Holding You (Love Wanted in Texas #3)(78)

Looking back at myself in the mirror, I splashed cold water on my face, reached for the bag and headed out the door. Alex and Grace were both waiting by the elevator as I made my way over to them. Swallowing hard, I attempted to push down the ache in my chest.

“Do you feel better?” Alex asked.

With a shaky voice I answered, “Yeah, a little. Alex, how are you holding up? I mean, the baby and everything?”

Giving me a sweet smile, Alex placed her hand over her stomach. “Everything is fine with the baby, Colt. Please don’t worry about me. We’re both fine.”

Leaning over, I kissed Alex lightly on the cheek. “I love you, Alex,” I whispered.

Fighting to keep her tears at bay, Alex whispered back, “I love you too, Colt.”

Grace hit the up button and we waited for the elevator doors to open. Stepping inside, I glanced down at something Grace was holding in her hand. “Grace, what are you holding?”

With a trembling chin, she held her hand open and revealed a rock. “Lauren gave it to me when I left for college.” Letting out a weak chuckle she shook her head. “I asked why a rock and she said it was the rock I threw at Thomas Wringer when he called her a tomboy. She had kept it . . . and . . .”

Grace turned away from me as she covered her mouth in an attempt not to cry.

The doors opened to the fifth floor. ICU was on this floor as well as the oncology unit. Stepping out of the elevator, I heard Grace and Alex both let out a gasp. Turning, there was a guy and a girl standing there.

“Grace?”

Wiping her tears away, Grace whispered, “Noah?”

“W-what are you doing here? Is everything okay?” Noah asked as he went to reach out for Grace. Taking a step back, she bumped into me. Taking a hold of her, I felt her whole body shaking.

“Lauren, she’s here in ICU. Bacterial meningitis,” Grace whispered.

Noah’s eyes filled with compassion. “I’m so sorry.”

Grace nodded her head but didn’t say anything. Noah cleared his throat as he looked at Alex, then me.

“I lost my phone, and your number was in my phone, Grace. I tried to call but—”

Grace lifted her chin and stood taller as she looked at Noah, then the girl standing next to him. “Well, I’m sure you’ve been busy. Congratulations on your wedding. I hope the two of you have been happy.”

Noah pulled his head back and looked at Grace with a confused expression. Turning to the girl next to him, Noah shook his head as he looked back at Grace. “Wait. Is that why you wouldn’t return my calls, Grace? You think I’m . . .”

Noah’s voice was cut off by a code blue coming across the speaker system. “Code blue room two thirty-two.”

My heart dropped. Lauren. “That’s Lauren’s room!” I shouted as I ran down the hall to the double doors that led to the ICU.

By the time I got to Lauren’s hospital room door, my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. People were going in and out of her room.

Panic had already set in and I felt as if I was forcing the air to move in and out of my lungs. “What’s going on?” I asked as nurses walked in and out.

Grabbing the younger nurse, I shouted, “Someone tell me what’s going on?”

“Sir, I need you to let me go, she is in respiratory distress, let me go.”

Dropping my hands, I started to head into the room when I felt someone pull me back.

“Colt, you need to let them do their job.”

Turning I looked to see Scott had a hold of me. “No. No, she needs me! Let me go, Scott.” The door opened and my heart stopped when I saw what was happening. The doctor was giving Lauren CPR. “Oh. My. God. Lauren! Lauren!” I screamed as someone yelled, “Shut the door and get him out of here!”

I was about to rush into the room when I felt more hands on me. “Colt, waiting room. We need to go to the waiting room.”

My father’s voice registered in my mind, but all I saw was Lauren. Lying on the bed as someone attempted to get her breathing again.

Respiratory distress.

Pulling against Scott and my father, I yelled, “Let me go! Lauren, please, God no! No!”

The next thing I knew, Scott, my father, Will and Luke were attempting to hold me down as I fought like hell to get to Lauren. I just needed to hold her. If she felt me, I knew she wouldn’t leave me. She would never leave me.

Standing in front of me, Scott yelled, “Colt!”

My eyes snapped to his and I saw nothing but fear. “Scott,” I whispered as tears fell from my eyes. “Please let me go. I need her. She can’t leave me. She needs to know I’m here.” Closing my eyes, I felt my legs give out as I fell to the ground. “Don’t take her from me. I just want to hold her. She likes it when I hold her. Please. Please just let me hold her.”

My sweet Lauren. I promise you . . . I’ll spend forever holding you . . . even if it’s only in my memories.

Dropping to his knees in front of me, Scott grabbed me and held me as my entire world fell apart.





COLT. I HEAR Colt’s voice calling out for me. Looking around, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was looking at myself in the hospital bed as the doctor tried to get me to breathe. The fever was gone. The aches in my body were gone.