Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 118693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Nothing.
I made my way to the kitchen and saw a note.
Flash is having a sleepover at my place! I’ll have him back to you first thing in the morning.
Crumbling the note, I tossed it into the trash. I reached for a warm beer from the six-pack sitting on my bar. I’d bought it earlier today and forgot to put it in the refrigerator. Popping the top, I took a large drink. It would normally bother me that it wasn’t cold, but tonight I didn’t give a shit. Tonight I didn’t feel a damn thing.
With beer in hand, I walked out to the balcony and sat. The middle-of-the-night cold air settled in around me like a blanket. I tried to push the look on Rory’s face out of my mind. Fought to forget the way she cried after I practically knocked her down by mistake. Forced myself not to hear the pleading in her voice when she begged to speak with me.
I took another drink. The sounds of the city filtered up to me. I was finished with everything. Tomorrow I was telling Captain Adams I was done. Wes and I were taking off for two weeks to Florida on a fishing trip. It would do me good to get my head cleared and figure out everything with Rory. I needed to forgive her. I had to forgive her. I was miserable as fuck without her. My only fear was her breaking my heart again.
Someone knocked on my door. Closing my eyes, I ignored it.
The knock turned into a pound.
I lifted the beer to my lips and took a drink.
The pounding got louder, and I heard my name being called.
“Preston?” I answered.
There was no doubt my heart rate had doubled as I jumped up and ran to the door. Opening it, I looked at him and asked, “What’s wrong? Harmony? Presley?”
He shook his head. “They’re fine. It’s Rory.”
Fear twisted my stomach. “What about her?”
“Colton called. Said she passed out for no reason at the club right after you left. The paramedic thought it might be—”
“It might be what?”
“He thought it might be an aneurysm.”
The air left my lungs. Barely able to breath, I forced myself to speak. “What? I just saw her. She was fine.”
“They took her to Boston Medical Center.”
I closed my eyes. This isn’t happening. God, please don’t do this to me.
“Let’s go. My car is double-parked. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Everything went silent. I no longer heard Preston talking, I only saw his mouth moving. He pushed me out the door and shut it. We headed to the elevator as I forced myself to try and breathe.
If something happens to her, I will never forgive myself for walking away from her tonight.
The elevator doors closed, and I started to have a panic attack.
“Finn. Take a deep breath through your nose. That’s it. It’s okay. Breathe, Finn.” I watched as Preston breathed in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. I mimicked his moves. The second the doors opened, I rushed out.
“This isn’t happening,” I mumbled on the way to Preston’s car.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions until we get there. I called Wes and Angie. They both left the club at the same time as you.”
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the seat and prayed like I had never prayed before.
With every ounce of strength I had, I fought to keep my emotions under control. “Take a deep breath, Finn. We’re almost there.”
Dropping my head, I looked out the window. “She was crying,” I said.
“What?”
“Earlier at the club when I saw her. Rory begged me to talk to her and I walked away. I was still so mad at her, Preston. She fucking ripped my heart out.”
“I’m going to shoot you straight, and now might not be the best time to do it, but I’m doing it anyway. You’re a fucking idiot, Finn.”
My head snapped to look at him. “What?”
“You’re an idiot. If you really think that neither one of you is going to fuck up during your relationship…you’re an idiot. Finn, even Harmony begged you to call her when she told you she knew Rory was upset about something. Something wasn’t right with this whole thing. I honestly believed she was forced to call it off with you by her dad. Everyone thinks that but you. You’re fucking hung up on how she broke your heart, but you never stopped to think if her heart was just as broken.”
I shook my head. “He said she wanted to break things off.”
We came to a stoplight. “Finn.”
Reluctantly, I met his stare. “Do you really believe she didn’t love you?”
My eyes filled with tears. “No.”
“Then something else was wrong.”
I looked away. “She got spooked. She made it clear in the beginning she didn’t want to be with a firefighter. I pushed her into the relationship, Preston. Made her a promise we both knew I would never be able to keep.”