Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Are you hurt?”
“I-I don’t know. My legs are trapped. My mo—mother, she’s not answering me. She’s unconscious. She was driving.”
“Have you called for help?”
“I called Ryder, and he didn’t answer. Then I called you.” I see now that I should have called 9-1-1 first.
“Okay. I’m going to hang up and call for help. I’ll call you right back.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve got you, bestie. Hang on for me. I’ll call you right back.”
I grip the phone in my trembling hands as I wait for her to call me back.
“Mom?” I ask. I stare at her, and nothing. I don’t see any movement from her. I don’t think she’s breathing. No. No. No. This cannot be happening.
My phone rings, and I struggle to swipe at the screen. “Hello,” I finally answer.
“Help is on the way, Jordyn. I need you to keep talking to me until they get there.”
“Okay.”
“I’m on my way to you. I’m in the car.”
“Be safe. W-We should hang up so you can focus.”
“I’m on hands free, Jordyn. I’m fine. You just keep talking to me. Can you tell me what happened?”
“I had my other phone in my bag and forgot to turn off the sound. Ryder texted me back from earlier, and I was holding my phone in my hand, texting you, and she freaked out. She grabbed my bag, and I grabbed it back, and she swerved, and the next thing I knew we were rolling over and over down the hill.” I suck in a breath. I need to calm the hell down. Gianna will make sure she sends help. I just need to sit here and be patient, and not freak out.
It’s all going to work out.
It has to.
“Keep talking,” she tells me. “Help is on the way.”
I close my eyes and rest my throbbing head back against the headrest. “I don’t think she’s breathing, G. I—I killed my mother.” Panic takes flight again, and it feels as if there’s an elephant sitting on my chest.
“No. No. Don’t think that way. I can’t speak to her condition, but you did nothing wrong. She was driving and was distracted.”
“I should have let her have my purse. I never should have jerked it back.”
“This is not on you, Jordyn. You hear me. This is not on you.”
“I hate her, but this… not this, G. I didn’t want this.”
“Shhh,” she soothes. “Tell me about Ryder.”
“I love him.”
“He loves you too. As soon as help gets there, I’m going to try to get ahold of him for you. He and I will be at the hospital as soon as we can.”
“I didn’t want this.”
“This is not your fault, Jordyn.”
“I hear sirens.”
“Good. Hang on with me.”
“I’m here.”
“Does anything hurt?”
“My head, my elbow, and I don’t know about my legs. I’m afraid to move. When I did, the car rocked. I don’t think we’re stable.”
“Yes. Stay still. They’ll get you out of there. You’re going to be okay.”
“G?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. I love you. You’re the best friend a girl could have.”
“I love you too.”
“Can you—just in case, can you tell Ryder I love him? Tell him I’m sorry we never got to live out the dreams we had for us.”
“Stop. You’re going to be just fine.”
“Just in case. I don’t know. I feel really tired.”
“Jordyn. Stay with me. Jordyn.”
“Ma’am. Can you hear me? Don’t move. We’re going to stabilize the vehicle and get you out of there.”
My head feels fuzzy, but I need to tell her. “They’re here, G. Thank you. I love you. Tell Ryder. Please tell Ryder he’s everything.”
“I’m going to hang up now. They’re going to take good care of you. I’m almost there. I’ll follow you to the hospital, and I’ll get ahold of Ryder.”
“I love you both,” I whisper before everything goes black.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ryder
My phone keeps vibrating in my pocket. I’m in the bucket working on a line. I hope everything’s okay. It doesn’t stop, so I radio down to the guys that I’m coming down. When I get to the bottom, I pull my phone out of my pocket. I see a missed call from Jordyn and several from Gianna.
“I have to take this,” I say, tearing out of the bucket and calling Jordyn back. The call goes directly to voicemail. “Fuck.” Ending the call, I quickly dial Gianna.
“Ryder. Thank God,” she breathes.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s been an accident.”
“What kind of accident? Where’s Jordyn? Is she okay?” My heart is beating so fast, I fear it might jump right out of my chest.
“Car accident. They took her to Atlanta General. I’m here in the emergency waiting room. They won’t tell me anything because I’m not family.”
Atlanta General.
Emergency room.
Jordyn.
“Is. She. Okay?” The words are strained, and my voice doesn’t sound like my own.
“She was alert and talking to me. She called me, and I called for help. I followed the ambulance here. She was unconscious when they brought her in.”