A Measure of Love (36 page)

“Sounds awesome, man,” Riley said with a laugh. “I wish I could have been there.”

“Whens you coming back home?”

The word “home” reverberated around Riley’s heart, squeezing it until he feared it would burst. It struck him how he was feeling the exact same way he had the first time he moved to New York to begin at NYU: he was homesick.

“As soon as I can, buddy,” he replied through a thick throat. “I promise.”

“Pinkie promise?”

Riley smiled. “Pinkie promise.” Noah giggled in that adorable way of his. “Can I speak to your mommy now?”

“Sure. Mommy? Riley wants you.”

“I’ll see you soon, Noah, okay?”

“Okays.”

Lexie’s laughter came onto the line. “Hey.”

“Hey, beautiful.” It was fucking crazy how hearing a voice could make everything better. “Sounds like you’ve had a fun day.”

“He’s so pumped up on sugar I’ll never get him to sleep, which is not great considering I have a jewelry event tonight.”

“Did you tell me about that?”

“No, it’s last minute, I only found out—Noah, stop doing that, please, and go and put your jammies on—earlier today. Sav’s being a diamond and babysitting for me. I’m not as prepared as I would have liked, but there may be a few opportunities for new business.”

“That’s great. You’ll kill it.”

“Thank you.” She blew out a slow breath. “I was wondering if you’d do me a favor.”

“If you ask nicely.”

“With all your business know-how, I was hoping you’d have a look at my proposals for how I could expand Love, You. Maybe online or a new shop. I haven’t ironed out the details yet, but what do you think? I’d pay you, of course.”

Riley was silent for a beat. “I’d be happy to. But you really don’t need to pay me, Lex.”

“Yes, I do. This is business.”

Riley smiled. “Okay.”

“Thank you. I miss you.”

“A few more days and I’ll be there,” Riley promised. “Jesus, I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me too.” They were both quiet for a brief moment, their longing for one another deafening down the line. “Look, I’m sorry. I’ve gotta go and get ready, but first I need to make sure your son isn’t climbing the walls. I’ll text you later.”

Riley snickered. “Be safe tonight.”

He ended the call and threw his cell phone onto the sofa, hating the silence of his apartment and the fact that Savannah was babysitting his son. It was so damned unfair. “Fuck this,” he snarled, pushing himself up from his seat and storming to the freezer. He opened it and pulled out the bottle of Grey Goose he kept for emergencies, such as now when he was feeling like a useless fucking loser. He poured three fingers, tossed in some ice, and made his way back to the cupboard to pull out a Red Bull. There were none. “Shit.”

He was pulling on his Vans to go to the corner store when his phone buzzed. He reached over for it, smiling at the photo Lexie had sent of Noah blowing a kiss to the screen. His Batman pajamas
were the coolest Riley had ever seen. The message from Lexie beneath it read
Goodnight Daddy xx

Riley texted back:
Goodnight. All the world. xx

He pressed send and, after grabbing his keys, headed out to the store to get some Red Bull and maybe some more vodka. It was going to be a long-ass night.

·   ·   ·

Lexie awoke with a start, sitting upright in her bed. Her pulse raced and her hands shook with the remnants of a dream she couldn’t quite remember, though she knew that it scared her to death.

She rubbed a shaky hand down the side of her face. “Jesus.”

In her disoriented state, she sluggishly realized her cell phone was vibrating angrily from its spot on the side table with a number she didn’t recognize. Lexie looked at the digital clock. It was almost midnight. Two heartbeats passed before she grabbed at the damned thing, losing her grasp on it twice before she managed to pick it up, the faces of Savannah, her mother, then Riley flashing through her mind.

“Hello?” Her whole body froze when there was no immediate answer.
“Hello?”

“Lexie?”

Oh, God . . .

“Who is this?”

“Lexie. It’s Carter.”

She clambered out of bed, raising her voice. “Carter, what’s wrong? What is it? Is it Riley? Is it—?”

“Lexie, just listen to me a minute, okay? I’m arranging a plane to bring you to JFK in the next hour. Joan is going to meet you at the airport there in Michigan. I have the details here that you need to write down.”

“Wait. What? Joan is . . . Why do I need to come to New York?” Her heart clenched. “Where’s Riley?”

“I can explain everything when you’re on the plane.”

“Tell me now!” Lexie cried, her panic all but choking her. “Tell me, where is he?”

Carter paused before he spoke again. “Lexie, Riley’s in the hospital. There’s been an accident.”

Lexie sprinted hard across the hospital parking lot. The pounding of her feet against the asphalt ricocheted through her entire body, making her bones shake and shudder. Sweat prickled her brow while the adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins like nitro kept her heart pumping and her tear ducts dry. And thank God for that. She had to move, keep going, keep the dark thoughts of what might be at arm’s length before she fell apart.

She dodged slow-moving cars and even slower people, cursing and frantic in her effort to get to the automatic doors of the hospital, which opened slowly, catching Lexie’s shoulder as she barged her way through. Joan was behind her somewhere, hurrying just as Lexie was. There were people everywhere in the ER, bleeding and holding limbs that looked worryingly out of shape, but she couldn’t have cared less. There was only one person she cared about, one person she needed to get to.

She shoved her way toward the nurses’ station, breathless and bedraggled.

“Riley,” she panted loudly to any one of the four people standing behind it. The nurse, sitting at a computer, looked up in alarm.

“Riley,” she repeated. “I’m here . . . his mother and I got a call a few hours ago from Wesley Carter.”

The nurse’s face softened. “Okay, honey, calm down. Do you have a full name for me?”

Lexie nodded and swallowed. The back of her throat burned. “Riley Lincoln Moore.” Joan appeared at her side, breathless and pale.
“There was some kind of car accident,” Lexie added. “He was hit . . . hit by a car. We were told he was in surgery.”

The nurse’s face changed infinitesimally, and Lexie’s stomach was immediately rolling. She’d seen enough TV in her life to recognize that fucking expression. The look sent a spear of frozen fear through her body, buckling her knees and suffocating her chest.

“No,” she whispered, gripping the desk. She turned to look at Joan, whose face crumpled and fell. A buzzing sound began in Lexie’s ears, deep and loud.

“Sweetheart, it’s all right,” the nurse said softly, reaching out.

“Alexis,” Joan urged. “Breathe.”

But Lexie was unreachable. She was quickly falling into blackness, covered only by the animalistic yell that ripped from her throat as she staggered back and lost herself to its embrace.

·   ·   ·

Lexie awoke slowly, wrapped in a warm blanket, her head resting on a thin pillow. She blinked once, twice, before she shot upright, dazed and utterly discombobulated.

“It’s all right,” came a soft voice from behind her.

Lexie turned to see Joan. Despite the small smile, her face was drawn, and the lines under her eyes were dark and tired. Seeing her look the way she did made Lexie gasp for breath.

“Is he all right? Can I see him?”

Joan sighed and placed her palms on the silver rails of the gurney Lexie was lying on. She’d feel embarrassed about passing out later.

“The police are here.” She licked her lips and exhaled. “They’ve told me what they know. Riley was crossing the street and was hit by a car. The driver was drunk. He didn’t see Riley until it was too late. They’ve arrested him.”

Lexie cupped her hands to her mouth. “Oh God.”

“Riley’s been in surgery for three hours already, but they won’t tell me anything else.”

“Is he going to be okay?”

Joan shook her head. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.” She bit her lip and wiped a finger under her eyes. “Tate’s here. He was in town. Seb and Dex are on their way, but they might not get here for a few more hours. Carter is trying to do all he can.”

Lexie shuffled to the edge of the gurney and carefully placed her feet onto the floor, not knowing for sure whether her legs would hold her up. They did. For now.

“He’s strong,” she whispered, suddenly aware that she had to pull herself together and support Joan as much as she could. She was Riley’s mother, for God’s sake; Park was still unable to travel, which was why he was back in Michigan; and, if the tables were turned and it was Noah who was in surgery, Lexie had no idea what she would do. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around Joan and pulled her in for a hug.

Joan all but collapsed into the embrace and wept onto Lexie’s shoulder. Lexie shushed her quietly and held her close. “He’s strong,” she repeated, praying to God that it was the truth.

·   ·   ·

Lexie placed her arm around Joan’s shoulder and held her to her side as they began making their way to the waiting room. When they entered, they found Tate, Carter, Kat, and Max sitting together, all of them looking as terrified as Lexie felt.

Kat stood as soon as she saw Lexie and moved toward her. “Are you okay?” she asked, hugging her tightly.

“I’m okay,” Lexie answered as she watched Joan move to sit with Tate, who wrapped an arm around her. Lexie looked over at Carter. “Thank you so much,” she said. “Really. Thank you for organizing the plane and—”

He held a hand up. “It’s all right. It was the least I could do.”

Lexie looked over at Max, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but in a hospital waiting room. His leg jumped up
and down while he chewed the hell out of his thumbnail. “Where’s Grace?”

“West Virginia,” he answered quickly.

Lexie allowed Kat to move her to a seat and sat down. “Who has Noah?” Kat asked.

“My mom and sister,” Lexie answered. “I didn’t want him here, in case . . .”

Carter’s hand on hers made Lexie look up. “He’s gonna be okay,” he offered.

“Yeah,” Kat said, her voice small and uncertain. Carter kissed his wife’s temple as though trying to calm her.

Lexie nodded, but she was unable to shake the horrible helpless feeling that had clung to her ever since she’d woken in bed. What the hell would she do if she lost Riley? It would be her biggest fear realized, and what kind of bitch was fate to bring them back to each other and then rip him away again?

She placed her palms to her face and tried to breathe, knowing that tears would do nothing to help Riley now. She just had to pray that, as he’d said, he’d find his way back to them all. To her.

·   ·   ·