Listen to Your Heart(40)

And I’m topless.

How did that happen?

With a whimpered groan, Caleb buries his face against my neck as I slide my hands beneath his shirt, smiling when his muscles tense beneath my touch. I pull his T-shirt over his head, and we both sigh when we’re finally skin on skin. We kiss until our lips are swollen and our breaths are ragged, and we only stop when oxygen becomes a necessity.

“We have to slow down,” Caleb murmurs against my mouth, but while he says it, he slides my bra strap down my shoulder. He’s just reached around to the hook when we hear a ringtone.

“Is that your phone?” I ask, raking my teeth against his ear.

“Don’t care.”

“Might be important.”

Caleb successfully unhooks my bra and tosses it over the couch.

“Nothing could be more important than this.”

I laugh, but he swallows the sound with another scorching kiss. I’m just reaching for the button of his jeans when I hear my cell vibrate on the table.

We both groan.

“Somebody better be dead,” he grumbles.

Caleb reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell. I reach for mine on the end table. My heart stops when I see the missed call.

“It’s Juliana,” we say in unison.

“Answer it.”

“No, Skye, it can wait.”

But I’m already out of his lap and searching for our clothes. If Juliana’s calling both of us it has to be important. I find my blouse and toss him his T-shirt.

“Caleb, she’s your best friend. I don’t expect that to change. I wouldn’t want it to. Something’s wrong. Answer it.”

Our phones suddenly stop ringing, but the silence is quickly followed by the ping of a text message. I button my blouse and sit down on the couch while Caleb reads his text.

“What does it say?”

He swallows hard before showing me the screen.

It’s Mom. Please come to the hospital.



“I really shouldn’t be here,” I repeat for the hundredth time as the elevator takes us to the third floor of the hospital.

“No one’s in the room except Jules and her dad. Besides, Jules insisted I bring you along. It’s fine.”

It doesn’t feel fine. It feels like I’m intruding on a private family moment.

The doors open, and Caleb takes my hand and leads me through the lobby. The smell of disinfectant does nothing to calm my stomach as we search for room 323. We turn a corner and find a weeping Juliana standing just outside her mother’s door.

“Jules?”

She looks up with red-rimmed eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“Stop it.” Caleb hugs her, and then she smiles sadly at me.

“Hi, Juliana.”

She hugs me. “I’m so glad you’re here, Skye. I hated to interrupt your night, especially after Lynsey and I went to so much trouble to make it happen.”

We laugh lightly and sit down in the nearby chairs. Juliana sits between us, and she holds each of our hands while she tells us about her mother’s fainting spell.

“But she’s okay?” Caleb asks.

Juliana nods. “Her blood pressure dropped and she’s a bit dehydrated. They want to keep her overnight, which of course she’s not happy about.”

We keep talking to her, offering what little comfort we can, when a tall man wearing a charcoal suit steps out into the hall.

Juliana jumps up. “Dad?”

“No, no, everything’s fine. Just checking on you.” Mr. Martinez notices us and smiles. “Caleb, I didn’t know you were here.”

The three of us walk over to Luisa’s door.

“This must be Skye.”

I nod, too afraid of what he must think of me to formulate any kind of decent response.

Mr. Martinez offers me his hand. “Please don’t feel uncomfortable. You’re more than welcome here, Skye.”

“Thank you, Mr. Martinez.”

“Rafe, please.” He then turns to Caleb and Juliana. “She’s asking for you.”

Grateful to have a moment to myself, I turn to sit back down when Juliana takes my hand.

“Come with us.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t—”

“Absolutely,” Rafe says with a warm smile. “She’d love to see you.”

The four of us make our way inside. Two nurses and a doctor surround Luisa’s bed. She looks unbelievably pale, but when she sees us, her face bursts into a beautiful smile.

“There you two are,” she says weakly. “And you brought the wedding planner. What a wonderful surprise. How are you, dear?”

I glance at Caleb.

“I’m . . . fine. Thank you.”

“Oh, good. Keeping these two on track, I hope. After all, we only have a few months left. There’s still so much to do.”

We all glance awkwardly at each other.

“Mom, don’t you remember the conversation we had this afternoon?” Juliana asks.

“What conversation?”

The doctor watches us with interest.

Rafe takes his wife’s hand. “Luisa, what do you remember about today?”

Her forehead creases with confusion. “I remember Joaquin making those little cucumber sandwiches that I love.”