Page 4 of Knox (Comeback Duet #2)

CREW

I wasn’t sure what time it was when the nurse poked her head in again, but the sky outside the hospital window had gone from black to a grayish blur that signaled dawn was coming.

“You doing okay?” she asked, stepping inside.

I shifted in the chair that had become my temporary home. “Define okay.”

She offered a small smile and held out a paper cup of coffee. “Yeah, I understand, but there’s been no change overnight. Mallory’s vitals are still stable, and she’s holding on.”

I took the cup. “Appreciate you pulling strings to let me stay.”

“Visiting hours aren’t exactly set in stone, especially in situations like this.”

That earned the smallest, weakest flicker of a smile from me. “Thank you. I know you didn’t have to.”

“Mallory didn’t need to be alone. And you clearly weren’t going anywhere.”

“Absolutely not. Her mom should be here soon.”

“I’m heading home, but I told the charge nurse you can stay as long as you need to.”

“Thank you again.”

Once she left, I leaned forward and gently rested my hand against Mallory’s arm. Her skin was warm, but I felt nothing behind it. No twitch, no squeeze, no sign she knew I was there. Just the constant hiss of the ventilator reminding me she hadn’t let go.

“You remember when we were seventeen?” I asked, even though I knew she couldn’t answer.

“It was freezing, and we had parked at the turnout by Lake Benson after your shift at the diner. I’d thrown a couple of old quilts in the bed of my truck, and we climbed in, trying to convince ourselves stargazing was romantic. Mostly we just froze our asses off.”

A small chuckle slipped out.

“You brought that hideous fleece blanket with the cartoon cows on it. Said it was the warmest thing you owned, even though it looked like it’d been through ten wash cycles too many.”

I ran a hand down my face.

“We’d both just gotten accepted to Florida State, and we had it all planned out. You and me, forever. You were gonna major in psych, and I was going to go pro.”

I looked at her again, eyes roaming over the bandage on her head and the way her body didn’t move unless the machine made it happen.

“I didn’t know why at the time, but everything changed the second you found out you were pregnant with Grady.”

I swallowed hard.

“I know why you ended it, and we’ve talked about this.” I squeezed her hand.“But don’t make me do this without you. Don’t make me explain to our son why you’re not coming back.”

I sat back and wiped the tear that had slipped from the corner of my eye, and slid my phone out of my pocket. Dialing my mother, it rang twice before she picked up.

“Well, you’re calling awfully early. Is everything all right?” she asked.

I swallowed the lump that was still in my throat and whispered, “No.”

“What’s wrong?” I could instantly hear the worry in her voice.

I stared at Mallory as I answered my mother. “Mallory was in a head-on collision yesterday. She had several surgeries and now she’s in a medically induced coma.”

Mom gasped. “What?”

“Yeah. Doctors are keeping her in a coma because of the injury to her brain.”

“Is she going to make it?”

“I … I don’t know.” Another tear slid down my cheek.

“Oh, honey. How’s Grady handling it?”

“He doesn’t know. He stayed at my place with Knox while I rushed to the hospital. I haven’t left her side most of the night.”

“What can I do? I can pack and?—”

“Debra and Hank should be here soon and they’ll be with Mal while I go home and take care of Grady.”

“If you need anything, please let me know. Even if I need to come take care of my grandson.” I hadn’t been there when my parents first met Grady.

After I found out about him, Mallory set up a visit with them.

Just like me, they fell for him right away.

Finn and Marissa did too when they brought their kids over, and Grady got to play with his cousins.

The door clicked open again, and when I looked up, I saw Mallory’s mom step in first, followed by her father.

“I have to go. Debra and Hank just got here.”

“Call me if anything changes with Mallory or you just need me to get on a plane,” Mom said.

“Will do. Love you.”

“Love you too, honey.”

I disconnected the call and watched as Debra went straight to her daughter and wrapped her fingers around Mallory’s. Her husband stood frozen at the end of the bed, staring like he couldn’t believe the broken body in front of him was their little girl.

“Is she going to be okay?” Debra asked, tears in her eyes.

I pushed to my feet. “They say it’s too soon to tell. The doctors put her in a medically induced coma to help with the swelling in her brain, and she’s stable.”

Hank finally pulled his eyes from Mallory and looked at me. “Grady ... he wasn’t with her, right?”

I shook my head. “No. She’d dropped him off with me before she left. He’s home. He’s okay.”

Debra exhaled, her grip on Mallory never loosening.

Hank stepped closer. “Do we know any more about what happened?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “No. I only know she was driving to the resort for the spa weekend Knox and I gave her for Christmas. She left after lunch and wanted to get there early.”

Debra lowered herself into the chair I’d been in earlier. “She finally took a break for herself.”

The weight in my chest turned sharp. “I had encouraged it. Told her she deserved some alone time before the season started.”

Debra turned to me. “You pushed her to go.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I thought it would help her recharge.”

“And now she’s here. Hooked up to a machine.”

“Debra,” Hank warned quietly.

She kept her eyes on her daughter. “She should’ve stayed home.”

A knock at the door broke the tension in the room. We all looked up as a uniformed officer stepped in. “Sorry to interrupt. I’m Officer Ramirez and was one of the first on the scene. I was here for another case and wanted to see how Ms. Wade was doing.”

“We’re Mallory’s parents,” Hank advised. “She’s had a few surgeries and is now in a medically induced coma. We’re just waiting now to see what happens. Can you tell us anything more about the accident?”

“The crash happened around three thirty yesterday. It’s still under investigation, but a witness said the other car came around a curve too fast and crossed the centerline. It looks like Mallory didn’t have time to react, and the impact was severe.”

Debra didn’t say anything as tears streamed down her face. I was on the verge of crying too.

“When we find out more, I’ll be in touch,” the officer added before stepping back into the hallway.

Hank nodded and mumbled his thanks.

I stayed where I was, torn between giving them space and not wanting to leave Mallory’s side. My legs were shot from a night in the chair, but the pull to stay with Mallory hadn’t lessened.

Guilt was starting to consume me too because, like Debra said, I had told Mallory to go. I’d said the break would be good for her, that she needed it, that she deserved it.

But Mallory was strong. If anyone could survive this, it was her.

I just hoped she knew how much she was needed and how many people were waiting for her to come home.

By the time I left the hospital, the sun was up, but it was a cloudy January day. I didn’t remember most of the drive back home, just the elevator ride to my condo and the sound of my keys in the door. When I walked in, the place was quiet.

Knox stepped out of the kitchen with a mug in his hand. “Hey. How is she?”

“She’s stable, but still in the coma.” I dropped my keys on the counter. “Her parents are with her.”

He set the mug down without taking a sip. “Good. How are you?”

I sat heavily on the edge of the couch. “I don’t even know, but Debra blames me, and I kinda do too.”

“What? Why?”

“Because we gifted her the fucking spa weekend and pushed her to go. I thought I was doing something good.”

“You were.”

“Doesn’t matter. She still ended up in a hospital bed hooked to machines and fighting for her life.”

Knox wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and I leaned my head on him. “You didn’t cause that accident.”

“No, but I set it in motion. Mallory should’ve been home. Not out on some highway alone. And I have no idea what I’m supposed to tell Grady.”

Knox’s voice softened. “Yeah, but he’s still asleep.”

“Good.” I looked down at the floor. “I’ll go shower.”

“Okay. I’ll start breakfast. Bacon and eggs?”

“Perfect.”

I started for the bedroom but then stopped and turned back. “Thank you for taking care of him.”

“Always.”

Steam filled the bathroom fast, clinging to the mirror as I stepped under the water. I didn’t even bother turning it cooler. I just stood there, hands braced on the tile, trying to breathe as I let the hot water burn my pain away.

I could still see Mallory lying in the hospital bed. The bandage on her head. The way her chest moved only when the ventilator told it to. Debra sitting in the chair I’d spent the night in, looking at me like I’d put her daughter in that bed myself.

Maybe I had.

I could’ve stayed under the scorching spray all day, but Knox was making breakfast, and Grady would be up soon. I didn’t have the luxury of falling apart, so after washing the previous day away, I got out and wrapped a towel around my waist.

As I looked in the mirror, I saw that my eyes were bloodshot. My jaw was clenched so tight my mouth hurt. My brown hair stuck out in every direction, and my shoulders were drawn up like I was bracing for another hit.

I looked like someone I didn’t recognize.

Not an athlete. Not a father. Not even a man holding it together.

Just wreckage.

I gripped the counter and leaned in, staring at my reflection like maybe if I looked hard enough, I’d find the version of me that could make any of this better.

But all I saw was a man who had put someone he cared about in harm’s way.

Someone who had to go out there and explain the unexplainable to a four-year-old.

Pull it together, Stratton.

I dried off and threw on a T-Shirt and sweats before heading into the kitchen.

Knox was plating eggs and bacon and nudged his head toward the living room. “He’s up,” he murmured. “Watching cartoons.”

My heart dropped straight into my stomach as I nodded, then walked into the living room and spotted Grady curled up on the couch, Bunzy tucked under one arm, his eyes on the TV.

He looked so small.

So safe.

So fucking unaware.

And then he saw me and lit up like he spotted his hero. “Daddy!” He scrambled off the couch and ran straight toward me, launching himself into my arms. I caught him and held on tight, burying my face in his hair.

“Hey, buddy.”

He giggled and squirmed until I set him down, then grabbed my hand and tried to pull me toward the couch. “Come watch with me!”

I let him tug me a few steps before easing us both down. I sat, and he immediately climbed into my lap.

I held him there, just breathing him in. I didn’t know how to start, or if there was a right way. So, I just tore the invisible Band-Aid off. “Remember how Mommy had gone away to have her spa weekend?”

He nodded against my chest. “Yeah, but what’s a spa weekend.”

“Just something she was going to go do to relax.” I brushed my hand over his back. “But … something happened while she was driving there.”

His head lifted. “What happened?”

“There was an accident. Another car hit her, and she got really hurt.”

His face scrunched in confusion. “She got a boo-boo?”

“Yeah, a big one. She’s in the hospital right now, and the doctors are doing everything they can to help her.”

He blinked at me. “When is she coming home?”

I opened my mouth and had to stop. I didn’t know the answer. “I don’t know. It might be a little while.”

His bottom lip wobbled. “But she always comes home.”

“I know.” My voice cracked. “I know she does.”

He pressed his face to my chest, arms squeezing tight around me. “I want my mommy.”

“I do too.”

He didn’t move. Just stayed there, quiet except for the tiny sniffles against my shirt.

I rocked him gently, holding him and hoping I wouldn’t have to tell him she was never coming home. “I love you so much,” I whispered into his hair.

“I love you too,” he said back.

And then he cried.

And I did too.