Girl in Love (35 page)

The girl sighed. “Okay, Miss Ryans. I’ll do what I can.”

“Hannah?”

“Yes, Miss Ryans?”

“Please call me Kylie from now on.”

She promised she’d be in touch as soon as she could. But when she heard Trace’s voice thundering from down the hall, her conversation with her manager was forgotten. As were the other sixty-three missed calls on her phone.

“Well what
do you know
, exactly? Because we’ve been here for an hour and I haven’t been able to get a single straight fucking answer from—”

“Trace,” she said, effectively distracting him from the poor nurse he was yelling at. Kylie placed herself between the two of them. “Hi there,” she said, turning to the nurse behind the desk. “Kylie Ryans,” she said, extending her hand in greeting.

“I know who you are,” the nurse practically sneered as she ignored Kylie’s outstretched hand. “But this is a hospital, not the Grammys. So I can’t bump you to the front of the line on the red carpet.”

Kylie forced herself not to punch the smug woman in the face.

“I apologize for our impatience. Please know we don’t expect any special treatment. But we’re trying to locate the private family waiting area closest to where his sister is being cared for. I would appreciate it so very much if you could please help us find it so we can get out of your hair.”

The woman looked to be about Claire Ann’s age but was about fifty pounds heavier and apparently not a fan of country music. Or of the human race as a whole.

All Claire Ann’s last text had said was,
Sixth Floor
, which wasn’t all that helpful since the sixth floor was enormous.

The woman narrowed her eyes at both of them and clicked a few times on her keyboard.

“I don’t have a Rae Corbin anywhere in my patient list. As I told you before, go down to the Patient Information desk on the first floor and—”

“McClain,” Trace said suddenly. “I forgot she’s been using our mother’s maiden name. Her actual last name is McClain.”

The woman snorted as if she couldn’t be bothered to check again. Kylie felt Trace’s body tense beside her.

“Yes, well, be that as it may—”

“Look, lady. We get it, okay?” Kylie did her best to speak plainly through her gritted teeth. “Being a nurse is probably not the easiest job on the damn planet. Long hours, disgusting bodily fluids all over the place, and highly emotional people snapping at you every other second. And we appreciate the job that you do, believe me. But let me make this crystal fucking clear for you. I guarantee that by tomorrow morning, I can have the CEO of this hospital, whose granddaughter happens to be a huge fan of mine, fire your ass. Effective immediately. So do us all a favor and type Rae Michelle McClain into your computer before I have to call my good friend George and explain how horribly I’m being treated by a staff member at his hospital. Think you can handle that?”

“Here it is. R. McClain. She’s in ICU recovery room four. Waiting room’s straight down that hall on your left.”

Kylie did her best to smile sweetly. “Thank you so much for your help.”

She linked her arm in Trace’s and tugged him toward the hallway the woman had indicated.

“You really know the CEO?” he whispered from beside her.

“I saw his name on the website when I was getting the address for the GPS,” she whispered back.

He let out a small sound. She wasn’t sure if it was approval or amusement or both. She gave his arm a squeeze and looked up. His five-o’clock shadow matched the dark circles under his eyes.

When they found the door that said ICU Waiting Room, he pulled it open and she saw Claire Ann sitting in a chair, looking out a window.

The isolation of the scene, the expression of hopelessness on Trace’s sister’s face struck her hard in the chest.

It was as if she were looking at herself nearly three years ago when she’d found out that her daddy was never coming home again.

“Hey,” Trace said, getting his sister’s attention. Claire Ann stood and began to cry as soon as she laid eyes on him.

Kylie let go of him so he could go to her. She hugged herself as she watched Claire Ann fall apart in his arms.

She lowered herself into a nearby chair and pulled her knees to her chest. Intruding on their private moment of familial grief was uncomfortable, but it was the visceral reminder of her own that felt as if it were going to crush her.

“G
ENERALLY THE
goal is twenty-four hours after the sedation has been removed. We’ll expect her to wake up confused, disoriented. She may or may not remember the accident. It will be good for her to be surrounded by family when she comes to.”

Kylie blinked herself awake and saw the man belonging to the heavily accented voice. The doctor was an attractive Middle Eastern man who didn’t look much older than her. She sat up in the same chair she’d slept in as he explained his take on Rae’s medical condition.

“And when can we expect that to happen? How long has it been since they removed the sedation?” Trace’s eyes were shot through with busted red blood vessels, causing her to wonder if he’d slept at all.

“I can check with the nurse to be sure, but I believe you have another sixteen hours or so.”

“Thank you,” Claire Ann said softly.

The doctor shook Trace’s hand and gave Claire Ann a nod as he left. He paid no attention to Kylie, but she understood. She wasn’t
technically
family. A fact that had become increasingly clear the past twelve hours.

Claire Ann hadn’t spoken five words to her, and Trace had been occupied with doctors and comforting his sister. They’d been able to see Rae, but it was immediate family only for the time being, so Kylie was just about as useful as the uncomfortable piece of furniture she was slowly becoming conjoined with.

“Can I get anyone anything?” Kylie asked. It hadn’t been that long since her last coffee run, but she needed to stretch her legs.

“I’m good, baby, but thank you.” Trace kissed her softly on the cheek. “Grab yourself something, though, before I have to check you in here as a patient.”

Kylie smiled at his concern and stood.

“Claire Ann?”

“No, I’m good. Our mom should be here soon and she’s bringing actual coffee instead of that watered-down gunk from the machines.” Her entire answer came without so much as a glance in Kylie’s direction.

“Okay. Well, I’m gonna go grab myself a cup of watered-down gunk.” Kylie turned toward the door.

Trace was preoccupied by something on his phone—probably a text from Pauly. Kylie had no idea how he’d feel about seeing his mom. All she knew was what she’d heard from Rae. They were estranged because his mom didn’t approve of his career choice.

“Kylie?” Claire Ann stood to follow her. “Got a sec?”

Kylie glanced over her shoulder as they exited the waiting room. “Well my fan club in the cafeteria is expecting me to sign autographs, but yeah, I can squeeze you in.”

Trace’s sister gave her a tense smile. Probably not the best time for humor, but the woman made her uncomfortable.

“Look,” she began as they stepped into the bright white sterile-looking hallway. “I just wanted to say that I appreciated you coming with Trace. I mean, I’m not super excited that ‘Trylie’ is an item again, just because I know what it did to him before. But I was glad he didn’t have to make the trip alone.”

Kylie cringed internally at the nickname the media had given them last year. “Yeah, um, of course. And, Claire Ann? Pauly sort of gave me a message for you, but I got the feeling it wasn’t supposed to be passed along in front of your brother.”

“Please tell me you haven’t said anything to Trace.”

“I haven’t,” Kylie informed her. “But—”

“Just tell me the message.”

Kylie took a deep breath. She really didn’t want to have any secrets from Trace. But she got the feeling that getting back in his older sister’s good graces was going to take serious work and blabbing what was probably her biggest secret wouldn’t be a move in the right direction.

“He said, ‘Tell Claire Ann I’m doing damage control for Trace and that I’ll be there as soon as I can.’”

Claire Ann let out a loud breath. “Oh. Okay.”

Kylie didn’t miss the disappointment that flashed in the other woman’s eyes.

“Um, he also said to tell you that he loves you and to call him when you get a chance.”

At that, Claire Ann’s mouth hinted at a smile and her eyes brightened.

“So Pauly Garrett, huh? You know, I have always thought he was handsome…for an old guy.”

“He’s forty-three. That’s not old,” she snapped.

Kylie grinned. “I know. I just wanted to see if he meant what I thought he meant when he said to tell you that he loved you.”

Realizing she’d told her own secret, Claire Ann stiffened. “Look, it’s really none of anyone’s business who I—”

“Claire Ann.” Kylie met her panicked stare with what she hoped was a reassuring one. “My lips are sealed. I do think you should tell Trace though before he finds out some other way. But it’s none of my business, so I’ll just be in the corner practicing my Taylor Swift shocked face for when he does find out.”

Trace’s sister smiled at her for the first time in as long as she could remember. “Thanks. And, um, I’m sorry I’ve been so cold to you. It’s just…” She trailed off and glanced at Trace through the small window in the waiting room door.

“I understand,” Kylie said softly. “And with everything that’s going on, being nice to me is not something you should even be worried about.”

“Yes it is,” Claire Ann argued. “He loves you. Therefore I love you. And Rae actually is your number one fan. If they told her you were here, she’d probably snap right out from under the sedation and start demanding to know every detail of how you and Trace reconciled.”

Both women smiled. And then began to tear up.

“Claire Ann, is she going to be okay? I mean, I heard what the doctor said, but aside from being unconscious, is there any other—”

“They don’t know for sure.” Trace’s sister wiped at her eyes. “One of her legs is broken in several places, and with head injuries, only time will tell. So…we’ll see.”

“She’ll be okay.” Kylie glanced at Trace through the same window Claire Ann had looked through. She had no idea how long it had been since he’d slept or eaten. Or if all this stress made him want to drink. “She has to be.”

A
GONIZED MOANS
pulled Kylie from an already restless state somewhere between levels of unconsciousness.

Rae had been moved into a private suite that was as big as Kylie’s living room in her apartment. So the furniture was slightly more comfortable than the ICU waiting room and she was thankful that she was allowed to be in the room now.

But nurses came in and out every other hour, machines beeped constantly, and when the air kicked on it sounded like an eighteen-wheeler was driving through the vent.

She opened her eyes and looked around.

Rae was still unconscious, a fact that had everyone on edge. It was well past time for her to come to. Trace’s mom, a fifty-something woman who looked like a world-weary Claire Ann and spoke very little to anyone, was slumped in the chair closest to Rae’s bed. Claire Ann’s head rested on Pauly’s shoulder. They still hadn’t told Trace they were dating, but Kylie knew from chatting with Claire Ann that they were planning to once Rae was in stable condition.

The source of the moaning stirred and jerked next to her. Kylie rubbed her eyes. Trace’s handsome face was contorted in a mask of pain and fear.

“Ooh,” he moaned again. “Stop. Stop it,” he yelled out suddenly.

“Trace.” Kylie wrapped her arms around him and kissed the side of his jaw. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here.”

“Get your damn hands off her,” he slurred.

“Trace, hey.” She shook his shoulder a little less gently. “Trace, look at me.” He twitched, but whatever he was seeing in his sleep kept its grip on him. She slid her hand onto his inner thigh and squeezed. “Wake up, baby.”

“Hmm?” His eyes opened slowly and she kissed him again.

“You were having a bad dream.”

He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. “Oh. Shit. What time is it?” His voice was thick with sleep. He sat up straight and looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Which would’ve been comical in any other situation because she hadn’t showered in three days.

“It’s almost seven. In the morning.”

He put his arms around her and hauled her to his chest. “I’m sorry, baby. Did I wake you?”

“It’s okay. I wasn’t really asleep.”

Trace glanced around the room. “Well you were the only one.” His eyes lingered on Pauly and his sister. “Poor Pauly. Claire Ann’s probably drooling all over him.”

“Um, he probably doesn’t mind.” Kylie placed a firm kiss on his neck to distract him. She let her hand slide higher up on his thigh.

Trace leaned down and kissed her on the lips. She knew they both had god-awful breath as neither of them had had access to a toothbrush recently. But the way he held her tightly, as if he needed nothing more than her in that moment, needed that kiss, that contact, solidified what she already believed.