Ready To Love Again (44 page)

Damn.

Pulling over to the side of the road, he raked his fingers through his hair and slapped his hand on the steering wheel. The delay would make him even later than he had already been. He sent a quick text to Terri, begging for her forgiveness.

“License and registration, please.”

Chase handed the officer the required documents and drummed his fingers on the wheel, eager to get the whole thing over with. The officer pulled down his sunglasses and looked at Chase with a raised eyebrow.

“If you’re in a hurry, you shouldn’t have broken the law.” Chase bit back the nasty retort that came to mind. There wasn’t any reason to provoke the officer, and he’d keep Chase longer for giving him attitude.

“Do you know how fast you were going, Dr. O’Donnell?”

“No, but I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.”
 

“Nineteen miles over the speed limit. You’re lucky. Any faster and I’d have to haul your butt in for reckless driving.”

After a speech on the dangers of driving too fast, the officer handed Chase his ticket and let him go. Chase pulled back onto the highway and sighed when he glanced at the clock. There was no way they’d make it on time.

When he pulled into the driveway, Terri opened the garage. He knew it would take a lot of sweet-talking to stem her anger. She looked beautiful, even when she was irritated. Her blond hair was pulled up into a twist, and fine curls, artfully arranged, cascaded over her neck. Terri wore the emerald-green dress she knew he loved. Needing to smooth things over, he jumped out of his car and took her in his arms with an apology on his lips. She melted into his embrace, and he knew he’d been forgiven.

“Your shirt and jacket are lying on the bed. I was just on my way over to Gina’s to drop off the kids. I’ll be back in ten minutes. I’ve already called the restaurant to let them know we’re running late, so you’re off the hook—this time.”

Chase opened the passenger door and poked his head in, wanting to get his daily dose of adoration from his kids, who were fidgeting in their car seats.

“Daddy!” Liz held out her arms for a hug while he tried to maneuver into the backseat. Chase kissed her forehead while her fingers wrapped around his neck. She let go, and he leaned over and pecked Tony’s cheek, ruffling his son’s hair.

“Be good for Aunt Gina.” They both nodded. When Chase backed out of the car, he banged his head on the doorframe with a curse.

“That’s a bad word, Daddy,” Tony said. “Mama’s gonna wash your mouth out with soap.”

Chase glanced at his wife, who held back her laughter and gave him a chastising look that would have done his mother proud. He muttered his apologies, then shut the door and watched them pull out of the garage. No matter how many times he tried to talk Terri into buying a bigger car, she always ignored him.

Running upstairs, he changed into the black shirt, tie, and jacket she’d laid out then went to his top drawer for the gift he’d bought her for their anniversary. Slipping it into his pocket, he heard the front door open. He couldn’t help but smile, knowing Terri would love the gift.

“Are you ready?” she asked with a brilliant smile. Her sky-blue eyes danced with excitement when he came down the stairs.

“I’m always ready. I thought we could take the Shelby tonight. What do you think?” The 1967 Shelby GT was by far his favorite Mustang. Terri had owned it since before they were introduced. He always thought she should let him drive it and take the BMW, but she flat-out refused, insisting it should be saved for special occasions.

Her eyes lit up, and she nodded while her hand traced the lapel of his jacket. “You know how much I love it when a sexy, successful man drives a muscle car.”

Always the gentleman, Chase opened her door and helped her inside the car before making his way to the driver’s side. The trip down the Big Sur coast was beautiful while they watched the sun set. She told him about her day and the picture Liz had painted to hang on the refrigerator before she asked about his surgeries.

They arrived at the restaurant and pulled up to the valet. Chase tossed the keys to a wide-eyed boy who looked barely old enough to drive and rushed over to help his wife before the kid could get to the door. Terri’s dress rode up her thigh, and when she extended her leg to get out, he caught the boy gaping at her. Chase raised an eyebrow, and he snapped his mouth shut. Chuckling, Chase shook his head and took her arm.

“What?” she asked, looking down at her dress. “Do I have something on me? Toilet paper stuck to my shoe? Mac and cheese in my hair?”

Chase laughed and squeezed her hand. “None of the above. You’re perfect.”

She rolled her eyes. “Then why were you laughing?”

“Because you’re so beautiful, you left the valet speechless.”

“Oh please,” she said in disbelief.

The hostess sat them at a table that overlooked the ocean, and they enjoyed the silence while the moonlight danced across the water. Chase looked over to find Terri staring at him with a small smile.

“I still can’t believe that this hunky, college baseball star is my husband, even after ten years of marriage.”

Chase smiled and took her hand. “I love you. Happy anniversary.”

Kissing her hand, he placed the Tiffany box on the table in front of her. She let out a little squeal and snatched it up. Terri was a sucker for a shiny piece of jewelry, and it always amused him to watch her eyes light up like a child’s on Christmas Day. Chase released her hand. She popped open the lid, and her eyes widened.

“They’re beautiful.” She took out the pair of solitaire earrings with a little sigh. Unfastening her earrings, Terri slipped on the new ones and gave him a heart-stopping smile.

Dinner was nice, but he was anxious to get out of there. Only one thing was on his mind tonight, and sitting in a restaurant wasn’t it. When the waitress came over to ask if they wanted dessert, he answered in the negative, only to receive a small kick from his darling wife.

“What?”

“I would’ve liked the crème brûlée,” she said with a raised eyebrow.

“And I want Terri à la mode, so let’s get out of here. I’ll make you one later.”
 

“You? Cook? I think not.” She placed her napkin on the table with a wicked grin that made him do a mental fist pump. “But I’m all for being your dessert.”

The waitress could not return with the check quickly enough. In record time, they drove back onto the highway.

“Pull over at the next turn about,” Terri whispered.

“Whaaa? Why?”

“Humor me, please,” she said in an exasperated tone.
 

He growled, but did as she asked. Once he’d thrown the car in park, she pushed a CD into the player, and the sound of Shania Twain filled the car. Chase groaned and thumped his head onto the headrest while she shushed him.

“You know I hate country music,” he said, whining. Terri opened her door. “What are you doing?”

“Will you shut up and get out of the car?” she said with a laugh. “You, Mr. Control Freak, will not dictate this night.”
 

Terri walked to the edge of the dirt turnabout to look out over the cliff side. He dragged himself out of the car with a grumble and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek.

“I’m sorry, baby. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”
 

She turned in his arms as the song from their wedding started to play. “Then dance with me.” Her voice was a whisper.
 

Chase pulled her close and started to sway while he remembered their wedding day in the little church in San Francisco. Terri’s warm breath blew across his neck when she let out a sigh.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“Babies,” she whispered.

Chase grinned like a fool. “And?” he asked when she didn’t say anything more. She lifted her head to look up at him, her eyes shining in the moonlight.

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
 

His shock turned into elation, and he picked her up in his arms and swung her around, making her throw back her head and laugh.

“Are you sure?” he asked, and she nodded in response. Chase set Terri on her feet, then dropped to his knees and held her hips in his hands, pressing a kiss to her flat stomach. “You’re going to be so loved,” he whispered to the little blessing that was growing inside his wife. The last time they’d talked about having another child, Terri had made it clear that her hands were full enough with the two they were already raising.
 

“I don’t want you to be overextended.” He looked up at her. “Maybe I can take an extra day off work to help out?”

She smiled. “I think that would be a wonderful idea.”

Chase stood, keeping his hands on her stomach while their lips met in a tender kiss.

She sighed when they broke apart. “I love you.”
 

“I love you, too,” he answered, kissing her once more. Chase took her hand and helped her back into the car, then climbed in and pulled onto the road again.

“I’m going to be a father again,” he said, and she laughed at his obvious joy. When the song from their wedding turned into a fast, twangy number, he asked, “Now can we turn off the country music?”
 

She laughed and agreed.

When he reached for the radio, Terri sucked in a quick breath with a gasp. Chase’s eyes darted to the road, and he saw a flash of headlights in their lane. He swerved the car to the left, but it was too late. The crunching sound of metal against metal joined his wife’s high-pitched scream. It was the last thing he heard before his head slammed into the side window and everything went black.

When he came to, he heard people yelling, and his head lolled to the side while he tried to open his eyes. The pain in his head was unbearable, and he had a fleeting moment when he thought he’d been hit with a baseball bat.

“I think she’s breathing!” someone yelled. Chase groaned and tried again to open his eyes.

“He’s coming around, too! Did you call 911?” The stranger’s words started to register in his mind, and Chase remembered a flash of light and Terri, in her green dress. He forced his eyes open, and the world spun out of control. The throbbing in his head made it hard to concentrate.

“He’s got a hospital sticker in the back window!” the voice yelled again. “Sir, sir! You need to wake up! Are you a doctor?” Chase felt strong hands on him shaking his shoulder, making him wince in pain.

“Sir, your wife. You need to wake up.” 
My wife?
 He tried to open his eyes again, and this time, everything slowly came into focus.

“Are you a doctor?”
 

Chase glanced up at the man towering over his open door with a flashlight and gave him a half nod. The vision in his left eye was fuzzy, so he tried to avoid any fast movements.
 

Then it hit him. 
I’ve been in an accident
. His head snapped to where Terri sat, and it took him a moment to comprehend that the door and dash had sandwiched her against her seat. His stomach hit the ground, and he reached for her, trying to find a pulse. Chase’s fingers shook when he pressed them against her neck. He felt the faint beat under his fingers and let out a sigh of relief.

“Did someone call 911?”

The man with the flashlight informed him that the CHP and paramedics were en route. Chase pulled himself up until he was hovering over Terri’s unconscious form, and he fought the rising nausea.

She’s going to be okay
.

He checked her airway before he assessed the extent of her injuries. Her cheek and forehead were slashed open from the shattered windshield. There was a lot of blood, and he kept reminding himself that head wounds always bled more than other injuries.

“I need towels or something to stop the bleeding and a first aid kit now,” he called over his shoulder. The man with a flashlight went in search of the items he requested while Chase’s eyes continued to travel down Terri’s body.

The front of her dress was soaked in blood. Chase reached for her neckline and yanked open the fabric. The light from one of the other car’s headlights gave him a view of her left side. There weren’t any major wounds that he could see, but the door kept him from evaluating anything on her right side. He looked out her window and found that the front end of a red car rested on top of Terri’s door, trapping her underneath.

“Someone get that car out of here,” he yelled. Terri’s head lolled to the side, and his hands went to her face.

“Terri, baby. Can you hear me?” She let out a loud groan in response. “Terri, I need you to talk to me, sweetheart. Please, baby, open your eyes.” Her lashes fluttered on her cheek before they opened, and he noticed that several blood vessels in her eyes had burst. “Baby, can you hear me?”

“Chase?”

“I need you to tell me where it hurts.”
 

Blood pooled in Terri’s mouth. She tried to speak, but he couldn’t make out what she was saying between the ragged gasps.

Where the hell are the paramedics?

“My head,” she whispered, clear enough for him to understand her.