Crash and Burn (22 page)

“No. Grace.”

“He’s confused,” he heard the EMT say. “Get his wife. She’ll be worried.”

* * * *

Grace was ashen. The crowd hushed as the car came to rest upside-down against a fence. The sirens started immediately and the yellow caution flag was waved. She thought she was going to puke.

“I’m sure he’s fine, sweetie,” the lady next to Grace said softly. She patted Grace’s hand. “Maybe you should go down there.”

Grace shook her head. “No. I can’t.” Tears welled in her eyes. She needed to get out of there. In the distance cameras clicked and whirled. She stood and started toward the stairs. “Excuse me.”

The crowd parted like the Red Sea, letting Stone’s wife through. People whispered good wishes and thoughts as she passed.

“Thanks,” she said through the tears that spilled down her face. She wasn’t even the man’s wife. She had no claim to him, but he owned her heart. And right then her heart was breaking wide open.

She didn’t know where she was going. She couldn’t go to the pits or to the trailer. Her car. She’d get to the parking lot.

“Grace,” someone called.

She spun around at the use of her real name. Walt was standing next to an SUV.

“Get in.”

Grateful, she did as he said and slid into the cool leather interior. The tinted windows provided her some privacy.

Walt climbed in next to her. “Go,” he said to the driver.

“How did you know? Thank you. I don’t know–”

“One thing at a time. Take a deep breath,” he ordered.

She tried to breathe. Her chest hurt too much. “Is he okay?”

“Yes. More or less.”

“How did you–”

“Know you were here? The security guard you spoke with called the pit and told us Divina was here and was going to sit in the stands.”

She rolled her teary eyes. “I didn’t think anyone would notice or recognize me with the dark hair. Did he know I was here?”

“I told him. I probably should have waited, but I was worried about the press and their reaction to two women who were Stone’s wife.”

The press stopped the SUV at the main gate. Flashes popped and the reporters jockeyed to get close to the car.

“Where’s Divina?”

“In the trailer, hiding out. She said she wasn’t ready to go to the hospital yet.”

“Bitch.”

“He’s going to be okay. A few broken bones, but he was awake when they pulled him out of the car.”

She put her hand on his. “Thanks for saving me, Walt. It means a lot.”

“What are you doing here? Last I knew you were on a boat for Connecticut.”

“I changed my mind. I couldn’t let Divina win this one. He’s mine.”

“Yes. I think he is.”

She sat back against the seat and closed her eyes as the car started moving again out of the gates. Smoothing down her shirt for something to do, she concentrated on positive thoughts.

They arrived at the hospital in time to see the ambulance from the track leaving the parking lot.

“Let me find out what I can before you go in. Stay here, so the press won’t see you.”

“Walt,” she started. “They already know I’m in this car. What can it hurt for me to come in?”

He shook his head. “You need to wait. I don’t know what shape our boy is in. I don’t want you fainting on me or sobbing.”

She put her hands on her hips. “I’m stronger than that.”

“Please, do this for me. Or better yet, do it for him.”

Chapter 17

Stone only knew two things. He was alive and he hurt like hell. Voices in the room were muted and far away. He couldn’t make out the words. Fluttering his eyes, Stone struggled to pry them open.

“Water,” he rasped though his parched lips. He tried to lick them, but he didn’t have enough saliva to moisten anything.

A glass of water was placed in his hand and someone clasped his fingers around it.

“You’ve got it,” Walt said.

The cup was moved to Stone’s lips and he sipped tentatively. “Thanks.”

“Sweetie, we were so worried about you. The press is swarming around talking to anyone who might know something. They took so many pictures of me.”

Stone heard the sounds, but it sounded like a chainsaw in his head. “Divina?”

“Oh, sweetie. I’m the first one you asked for. I’m here. I let this reporter come in with me. He was so nice to me. Have you met Bill?”

Stone groaned in pain and memories. “Bill and I know one another.”

“Then you won’t mind if he takes a few pictures of us, right?”

“Walt?” Stone mumbled. “Clear the room.”

“But, Stoney,” Divina whined.

Stone made a swishing motion with his hand, waving everyone off. His head hurt and opening his eyes caused a swirl of colors to flash in front of him. He knew people by their voices, but even then there were too many people in the room.

“Out,” he groaned.

The noises thinned as Walt thanked everyone for coming. Bill argued the most. “She said I could get some photos.”

Walt must have shaken his head
no
because there was a huff and then blessed silence.

“I’m sorry, man,” Walt said, closer. “I had no idea she was coming. Last I knew, Divina was mocking for photos near your trailer. She told me she refused to come to the hospital. Barry might have brought her, or she rode with Bill, your friendly reporter.”

“My head’s killing me. What happened?” The more he spoke the better he processed information. Thought was easier. He was ready to hear and handle what had landed him the hospital.

“You hit some debris and flipped your car.”

There was a metallic taste in his mouth, and the smell of burnt rubber and gasoline came back to him full force. “I was upside down.”

“Yep. You’re one lucky SOB.” Walt touched his arm.

Stone sank deeper into the hospital bed. “Do I only have a head injury?”

“You have a couple of broken ribs, sprained knee and a concussion. The rest of the injuries are surface bruises from the protective harness. Do you remember what I told you before the accident?” Walt asked.

Was it guilt Stone heard in his voice? “No. What?”

“Grace is here. She’s in the SUV waiting for me to come get her. She came to the race and sat in the stands. It caused a lot of hubbub. The press went a bit berserk, so I warned you. I feel responsible for the accident.”

“I survived. Forget it. Can I see Grace now?”

“Do you think you’re ready to see her?”

Stone tried to slide up in the bed. “I’m good. I need to see her.”

Walt shook his head and said he’d be back.

Stone sank back into the bed for the second time. Why had Grace come to the race? She’d been gone for what seemed like forever. He missed her. He needed to see her. Smell her. Touch her. Divina was a non-entity. He couldn’t even think about his sham of a marriage to the spoiled brat. Bringing Bill here? Bill knew. He had to realize Divina wasn’t the same Divina he’d razzed about the wedding ring or the victory kiss.

The kiss. His brain might have been rattled, but he remembered the feel of her lips on his and the warmth that had zinged through his body. Wanting her was so easy and now she was back to see him. He couldn’t wait for Walt to return with her.

He wanted to tell Grace he loved her. She needed to stand up to her sister and fight for him. He was willing to fight for her.

When the door swung open, Stone smiled brightly until he saw it was George Halkins, not Grace in the doorway.

“Stone,” he said, entering the room and stopping at the foot of the bed.

“Hello, Mr. Halkins.”

“I’m glad to see you’re okay, relatively speaking.” He crossed his arms.

“Thank you. Me too.”

“Is there anything you want to talk to me about? I’m concerned about some things I’ve been hearing from media outlets.”

Stone shifted uncomfortably, pain stabbed through his side. “Son of a bitch.” He tried to settle into a comfortable position before talking to George. “Sir, I don’t know what to say. I
am
married.”

“Yes. I got that part, but I’m not sure you know who your wife is. The woman I met at the first photo shoot was kind, fun and beautiful from the inside as well as out. She is not the same woman who is holding court on the front steps of the hospital. Telling the media about your whirlwind romance and how you are working on a family. I don’t know what you’re trying to do to me, but you need to come clean. Which one is your real wife and which one are you staying with?”

Stone closed his eyes for a second to gather his thoughts. “The woman you first met was Grace Cromwell. She is actually my sister-in-law. The woman who has been to the last two races, the one who is out front, is my wife, Divina. I met her in Las Vegas and we got married.”

He left out the part about her already having a fiance because at this point George didn’t need to know every sordid detail. Besides, it was too confusing to explain, especially with his head throbbing.

“I wish you’d told me,” George said, moving to the side of the bed and collapsing into the solid hospital chair.

“I was planning on telling you after the race today, but that didn’t work out. Grace is here and should be on her way in to see me. Walt’s on his way to get her. Would you like to meet the love of my life?”

* * * *

Grace huddled in the SUV, thankful for the dark-tinted windows. Stone’s black, sleek sports car pulled into the circular driveway at the hospital. Divina was behind the wheel and Bill, the skanky reporter, sat shotgun.

She slipped out of the car like a princess getting ready to meet her public, which was exactly what happened. The media recognized her from the race and descended like sharks smelling blood in the water.

“Good evening, everyone. I’m Divina Adams, Stone’s wife. I’m so grateful you are here to find out how my husband is. I’ll be back out once I check on him.”

Grace watched in horror as Divina swept into the front door of the hospital, tailed by Bill. Bill was smart enough to catch on that Divina wasn’t the same person as the one he’d asked about the ring. Divina was in way over her head and there was nothing Grace could do to help her. If she were to jump out of the SUV, their whole charade would be exposed and Stone would be without a sponsor. She knew staying hidden was her only recourse. There was no way Walt would be able to sneak her into the hospital with the pack of sharks circling.

She looked at her driver in the rearview mirror. His eyes met hers and she shrugged. “I guess I should go home. Can you take me back to the track to get my car? Wait for a while before you tell Walt I left. Okay?”

“I think you should wait a few more minutes,” he said in a gruff conspirator voice.

“No, I can’t. I need to go, please. I don’t belong here.”

The driver put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot, inching along like he wanted to get caught leaving. Grace saw Walt come out a side door, but she didn’t mention it. Nothing mattered anymore. She’d call Stone to return his stuff, his ring. It should be on Divina’s finger anyway.

A cell phone rang in the front of the car. The driver picked it up. “’Lo?”

There was a pause and she heard loud talking.

“I’m not going there,” he said. “You tell her.” He passed the phone back over the seat. “Walt.”

“I don’t want to talk to him.”

“Take the damn phone or I’m turning around right now.”

Grace reluctantly took the phone. “Walt, I–”

“Grace, where are you going? Stone is waiting to see you. What is this about?”

Her heart leapt at the thought of Stone wanting to see her, but it was short-lived as she remembered her sister flouncing into the hospital to comfort the patient.

“He doesn’t need me. He has Divina. I’m going home to forget all about the crazy past few weeks.”

“No. Come back here. I don’t want to have to tell him you left.”

She scoffed. “That’s why you get paid the big bucks.”

She disconnected the phone before he convinced her to turn the car around. Her head was screaming
run
, but her heart was begging to clutch Stone in her arms and tell him how much she loved him.

Her ring winked at her with the light from the skylight. She spun it around her finger, then quickly slipped it off, like she was ripping off a Band-Aid. It didn’t make it hurt any less, though. The ring Stone had given her had remained on her finger since his fake proposal. Her heart broke open as she slipped the ring in her pants pocket and out of sight.

* * * *

“Son of a bitch,” Stone growled when Walt entered the room alone.

“She left. I tried to get her to come back, but I think she saw Divina.”

Stone growled low in his throat. “Stubborn woman.”

“She wanted to see you, dude. I’m telling you. She’s a woman in love. There’s something holding her back.”