Bring Down the Stars (Beautiful Hearts Duet #1)(48)

Her hand shook as she ended the call and stared at the display, thumb hovering over the buttons. “Holy shit,” she murmured. “This is so bad. So bad…”

“What can I do?”

“I need…a flight. I have to go. Tonight. Oh God…” The phone slipped from her hand. I caught it before it fell in her coffee cup.

“Easy, easy,” I said, opening the Google App. “We’ll get you home. What airport do you fly into? Lincoln?”

“Omaha,” she said, her hands digging in her hair.

“Got it.” I punched in the info on her phone.

“Travis said he’d had chest pains for days. but he wouldn’t go to the doctor. Didn’t want to miss a day’s work for the money it might lose him.”

I stopped scrolling through flights to meet her eyes. I gave her a quick, tight nod to tell her I got it. I understood how fear of missed work and less money could take over your life. “It’s gonna be okay,” I said.

“I have to get to him, Weston. I have to see him.”

“I know. We’ll get you there, I promise,” I said. “Here. Direct to Omaha Eppley. Leaves Logan at eight p.m.”

She reached for the phone. “How much?” Tears spilled from her eyes. “God, it’s over five hundred dollars. I can’t…”

“I know, I know. Last minute flight.”

She looked up at me. “I don’t have it. Even if I cleaned out my savings, I don’t have it.”

I didn’t have it either. I’d opted for my scholarship stipend to pay out in monthly installments, and I was already tapped out.

Fuck everything, everywhere.

“Where’s Edmond?” Autumn glanced around. “Maybe he can give me an advance on my paycheck.”

“He wandered outside.” I tore out of my seat and onto the street. I looked up and down, but the singing baker was nowhere in sight.

You idiot, Edmond’s not the answer. Connor. Connor can take care of this.

“He’s not there,” I said, rushing back inside. I fished my phone out of my pocket and jabbed a number with my thumb.

“What are you doing?” Autumn asked.

“Calling Connor.”

She was already shaking her head. “Why…? No. I can’t ask him for five hundred dollars.”

“You’re not. I am.”

“No, it’s too much.”

I ignored her. The phone was ringing. “Come with me now,” I told Autumn. “Get your bag. Let’s go.”

“But I can’t—”

“This is plan B,” I said, putting my arm around her, helping her to her feet. She smelled like cinnamon and apples. She was soft and small under my hand.

I led her to my parked car and opened the passenger door for her.

“Hey,” Connor answered, as I helped Autumn in.

“Are you home?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I’m with Autumn. Her dad is sick. She needs a flight to Nebraska and a ride to Logan.”

“Her dad is sick?”

“Heart attack. He’s in surgery now.”

“Goddamn. Hold on, let me get my laptop.”

I climbed behind the wheel, fumbling my seatbelt with one hand as I juggled my phone Autumn’s voice was breathy and high. “Weston…”

“It’s going to be okay,” I said, starting my car, which, by some miracle, turned over on the first try.

Autumn turned away, elbow on the window ledge and forehead in her palm, fighting back tears. Caught in the no man’s land between pride and hope. The same war I fought every time the Drakes bailed my mother out of one catastrophe or another.

I pulled away from the curb and Autumn’s phone rang.

“Oh God, it’s my mother. Hello? Mom? How is he, what’s happening?”

Don’t let it be too late, I prayed to any god that would listen. Please, she has to see him.

“He is? Okay. Yes, I’m coming tonight. Right now.” She glanced at me. “My friend is helping me. I’m on my way. Okay, love you. See you soon.”

I blew out a breath of relief as Connor came back on my phone. I told him about the flight I’d found. By the time I screeched to a stop in front of our place, he’d booked the ticket and was waiting outside, jacket and keys in hand, the Hellcat idling at the curb. Autumn burst out of my car and flew up the walk. Connor was already striding to meet her. He wrapped his arms around her and they held each other tight.

I exhaled the story of my life, killed the engine and got out.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Connor stroked Autumn’s hair as she buried her face against his chest, her shoulders shaking. “It’s going to be all right. You’ll be home in a few hours. You’ll be right there with him. It’s okay.”

He met my eye over her head and said again, “It’s okay.” And a week’s worth of awkwardness between us blew away.

“I’ll pay you back,” Autumn was saying.

“Hell no,” Connor said. “Don’t worry about it. It’s done.”

“Thank you.” Autumn stepped back, wiped her eyes and checked her watch. “God, it’s five-thirty. Are we going to make it to Logan in time?”