the caller go to voicemail. “It’s nothing,” he muttered. “We should probably head back, though. It’s almost dark.”
We headed back to the car, and were almost there when his cell rang again. He stared at the display. “Reagan. . .I’m sorry, I . .,” he trailed off as he held up a finger for me to wait and answered. “Hey, what’s up?”
His tone was off, the cheerfulness coming off forced and hollow. Whoever it was, he was uncomfortable speaking with them for some reason.
“What? Shit, is she okay?” The false sunny tone was gone, and in its place was alarm. He stared wide-eyed at me as he listened to the caller on the other end.
“I’m not in town, but I will be there as soon as I can. . . .it’s a long story. . .yeah, I’ll be there. . .I’m so sorry . . . .fuck.. . Keep me posted. . .okay.” He ended the call and ran his hands through his hair, cursing under his breath.
“What? Jacob, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”
He unlocked the car and we slid in. “Shit, that was Nathan.” He gunned the engine and backed out of the drive. “His mom’s been in a car accident.”
My mind reeled. Katherine Preston had been in a car accident? How? What happened? And Nathan. . he had to be going crazy. First Thomas, and now his mother? “Is she. . .what happened?”
Jacob sped through traffic as he raced back to my house. “He didn’t know much, but she’s alive. He’s not sure how it happened yet. He just asked me to meet him at the hospital.” His eyes darted in my direction. “He doesn’t know I’m here.”
“What are you gonna do? We can see if there is a flight out tonight. Oh my God. . .Jacob. After Thomas. . ,” I couldn’t finish, my brain not even able to comprehend what Nathan must be thinking or feeling at the moment.
“I know,” he answered softly.
We drove the rest of the way in silence, each scared and worried about the accident, not knowing the full severity of it, and how it was probably affecting the person we both loved.
I jumped out of the car as soon as we pulled into our drive and sprinted across the lawn. “Come on! We can get flights, and I can hurry and pack.”
I didn’t even let myself think about what I was saying. Nathan was hurting, probably devastated and reliving the horror from two years ago when his brother had been in the same situation. With a sudden clarity, I knew what I needed to do.
Jacob paused mid-stride and stared at me. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do this. You can—“
“He needs us.”
“Right.” He followed me inside as I called out for Helen and explained everything.
“Please don’t try and talk me out of it,” I finished. “I have to go!” I was going regardless, but it would just be much easier if I didn’t have to listen to all the reasons why I shouldn’t.
She nodded. “Yes, I can see that you do. Well,” she motioned to Jacob. “Jacob and I will work on getting the first flight out of here, and you get yourself packed.”
It turned out that the first available flight had only one remaining seat, and after much debate, Jacob finally agreed to take it. Nathan had called him, needing him there, so he should go first. I would follow on the first flight the next morning. He’d want me there, too, Jacob had argued, but while I knew I needed to go, I also knew Nathan didn’t need added distractions while dealing with the fallout of Katherine’s accident.
Tomorrow would be soon enough.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Nathan
“I’m Nathan Preston. I understand my mother, Katherine Preston, was brought in. Where is she?”
Nails clicked on a keyboard as the nurse searched her computer. “Katherine Preston is still here in the ER, in room eight.”
I barely heard her verbal directions as I turned and barreled down a side hallway. Doctors and nurses were everywhere, and I could hear the sounds of sickness and pain from behind drawn curtains of makeshift rooms. My heartbeat increased as I spotted the sign for room eight. I had no idea the condition of my mother, or what had happened, and I was scared of what I would find when I pulled the curtain back.
A doctor emerged as I approached. “Doctor, Nathan Preston. My mother is Katherine Preston.” I indicated the room behind him. “How is she? Can I see her?”
Doctor Janssen introduced himself, and spoke in soft, soothing tones. “Mr. Preston, your mother was involved in a car accident. While no one else was hurt, she did suffer several cuts and bruises on her left arm and face, as well as two cracked ribs.”
I nodded. “Can I see her?”
He didn’t answer right away, instead flipped through the chart he was holding, before meeting my gaze again with that universal look of someone who is about to divulge news they have no desire to be sharing. “Your mother was highly intoxicated when she arrived, became belligerent with staff and. . .unfortunately, we had to sedate and restrain her.” He pulled back the curtain and allowed me to enter before slipping in behind me and letting the curtain fall back into place.
My throat constricted at the sight of my mother lying lifeless in the hospital bed, looking small and defeated. An IV drip was hooked to her right arm, and both wrists were restrained to the sides of the bed. Bruises, dark purple and red, spotted her face and a bandage wrapped around her head. Machines beeped around her, and I instantly wanted to disconnect them all and carry her home. “What about her driver? How is he?”
Dr. Janssen turned to me. “Her driver? I’m sorry, Mr. Preston. No one came in with her. I believe she was behind the wheel at the time, according to the police on scene.”
I closed my eyes at the news. My mother rarely drove, because even in her intoxicated, semi delusional state, she still knew better than to get behind the wheel while not sober. And she was rarely truly sober. What had caused her to be so reckless?
Our phone conversation earlier. I knew I’d been overly insensitive, and cursed myself for intentionally hurting her feelings. Had I caused this? Was this my fault?
Tears burned my eyes a
s I opened them and walked over to her bed. I clasped her hand and turned back to the doctor as he spoke.
“The police will have some questions for her when she comes around. Are you able to fill out some forms for her for insurance purposes, or your father, perhaps. . .?”
My father. I’m sure he’d been called. It wasn’t as if the Preston name wasn’t known here in the city, but she also carried his contact information, as well as mine, with her at all times. Was he even going to bother to show up? “The police are not to disturb her until she is ready to answer their questions, and only when our attorney is present. They can speak with me if they have any problems with that. And now that she is sedated, these are a little redundant, don’t you think?” I indicated the restraints. “I will fill out your forms.” I kissed my mother’s hand and brushed back her hair before following Dr. Janssen back to the main nurse’s station.
I folded myself into a chair with the necessary forms, and pulled out my phone. There was a text from Jake, letting me know he’d be in about three a.m. and would come straight here. He was out of town was all he’d said earlier, and I didn’t really care where he’d been; I was just glad he was able to get here. I scrolled through my contacts and hovered over Reagan’s name. I hadn’t thought about her since I’d received the call from the hospital. It was selfish of me, because I’d hurt her, and she was dealing with that, but I suddenly felt desperately alone. And I needed her.
I touched her name, and before I could talk myself out of it, furiously typed out a one sentence text and hit send. Maybe she wouldn’t even respond. But I had to try.
I busied myself with filling out forms, and then spoke briefly with the police. Apparently my mother had ran a red light before driving her car off the road, grazing past a small deli, taking out two small outside tables and shattering a window, before smashing into a cement post on the corner. No one had been hurt, but the deli owner was upset and looking to press charges. I was able to get the officers to agree to come back in the morning when legal counsel could be present. Besides, Mom was still sedated, and even if she awoke in the night, she’d be flustered and coming down from a killer buzz. There was no way I was letting them speak to her in that frazzled state.
I headed back to her room and sat in a chair beside the bed. The restraints had been removed, and I lighted rubbed at the marks they’d left behind. “Mother, what have you done?” I whispered.
“Nathanial. What is going on?”
I turned and faced my father, framed in the curtained doorway. “It’s been three hours. Nice of you to show up.”
He rolled his eyes and moved further into the room. “I’ve been in meetings. I still have a business to run, remember?” His sarcasm was evident. “What is this?” He motioned to my mother lying in the bed.
“This,” I mimicked the sweep of his hand, “is your wife. She’s been in a car accident. She was driving and alcohol was involved.”
Roger Preston sighed in disgust. “Damn her! This isn’t the time to be drawing attention to herself!” He had yet to approach the bed, to check on the woman he’d married, make sure she was okay. There was no grave concern for her wellbeing in his eyes, only anger that she’d interrupted his evening. “Whatever the damages are, handle it and get her home.”
I laughed. “This isn’t going to be something you can just write a check for. The police are involved and she could face charges.”
He appeared unfazed. “Nonsense. If you can’t see to it, I’ll call the mayor myself.”
I stood and moved in front of him. “This is not going to be swept away. This is serious! She hit and destroyed property belonging to a business owner. He is angry, and justifiably so. You are going to face this. We all should have faced this two years ago!” He opened his mouth to speak but I continued. “I will call our lawyers, see if we can settle up with the deli owner on damages, and at least avoid any serious charges. But she needs help, and we’re going to get her some. We need to look into a treatment center of some sort.”
My father waved away my words with his hand. “She doesn’t need any treatment. She’s been under added stress lately, throwing herself into all her committees like she does. She needs to get away and rest. Take her to the Hamptons for a few weeks, and she’ll be fine.”
His complete denial of, and refusal to deal with, the situation at hand enraged me. “You selfish son of a bitch!” I yelled. “Take her to the Hamptons? This is your WIFE!” I shook my head. “I’m not going to hide this! For Christ sake, do you not remember how Thomas died?”
My father glanced behind him before leaning in. “Keep your voice down! This is about that girl isn’t it? If you weren’t moping around after a cheap piece of ass, you could have kept a better eye on your mother.”
His words had barely left his mouth when my fist connected with his jaw. “You bastard!”
He stumbled backward through the curtain that separated us from the scurry of emergency room activity. I followed. “This is not up for negotiation. You will support this recovery, either publicly or behind the scenes--that’s up to you—but you will support it! You are going to be there for her, for once in your miserable, selfish life. Are we clear?”
Roger Preston glared at me in silence, as he took a white handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at the blood coming from his mouth. Without response, he simply walked away, straightening his jacket as he left.
It was then I saw we had an audience of nurses and orderlies.
Reagan
I stepped out of the shower and quickly dressed in dark jeans, a navy t-shirt and wedge sandals. I was exhausted, and my eyes were burning from lack of sleep. I’d gone to bed shortly after Jacob had left for the airport, but hadn’t been able to sleep. I’d been worried about Nathan, my mind mulling over what had happened between us, and how insignificant it all seemed now in comparison to his quitting Elite, and Katherine’s accident. I’d constantly checked my phone for news from Jacob. He’d promised to update me after he’d arrived at the hospital.
It was shortly after eleven when the text had come through. My breath had caught when I saw who it was from, and I’d stared at his name for several moments before finally opening it and reading his simply worded text:
Nathan: I wish you were here.
I’d cried. He couldn’t have known that I was aware of the accident, and without giving reasons why, he’d simply wanted me there. In yet another scary, and uncertain time in his life, he wanted me there with him.
And I wanted to be there.
I’d resisted the urge to respond. He needed to be completely focused on his mother, and I didn’t want any of his focus shifted to me, and when I would arrive. Okay, so maybe I was just nervous about talking to him, seeing him, after the last few weeks of radio silence, and how things had been left between us. I figured I could use the element of surprise.
I headed downstairs, dragging my carry on behind me. “Helen, we need to go!”
She appeared from the kitchen, keys in hand. We loaded up and began the trek to the airport. “Your things just got here,” she murmured as she pulled out into traffic.
I raised an eyebrow and looked over at her as I adjusted my seatbelt. “Yeah . . .?”
“Well, I suppose it will all need to be moved back now, right?”
To be honest, I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. Was I moving back to New York? I mean, yes, I loved Nathan, and I was on my way to his side, but was I going back to stay? I didn’t reply as Helen reached over and took my hand.
“You’ve seen his pictures, and know who he is, but I’ve said very little about Jerry Andrews. I think I need to tell you our story.”
I turned slightly toward her in my seat as she continued. “Jerry moved to my neighborhood when I was a junior in high school. He was seventeen, and defined the term ‘tall, dark and handsome’. He was somebody new, had a reckless charm about him, and all the girls wanted to be his. Except me.”
“It wasn’t that I was immune to his goo
d looks. I wasn’t. But Jerry was the life of the party. He was easily the most popular boy in school, was a smooth talker, and had all the girls—both students and staff alike—eating from his hand. I had no interest in falling at his feet just because everyone else did. And he knew it, too.
“He found me one day walking home from school, and asked me for ice cream. I flat out refused, being as stern as I could. He just laughed and said he’d try again the next day.” Helen shook her head as memories overtook her. “And he did. And the day after that, and the day after that. It became a thing for us, ya know? And I finally asked him why he bothered to keep asking me, when he knew my answer would always be no. And he just smiled that charming smile of his and said one day I was going to grant a boy the honor of my presence at the ice cream shop. And he wanted to be that boy so he couldn’t afford not to ask.”
My eyes widened as I tried to imagine the man I’d only seen in pictures as a young, confident teenager, trying to wear Helen down. It sounded like he was a little bit of a romantic, and I waved for her to continue, completely fascinated by the story unfolding about her and the man she would ultimately marry.
“I’ll be honest. That right there almost did me in. I was coming to enjoy our little verbal sparring on my way home after school every day. And I liked the thrill of seeing him extract himself from the crowd when I passed by to hurry over and walk with me. For some reason I had his attention, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. But I remained skeptical. Jerry could have dated anyone. Anyone. What did he want with me?” She peered at me over the rims of her sunglasses pointedly. I rolled my eyes. Yes, I was aware of the resemblance to my own early misgivings about Nathan. Let’s move on.
Made to Love Page 30
