A Blast from the Past (A Second Chance Romance)

by Cummin, Sharon

  I was so worried the car was going to catch on fire. I wasn't even sure he was going to make it. The amount of blood was unbelievable. I didn't want to move him, but the risk of leaving him in the car was too high. I moved his body around the safest I could, pulled him from the car, and got him as far away as I possible. He was a mess. I was hoping he wasn't gone. When I finally got him a safe distance away from the car, I fell to my knees and started working on him. I ripped his shirt from his body. He was barely breathing. I could smell the stench of alcohol and knew he was beyond drunk. His leg was bleeding so badly. I needed to try and stop it. I tied his shirt around his leg to apply pressure to it and began working on the rest of him.

  Livie ran out of the house, but I yelled for her to go back in and watch the kids. She had to have been a mess. Having her out there wouldn't have been good for any of us. He was her ex and the father of her children. I had to shake the thoughts from my head. If he was going to make it, I had to have my mind where it belonged. I was so relieved she hadn't fought me on it.

  The explosion came seconds before I heard the sirens. The heat that came from that fire was out of hand. I had sweat pouring down my body. The car was a charred mess by the time they got to it. He would have been gone if I hadn't pulled him out of that car.

  The scene in that road was like nothing I had ever seen before, and I knew I would never forget it. That was something I had never had to deal with before. I was always at the hospital waiting. Those men and women deserved so much credit for the things they did and how fast they moved. I would never think the same of them again.

  My shirt was off and wrapped around his arm, and I was covered in blood from head to toe. We got him into the ambulance and I jumped in with him. I worked on him the entire way to the hospital. He was definitely going to need surgery. He had to make it. Even if he wasn't a part of their lives, he needed to live for those kids.

  As soon as we got to the hospital, I gave the doctors that were waiting an update on everything I had found. They rushed him through the doors, and it was out of my hands. I had done everything I could and hoped they would be able to save him.

  Livie came through the emergency room doors just as I had finished talking to the doctors. She was a mess.

  "How is he?" she asked. "The scene at the house is awful. They are investigating. I hope they get his car out of there. I don't want the kids to see it."

  "I'm honestly not sure at this point. He lost a lot of blood, Livie. I'm hoping they can save his leg. I did everything I could. I hope you know that. I'm not going to lie, it's really bad."

  She looked at me with tears in her eyes and wrapped her arms around me.

  "What would have happened if you hadn't been there? He would have died, Z. I can't believe it happened. He drove by here and there. I never thought he'd hurt anybody. Thank you for saving him. He would have died if it weren't for you."

  She held my cheeks in her hands and kissed me softly on the lips.

  "You really are amazing. The way you moved and controlled the situation made me realize something. You really are a great doctor. I know why so many people count on you. New York is where you belong. I see that now. I'm going to miss you so damn bad."

  I pulled her closer and leaned my chin on her head. It wasn't going to be easy to leave. I pulled back from our hug and looked down at her.

  "Will you be okay here for a bit? I'm going to go get his dad," I said.

  "Yes," she answered. "You should go home and shower first. His dad can't see you like that."

  She gave me her keys, and I hurried out the door. Everything after that was mostly a blur. I was exhausted by the time I got to his dads after showering and getting dressed. The thought of telling him about his son, especially after he had just seen the two of us fighting, was awful.

  His dad was much nicer to me than I thought he would be. He was very worried about Mike. He drove his own car, even though I told him I would drive him. I knew he wouldn't want to leave his son's side.

  Livie ran over to hug him as soon as we walked in. The three of us sat in the waiting room for five hours waiting to hear anything on his condition. The doctor came out and let us know he was stable for the moment. Mike had lost a lot of blood. He had broken bones and a head injury. They were able to save his leg. It was going to be touch and go. The doctor let us know that anything could happen with a head injury. We just had to wait it out.

  Mike's dad fell into the chair. Livie sat down with him. He kept thanking me over and over for helping Mike. I was shocked when he made a joke about me saving his life after he sucker punched me. They finally said he could go back and see Mike.

  "You need to go with him. He shouldn't do it alone," I said.

  "I want you to go home and sleep. You have to catch a flight in the morning. Can you go back for just a moment with us? I don't know what I'm going to see, and I'm scared?"

  Livie was never one to ask for anything. When she asked me to go with her, my heart melted. She was admitting she needed something. I was so proud of her.

  When we walked into the room she had her arms around Mike's dad, and I had my arms around her. Mike was hooked to so many machines. His body was wrapped in several casts. There were cuts and scratches all over him. It was nothing new for me to see, but for Livie and his father, it was a site.

  "It looks bad," I said. "They need all of this stuff to keep him safe. We need to give him time. He's going to need a lot of help and time to recover."

  I squeezed Livie tight. She looked up at me and mouthed thank you. That woman didn't know how much I cared for her. She didn't know I would have done anything for her. I got chairs for the two of them to sit in before I hugged her and left.

  I called a cab to take me home. They both needed their cars at the hospital. It wouldn't be long before I needed to be back up. I fell onto my bed and was out within seconds.

  In the morning, I had my bag packed and in the car. I had already said goodbye to my mom. That wasn't easy either. I was worried about her. The kids both ran outside as soon as I walked out of my house. It wasn't going to be easy to leave those two adorable faces. Livie's mom came out and talked for a few minutes.

  "I'm sure that was very hard for you last night. I know the feelings you have when it comes to him. You are a great man, Zander. Thank you for doing that. Not for anyone else but those kids. Do you think he'll make it?" she asked.

  "I hope so," I answered. "He's still in danger. I'm being honest with you. I'd say he has a much better chance than he did right after it happened. They did a great job."

  "So did you," she said. "I'm sure going to miss you. My girl really cares about you."

  "I really care about her too," I said.

  Livie's car pulled into the driveway. I wasn't sure I was relieved. The thought of having to leave her was tearing me apart. With only a few hours of sleep, it wasn't getting any better. I took a deep breath.

  "You two will figure it out," her mom whispered to me. "It'll be okay."

  I nodded and walked over to Livie. She looked exhausted.

  "I had to see you before you left," she said, as I wrapped my arms around her.

  "I'd stay if I could," I said. "I already told them I would be there. I have surgeries this week. There is no way I can stay. I'll be back as soon as I can. How is he?"

  "The same," she said. "His dad was still there when I left. He won't leave him. Thank you for everything, Z. He's their father. I don't want anything to happen to him. You are the most amazing man I know. They need you there. I just keep telling myself that. I'm going to miss you. The kids are going to miss you."

  "I'm going to miss you," I said. "All of you. I'll call when I get home. Don't work today. Make sure you get some sleep."

  I finally pulled myself away and got in the car. The four of them stood in the driveway while I drove away. It was the hardest thing I had done in a long time.

  The last time I left that driveway, she was standing alone in that same spot. Back then I was
looking forward to the road ahead. I was going to live my dreams. It wasn't the same waving to them all. I had to wonder if my dreams were really what I wanted.

  Chapter 24

  Olivia

  Days turned into weeks. I never had a moment to spare. I worked in the bakery, took care of Carol, spent time at the hospital with Mike's dad, made lunches, made dinners, ran baths, and spent as much time as I could with the kids. It was starting to wear me down. I knew I was taking on too much, but there was nothing I could give up. It all needed done. By the time I'd finish with the kids each night, I'd fall into bed. Some nights, I never even made it out of the clothes I had worn that day.

  Through my busy schedule, one thing never changed. My thoughts were always of the man in New York that I missed so much. We text more than anything. He'd call the kids during the day while I was gone. He kept telling me I needed to rest and stop wearing myself down. I didn't listen. Too many people needed me.

  Mike was going to be okay, but the road to recovery was going to be long. He swore over and over that he was never going to drink again. When he admitted that he screwed up with me, I was shocked. He told me how sorry he was for everything he had put me through and promised to change. Time would tell whether he meant it or not. I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. He thanked me for being there for his dad and said he wanted to apologize to Zander. I pulled out my phone and handed it to him with an open text.

  Me: This is Mike. I wanted to tell you how thankful I am that you pulled me from that car and saved my life. I'm sorry for everything that happened between us. I'm hoping we can get passed it.

  It was only a few moments later that I heard the phone buzz. Mike didn't say a word as he handed back my phone. I left shortly after and pulled my phone back out to read the text.

  Z: I would have done it for anyone. I'm glad you're okay. I have no problem moving on, but I do need to tell you one thing. If you ever touch her again, I will beat the shit out of you. If you ever hurt my girl, you will be sorry.

  My girl, I thought. What did that mean? I couldn't believe he had just threatened the man he had saved from death. Zander was something else. Saving Mike wouldn't change a thing with him. He would still be watching him just as closely.

  I went by the shop to check on Mike's dad. He seemed like he was in a much better mood than the day before. I felt bad for him. He worked his ass of his entire life for his son. The amount of medical bills the insurance wasn't going to cover was astronomical. They were going to need things in the house during Mike's recovery. There would be tons of therapy and visiting nurses. His father had been so afraid that he was going to lose the business he built and possibly his home. When I saw his smile, it made me feel good. Through all of it, he was smiling. I had no idea how his son had come to act the way he did.

  "I'm happy to see that smile. I brought you some cookies today," I said.

  "Come in," he said. "Sit down."

  I walked into his small office and sat in the chair opposite his desk.

  "You're not going to believe what happened," he said.

  He was smiling from ear to ear, but he had tears in his eyes. I was completely confused.

  "What?" I asked.

  I had told him that I would help him as much as I possibly could. He appreciated everything I had already done just by being there and checking on him so much.

  "When I was at the hospital this morning, the doctor pulled me into a room to talk to me," he began.

  My stomach was in knots. What could they have said, I wondered?

  "About what? Is everything okay?" I asked.

  "They told me that all of Mike's medical bills not covered by his insurance were being paid for. Everything he needs at the house is being supplied. He'll have therapy and a nurse that will visit. I can't believe it, Olivia. You know how worried I was. You were the only one I told. Did you do something? Who would do such a great thing for us? I know Mike's been a real ass since the divorce. I can't imagine who would do that for him. You have no idea what this means. I won't lose my house or my shop. I've worked my whole life for that place. I was so afraid I was going to lose it."

  I grabbed him and hugged him tight. He didn't deserve the shit Mike had been putting him through.

  "You know why I divorced him," I said. "I'm sorry he's been so mean."

  "He deserved it," his dad said. "He hurt you, Olivia. I'm glad you left him. You deserve so much better than my son. I'm just hoping this was a reality check for him. I want him to get his shit together so badly."

  "I know you do," I said. "I had nothing to do with his bills being paid. I'm not sure who did it."

  It made me feel so good to see his dad with a smile on his face. It was so hard on him working and spending so much time at the hospital. I was happy to hear he was able to relax and not worry so much. That was one less thing on his plate.

  Once the kids were in bed, I called Zander to tell him how happy Mike's dad was that he wasn't going to lose his home. I knew damn well that Z had been the one to take care of it. Every time I turned around since his dad passed away, it seemed like he was doing something else to surprise me and make me question the fact that he had been out of my life. He didn't say anything except that he was happy for Mike's family. I couldn't believe he didn't want a bit of credit for what he had done. Mike's dad would have been so shocked if he knew where that money came from.

  "You really are the most amazing person I've ever met in my life," I said.

  "No," he said. "You are. You're the one that taught me what it was to be selfless and giving. You don't have a minute to spare, but you find the time to be there for everyone else, Livie."

  I hung up the phone and thought about the things he had done that I had just recently learned about. Seeing him do that for Mike's family, the same man he had just fought with, made me think even more. It was like a light bulb went off in my head. Oh shit, I thought. I hopped off my bed, took off for my mom's room, and burst through her door.

  "The bakery," I yelled out.

  "What?" she asked. "You need to get some rest, Olivia. You're losing it."

  "Tell me right now, mom," I said. "Did he have anything to do with me getting the bakery?"

  "Who?" she asked. "What are you talking about?"

  "Zander," I said. "He had something to do with it. I know it. I just know it."

  "Not that I know of."

  I narrowed my eyes at her and she laughed.

  "I have never talked to him or heard anything like that. He wouldn't even have known, Olivia," my mom said sternly.

  "Never mind," I said, as I turned around and went back to my room.

  I was just exhausted and needed some sleep. That was all. I was being ridiculous.

  When I went outside to leave the next morning, there was a package on the porch addressed to Jack. Tears fell from my eyes when I picked it up and read the address label. It was from Zander. His handwriting hadn't changed over the years. It looked exactly the same. The outside of the box had Happy Birthday written on it in marker, and there were little pictures drawn all over the box. I knew it had taken him a lot of time to do. That made me melt even more.

  I went to work and jumped right into baking. It was the one thing that always helped me relax. I was watching the clock on the wall the entire time. As soon as nine o'clock came, I picked up the phone to call the woman who sold me the bakery. We talked often, so it wasn't going to be strange that I was calling her. We talked about how she was and how sales at the bakery were going before I got to the reason for my call.

  "I have to ask you something, and I really need you to be honest with me. It's very important," I said.

  "Okay," she said. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

  "Everything's fine," I said. "So much has been going on here with Zander's dad passing and things with Mike. I have a few things I'm trying to figure out."

  "That boy cares about you," she said.

  "Who? Mike? I don't think so," I said.

&nb
sp; "I meant Zander," she replied.

  "You remember selling me the bakery. The price was much higher. All of a sudden, the price dropped. You said you needed to get rid of the place."

  "Yes," she said.

  I could hear a change in her tone and figured I would just go for it.

  "It had nothing to do with you having to get rid of it quickly, did it?" I asked. "It had everything to do with Zander."

  "Did he tell you that?" she asked.

  "I knew it."

  "Oh no," she began. "He didn't tell you. He's going to be upset with me. You can't say anything, Olivia. I promised him over and over that I would never tell you."

  "Don't worry about it," I said. "Just tell me what happened. I promise, I won't say anything to him. I just need to know. I'm finding out so many things about that man."

  "He called me. I'm not sure how he found out the bakery was for sale. He asked me what I wanted for it. It was the same price I had told you each time you asked. He asked if you had asked about it. I told him you had, but the price was too high. You had just gotten a divorce. A week later he called me back. He wanted to make a deal with me. Please don't be mad at him or me, Olivia. He really cares about you. He said you had always said that you would own that bakery one day, and he wanted your dreams to come true. It was so important to him. I think he would have given me even more money just to agree to his deal. He said he wanted you to have what you always wanted. I let him pay me half of the cost of the bakery. He knew you would be onto us if I gave it to you. So we both agreed I'd charge you half the asking price. It wasn't that he was trying to buy it for you. He really wanted you to be happy. I called you and told you I had cut the price in half. It wasn't easy, since you were working for me. I didn't want to lie to you. I thought what he had done was the sweetest thing in the world. He made me promise that I'd never tell you, Olivia. It was important to him that you not know he did it."