Hold My Breath(63)

“I’ll override the charge,” David spits out quickly, swiping his employee card along his computer screen and typing manically, his eyes shifting side-to-side, his mouth twitching in a frown when he sees that the people standing next to us have heard Maddy’s speech.

Within minutes, we have two sets of keys, neither for a Jetta, and we’re making our way out to the lot toward two matching Buicks. I unlock mine and jog to the curb where Tanya and Dylan are waiting and I help them to the car. It takes a few tries to figure out the best way to fit Dylan’s chair along with his and Tanya’s bags, but the fit is easier than it would have been in Maddy’s car.

I close the trunk and get the address for the Cleveland Clinic from Tanya, then dash around the front to the car Maddy’s waiting in. She’s already put my small bag in the back and has the engine running.

“We probably could have fit in the Jetta,” I say as I get in and pull my safety belt over my chest.

“Probably,” she says, her eyes moving around to check the positions of the mirrors and her seat. She twists, resting her elbow on the center console, and her eyes settle on me when she’s done. “And you know my car’s a Jetta. You fit fine in it.”

Her eyes narrow and my smirk grows. I did know that. I also recall how cramped it was when I climbed on top of her in that front seat. I can tell she’s thinking about that, too, but I’m not sure I’m supposed to mention things like that with her now—now that Evan’s story is out, and Tanya and Dylan are part of the equation. I’m not sure if that means Maddy and I go back to the way things were before, when I was just her friend and the brother of the guy she used to love.

Her eyes blink once when she looks down, then again as she turns to face the steering wheel, shifting into reverse and pulling us out of the parking lot and onto the roadway behind Tanya. I watch her drive; she’s chewing at her nails while she concentrates, reacting to my directions, and doing her best to stay close to Tanya’s car. I know her dad is pissed that she’s gone on this trip. I know him too well, and no matter what Maddy says about promising him a record and him understanding, he thinks his little girl is losing her way. I’m sure there’s a part of him that’s scared she’s following a path that leads her to me, too. Curtis likes me well enough as a family friend from the past, but I’m not stupid. I know why he let me come here to compete. I’m the gimmick—the comeback story. Maddy is the champion, and I’m the guy getting in her way.

But she is here. She came more than willingly. Hell, she bullied her way right into the center of this mess. And I can’t help but love her a little bit for being so selfless.

“In case I forgot to say it…you know…when I was super manic and crazy on the plane,” I pause, breathing out a laugh. Just the sound makes my chest hurt, and it hits me how exhausted I am from surviving the day. Maddy tilts her head and flashes me a soft smile before glancing back to the road. “Thank you for doing this, for…for helping Tanya and Dylan. For helping me. I’m just…I’m just really glad you’re here.”

She flits her gaze to me briefly, but keeps her eyes mostly on the road. Her lip lifts in a crooked smile as she raises one shoulder.

“I’m happy to help, Will,” she says. “Tanya…she’s…she seems like a pretty great woman.”

She doesn’t say anything more, and I know how hard those words were to get out, so I let them be. I flip through my phone apps, bringing up the map so I can guide Maddy the rest of the way in case we lose Tanya on the road. I never mention that I thought I was the reason she came. I sorta feel selfish.





Chapter Fourteen





Will





It’s almost eight at night, and Tanya and Dylan are finally settled in at the Pediatric Wing. The doctors wanted to be able to monitor Dylan through the night, which is why it was so important for us to get here on time. We have three days—two, really, because I doubt they’ll do little more than check us out and fill our arms with brochures and more questions on Saturday.

Tanya is staying at the hospital, which means Maddy and I need to check in at the hotel down the road…which means—I have no clue what this means.

We park the car and walk in to the hotel’s lobby. I found the place online a few days ago and picked it because it had a decent rating for the price. I reserved two rooms because Tanya and I hadn’t planned to room together, and we didn’t know if she would have Dylan with her the whole time or not, but now that it’s just me and Maddy, I wish like hell this place was booked up with only one room to spare.

Given that we were one of six cars I counted out front, I’m guessing that’s not the case. People don’t exactly flock to Cleveland to start of their summers. And people here for the hospital are usually booking at the five-star tower across the street. This place does come with free breakfast though, and I notice the leftover bagels and muffins still out for the taking as we walk to the front desk. Maddy grabs something that looks like a blueberry muffin and bites into it, and I stop in my tracks, flinching.

“Did you seriously just eat, like…half of that?” I ask.

“I was hun…” she pauses to swallow, wiping her arm across her mouth, “gry.”

I twist my lips, but internally, I’m waiting to watch her reaction—to see if she doubles over or spits out the rest. When nothing happens, I shrug and give in to the growl bubbling in my stomach and grab what I think is a bran muffin, and carry it to the desk. I turn to Maddy while the young girl about to check us in is on the phone.