So Much More (Made for Love #3) (41 page)

I
SHAKE MY HAND
out of her grasp and take a step back.

I can’t believe she’s here. What the fuck? I told her we were through. I meant it—with all my heart, I meant it!

“It’s William. My mom is
freaking out
. He was playing with some friends and he got hurt. They’re at the hospital. I came as soon as I heard, but—Brandon, I can’t go alone. I need you.”

I huff out a sigh as I shake my head at her. “Is he going to be okay?”

“I don’t know. He hit his head pretty hard, I guess. Can we just talk about it on the way?” she pleads, reaching for my hand once more.

“I’m sorry. I can’t go,” I tell her, pulling my hand away for the second time.

“Dammit, Brandon, you can’t say no!”

When Sarah reaches for my hand, holding it in both of hers, I squeeze her fingers in acknowledgment. “You’ll be fine, Olivia. Your mom needs you. You should go.”

I see it. The second she looks down and see’s my connection with Sarah, I see the change of emotion in her eyes. I’ve known her long enough. I
loved
her for long enough. I can tell what she’s thinking without her having to speak a word.

“You’re fucking someone else,” she states matter-of-factly. “You’re fucking someone else and you think, what, you think you can get rid of me with
one
goodbye? You won’t say no to me. You
never
do.”

“This has nothing to do with Sarah. Don’t bring her into this.”

“Bullshit! I was here a month ago! A
month
ago, you were screwing
me
and now you think some blonde bombshell will scare me away? Honey, I’m not scared of you,” she says to Sarah. “You won’t be the first or the last girl who couldn’t live up to what he wanted.”

Sarah’s grip looseness and she’s got my attention in an instant. The look on her face has my heart pounding. “A month?” she asks softly. “You were with her a month ago? But—we—”

“We hadn’t met yet. Er—re-met, or whatever,” I assure her, squeezing her hand. “It was the weekend before you started working here. It meant nothing. Do you hear me? It meant
nothing
.”

“Dammit—I don’t have time for your lover’s spat, Brandon! I need to go and I
need
you to come with me. You’re my
best friend
. I don’t have anyone else!” Her voice catches in her throat and my focus is torn away from my sweet girl. “It’s William, Brandon—
William.
” My heart aches as Olivia begins to crumble right before my eyes.

I don’t want to fold. I don’t want to give in. I don’t want to care. I don’t—
I don’t
.

But I know Olivia. I know that what I’m watching isn’t an act. She’s scared.

“You’re all I’ve got, Bran. You’re the only one who understands. You’ve known Will his whole life—you
have
to come. I
need
you.”

I pause for a second, my resolve breaking. This isn’t about sex. What she’s asking for? She needs a friend. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that I’m the only one she trusts. That’s what our relationship has always been about. Right now, she’s scared. I don’t know the details revolving around this situation with William, but the last time someone she loved was in an accident, he died. I can only imagine how her mom feels, too. If this is as serious as Olive’s making it out to be, this could bring back the memory of losing her husband—God forbid that happen to her youngest child.

Yet, I feel Sarah slipping away from me and I don’t know what to do. When I look back at her, she’s wringing her hands—her bottom lip pulled between her teeth as she looks from me to Olive and then back at me.

“Sunshine—”

“When you told me how she hurt you, how she left you—I didn’t think—I didn’t think…” She shrugs helplessly. “A month ago? Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me
everything
?”

I sigh, running my hand down my face. “I swear, there was nothing to tell.”

“You slept with her.”

“And then I met
you.
”

Olivia’s phone begins to ring. I know it’s hers because she gasps at the sound. “Bran—it’s my mom. Please. Come with me. You’re my
best friend.
Doesn’t that count for something? After all this time—after everything we’ve been through—how can that not mean something?”

I’m torn in ways I never imagined possible. I never would have thought that Olivia could walk back into my life,
again
, and pull me back into hers. I thought I was done. I thought we were over.

I didn’t see this coming.

I didn’t know that she would need me like this.

“Go,” Sarah whispers, taking a step away from me.

“Baby,” I mutter, reaching for her, pleading with her.

“I can see that you want to. I can’t stop you. This is up to you and I—I can’t stop you.”

I close the distance between us, gently gripping my hands around her face as I gaze down into her big, beautiful, bright blue eyes. “Do you trust me?” I whisper.

“Trust is not enough,” she breathes.

“Do you
love
me?”

“You know that I do.”

“I love you, too. I love you, too, baby,” I insist, touching my forehead to hers. “I’ll be back. Okay?
I’ll be back
.”

She nods her understanding, but I can see the worry she wears in her eyes. It kills me that I’m the one that’s making her feel this way. With Olive’s comment about our last encounter, doubt has been born in Sarah’s heart.

I don’t have time to fix it. I hate that truth, but I feel it—I feel the tug of a relationship that I’ve been tangled in for a decade pulling me away. I don’t have it in me to turn my back on Olive the one time she
actually
needs me.

This isn’t about sex. It’s about friendship—or whatever scraps of our friendship there is left. It’s about trust—which is all she’s ever been able to give me. Now, it’s more than she can give anyone else.

I kiss Sarah before I pull away. I discard my apron and pat myself down, making sure I’ve got my phone and wallet. On my way out, I kiss Sarah one more time and then I promise—“I’ll be back.”

I love you, too, baby. I’ll be back.

As I watch him leave with her—as I watch her take his hand—I can’t help but wonder if I’m watching him leave
me
. I heard him. When he told me he loved me and that he would be back, I heard him. I also saw the look on his face as he was debating whether to stay or to go.

A week ago, he told me about Olivia—about the way she always managed to draw him back in. I saw it happen just now. I watched as the woman he loved for
years
begged him to be her savior. Now, I’m standing in his bakery alone.

He left Little Bird without a second thought. If nothing else,
that
speaks volumes.

“Stop thinking what you’re thinking,” Daphne demands, pulling me from my thoughts.

“What?” My eyes find hers and she shakes her head at me.

“I know where your mind is going. Don’t let it. I’ve been where you are. I’ve been
exactly
where you are right now. You’ve got to trust him. You’ve got to believe he’ll be back—back
for you
.

“He loves you, Sarah. It’s the most obvious thing in the world. I’ve never seen him so happy. So
whole
. Don’t let this situation eat away at what the two of you have. Stop thinking what you’re thinking. Stop worrying. He’ll be back. You just have to believe that.”

I draw in a deep breath and let it out slowly, beckoning forth memories of last night. I
belong
to him. Always. That’s our promise.
Always
. Daphne’s right. He has history with Olivia—but he’s promised his future to me. I have to hold onto that. I have to trust him.

I offer Daphne a nod and return to my post at the register. When I ask what they’d like to drink, she eyes me warily before she answers. I force a smile and assure her that I’ll be fine, and then I take her order. Before she and Trevor leave, she makes sure that I have her number and then makes me promise to call if I need anything. I thank her and then we both wave goodbye.

The rest of the morning seems to drag on and on. Despite the crowd and our productivity, it feels as if time is standing still. When Rachael shows up to start her shift, I’m relieved to have a minute to step away and call Brandon. He doesn’t answer. I wonder what’s going on. If William’s okay. If
he’s
okay.

I skip lunch, too preoccupied to think about food. I try and call Brandon again, but he doesn’t answer. It dawns on me that he probably can’t use his cell phone wherever he is in the hospital. Even still, the hours that pass without hearing his voice make me anxious. I’m so used to him being a part of my day that his absence isn’t just noticed, it’s
felt
.

When my phone finally rings, I’m in the middle of making a drink for a customer. I curse my bad luck, but finish my task before I break away from Rachael and Tabitha. Before I can even unlock my screen, another call comes through. The caller ID reads
Sky Ridge Hospital
. I don’t even question the name as I answer, fully expecting to hear Brandon’s voice on the other end of the line.

My heart drops when it’s not him I hear.

“Miss Prescott? Sarah Prescott?”

“Yes, this is she.”

“I’m calling from Sky Ridge Hospital. I’m sorry to inform you that your parents, Wesley and Gwendolyn Prescott, have been in a motor vehicle accident. You’re listed as their emergency contact and next of kin. We’re going to need you to come in as soon as you can.”

“What?!” I shriek. “What happened? Are they going to be alright? How bad was it?” My words tumble out of my mouth almost as fast as my heart beats inside of my chest.

“These are all questions better addressed by their doctors—”

Their doctors? Plural?

“I can tell you that your father is being taken into surgery right now and your mother is in critical condition.”

I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.

“Will you be able to come in, Miss Prescott?”

“Yes,” I barely manage; my voice comes out hardly above a whisper. “I’m on my way. But I’m not in town. It’ll take me an hour and a half to get there. Shit!” My legs suddenly give out and I find myself sinking to the floor. “Will you please call me if anything changes?”

“I will. We’ll see you soon.”

She disconnects before I can get another word in. I don’t mind. The knot in my throat prevents me from speaking just now anyway.

“Sarah? Sarah, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” asks Rachael as she and Tabitha kneel down in front of me.

I look from one face to the other, my heart, my mind,
my soul
recognizing that neither of them—as wonderful as they may be—are who I need right now. My cry breaks loose and I clap my hand over my mouth as I try and pull myself together. I know I don’t have time to fall apart right now. I have to get out of here. I have to get on the road!

Fuck—I need Brandon!

“How is this happening? This isn’t happening. This can’t be happening, right?” I mumble, wiping away my tears with trembling hands. It’s useless, of course. The tears can’t be stopped now that they’ve started.

“Sarah?” Tabitha asks gently. “We don’t know what you’re talking about. What’s wrong?”

“Shit, shit, shit,” I mutter, trying to gain control of my body—of my
mind
. I can’t fall apart. I can’t. I can’t. I have to get out of here.

“Sarah!” Rachael cries, giving me a shake. “You’re freaking us out! What is going on?”

I manage a gasp as my eyes meet hers. “I have to go. My parents—they’ve been in an accident. I have to go.”

“Okay. Now we’re getting somewhere,” she says as she stands. She takes me by the elbow, Tabitha following her lead on my other side, and they help me to my feet. “Go. Get out of here, we’ll be fine.”

“Joey will be in later and I’ll stay for as long as I’m needed,” Tabitha assures me.

“Are you okay to drive? Do you want us to call someone?”

“Brandon.” His name comes out like a plea. When I pull out my phone to call him, he’s still not answering. “He won’t pick up!” I shove my phone in my pocket before taking off my apron. My heart aches knowing that he’s with Olivia. He doesn’t know that I need him, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel like shit knowing that she gets him right now and I don’t.