Jack Part One and Two (The Elite)

by KB Winters

  Everything moved in a blur of activity—barked orders, commands, and instructions. When Holly was freed, she was immediately strapped to a gurney and then taken down the hill, past the trees that had stopped her car from rolling right out onto the highway below, and loaded into a second ambulance. I hopped in with her and the sirens roared back to life as the medics raced us up the highway to the nearest emergency room.

  I took Holly’s hand and stroked her fingers gently. “Come on, baby. Come back to me.”

  ****

  The hospital was a different kind of chaos. I was once again shoved to the side as Holly was triaged. The doctors and nurses spoke in their own language, but it was obvious there was a lot of damage. She had cuts and scrapes, a broken arm, and likely head trauma. As they’d wheeled her out of my sight, she still wasn’t responsive.

  “Jack!” Gemma raced toward me, wearing her scrubs. “Aaron just called me!”

  She ran down the hall and thudded into me in a tight embrace. “I’m so sorry! He’s on his way.”

  I nodded. He was my first call after they took Holly away. He was out for the afternoon, a few miles down the coast, but had assured me he was on his way as soon as we got off the call. I’d forgotten that Gemma was likely at the hospital.

  “Is she going to be okay?” I asked Gemma.

  She released me and I caught a worried glimmer in her eyes. “She’s pretty banged up. Broken arm, significant bruising from the seat belt against her chest, and then a laceration on the side of her head from hitting the side of the car. They’ve stitched that up and stopped the bleeding but she still hasn’t woken up yet.”

  “And the baby?”

  Gemma glanced down the hall before returning her eyes to mine. “I don’t know, Jack. Do you know how far along she is?”

  I shook my head, desperately wishing I knew the answer. “I didn’t even know she—that she was—until right before… It would have to be at least three months since…since we were together.”

  “Right.” Gemma frowned. “Okay. Well, they’re doing everything they can to get her stable.”

  I nodded, even as my jaw tensed to keep from yelling. How did this happen? Why did she keep something like that a secret? God, Holly, what were you thinking?

  “It’s going to be all right, Jack,” Gemma said, brushing her hand over my arm.

  A set of frantic footsteps joined us in the quiet corridor. “Boomer!”

  Player ran down the hall and skidded to a stop in front of us. “What the hell happened?”

  Gemma filled him in on Holly’s condition and Aaron’s eyes went wide when she mentioned the baby. I cringed. I hadn’t told him that part over the phone.

  “Baby?” Aaron said, turning toward me. “Holly’s…?”

  “Yeah. She told me just…uh…just before.”

  “Fuck.” Aaron looked at Gemma. “She’s gonna be all right, isn’t she?”

  “They’re doing everything they can,” Gemma said.

  Aaron tensed. “That’s not good enough! Holly has to make it and the baby too!”

  A sad smile crossed my lips at Aaron’s outrage on my behalf.

  “She will be,” Gemma said soothingly. “I’ll go check on her and see if you can go in and sit with her.”

  “Thanks, Gemma.”

  She nodded and then disappeared around the corner. I glanced at Player, who had tears building up in his eyes. “I’m gonna be a dad, man.”

  “Yeah, yeah you are,” he whispered, not hiding the tear that fell down his face. Times like this was when I knew what a great friend—no, brother—I had in Player. I leaned against the stark white hospital wall and waited.

  Chapter Ten

  Holly

  The world was foggy—but loud—so very, very loud. Beeping and hissing and people talking and shouting. My eyes were heavy—so very, very heavy. An urge to wake up, to see what was going on, fought through and my eyes opened. Bright lights shone down and I quickly closed them again. I tried to speak but my mouth wouldn’t move. My head. My head hurt. I needed a glass of water, but couldn’t find the strength to move. What time is it? Why is it so bright? Who are you? What is that beeping sound?

  “She’s awake!”

  More noise—footsteps, whispers, murmured words I didn’t understand.

  “Holly? Can you hear me?”

  Who is that?

  I nodded but my eyes refused to open again—they were too heavy. Like a huge weight was on my face. What is that? I tried to push it aside, but couldn’t get my hand to move.

  “Whoa, whoa, Holly, slow down. Slow down. Can you hear me?”

  I could faintly hear her question, but I couldn’t answer. Her voice was thick and far away. Like she was talking to me underwater, but my body or mouth wouldn’t cooperate. I opened my eyes to the voice again. Where was I? Am I dead? If this is heaven, it hurts. Why does it hurt so bad?

  My eyes closed and the beeping and pain slowly faded away.

  ****

  I don’t know how long I was asleep, but I woke to harsh lights and the annoying beeping again. Gemma was beside me and I raised my hand to take hers.

  “Hey, baby, how are you doing?”

  “Am I alive?” My voice was harsh and raspy.

  She smiled. “Yes, you’re alive and the baby is doing well.”

  “Oh God! The baby! He’s okay?”

  Gemma moved forward and applied salve to my lips and I offered her a weak smile. “Thank—thank you.”

  “Are you sure he’s a he?”

  “This baby has to be a he. A little girl wouldn’t put me through this.” I managed to smile. “You know, hormones and all. Can I sit up? I’m thirsty.”

  “Stay put, I’ll get you some ice chips. The doctor should be in soon.” Before Gemma even had a chance to go, a tall man walked in. I assumed he was the doctor, but he wasn’t my obstetrician. Gemma gave me a small wave and mouthed a bye before she left.

  “Good morning Miss…Parker. Glad to see you’re awake. How are you feeling today?”

  “Like I got run over by a truck.”

  “Well, you have been in a pretty nasty car accident.”

  The doctor ran through a list of events, informed me I had a broken arm, bruised ribs and sternum, abrasions on my face and hands, and that I was suffering from a severe head trauma.

  “We have you on some medications and will be monitoring you for any signs of internal bleeding. Do you remember anything about the crash?”

  “I’m pregnant,” I told him. “How is my baby?”

  “So far there is no sign of distress but after what you’ve been through…we’ll need to monitor everything and make sure there aren’t any complications. How many weeks along are you?”

  “Fourteen.”

  He nodded. “Okay. Try not to worry right now. We’re here and we’re watching everything closely. Now, there is a young man out in the hall that would like to come in and see you. Think you’re feeling up to a little company?”

  “Jack?”

  The doctor turned to look over his shoulder, consulting with a nurse, then turned back. “Yes, I believe that is his name. He’s the one who brought you in.”

  “Why can’t I remember?”

  “This is pretty common after such a trauma. Your memory will likely return. None of the scans show any damage to your brain.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Yes. How about you get some rest and we’ll see about visitors later. Is there anyone you’d like to call?” I nodded and the doctor gestured to someone across the room. “This is Tammy. She’ll help you make some calls.”

  Tammy, a strawberry blonde with expressive green eyes smiled down at me. “You just let me know what you need, okay, Holly?”

  “Okay.” I nodded and swallowed, though my throat and mouth were still too dry. “Where are my ice chips?”

  Tammy handed me a Styrofoam cup full of ice and a spoon. As I brought some ice to my lips, I thought about Jack waiting outside the room. Part of me wa
nted him to charge through the doors and take me into his arms and tell me everything was going to be okay, but there was something stopping me from asking for him. A lingering sadness in my chest—a big hole where he used to be. I just wished I knew why.

  ****

  I made phone calls to my family and Rachel before I got comfortable enough to rest again. The hospital room didn’t have a window, so I had no idea how much time had passed. I spent most of the time lost in a tangled web of anxiety, wondering what had happened, whether or not my baby was going to be okay. I also wondered if Jack was still outside the room waiting for me. Eventually a familiar face came into the room and I perked up. “Gemma!”

  Gemma smiled and came over to sit in the chair beside my bed. “How are you? I see you got your ice chips. Sorry, I had to run out. I found out you can eat now, though. How about something light? Jello?”

  “I’m not really hungry. More worried than anything. Gemma. Do you know what happened to me?”

  “You don’t remember the crash?”

  “No. Not really.”

  “Oh, Holly. I’m so sorry. Didn’t Jack come in?” She looked toward the door as though expecting to see him there. “I got busy with my rounds. I assumed he was in here…”

  “I told them I wasn’t ready to see him.”

  Gemma’s face fell. “So, you’ve been in here all alone?”

  I gave a slight nod. “Rachel’s on her way up from Newport Beach.”

  “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. Do you want me to go find Jack and tell him you’re ready to—”

  “No!”

  Gemma frowned. “Why not?”

  “I don’t want him to see me like this and he can’t know about the baby. I haven’t told him yet.”

  One of Gemma’s brows lifted. “Wow. You really don’t remember, do you? He knows about the baby. He said you told him, back at the shop, and you two got into it. He was chasing after your car when you hit that guard rail and went over…”

  “What?”

  She nodded.

  “How come I don’t remember that?” I scratched back through my memories, desperate to snag the hours before waking up in the hospital bed. I’d told Jack about the baby?

  “It’ll come back to you. Dr. Nolan doesn’t think the head trauma will result in long-term memory loss.”

  I sighed. “I guess I should talk to him but I don’t know what to say. Can you just—can you tell him to go home?”

  “Holly—”

  “No, I’m serious. I don’t have anything to say. Everything is so crazy right now. I woke up this morning, went to work, it was just any other day and then—” A memory pricked at the back of my mind—lunch with Noah. The bathroom at the restaurant. Tina. The big-boobed pilot. “Gemma!”

  She jumped at the snap to my voice. “What?”

  “Who is the brunette that works for Aaron?”

  “Kourtney?”

  The name didn’t sound familiar. “Who is she?”

  Gemma shrugged one of her shoulders. “She’s a pilot. Moved to Holiday Cove from the Bay Area. She’s a nice girl, although she’s getting a bit of a party-girl reputation around town. But hey, she’s twenty-two.”

  “Jack was with her.”

  “I think they did a flight together…yes…”

  “No. I mean he was with her. Tina, from Harvey’s told me about it. That’s why I was at the museum. That’s why Jack and I were fighting. That’s why…that’s why all of this even happened!”

  Gemma’s eyes went wide. “Are you sure? Aaron hasn’t said anything…”

  “I’m sure.”

  She looked back at the door. “Do you want me to talk to him? See what’s going on?”

  “No. Just tell him that I’m fine and that we’ll talk about…everything…later.”

  Gemma gave a slight nod. “About the baby? Why didn’t you tell me, Holly? I would have kept it quiet until you were ready.”

  I reached for her hand. “It’s not that I didn’t trust you, Gemma. Please don’t think that. I only told Carly a few days ago. Rachel doesn’t even know. I think at first I was in a little bit of denial over the whole thing and needed a little time to sit with it and figure out my plans before bringing in a bunch of other people.”

  “Okay. Well, know that regardless of what happens, Aaron and I are here for you guys. All of you.”

  “Thanks, Gemma.”

  She stood from the bed. “I should get back to my patients. I’ll stop in and see you before I clock out though. Do you need anything right now?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

  “No pain?”

  “No.” I looked down at myself, mostly covered by the thin hospital sheets. I hadn’t seen the damage to my body but from what one of the nurses told me, I was going to be stiff and sore for a good while as I healed up from the bruised ribs, chest, and the cuts and bruises on my torso, arms, and face. “I think I look worse than I feel. At least judging by the way people look at me.”

  Gemma smiled. “You look beautiful, as always, just a little more…purple, right now.”

  I laughed softly and felt a twinge of pain in my ribs. “Oh! Remind me not to do that…”

  “Sorry.”

  “Any chance you can have Carly sneak me some lemon bars?”

  Gemma laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.” She opened the door and stopped, straddling the line between my room and the hallway. She looked out into the hall and even from across the room, I could see the worry in her eyes. She dragged her stare back to me.

  I sighed. “He’s still there?”

  “He’s been here since he brought you in. Are you sure you won’t see him? Just so he knows you’re okay?” Gemma asked as she walked back toward me. Her tone wasn’t judgmental, but I could tell from the look in her eyes that she thought I should let Jack into the room.

  “I can’t. Not right now. Can you tell him I’m okay?”

  Gemma sighed. “All right. And I’ll tell him to go home. Maybe tomorrow? That way you’ll have some time to think?”

  “Maybe.”

  Gemma opened her mouth, ready to counter my reply, but offered a warm smile instead. She squeezed my hand. “I’m glad you’re going to be okay, Holly.”

  “Thanks, Gemma. For everything.”

  “Sure.” She went to the door. “Sleep well.”

  Gemma pulled the door closed behind her and I was met with the stillness. The monitors and machines above me provided enough light to make out the shapes of the ceiling tiles and I started tracing the lines with my eyes. There was a TV mounted on the opposite wall but I didn’t want the noise.

  I wasn’t alone for long, Carly and Rachel arrived at nearly the same time and soon the room was filled with their chatter and questions. Gemma stopped by again and filled them in on the medical stuff and then let me know she was clocking out and would see me in the morning and to call if I needed anything.

  A little while after Gemma left, Carly went out to get coffee for her and Rachel as they prepared to stay as long as the nurses would let them. When she returned, her face was strained. “Holly, has anyone told you that Jack’s outside the door, waiting to come and see you?”

  “Multiple times.”

  Rachel frowned over at me. “Well, you need to talk to him. He deserves some answers.”

  “I don’t have any answers to give him, Rach. He’ll want to talk about the baby and how we’re going to handle co-parenting. I don’t know anything about that right now, and I sure as hell don’t want to talk about it. I’ve barely wrapped my mind around the idea of becoming a mom. I definitely haven’t figured out how the hell I’m supposed to do that with Jack when he lives on the other side of the country. And even if he moved back here—which, for the record, I don’t want—it’s not like that would make it easy. I hated seeing him with that pilot bitch draped all over him. It still makes my skin crawl just to think about it…”

  “Yes, we can tell,” Carly quipped, gesturing at the blood pressure mon
itor that chirped along.

  I frowned. “How am I supposed to raise a child with him when we can’t even be in the same room together without arguing?”

  Rachel looked like she wanted to say something but caught Carly’s eye and stopped short.

  “What?” I asked, shooting a look at Carly and then Rachel.

  “Nothing, honey. You need your rest right now. You need to take it easy for you and that beautiful baby you’re baking in there. None of this needs to be figured out today. Right now, you need to focus on healing and staying calm.”

  I nodded slowly. The doctors told me the baby was going to be fine, any distress would have shown up on the tests they’d already run, but they were keeping me for at least another twenty-four hours to monitor my progress. I was scheduled to have an ultrasound in the morning to double-check the baby’s condition. Carly was right, stressing wasn’t going to help.

  “I’ll talk to Jack. As it is, the nurses are probably getting ready to herd us out of here. Visiting hours are already over. Rachel is going to stay with me tonight. Aaron has Hunter at the house so you don’t need to worry about your fur baby.”

  “I wish the hospital would let Hunter come in. I haven’t slept without him at my feet since the day I adopted him.” Tears swelled in my eyes and I wiped them away. “I know he enjoys being curled up with Princess. And thanks you guys,” I said, my throat clogged with emotion.

  Rachel stood up and leaned over to give me a light embrace. “Take care, mama. We’ll come back in the morning.”

  Carly gave me a quick hug too. “And I’ll sneak you some banana bread,” she whispered into my hair.

  I laughed softly, wincing at the bolt of pain. “And some lemon bars.”

  Carly grinned. “You got it, babe. Sleep good.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Jack

  “Jack, you need to go home.”

  Carly’s words were soft but they hit me in the gut. I’d spent the entire time parked outside Holly’s hospital room, waiting to see her, but she’d apparently told the nurses that she didn’t want to see me and I wasn’t gonna make a scene. Even after Gemma and Carly went to bat for me, she still turned me away.