Just Let Me Love You (Judge Me Not #3)(45)

All I know is that I need to go to my husband. Forget about packing, forget about everything. “I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I tell Will.

“Good deal,” he says, before we disconnect.

The next few hours are a blur.

I book a flight on my phone before I leave the parking lot, shaking my head as I ask the dead air, “This is just a nightmare, right?”

No, it’s not. This is real.

And then I’m driving, driving. I’m calling Father Maridale, and crying as I say, “I have to go to Nevada. I’m so sorry. I need more time off. Chase is hurt. Oh, Father.”

“Kay, calm down,” Father Maridale replies. “Are you in your car right now?”

“Yes,” I sob. “I’m driving to the airport.”

I’m a mess, still. But Father Maridale talks to me. He gets me calmed down enough so I’m not a danger on the road, to myself or others.

“We don’t need two accidents today,” he says.

“No, no, we don’t.”

“Take a breath.”

“Okay.” I breathe in deeply.

“Take another.”

I do.

“You’re going to be all right,” he tells me.

“I am.”

“Be strong for Chase, okay?”

“Yes.”

And then Father assures me, “We have everything covered at the school, Kay. Go to Chase; take all the time you need.”

“Will you pray for him?” I ask.

“Always, Kay,” he says. “Always.”



Several hours later—the next morning, actually—I finally make it to the hospital where Chase is being treated.

Will has kept me abreast of all the developments since before my flight took off and since it has landed. In the taxi on the way here, I talked with him the whole way. He told me Chase woke up and they ran a bunch of tests. Will said Chase asked for me, and he told him I was on my way.

Things look good, but you never know.

I find Will in the waiting room, third floor, down the hall from Chase’s room.

“Kay!” He jumps up, rushes over, and gives me a hug.

“I need this hug,” I say as I try not to cry.

“He’s going to be okay,” Will assures me. His arms around me are a comforting reminder of his brother, the man I love.

“Do you want to see him?” he asks, stepping back.

Nodding and wiping at my eyes, I say, “Yes, of course.”

But when we turn to go, Abby is blocking the exit of the waiting room. I don’t know where she came from, but there she is, about to go all momma-bear on me. Her arms are folded, and she looks uncommonly stern.

“Chase is sleeping,” she says, in a scolding kind of way. “You can see him later.”

“Are you kidding me?” I respond. “I didn’t fly fifteen hundred miles across the country to deal with this crap.”

“Mom,” Will pipes in, his voice hushed but firm. “Be cool.”

Abby ignores Will and focuses on me. “Only family is allowed in to see Chase right now.”

I am so close to blurting out that I am Chase’s family, but Will beats me to the punch when he yells, “Kay is his wife, Mom. She has more right to see him than even we do.”

Oh, crap. How does Will even know that Chase and I are married? Chase must’ve told him, which is fine, but this is not how I envisioned Chase’s mom finding out that her son and I eloped a few weeks ago.

Well, I guess that ship has sailed.

“Is this true?” Abby whispers, her face falling.

So much for stern momma-bear, I think.

She’s looking at me, waiting, so I give her an answer. “Yes, it’s true.”

She blows out a breath and reaches back, her hand grasping for a chair. “You and Chase are married?” Sitting down with a thud, she says, “When did this happen? How did I not know?” She turns to Will. “Were you there? How long have you known?”

“I only found out yesterday,” Will replies. “Chase told me while we were at lunch. Right before…”

He trails off, and I try to get us back to what’s more important at the moment.

“We can talk about all of this later,” I state. “Right now, I want to see Chase.”

Actually, I need to see Chase. I’ve missed him and ached for him. But knowing he’s hurt and in pain increases my pull to him. Our bond is that strong.

Will says kindly, “Come on, Kay. I’ll take you to him.”

My eyes flutter briefly to Abby. I’m not looking for her approval, but I don’t want more drama when Chase is released.

Her green eyes meet mine, sad, resigned. Her son got married without telling her. He didn’t trust her enough to share. Abby knows she’s made mistakes, but the extent of the damage she has wrought has never been as clear to her as it is right now.

I can’t be cruel, though, so I offer my hand to her, and say, “Come on, we can all go see him together.”

Abby doesn’t take my hand; she makes no move to stand. “No,” she says. “He’s yours, Kay. This is the way it should be. Chase is a man, and you’re his wife. He doesn’t need his mom.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” I say.