Page 27 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

PACEY

P ulling into the space outside my office, I reach for my phone and instantly groan.It’s not there.

“Fuck,” I sigh, lifting my hat from my head and running my hands through my hair, tugging at the root slightly.

Placing my hat back on, I exhale heavily then put the truck into reverse.

Swinging it around, I make my way out of Lovelock and within minutes I am pulling up the drive of my home.

Dust kicks up from the tyres as I wobble in my seat slightly from the bumps. My mind drifts to Morgan and the want to take her on a date overwhelms me.

It has been such a short time but yet it feels like a lifetime has passed.

Strange really.

Funny how things work out like that.

Rolling my lips, I push the truck into park and then cut the engine. Opening the door and jumping down, my boots crunch across the gravel.

The closer I get, my stomach knots.

Footing the step, I move forward and twist the handle for the front door and see my phone sitting on the stool. I roll my eyes and reach for it, slipping it into my back pocket and that's when I hear it.

The sound of a smash and a blood curdling scream.

Fuck the rules.

I run up the stairs with my boots and hat still intact and rush to where I can hear her sobbing.

“No, no, no, no...” I see her, crumpled on the floor, soup spilled, bowl shattered, glass smashed around her.

Her eyes are forward, and it takes me a moment to lift my eyes and see why she is on the floor, breaking apart in front of me.

My heart stills and I realize he's gone.

I drop to my own knees, scooping my arms around her waist as I pull her into me, holding her tight as her choked sobs rattle through her body.

“It's okay, I've got you... I've got you...”

I have no idea how long we sit like this for before I am fumbling for my phone and searching for Dr Carlos' number.

He answers on the second ring.

I try and lift her from the floor, but she shakes her head, wanting to stay grounded and anchored to where her heart obliterated into a thousand pieces.

“Doctor Carlos,” is how he answers the phone, and I roll my lips.

“It's Pacey,” I mutter into the handset, my voice is thick with gravel, my throat burning.

“I'll be right there,” the phone goes dead, and I toss my phone across the room as I am back behind her, holding her until she is ready to move.

I don't want to rush her, but I also don't think it's right that she is sitting in here.

But I will do whatever she wants and if it's this, then so be it.

We're not alone long when two of the nurses walk in and I hear the gasp that passes their lips.

Their eyes cast down to where Morgan sobs in my arms, my tee soaked with her tears and my own heart has shattered in my chest.

The noise around me blurs but I hear in the distance talk of calling Carlos.

“I've already done it,” my voice flat as her body continues to tremble against mine.

The noise fades out again and a high pitch ring replaces it, ringing through my ears.

My mind falters back to earlier today. I sat with Gerry, we had a laugh and a joke but then things turned a little sombre.

He turned his face to me and told me how grateful he was that I had agreed to do what he asked.

Agreed to marry his granddaughter and save the ranch.

He then continued to tell me where everything that I would need is locked away in the back of his wardrobe in a makeshift safe and the key was under the innersole of his favorite sneakers. That Morgan will know which ones.

I think I knew then that he knew his time was coming to an end.

He was making sure everything was in place.

The deeds were signed.

I was the owner of this house along with Morgan.

His estate was solely in my hands.

And his last testament and will were also in the same makeshift safe.

He made me promise that I wouldn't do anything to Dusty, Marsha and the kids and I placed my heart over my chest and swore to him right there and then.

Then he asked me to love his Morgan with all of my heart.

I nodded my head and silently promised.

He understood.

He wasn't a silly man.

He knew I couldn't just switch my feelings on for her.

But I was sure they would come in time, and I truly believed that.

The sound of Carlos' voice slips around the room and that's when Morgan's eyes lift to the doctor. She shuffles, and I take that as my cue to lift her. Her legs are trembling, but I don't let her go.

I hold onto her, so she knows that I am there and I won’t let her go.

“Morgan,” his voice is low, and I can hear the sincerity in his tone. “I am so sorry, I didn't expect it to be this soon,” he says as he steps closer and places a hand on her shoulder and I feel my stomach knot.

She gives him a nod and then his eyes find mine.

Secret words are exchanged, and I give him a soft nod, turning her into me as I walk her out of the room. We move down the stairs slowly, her breath shudders on her soft intake of breath and all I want to do is wrap her up in my arms and never let her go.

Leading her to the living room, I sit her down on the sofa and her eyes drift to his chair before she is crying into her hands again.

I stay with her for a moment, just watching her and I know I need to let Dusty know that Gerry has passed away.

“Oh my god,” her voice cracks as she looks at me. “I forgot to get your horse,” her bottom lip trembles, her chin wobbling and I am on my knees in front of her, cupping her face as I brush my thumb across her cheek and catch the tears.

“Don't you worry about Chase, I'll sort that out later,” I give her a soft nod and she just bobs her head up and down continuously.“Do you want tea?” I ask her and she just sighs, letting her eyes drift over to her pops’ chair and my chest caves.

Pushing to my feet, I roll my lips and walk out of the room and into the small kitchen where I fill up the kettle and pop it on the cooker top, turning on the gas and letting it heat.

Slipping my phone from my pocket, I ring my ma.

She answers before it has a chance to ring.

“Pacey? Are you okay?” and I can hear the concern in her voice. I wouldn’t normally call her during the day.

“I'm okay,” I say, fingers tightening around the phone as I look over my shoulder and towards where Morgan is sitting. “I just wanted to let you know that Gerry has passed away.”

The line goes silent, I swallow down the lump and nod my head as if she is in front of me and I feel my own tears pricking my eyes.

I hardly knew this man yet the grief that consumes me is heavy. But maybe it's because I am still dealing with the loss of my own father.

Grief comes in waves.

In ebbs and flows.

You don't just switch your emotions off.

Just some days are better than others.

“I am so sorry,” my mom says, and I twist my lips. “Please pass on my condolences to Morgan and let her know that we're all here for her if she needs us.”

“Thanks ma,” I say, “love you.” I cut the phone off and slip it back into my pocket just as the kettle whistles.

Picking a herbal tea, I pop it in her mug and then fill it with boiling water before giving it a gentle stir. Rummaging through the cupboards, I grab the honey and drizzle it into the chamomile tea.

I give it another stir and then hook the tea bag string around the handle and then walk into the living room, placing the mug down on the side table so she can reach it if she wants it.

Pacing back into the hallway, my eyes dart up the stairs and I am in two minds whether I should go and see Carlos or go and break the news to Dusty.

I didn't want Carlos coming downstairs and then having to speak to Morgan whilst I am not here, but at the same time, Dusty deserves to know too.

My boots walk into the living room, and I am staring at her.

“Where would Dusty be, babe?” the pet name slips off the tongue and I find myself swallowing the words around the lump.

She slowly turns her head to face me, eyes red rimmed and full of fresh tears and she looks fucking heartbroken.

“Stables maybe?” she whispers. “Or the field with the calves...” her face screws up as an onslaught of tears roll down her cheeks.

I give a soft nod and step back out of the room and pace.

I hear the sound of tires crunching on the gravel and my heart bottoms out. The blacked-out van rolls to a halt and two men dressed smartly step out and make their way into the house, a bob of their heads as they pass me, grimace smudged all over their faces.

They hover by the bottom step, and I give a delicate chin lift and they disappear upstairs.

Moving back to where Morgan is, she is staring out the window, shoulders shaking gently as she cries silent tears.

I suppose it doesn't matter whether you are prepared for a death or not, it never makes it easier.

“Babe,” there's that word again, “they're going to be taking your pops now...” I trail off and I feel my own throat thickening as I swallow down the burning lump that has formed there.

Her blotchy face turns to face me and her lip trembles.

Holding out my hand for her, she stands slowly and carefully as she makes her way towards me and once her hand is in mine, I tug her into my chest and hold her tightly when the sounds of footsteps approach.

Her head is turned away, my hand on the back of her head as I gently hold her in place.She didn't need to see this.

One of the smartly dressed men move outside and within minutes he is back, a steel gurney waiting at the bottom of the porch and folded up thick material hung over his arm.

I knew what that was and I felt sick to my stomach.

He is back upstairs but not for long, the bottoms of their soles hit the steps slowly and steadily as they bring her pops down.

Carlos is off the bottom step first, he gives me a knowing nod and then steps in front of us, almost shielding both of us.