23. Cassie

CHAPTER 23

CASSIE

From the timeI walked in the door after school, I’ve been in my room. I have yet to talk to my mother, and I’m not looking forward to it. I’m done. Looking back, I should have found a way to get myself out of here before this, but I’m determined to do it now. I’ll leave and then I’ll mend things with Baker. If he’ll have me.

I’m on my laptop, looking at the slim picking of apartments available in Whiskey Run when I shut it in frustration. I hate to do it, but I’m going to have to talk to Brook and see if she can find an apartment through Walker. He owns half the town anyway. Maybe he has an apartment coming available.

I hear my stepdad’s phone ring, and I jump out of my seat. I go to stand in the hallway and strain to hear him talk. I’m pretty sure I heard him talking to Baker earlier, and so now I’m shamelessly listening anytime I hear his phone ring.

“What?”

“Where?”

“The hospital in Jasper?”

I can only hear my stepdad’s side of the conversation, but it’s easy to tell that he’s in panic mode.

My stomach drops and I run into my room and throw on my shoes before running downstairs. Ryan is grabbing his keys off the entry table, and when he looks at me, he looks as if he’s aged around twenty years. “What is it? Is Baker okay?”

His voice is shaky, and he drops the keys on the ground. “He was in an accident.”

I pick up the keys. “An accident?”

Ryan leans against the table and is white as a sheet. “He’s been shot. I don’t know all the details. If they told me, I don’t remember. Oh my God, I promised Lorraine I would take care of our son, and he’s been shot.”

I grab on to Ryan and help him stand up straight again. “Ryan, he’s going to be okay. He has to be okay. Come on, I’ll drive.”

We’re almost out the door when Ryan remembers my mom. “Brandi,” he bellows. “Baker’s been shot and is in the hospital.”

She comes out of the kitchen and looks out of patience. “I have cookies in the oven.”

Shock registers on my stepdad’s face, and I understand how he’s feeling. I’ve had this exact feeling a thousand times when it comes to my mom. But we don’t have time to deal with her right now. “Ryan, let’s go.”

Without another word, Ryan and I walk out the door. I’m running to my car, practically dragging him with me. I know he’s in shock, but I can’t just leave him to his own devices.

“Jasper Hospital, right?”

He nods, and I peel out of the driveway.

We make it to the hospital in Jasper in record time. I park haphazardly in an emergency lane, and we run in. Already the waiting room is full of men and women in blue. One of the guys comes up to us. “Sergeant, how’s my son?” Ryan asks.

The man grabs on to Ryan’s upper arms. “He’s in surgery right now. He was shot twice. Once in the vest. Once in the shoulder. They’ve extracted the bullet, and they said he has a concussion from when he hit his head.”

I’m holding my breath. I don’t want details right now. The only thing that matters to me is if he’s going to live or not. “He’s going to be okay?”

The man seems to notice me for the first time. “Cassie?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

He puts his hand on my shoulder. “He’s going to be okay. He’ll probably be doing better when he finds out you’re here.”

All I can do is nod my head. Ryan puts his arm around my shoulder. “Now we wait. Let’s have a seat.”

We sit down in the closest seats, and I stare at the door that leads to the back. Ryan grabs my hand. “He’s going to be okay, honey. He’s strong.”

I suck back a sob. I’m barely holding on. I felt like I had to be strong to get us here, and now I just feel completely numb. “I broke up with Baker.”

I don’t know why I admit it. I’m not sure what all Ryan knows about Baker and me, but I’m sure he figured something was going on.

He holds my hand. “I figured something happened when he pulled out of the house yesterday. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy.”

When I don’t say anything, he asks, “Why did you break up with him?”

Still staring at the door that leads to the back, I mumble, “Because he would break up with me anyway. When he finds out what a mess I am, he’ll dump me. He’s my stepbrother, and Mom said I was ruining the family—”

He cuts me off by leaning in, putting his shoulder against mine. “You love him, don’t you? And it scares the hell out of you?”

The tears start to fall, and no matter how much I wipe at them and try to get a hold of myself, I can’t stop crying. “I do. I love him.”

He reaches over and puts his arm around my shoulder. “Then you’ll make it work.”

I blink, and more tears roll down my cheeks. I give up trying to stop them and just give in to the fact that I’m going to cry. At least until I see Baker with my own eyes and know he’s okay. “But you and Mom… he’s my stepbrother and I don’t want—”

He cuts me off, and there’s nothing but compassion in his voice. “Oh, Cassie, how long have you had to take care of everyone else? You just need to focus on you and what you want. Do what makes you happy.”

“What if—?” I start.

He shakes his head. “Honey, I know it’s scary. Trusting someone else with your heart is probably one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. But I’ll tell you this: You’ll regret it if you don’t try.”

I don’t want to say it, but I’ve thought it the whole night. I royally messed up last night, and who knows what Baker’s thinking now? “What if he changed his mind? What if he’s decided I’m not worth it?”

I barely get the words out and the door to the back opens. Every man and woman in blue rise to their feet, and I stand up with Ryan’s help.

“Family of Baker Johnson?”

Ryan looks around the room. “It’s us. All of us.”

The surgeon nods his head and takes his hat off. He’s grim and straight to the point. “The surgery was successful. He’ll have to stay for a day or two, and when he goes home he’ll need to be monitored. Our worries now are infection and the concussion.”

He drones on about the ins and outs of the surgery, and I know I should be paying better attention, but the only thing I need right now is to see him. I have to get to wherever he is.

I interrupt the doctor. “Can we see him now?”

He looks around the room and then back at Ryan and me. “Yes, two of you can go back at a time. He’s going to be groggy.” He points to the doors. “Down the hall. Room 117.”

I start walking, and Ryan stays right beside me. I hear the doctor talking to the other police officers, but once the door closes behind us, the only sounds are the beeps of machines as we pass by rooms. When we get to 117, I stop and shudder a breath. Ryan gently shoves me toward the door. “Go on, sweetie. I’m going to give you a few minutes.”

I shake my head. “No, he’ll want to see you.”

He nods knowingly. “And he will, but trust me. More than anything, he’ll want to see you right now.”

I push through the door, and the sight of him brings tears to my eyes again. He’s hooked up to all kinds of machines, and he’s so pale I hold my hand to my mouth to silence my whimper. He’s asleep, and I’m not going to wake him up. I open the door a crack and wave for Ryan to come in. “He’s asleep.”

Ryan sits down in one of the chairs, and I move across the room and lean against the wall. I watch Baker closely, counting between breaths, watching his chest rise and fall. I can’t take my eyes off him.

When he stirs in his sleep and moans, I move to his side. I lay my hand on his just because I have to touch him. I need to have my hands on him.

He opens his eyes, and when his brown eyes meet mine, I see the pain in their depths. He looks around in confusion. In a soft whisper, I tell him, “You’re going to be okay. You were shot. But you’re going to be okay.”

He nods and in a strangled voice he asks, “JB?”

Ryan comes up beside me. “He’s fine, son. He’s in the lobby waiting to see you.”

I squeeze his hand. “They said there can only be two back here at a time. I can go so he can come back.”

He turns his hand and laces our fingers together. “Don’t leave.”

I sob and nod my head.

All I can do is stare at Baker as he and his dad talk. There are so many things I need to say, but all I can do is look at him and be thankful that he’s still here with me.