Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
I sighed. “It doesn’t.”
He chuckled. “I can see the path evening out. We’re almost there.”
I felt a drop of rain hit my head and then another.
“Feels like the storm caught up to us,” I mused.
“It’s about to be here any second,” he started walking faster, and the incline of his body changed, becoming more upright.
“Almost there,” he assured me.
I breathed a sigh of relief when his next words were, “I can see Gable at our truck.”
Sadly, like I expected, there was no signal to be had.
“I don’t think you get any until you hit the main road,” I admitted.
“You know this place well?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I sighed. “We hike here a lot.”
It took them only a few seconds to load me up in their truck and start driving off.
I hoped that when Joseph got back, he would wonder where I was and start to worry.
Arguing with me is crazy, because my goal isn’t to win, it’s to piss you off.
—Garrett to Gable
GARRETT
The steady beep, beep, beep of Bindi’s heart had my anxiety about the entire situation calming.
For the last nine hours, I’d been in this hospital, wondering if she’d make it.
Don’t ask me why I’d stayed.
I hadn’t intended to. But after calling her parents and them telling me they’d be here as fast as they could, but that still wouldn’t be for hours and hours…I just couldn’t leave her alone.
My family had caught their flight back to Texas, leaving me here to catch a later one when Bindi’s parents finally showed.
“Shit,” I heard said.
I looked back to see an older man standing in the doorway, looking stricken. He had a hand over his chest as he stared in utter shock at the bed.
At Bindi.
There was a woman beside him that was crying silent tears.
I moved, and they both turned their gazes to me.
I gestured with my head and said, “Outside for a second?”
They both backed up, leaving the sleeping woman behind.
When we were out in the hall, far enough away to not wake up Bindi, the questions started.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
“I’m the one that called you to tell you about your daughter.” I offered my hand to the older man. “Garrett Carter.”
“You’re the one that found her?” the woman beside the angry man asked.
“I am,” I confirmed.
She held out her hand, and I took it, shaking it lightly.
“I’m Lea, and this is Ruben.” She introduced them, her hand trembling.
Ruben shook my hand once his wife had let mine go, and said, “What’s going on?”
I swallowed hard, looking back toward the room.
“Well…” I started telling him everything that had happened since I’d hiked into her life. “Bindi asked me to stay because she was scared and didn’t want me to leave. So I know from what the doctor has said that she suffered a traumatic brain injury. It was found upon arrival at the hospital that she had a brain bleed. There was also some damage to her optic nerves…”
Her mother inhaled sharply as I’d explained everything that I knew.
“There are some things that I wasn’t able to get.” I shrugged. “I’m not any relation to her, but they did allow me to stay until you got here.”
Lea let out a shaky breath. “Thank you so much for not leaving her alone. She’s terrified to be by herself.”
My brows raised. “What?”
Lea nodded. “When she was fourteen or so, we went out on a date. She was left alone at home. An intruder broke into our house and held her at gunpoint while they stole all of our stuff. It was horrible, and now she has a true fear of being alone.”
“That’s why she was with the douchebag so long,” Ruben muttered darkly, his hands fisting. “I can’t believe that asshole left her alone on a mountain after she was hit in the head with a fucking boulder.”
“Has he tried to stop by?” Lea asked quietly.
“No,” I admitted. “I’m sorry.”
Lea wiped away angry tears and nodded. “Probably best for us to have handled that situation ourselves. I appreciate everything that you did for her, Garrett. Thank you so much.” Before I could say she was welcome, she was throwing herself into my arms. “I really appreciate everything.”
I awkwardly patted her back, and Ruben shot me a small smile, acknowledging my discomfort yet doing nothing to change it.
Only when Lea let me go did he offer me his hand. “You got a number? I’d love to update you on her health when we hear more.”
I quickly rattled it off, but he made no move to write it down.
After one last glance at the woman in the bed, I headed out, thankful that all I had to do now was head to the airport.
My flight was in two hours.
My brothers had taken my luggage home with them, leaving me plenty of time to get there on time.