“You’re so bad.” I laugh, leaning forward to grab my cell phone when it starts to ring. When I see it’s Galvin calling, I hit the ignore button. I’ve said everything I need to say to him, and I’m not at a place where we can be friends. When it starts to ring again almost immediately, I frown and set down my coffee, then pick my cell up, slide my finger across the screen, and put it to my ear. “Yes?”

  “Cybil.” His voice sounds weird, worried, strained.

  “What happened?” I sit up as my heart starts to pound. “Is Jade okay?”

  “Jade’s fine, but she asked me to call you. We were on the phone this morning, and her mom started to complain about her chest hurting before she passed out. They’re on the way to the hospital. They think she had a heart attack.”

  A sense of dread washes over me while the blood in my head seems to rush to my toes, making me lightheaded.

  “I . . .” Tears fill my eyes as I realize I’m not just minutes away, but hundreds of miles, which means I can’t just get in my Bronco to go be with my best friend who needs me. “Oh God.” I cover my mouth with my fingers.

  “Cybil,” Galvin calls, but before I can respond, my phone slides from my hand and Tanner places his fingers under my chin, scanning my face. He moves his hand to the back of my head and presses my forehead into his hip.

  “This is Tanner. What’s going on?” he asks; then his fingers dig into my scalp. “Now is not the time for that conversation. Cybil’s upset, and I wanna know why.” The sound of my heart beating hard fills my ears, then his rumbled, “What hospital? All right, let Jade know we’re on our way.” I hear my cell bounce onto the cushion of the couch, then land on the floor before he gets down on his knees in front of me and takes my face into his hands. “Sunshine, I know you’re upset, but I need you to keep it together.”

  “Maisie’s in the hospital.”

  “I know.” His expression softens as he wipes the tears from my cheeks.

  “I’m hundreds of miles away.” My chin wobbles. “And Jade needs me.”

  “You’ll be with her, baby.” He stands and pulls me up, then urges me into the house and to the bedroom. At the side of the bed, he turns me to face him and wraps his hand around my jaw. “Get dressed and pack what you need to pack. I’m gonna make a couple of calls.” He kisses my nose, then turns to leave.

  I blink at the empty doorway, then look around the room before I get myself together enough to put on some clothes and to start packing up my stuff. As I’m shoving my makeup bag in my suitcase, he comes into the room and walks past me to go into the bathroom without a word; then I hear the shower turn on. As I finish packing, I try to figure out how I’ll be able to drive, especially with the tears I’m barely holding back, ready to let loose at any second.

  “Are you packed?” he asks a few minutes later as he comes out of the bathroom fully dressed. Wearing sneakers, jeans, and a T-shirt, with a backward baseball cap on his head, he has a black duffle bag slung over his shoulder. If things were different, I would take a moment to appreciate how good he looks wearing a baseball cap, but now isn’t the time.

  “Yeah.” I flip my suitcase closed, and he moves me out of the way to zip it up for me.

  “Blake’s dad is meeting us at the airport in Missoula in the next hour, so we need to get on the road.”

  “What?” I watch as he lifts my bag off the bed.

  “He’s going to fly us to Portland, and Janet called a rental-car place at the airport there, so we’ll have wheels when we land.”

  Shaking my head, I try to wrap my head around what he’s saying. “Are you coming with me?”

  “Yes.” He places his hand against my lower back and urges me out of the room.

  “You’re coming with me, and Blake’s dad is flying us . . . like, in a plane?”

  “Unless he decides to take out the dragons, yeah, he’s flying us in his plane,” he says, and I stop and turn to face him. “Sorry, shit, baby. I didn’t mean—”

  “I’ve never flown in my life,” I admit, cutting him off. “I’ve never even been near a plane. I don’t think—”

  “It’s safe, Cybil, and the most logical way for us to get to Oregon.”

  “I watch the news. I—”

  “You”—he captures the back of my neck and smooths his thumb up and down my skin—“trust me.”

  “I trust you.” I don’t even hesitate to agree, and he places his face close to mine, so close I can see tiny bits of gold in his eyes I didn’t notice before, something that’s ridiculous to notice now.

  “This is the fastest way to get you home to your family. I promise you’ll be safe. I’ll be with you the entire time, so you have nothing to be afraid of. Okay?” Swallowing, I nod, and he leans in to kiss the tip of my nose. “You need to grab your cell from the back deck while I make sure the house is shut down.”

  “Okay.” I head outside to get my phone while he goes to the kitchen, and when I get back inside, he ushers me to the front door and out, leading me to his truck. While I buckle up, I hear the thud of our bags landing in the truck bed; then, a moment later, he gets in behind the wheel.

  “Ready?” he asks, placing two bottled waters in the cup holders and a few of my favorite granola bars in the center console between our seats. The sight of them causes my throat to burn as I nod. “Let’s get you home.” He grabs my hand and pulls it over to rest on his thigh before he starts the engine and backs away from the house. As he flips on the turn signal and turns onto the main road, I look at my phone, hoping it will ring while praying it doesn’t. I don’t know what I’ll do if I get a call saying that—

  I bite the inside of my cheek, refusing to finish my thought.

  “I’m proud of you, baby.”

  “You always say you’re proud of me when I’m not doing anything worthy of that praise.” I smile, but it feels forced.

  “You’re doing more than you think you are. I know you’re freaked, but you’re not breaking down on me.” He gives my fingers a squeeze, and I look over at him. “You should send Jade a message to let her know you’re on your way and that you’ll be there in less than four hours.”

  “Four hours?” There’s no hiding the surprise in my voice.

  “It’s about an hour-and-a-half flight once we’re wheels up, then a forty-minute drive from the airport to the hospital.” He lifts my hand to kiss my fingers. “After you send that text, I want you to eat one of your granola bars.”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “I know, but you need to get something in your stomach. It’s going to be a long day,” he says gently, and I nod before quickly sending Jade a message and another to Galvin. Jade doesn’t respond, but Galvin texts back seconds later, saying he’s in the waiting room at the hospital and that he’ll see me when I get there. Which I’m not looking forward to. I don’t text him back.

  I grab one of my bars and go through the motions of chewing and swallowing, because Tanner is right. I’ll need something in my stomach if I’m going to face this day.

  Chapter 19

  TANNER

  I grab the parking pass the machine spits out, then wait for the gate to go up before heading up the ramp into the parking garage across the street from the hospital. When we landed an hour ago, Cybil was able to get ahold of Jade. She told her that Maisie had gone in for emergency surgery after the doctors had confirmed she did have a heart attack and that she needed a stent put in.

  After getting that news, Cybil assured her that she was on her way before hanging up and breaking into tears that ripped me apart as they soaked my tee. It took me a good ten minutes to get her calm enough to get off the plane. Dave looked about as happy as I felt seeing her cry, which meant she’d won him over just as quickly as she has everyone else in my life.

  Finally finding an empty space on the third level, I pull in and park, then give Cybil’s thigh a squeeze.

  “You okay, sunshine?” I move my hand to the back of her neck under her ponytail, and she turns my way.

  “I hate hospitals,” she says quietly, and my fingers automatically tighten on her nape. Her confession isn’t surprising. I imagine that after her mom was diagnosed with cancer, she probably spent more time in hospitals than she ever wanted to.

  “That’s understandable,” I assure her, and her chin trembles. Hating that there’s nothing I can do to ease her fear right now, I pull her close and rest my forehead against hers. “It will be okay, even if it doesn’t feel like it will be.”

  “Don’t make me cry.” She pulls in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Not when I need to be strong for Jade.”

  “Sunshine, Jade is going to understand you being upset.” I kiss her nose, then lean back. “Are you ready to go inside?” With a nod, she grabs her purse, and I get out, then meet her at her door. It takes a few minutes once we get inside the hospital to find the waiting room outside surgery, but as soon as we arrive, Cybil lets go of my hand and rushes right for a redhead with long hair. She’s being held by a burly older gentleman with hair as white as snow and a beard that hasn’t been trimmed since the seventies. When the two of them spot Cybil, they wrap her in an embrace and start to rock her back and forth.

  Not wanting to interrupt, I stand back with my arms crossed over my chest, giving them a moment. As they start to talk in hushed tones, I notice two men standing a couple of feet away and know exactly who they are without an introduction. If I had to guess, the tall blond with short hair and classic all-American features, dressed like he belongs in Montana on a ranch, is her ex, Galvin. The bald guy with glasses at his side, who’s dressed like he was out running, in shorts, sneakers, and a plain shirt, is her ex’s new husband, Chris.

  As I study the two of them, the sour expression on Chris’s face as he stares at Cybil begins to piss me off. I’m sure he’s angry that the guy he’s now married to was in a relationship with someone else while in a relationship with him, but that shit has nothing to do with Cybil. If anyone has the right to feel victimized, it’s her, since she’s the only one who was left in the dark. When I see Galvin move to make his presence known, I drop my arms to my sides and step toward Cybil, which draws his attention to me. He stops, his eyes widening. Not giving a fuck what he’s thinking, I place my hand against Cybil’s lower back once I’m close enough to touch her, and she tips her head back toward me, giving me a sad but somewhat relieved smile.

  “Jade just told me that right before we got here, the doctors came down to let them know Maisie is out of surgery and stable. They’re putting her in a room now.”

  “That’s great news, sunshine.”

  “Yeah.” She reaches for my hand and laces her fingers with mine before introducing me to Jade and her father by lifting our hands and stating, “Jade, Bernard, this is Tanner. Tanner, this is my family.”

  “Nice to meet you both.” I dip my chin.

  “I wish it were under better circumstances.” Bernard holds his hand out toward me, and the moment I take it, he pulls me forward to pound my bicep, saying quietly, “Thank you for getting Cybil here so quickly.”

  “Anytime,” I reply, and he lets me go, looking away, but not before I catch the torment he’s trying to hide.

  “Tanner.” Jade gives me a somber smile while reaching out to give my hand a squeeze. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” I say, and Cybil rests against me, so I wrap my arm around her waist and tuck her into my side.

  “Cybil.” As soon as the man I noticed earlier says her name, her body against mine grows rigid, and she turns his way.

  “Galvin, Chris,” she says, the tone of her voice not exactly cold, but neither is it welcoming. “Thank you for calling me to let me know about Maisie.”

  “Yeah.” Galvin’s gaze pings between Cybil and me. “Do you think we can talk?” He swallows hard, and his husband’s jaw twitches, making me wonder what Galvin’s told him about Cybil’s and his relationship.

  “I’m thinking right now isn’t the time for that,” I cut in before she can answer, not giving a fuck if I’m overstepping.

  “Tanner’s right,” Bernard rumbles, narrowing his gaze on Galvin. “You wanna talk to Cybil, you do it another time, not right now when the woman who helped raise her is in a hospital bed.”

  “Of course.” Galvin shakes his head. “I just—”

  “You’re just thinking about yourself,” Bernard says, cutting his gaze to Chris before giving Galvin another look that has his shoulders sagging.

  “We should go,” Chris inserts, wrapping his hand around Galvin’s bicep.

  “Yeah, okay.” Galvin looks at Cybil quickly before focusing on Jade. “Will you call and let me know when your mom can have visitors?”

  “Of course,” Jade says, giving him a hug; then she looks between him and Chris. “Thanks for coming.”

  “If you need anything, let us know,” he tells her, sending Cybil one more long glance before Chris takes his hand and urges him out of the waiting room.

  “You know, Dad, you could be a little nicer to him.” Jade sighs, wrapping her arms around his middle when he places his arm around her shoulders.

  “I didn’t kick his ass. I consider that pretty nice,” Bernard grumbles, and I bite back a smile while Jade hisses.

  “Dad.”

  “Don’t ‘Dad’ me. He hurt Cybil. God only knows how long he knew he wanted to be with someone else.” He shakes his head, then looks past Cybil and me.

  I turn to look over my shoulder and find an older woman in scrubs walking toward us. When she’s close, she looks us over before she locks eyes with Bernard. “Maisie is settled in her room. You can stay with her overnight if you like, of course, but there can only be two people in the room at a time. Visitors can only stay for fifteen minutes until she’s moved out of the ICU, which won’t be until tomorrow, and visiting hours are up at eight.”

  “Thanks, Annie,” Bernard says, and she pats his arm before she turns to Cybil.

  “It’s good to see you back, kid.”

  “You too, Annie,” Cybil replies, and Annie glances up at me quickly, then gives Cybil a soft smile, walking away.

  “All right.” Bernard drops his arm from Jade’s shoulders. “You and Cybil go on up and see your mom.”

  “No, you and Jade go first,” Cybil says quickly, shaking her head.

  “I’m gonna be here all night, and Maisie will want to see her girls,” he says gruffly, and Jade’s eyes fill with tears while Cybil tucks her face against my side and sniffles.

  “Go on with Jade.” I rub her back, then kiss the top of her head, and she nods before tipping her head back, her gaze searching mine. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

  With a nod, she looks at Jade, then reaches for her hand, and the two of them walk away.

  “I need coffee.” Bernard rubs his hands down his face.

  “We passed the cafeteria on the way up here. The coffee shop there was open. I can run and get you something.”

  “Do you think they have whiskey?”

  “That’s doubtful.” I smile, and he sighs.

  “I probably shouldn’t drink anyway.” He pats my back. “I need a break from this room, so I’ll wander with you down to the cafeteria.”

  Without another word, we head down the hall to the coffee shop, and while he gets a coffee, I pull out my cell phone when it vibrates. Seeing it’s Blake, I slide my finger across the screen and put it to my ear. “What’s up?”

  “Mom just told me that you’re in Oregon with Cybil. What the fuck, Tanner? We have clients coming in a few days. When are you coming back?” he growls, and my temper flares while my hand balls into a fist.

  “No ‘Is everything okay’? No ‘I heard what happened. How’s Cybil doing?’ Just ‘When the fuck are you coming back?’” I walk down the hall when an elderly woman shoots me a look of reprimand for either cursing or speaking loudly. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”

  “I’m talking to you, the guy who owns a third of Live Life Adventures, or did you forget about that shit once Cybil showed up?”

  “Buy me out.”

  “W . . . what?” he asks, sounding caught off guard and suddenly calm, but I’m done, so fucking done with his bullshit. I could understand him being upset about Cybil and me meeting during a retreat, but after spending time with us last night, I figured he’d see how happy she makes me and want that for me.

  “Get together with Maverick and come up with an offer. If it’s acceptable, I’ll sign over my portion of the business to you two.”

  “You’d give everything up for some chick you just met?”

  “No, but I’d give it up for the woman I’m falling in love with.” I hang up and turn off my cell before I tuck it into my back pocket. When I turn around, Bernard is standing close and wearing a look that shows he just heard my side of that conversation.

  Fuck.

  “Everything all right?”

  “All good,” I lie and dip my head toward his coffee. “Did they have whiskey?”

  “Nope.”

  “Sucks,” I mutter, hearing him chuckle as we walk back to the waiting room, where we take up two seats near the doors to wait for the girls to get back.

  “Normally, I wouldn’t do this.” He breaks the silence that’s settled between us, and I turn my head his way. “Jade’s explained to me more than once that things are different nowadays, and that just because a woman is with a man, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in a relationship or that it’s serious.” He runs a hand down his beard while I try to figure out where he’s going with this. “That said, I heard what you said on the phone, so I guess I wanna know if I’m gonna have to prepare my girls for Cybil moving away.”

  “With all due respect, Cybil and I haven’t had a chance to talk about our relationship or our plans. Are things serious on my end? Yes. But I don’t know where her head’s at, and I don’t think right now is the time to discuss our situation.”

  “Right.” He takes a sip of coffee, then rests the paper cup on the top of his thigh. “I gotta warn you: if you hurt her, I’ll hurt you.”