Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Abby

Amber: Are you sure you don’t want me to come to the hospital?

Katie: I can come, too!

Me: Thanks, but there’s nothing to do except wait for Rafe to wake up. I’d rather everyone work and act normal for now. It makes me less panicky.

Amber: If you’re sure. But once my shift is over, I’m going to bring you some scones and coffee.

Katie: I’ll go with Amber then. In the meantime, I’ll ask Nolan’s PI to find that CGN woman. I could take her.

Me: As much as I’d like to see it, more important people than me have tried and failed.

Katie: Hmph. Well, I’ll get an update from Nolan’s guy anyway and see if there’s anything that can help stop the weirdos from going after you. Maybe the town can set up a system.

Me: Thanks. heart emoji

Amber: I’m not much of a security guard, but I can be that, too, whenever you want!

Me: I wouldn’t want to cross you, Amber. You could probably get away with murder. winking emoji

Amber: Maybe. But Rafe will be okay, Abby. I refuse to think otherwise.

Katie: He’d better be. And no matter his condition, if he makes you sad again, I’ll pay him a visit and kick his butt.

Me: Let’s save the ass-kicking for later. The doctor should give me an update soon, so I’ll let you know what she says. heart emoji

T he next morning, I sat in the hospital waiting room, staring into my now cold cup of coffee, and replayed the scene from the night before: The ambulance. Rafe coding on the way and them reviving him. Waiting through the surgery. My family arriving and doing their best to comfort me.

And now I sat, waiting to see if Rafe made it out of the surgery.

A surgery that should’ve ended two hours ago.

My throat closed up again, and I took a sip of cold coffee to get myself under control. All I wanted to do was cry. However, if I fell apart now, then I’d be a mess whenever the doctor finally came to give an update. And I needed to be strong for Rafe.

I breathed in and out a few times before checking my phone, hoping for news about the hit and run. But there was nothing from the sheriff’s office.

Emmy returned with a fresh coffee. She sat down, put an arm around my shoulders, and asked, “Do you need anything else, Abby? A donut? Candy? Or something healthier, like a banana? You’re pale and I don’t like it.”

I shook my head. “No, I couldn’t eat anything if I tried. Besides, Rafe should be out of surgery at any moment, and I want to be here.”

She leaned her head on my shoulder. “Rafe’s too stubborn to die.”

Although her voice cracked at the end, betraying her words.

I hugged her back. “He only just came home and mended things with you. He won’t leave you, Emmy. I’m sure of it.”

She leaned back. “He won’t leave you, either.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to say that while I loved him, our marriage was a sham. But then the doctor appeared, and we both stood.

I asked, “Is he out of surgery?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes. He pulled through and if he remains stable for the next twenty-four hours, he should recover. We’ll be monitoring him closely for the next day.”

As she went through what they’d done during the surgery, I tried to pay attention. However, all I wanted to do was see Rafe with my own eyes, maybe hold his hand, and then tell him he’d better wake up so we could talk.

So when the doctor finally finished with, “Would you like to see him?” I nodded. “Yes. Please.”

“Two people at a time can visit with him, if you both want to go.”

Emmy spoke up. “You can see him alone first, Abby. I’ll come in when you’re ready.”

I turned to my friend. “Are you sure? I know you’ve been worried too.”

“Now that he’s mostly out of immediate danger, it’s probably better if I wait a little longer so I don’t scold him about being stupid and nearly getting himself killed.”

I almost smiled. “I already scolded him while waiting for the ambulance. So maybe we should hold back on doing any more until he wakes up.”

“Sounds like a plan. Now, go. I’m sure once he hears your voice, he’ll start healing even faster.”

Even though it wasn’t exactly scientific, I nodded and followed the doctor down a hallway. She entered a room, and I followed. At seeing Rafe’s unconscious form lying in the bed, attached to all kinds of wires and tubes, my heart skipped a beat.

The doctor’s voice was gentle as she said, “Stay as long as you like. A nurse will be by soon to check in on him.”

“Thank you.” As the doctor closed the door, I walked over to Rafe and gently traced his cheek. He was pale, with circles under his eyes. But at least his chest moved up and down, in a steady rhythm, telling me he was still alive.

I pulled up a chair, sat down, and gently took his hand in mine. Once I pressed it against my cheek, a tear slipped down my face. “Rafael, you have to wake up. Please don’t die because of me.” I kissed his palm and continued, “I love you and want the chance to be your wife for real.” A few more tears rolled down my face. “Please don’t die.”

A sob escaped my throat, and another. “Please don’t leave me, Rafe. Please.”

I started crying again, clinging to his hand for dear life.

Eventually, the nurse came in and helped calm me down. She insisted I lay on the couch in the room as she checked over Rafe, saying I needed to rest.

As I watched her, I tried to stay awake. But eventually I passed out from exhaustion, dreaming of Rafe and I riding horses through the hills, laughing and teasing each other, and never taking each other for granted again.

Someone shook my shoulder and my brother West’s voice filtered through my sleep-fogged brain. “Abby, wake up. Rafe’s asking for you.”

At Rafe’s name, I bolted upright and blinked against the lights. It made me a little lightheaded—no doubt from lack of food for nearly a day—and it took me a second to steady myself.

West frowned. “Are you okay?”

I rubbed my forehead. “Fine. Just help me up?” He did, until I could finally see Rafe in the bed.

His eyes met mine, and he gave a faint smile. “I knew you were a heavy sleeper, but you take it to the next level.”

With a cry, I rushed over to him and kissed his forehead, his nose, his cheek. “Rafe! You’re awake!”

“I feel as if I’ve been run over by a car. Oh, wait.” I grimaced, and he added, “Don’t you dare feel guilty, either. West said they caught the guy about an hour ago. He was some middle-aged guy from the next town over who believed in conspiracy theories and thought he was a god-appointed protector of children, or some such bullshit. He saw the CGN videos. The latest had your family’s address, the fuckers, and the guy made getting rid of you his next mission.”

“Wait, what? There were more videos?” I glanced at West. “When? And when did you talk to the police to learn all of this?”

“Maybe an hour or so ago?”

“And you didn’t wake me!”

West crossed his arms over his chest. “You needed to sleep, Abby.”

My head buzzed, and I had to sit down on the edge of Rafe’s bed to keep from stumbling. “Start from the beginning and update me on everything.”

Emmy entered, carrying a tray of food. My stomach growled at the smell of pizza. She stated, “Only if you eat while he does it. It’s been more than a day, Abby, and you look about ready to fall over.”

Rafe took my hand and said, “Please, love. Eat something.”

I met his gaze. At the concern and tenderness—and I swore love—there, I nodded. “Okay. But I’m staying right here, next to you.”

He squeezed my hand gently before releasing it. “Right where I want you.”

West sighed. “Do we need to give you two some space?”

Emmy rolled her eyes. “Be nice. You promised.”

“I am being nice.”

Rafe smiled at me and then replied, “I’m not about to ravish Abby while she eats. Just tell us everything, since you said you were waiting for Abby to tell me the details.”

And so West went over how CGN had released another video, this time with some altered images of Abby. They’d even discovered her phone number and address and had blasted it separately, to their social media followers.

The more West shared, the calmer I became as a plan formed in my mind. There was only one way to try to make any of this stop. And when my brother finished, I blurted, “I’m going to have to give my own interview.”

West frowned. “Is that wise?”

I replied, “If I keep silent, CGN will just keep publishing their own crap, Travis will stoke the fire, and it could get dangerous for all of you. And I won’t risk anyone else I care about.”

Rafe searched my gaze. “Are you sure, love?”

I nodded. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what Nolan shared before….before…”

Rafe laid his hand on my thigh and squeezed. “Before I was hit by a car.”

“Yes. That.”

“And?”

I sipped some water before I could reply, “If Travis had manipulated and threatened another woman, maybe there were several. He’s a lot older than me, and the way he reeled me in, well, it was too thought out and planned to be a coincidence, I think.”

Emmy nodded. “I agree. And sometimes it takes the courage of one person coming forward for others to do the same.”

I replied, “Or so I hope. Even if no one does, at least my version is out there and maybe some people will pause before automatically hating me. I can’t guarantee it’ll ever clear me completely, but it’s worth a shot.”

Rafe studied me for a second, and I wondered if he’d try to talk me out of it. There were a lot of reasons—it was dangerous, it could further hurt his training center’s chances, and it was possible it made everything worse.

So when he said, “I agree,” I mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

Rafe really did have my back. I vowed to stop doubting him. The man had been hit by a car to save me, after all.

He yawned, and I placed my tray to the side. “You need to rest.”

“I don’t want to, but my body says otherwise.”

West grunted. “Welcome to the old man's club.”

Emmy gently slapped his arm. “You’re not that old.”

“You do help keep me young.”

As he waggled his eyebrows, I shook my head and Rafe said, “You two should go home and get it out of your system so I don’t have to see that.”

Emmy’s face turned serious as she went to the other side of Rafe’s bed. “I’m not going anywhere.”

West followed Emmy and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He said, “You heard the doctor, love. Rafe is awake and out of danger now. As long as he takes it easy, he’ll be fine.” She hesitated, so West whispered something I couldn’t hear, and she nodded. “Okay, just for a short while.” Her gaze shot back to her brother. “But I’ll be back soon. So no dying on me in the meantime.”

Rafe crossed his heart. “I promise, as long as you stop yelling at me.”

“Then stop being stupid, and I won’t yell.”

As the siblings bickered for about a minute, I smiled. It made me happy seeing my best friend and the man I loved getting along more each day.

Eventually, West intervened and convinced Emmy to leave. Once we were alone, I turned toward Rafe and asked, “Are you really okay with my interview idea?”

“It’s the only way, I think. The people Nolan and I hired might be able to find something eventually. But even if the truth isn’t as exciting as gossip, it might be enough to get more victims to come forward. Hell, if the one we know about does, it might be enough to get your ex fired. Maybe more than that.”

He yawned again, and I tried to stand. However, he grabbed my hand. “Lie next to me, Abby. There should be just enough room.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t, love. Please.”

Rafe gave me his puppy dog eyes, and I sighed. “Fine. But you can’t complain if I fall asleep and wake up kicking you in the balls.”

“I’ll just have to risk it.”

As he made room for me, I was torn. But when he asked me again, I caved and slowly crawled into bed.

It wasn’t long until Rafe’s heat and scent comforted me and I fell asleep, wondering how I’d share the most embarrassing and difficult times of my life with the entire world.