Page 55 of Riding the Line (Willow Ridge #2)

Cherry

It sounds like someone’s poured thousands of pebbles over the roof.

Their tumbling is thunderous, rattling down the walls around me.

Each second of clattering causes the dull ache behind my brow to intensify, the throbbing falling in sync with the rhythmic beeping.

I want to open my eyes, but even forcing my chest to lift with each breath seems too large a feat.

My limbs are lifeless, my bones as heavy as stone.

Maybe I should just go back to sleep.

Except that goddamn beeping sound won’t stop.

If I can just force my eyes open then—

Too bright .

Taking in a sharp breath, I squeeze my eyes shut again.

Trying again, I gradually ease my eyes open, taking in the brightness around me.

After a few seconds and blinks, everything turns to a dull grey.

Through the window opposite me, nothing but marbled storm clouds fill the sky, casting gloomy shadows through the room.

Like all the colour in the world has been sucked away.

Rain pummels relentlessly against the glass panes, the occasional large drop smacking the window.

I gulp down a painful breath of air and push past the exhaustion enough to let my eyes drift down. That’s when I see them and my heart jolts.

Wyatt and Rory.

Slumped against each other in the two chairs opposite, hands entangled. Rory’s head rests on Wyatt’s shoulder, his arm around her, while his leg bobs. Storm clouds fill Wyatt’s eyes too, wild and rough, overshadowed by the lines creasing his forehead.

One further glance down and the white sheets offer a blank canvas below my bandaged hands.

Wiggling my fingers only sends shooting pain through my bones, whatever grazes and torn skin lie beneath the bandages stinging.

A shiver runs through me at the sensation of the cannula stuck in the back of my hand, and I force my gaze away.

Back to my brother. And my best friend.

‘Hey,’ I croak out.

Both of their heads shoot up, bloodshot eyes widening as they behold me. Tears prick behind my eyes at the deep exhaustion and relief that paints their faces. It takes no more than a couple of seconds before they’re both at either side of the bed.

‘Hey.’ Rory perches on the edge. ‘How are you feeling?’

My gaze strains to flick between them, hoping some semblance of a memory of what put me here will surface. ‘What …’

‘You were in a motorcycle crash,’ Rory explains, her intonation on the last word seeking clarification. ‘Other than the cuts on your hands and probably a few bruises, you came out of it relatively unscathed, but you had a seizure afterwards.’

‘ Two seizures,’ Wyatt corrects, his tone brisk.

That explains the hospital and lack of memory. And energy.

‘What the hell were you doing on a motorcycle, Cherry? You don’t know how to drive them.

Do you realise how dangerous that is?’ Wyatt asks.

He doesn’t sit on the bed like Rory, just stands there instead, arms crossed, a deep frown still marring his face, no softness in his concern for me.

His broad frame is so tense, I’m certain he’s shaking from the strain of it.

‘I think—’ Rory reaches across to place a hand on Wyatt’s arm and shoots him a wide-eyed look ‘—Cherry is probably pretty tired and confused right now. I’m sure she’ll explain later. When she’s feeling up to it.’

A sudden flash of thick arms circling my waist lances through my mind.

Then his voice, Cherry – brake!

Panic spears through me, forcing me to shoot upright in the bed. ‘Where is he?’

Rory almost falls off the bed at my abrupt movement.

‘Oh my God.’ My hands tremble as I bring one to my rattling chest. ‘Is he hurt?’

‘He’s fine,’ Wyatt grits out.

‘How do you know? Where is he?’ My voice is hoarse, scratching at my throat. Rory carefully places a hand on my shoulder, a tender, comforting touch as she eases me back against the pillows. She furrows her brow, messy copper waves bouncing as she nods. ‘Cherry, I promise, he’s okay.’

My chest heaves while my eyes shoot around at the wires on me, the machines I’m linked up to, ruining a quick escape to find him. ‘But he took the brunt of the crash—’

‘I told you he’s fine.’ Wyatt’s jaw clenches, arms knotting tighter over his chest. ‘What I wanna know is why the hell you were on Duke’s motorcycle in the first place.’

I don’t miss the accusation in his tone.

Does he think this is Duke’s fault?

‘Wyatt,’ Rory scolds him, cutting him a quick glare. There’s fire in that look that rarely touches her eyes given she’s usually the most positive one out of us all. ‘We said we’d talk about it later. Cherry’s just woken up.’

Wyatt drills his gaze back at Rory, and they stay there in a silent stand-off for a few seconds, before I blurt out, ‘He was just helping me. It’s not his fault.’

With a furrowed brow, Wyatt scoffs, returning his attention back to me. ‘Helping you with what, though, Cherry? That’s what I don’t get. Why are you guys spending time together suddenly? You never have before.’

I rub a shaky hand over my forehead, the throbbing intensifying again. ‘With a bucket list Montana made me. It’s just a silly thing I was doing for the summer to make me feel stronger and—’

‘Not the one that was in your jacket,’ Wyatt practically begs, eyes splaying open to emphasise his plea.

My mouth dries out. ‘What do you mean?’

Wyatt clutches at his head as all the hardness in his expression washes away. The moving storm clouds outside the window cast him in further shadows as he mumbles, ‘The doctors gave us your belongings … Your phone was smashed but there was a list in your pocket with it …’

‘Wyatt,’ Rory tries again, angling her head this time as she bulges her eyes at him.

Groaning, Wyatt pinches the bridge of his nose and turns away, several sharp exhales coming from him. My eyes flick to Rory’s, and she tries to push a soft, reassuring smile through her freckled cheeks, but it does little to quell the trembling in my chest.

Finally, Wyatt faces me again. An eerie kind of calm appears to have washed over him, his face devoid of expression. It only makes him seem angrier. ‘ Please tell me Duke hasn’t been helping you with that list.’

‘Wyatt,’ I beg. ‘Don’t make this a big deal.’

‘Don’t make this a big deal?’ He barks out a laugh of disbelief.

‘You’re my little sister , Cherry, and he’s my best friend.

I – Fuck . So what? All the helping me protect my little sister was just so he could take her for himself?

’ He wipes a hand down his face, voice pitching higher as it cracks.

‘Jesus Christ, the stuff on that list. I can’t believe he’d do this. ’

My heart lurches into my throat, at how his words undermine the pureness of Duke’s soul. Of every intention he’s ever had with me. ‘It wasn’t like that. You know he wouldn’t do that. And you’re making it sound like I had no say in this.’

Wyatt scoffs, throwing his hands in the air. ‘You’re six years younger than him, Cherry. He’s known you since you were a kid.’

‘But I’m not a kid anymore.’ My voice is croaky as I raise it, determined not to cower today, no matter how exhausted I feel.

Sitting up in bed again, I imbue my backbone with determination and harden my voice.

‘I’m twenty-one. I’m graduating college next year.

I can make my own decisions. I’m the one who started it all, anyway, not him. ’

‘She’s right, Wyatt,’ Rory adds on, rounding the bed to be by his side.

She runs her hand up his arm, his attention instantly falling to her face, expression and dark eyes slowly softening.

‘This is Duke we’re talking about. You know how much he cares about you.

He wouldn’t do anything to try and hurt you or Cherry. ’

Wyatt pokes the inside of his cheek with his tongue, volleying glances between me and Rory. ‘So you both kept this from me.’ Then he whispers to himself, ‘I can’t believe he kept this from me.’

‘That’s because I don’t have to run everything by you, Wyatt.

I know you’re looking out for me, I know it’s because you love me, but I …

’ My throat tightens, eyes stinging. I tilt my head back for a brief moment, a shaky breath filtering from my lips.

‘Sometimes it makes me feel like everyone just sees me as this weak little girl that can’t handle things for herself.

Whether you like it or not, I’ve liked Duke for years, and he’s really been there for me this summer.

He helps me feel strong. Alive . Like I shouldn’t have to hide away from what I want, from who I am, no matter what others think.

He lets me be unapologetically myself and worships me for it. ’

‘Jesus.’ Wyatt sighs. He takes several steps back to lean against the wall. ‘I mean … I could tell you had a bit of a crush on him when you were younger, but I thought that was just a phase.’

‘Wyatt, I don’t have a crush on Duke. I love him.’ There’s not even a hint of hesitance as I admit such. Because if there’s one constant in this world, it’s my love for Duke Bennett.

That makes Wyatt blanch. ‘You love him?’

Unconditionally. Irrevocably. There’s no going back now.

Softly, I nod. Rory beams at me, bright eyes twinkling. Yet Wyatt’s face only hardens into something stone-cold. Those storm clouds creep into his dark eyes again, swirling with thunderous emotion. He takes a long blink, pressing his lips together, before he says, ‘I need a minute.’

And with that, Wyatt disappears out the room, door swinging closed behind him with a thump.