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Chapter 31

31

Walking out of the village grocery store, Laura glanced around quickly. She hadn’t seen or heard from Jackson since running into him in her garden yesterday and although she was relieved he had listened to her and respected her wishes, she couldn’t help feeling upset that he hadn’t bothered to even attempt to talk to her again.

She gripped hold of the coffee jar she’d just bought as she shoved her purse into her pocket. She was being unfair. Jackson couldn’t win. He’d badgered her to try to explain his actions, and she’d told him to leave her alone, and when he did stay away, she got upset. But did that indicate that she hadn’t meant anything to him after all? If she was so easy to move on from, then surely he hadn’t cared about her, let alone loved her as he’d claimed. If he had loved her, he would still be fighting for her, wouldn’t he?

Pulling her mobile from her pocket, she checked it again. Nothing. No messages, no missed calls. She slipped her mobile back into her pocket and swallowed, fighting back the tears. She’d spent enough time crying over him. If he couldn’t even make the effort to try to talk to her again, then so be it. He wasn’t the person she thought he was.

‘Laura, morning!’

Laura looked up and waved as Catherine from the darts team jogged towards her. ‘Hi.’

‘Been to stock up on the essentials, I see?’ Catherine nodded towards the coffee jar.

‘Oh yes.’ Shoving the jar into her canvas bag, Laura nodded.

‘Are you busy at the moment? For once, I’ve actually got a couple of hours to spare in the day today. Did you fancy going to get lunch at the pub and having a game of darts, maybe? Get a bit of practice in?’

Laura looked across the road towards the pub. The last thing she wanted was to venture in there and be stuck pretending everything was okay between her and Jackson. ‘I’m really sorry, I can’t today, but another day would be great.’

‘No worries.’ Catherine dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. ‘They probably aren’t serving food anyway, not after what happened to Jackson.’

‘Jackson? What do you mean? What’s happened?’ Had he walked out? Had culinary differences with the landlord, maybe?

‘Well, after the accident, of course.’

‘Accident? What accident?’ Laura could feel her throat drying. Was he okay? What had happened?

‘The car accident. Sorry, I assumed you knew.’ Catherine laid her hand on Laura’s arm. ‘He was involved in a car crash last night. I’m pretty sure he’s still at the hospital. Or that’s what I heard from Mrs Pierce in the bakery.’

‘A car crash.’ Laura froze. That’s why Jackson hadn’t tried calling her again or popping round to talk to her. He was hurt. Or worse! ‘I need to go there.’

‘Yes, of course. I’m really sorry, I honestly thought you’d known. Give him our love.’

Laura picked up her pace until she was running through the streets of Meadowfield, the coffee jar in her canvas bag banging against her leg as she did so, but she didn’t care. She needed to get to Jackson. She needed to see if he was okay.

Her legs felt like jelly as Laura stumbled to the ward she’d been directed to. She’d had to plead her case with the woman on the reception desk and convince her that she was Jackson’s fiancée just to find out where he was. The receptionist hadn’t told her anything else. She hadn’t told her what had happened, when he’d been brought in or if he was okay. Laura literally didn’t know what to expect.

She paused and leaned her hand against the wall, waiting until the wave of nausea had passed. He hadn’t tried to ring her again. That thought came to the forefront of her mind once more. What if it hadn’t been because she’d told him not to? What if the reason he hadn’t contacted her was because he couldn’t? He could be in a coma for all she knew.

And, if he was, what if he didn’t recover? The last time she’d seen him had been to have a go at him. The last words she’d uttered to him had been to tell him to leave her alone. She’d never forgive herself if the worst were to happen. If that was his last memory of her.

Why hadn’t she let him explain? What harm would that have done? She’d felt so hurt, so disregarded and yet she’d disregarded him too. Despite his pleas to talk, she had ignored him. She’d behaved just as badly.

And now she might never get another chance to listen to him. She might not get another chance to hold him, for him to hold her, for them to be together. They’d both waited years for this moment and yet she’d allowed something as simple as him pretending to Richie that they weren’t seeing each other to ruin it all, to jeopardise any future happiness they may have had.

Hearing that Jackson was in hospital had made her realise one thing, though. She didn’t care that he wanted to keep their relationship secret. How she felt towards Jackson and how he felt towards her – that they loved one another – was the most important thing. More important than having the blessing of her family, even. And more important than the insecurities Harry had stirred in her. Jackson wasn’t Harry and whatever Evie Taunton was playing at wouldn’t be down to Jackson. She was sure it wouldn’t.

Besides, Richie would come round. Even if he wasn’t happy with the idea at first, given time, he’d come to realise that they were serious about each other and he’d surely grow to understand, to accept. At least she hoped so. That was all she could do – hope.

Nothing would be too difficult to overcome as long as they were together.

She checked the signs on the wall. Yes, she was going in the right direction and if she’d understood the receptionist correctly, Jackson’s ward would be just around the corner. She took a deep breath, trying desperately to compose herself before she continued down the corridor and pushed open the door to the ward. The nurses’ station stood to the right, a nurse in scrubs busy scribbling in a patient’s folder. ‘Excuse me, please?’

‘Oh, hello. How can I help you?’ Looking up from her work, the nurse smiled kindly at Laura.

‘I’ve been told that Jackson Scott is here?’ Clasping her hands on the counter circling the nurses’ station, Laura tried to stop herself from shaking.

‘Jackson Scott?’ The nurse ran her finger down a clipboard. ‘Ah, yes, Jackson. He’s just down the corridor, the last room on the left. I believe he may have another visitor in with him at the moment, but as long as there’re no more than two of you, it should be fine.’

‘Thank you.’ Laura left the nurse to get on with writing up her notes and headed down the corridor. Someone was with him already. That’s what the nurse had said. Would Billy, Jackson’s brother, have visited him? That would make sense, seeing as he was Jackson’s only living relative – him and Billy’s daughter, Eden, of course.

Pausing outside the door to his room, Laura braced herself for what she’d find inside. Please be okay, Jackson. Please be okay. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, ready to rush to his bedside. Halting on the spot, she took in the scene in front of her. Jackson was sitting up in bed, his back slumped against a mound of pillows, the blue sheets of hospital bedding covering his legs and lap.

‘Jackson! Oh, Jackson, I’ve only just heard what happened, about the car accident. Are you okay? Are you hurt?’ Her words tumbled out of her mouth at a million miles per hour as she hurried towards his bedside. His skin was pale, broken only by a patch of white gauze above his eyebrow. Relief flooded through her as she realised he was conscious, alive.

‘Laura.’ Jackson’s voice was croaky as he pushed himself forward, sitting up straighter. ‘I’m so glad you came.’

‘What happened? Are you okay? Your forehead!’ Taking his hand in one of hers, she ran her finger along his forehead, careful not to touch the gauze. ‘You’re hurt.’

‘I’m okay. I was lucky by all accounts. Not that I can remember much about it.’

‘If I’d known, I’d have come right away.’ She wiped the back of her free hand over her eyes, brushing away the tears. Why hadn’t he rung her? Had it been because of what she’d said? Because she’d told him she didn’t want to speak to him?

‘Don’t worry. I survived.’ Jackson gave a weak smile, his dimple barely visible. ‘Unfortunately, my phone didn’t.’

‘Ah.’ That explained the radio silence.

‘I need to tell you something…’ Jackson looked towards the door of his room as the sound of footsteps approached.

‘Don’t worry. I overreacted. I shouldn’t have let what you said to Richie come between us.’ None of it mattered now. It really didn’t. The only thing that mattered was that he was okay. ‘I should have realised why you were saying it.’

‘It’s not that, I need to?—’

‘I have your water, Jacks. All cool and fresh straight from the?—’

Laura turned slowly and watched as the click-clack of footsteps stopped and the voice – that unmistakable voice – petered out. She looked from Evie Taunton to Jackson and back again.

‘Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise Jacks had company.’ Striding into the room, Evie placed a jug of water on the small bedside table with a clang. ‘Hello, Laura.’

‘Evie.’ Dropping hold of Jackson’s hand, Laura looked across at him, desperately trying to catch his eyes, wanting him to give her a logical explanation as to why Evie Taunton, his ex and the woman who had made her life miserable for the past few weeks, knew he was in hospital before she did, the person he supposedly loved.

‘Laura.’ Jackson’s voice cracked. ‘I can explain.’

‘No, no.’ She staggered away, the back of her knees hitting a chair positioned to the left of his bed. ‘I think I understand now.’

‘But…’

‘Bye, Laura. Thanks for stopping by.’ Evie’s voice was laced with false friendliness.

Turning, Laura fled out of the room. How could he? After everything?

‘All okay?’ The nurse looked up from her paperwork as Laura hurried past.

She didn’t have the will to answer. She couldn’t. Picking up the pace, she half walked and half ran through the maze of corridors and back outside to her car. She’d been right. Evie held a torch for Jackson. The entire village had noticed that, but what she couldn’t understand was why Jackson had pursued her, Laura, and told her he loved her, if he was still involved with Evie.

Unless… She dropped the car key and knelt to the ground, her knees against the cold tarmac of the hospital car park. Unless it had all been an extravagant game, unless Jackson was working with Evie in an attempt to run her out of the village?

Standing up, she clicked the keys, grateful to hear the lock release. Pulling the door open, she slipped inside.

But Jackson wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t be so cruel, and he had genuinely seemed pleased she had moved in next door to him. And the time they’d spent together, the cuddles, the kisses, the ‘I love you’s. No, Jackson wouldn’t want to hurt her. Not intentionally.

Turning the key, she ground the gears into reverse. There must be another explanation for why Evie was there, at the hospital with Jackson. Maybe she should have given him the chance to explain. Then again, whatever he said, how would she know she could believe him? But Jackson had seemed happy to see Laura.

She shook her head. Why would Jackson have been pleased to see her if he felt nothing for her, if he was with Evie?

Nope, nope, nope. She hit the steering wheel. She wouldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to, and she wouldn’t. She knew Jackson and he would not have told her he was in love with her if he had Evie hovering in the wings. No.

Then again maybe she didn’t know him as well as she thought she did? She just didn’t know what to think anymore.

With her shoulders slumping, she let the tears fall. It was a good job they hadn’t told her family, told Richie. It would have caused all that upset, for what? For nothing.

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