Page 93 of The Fire

Alas, no.

“It’s my mother,” I said, glancing at the ceiling. “Probably calling to find out when I’m leaving.Again.I don’t have time for this right now.”

“Maybe you should answer and tell her you aren’t leaving, once and for all,” Ash suggested. “Might be good practice.”

I huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, maybe so.” I hit accept.

“Morning, Mom.”

“Oh, Parker! Thank goodness you answered. How soon can you be in Arizona?” she cried.

“Actually”—I swallowed—“I’m not leaving O’Leary at all. I’m staying here. And I—”

“Parker!” she interrupted. “It’s your father. He was playing golf with his friends earlier today and hecollapsed.”

“Collapsed?” I demanded, my heart beating faster. “Dad did? But he’s so…” Strong? Healthy? Never showing weakness? Like a fucking Hoffstraeder man?Shit.She’d been the mother who’d cried wolf for months and months, complaining about his ailments, and I hadn’t believed her.

“I just knew it was going to end this way, Parker. I just knew it.” She sounded near tears. “They took him to the hospital in an ambulance, and Gary and Stu went with him. Gary said to ask his wife to drive me, but Virginia is the one I told you about, with the Pomeranian? Remember? There’s going to be dog hair alloverher car, so I don’t knowwhatto do! Can you come and get me?”

“Parks?” Cal said softly, rising to stand beside me. “What’s going on?”

“It’s my dad,” I whispered. “They’re taking him to the hospital. I’ve got to get there.” To my mom, I said, “Focus, Mom. Let Virginia drive you and screw the dog hair. I’ll meet you there. What hospital are they taking him to?”

“Shea Medical! I think? They’d better have! That’s where his primary careandhis podiatrist are. Do you think I should call and make sure they took him there, Parker? He’ll justhateit if they took him someplace with fewer amenities!”

I could practically picture her wringing her hands.

“I think the ambulance is going to take him to the closest place, and that’s fine,” I soothed. “I’m gonna call and get a flight, okay? Just keep me posted on his condition.”

“There’s one leaving from Syracuse at two.” Ash held up his phone. “I’ll book it now.”

I nodded and dug out my credit card.

“I’ll ask Moira to stay late,” Cal called, already on his way downstairs. “We’ll drive you.”

“Just hurry, Parker, please,” my mother said.

I hung up and grabbed my bag from the sofa, then made to follow Cal down the stairs to the back alley off the kitchen. “You guys don’t have to take me. I’ve got my car.”

Ash put his hands on my shoulders. “Parks, half an hour ago, you were drunk off your ass, slurring your words, and talking about Mongolia. You might feel okay now, but once the adrenaline wears off, you’ll be in even worse shape.”

“But it’s gonna take you hours—”

“We got this,” Ash said. “Now come on. I’ll grab you a coffee on the way out.”

I nodded and followed him, then stopped. “Shit. Jamie! I can’t just leave things the way they are.”

“You’ve waited eleven and a half years, Parker,” Ash said, taking the backpack from my shoulder and ushering me down the stairs. “You can wait a couple more days.”

I guessed I didn’t really have much choice.

Chapter Twelve

Jamie

Lift…and drop. Lift… and drop. My muscles burned, my lungs heaved, and my shoulder threatened to rebel completely, but I kept breathing, kept working, kept going, letting the pain in my body drown out the pain in my heart.

One foot in front of the other.