Grace leaned her head against the seat in the truck as she waited for Nathan to come back out. She squeezed her eyes tight, fighting off the tears that threatened to spring up. She’d been waiting for something concerning the star to happen and when it had, she hadn’t been prepared.
She pressed her fists against her eyes. Suddenly all the wanted to do was call Riley, call anyone to comfort her, to hug her, to tell it was okay and that they’d figure it all out. Or to let Nathan pull her into his arms and take care of whatever happened from here on out.
“Grace?”
She jerked her hands away from her face, drawing in a sharp breath. No. She was okay. She could handle this. It was all part of the process to finding her piece of the star.
Nathan peered closely at her. “Are you okay? Is it your foot?”
She choked on a humorless laugh. “No.”
“Your head?”
He reached for her, but she shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Are you ready?”
Doubt clouded his eyes. He stared at her for another long moment, a silent debate clear on his face. Then he touched her arm briefly. “Buckle up.”
Grace grabbed the seatbelt as he made his way around the truck. When he hopped in, he pulled out his cell phone and nestled the keys in the ignition.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m calling Riley.”
His eyes challenged her to disagree. She only swallowed and let him make the call. He started the car and backed away from the youth center at the same time. “Riley, it’s Nathan.”
Nathan waited for his response and Grace saw his hand squeeze tighter on the steering wheel. “Actually, that’s why I’m calling you. I’m with Grace but…well, you should probably meet us at the hospital.”
Grace could hear a fast murmur of words coming from Riley’s end.
“She’s fine,” Nathan assured him. “We were at the youth center. She fell off the ladder.” Nathan waited another moment, steering the truck down the gravel road leading away from the youth center. “Hold on. Listen, it was–”
Grace looked over. What was Riley saying? She saw guilt on Nathan’s face and her stomach clenched.
“No, she’s sitting next to me.” A pause. “She hit her head and twisted her ankle.” Another pause. “We’ll tell you when you get there.” He waited for Riley’s response then ended the call.
Grace squirmed in her seat as he slipped the phone into his pocket. He checked for traffic before entering the main road.
“Doing okay?” he asked.
“I’m okay.”
He kept his hands tight on the wheel, foot pressed hard on the gas.
“What did Riley say?” Grace asked, intent on keeping her focus off the pain.
“He’ll meet us at the hospital.”
Grace folded her hands in her lap. She squeezed them together tightly. “And?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
They hit a bump and Grace winced. Nathan glanced over quickly. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
That didn’t seem to pacify him. His mouth tightened into a straight line.
“Nathan, what did Riley say?” she asked again.
Nathan flicked his blinker on, taking them through a neighborhood to get to the hospital that sat on the border of the north end of town. “He was worried about you and upset that something happened. Naturally.”
Another bump and a wave of pain shot through her foot. Grace’s fingernails dug into the flesh on either hand.
Nathan reached out and loosened her hold, taking one of her hands in his. “We’re almost there. Don’t worry about Riley. We’ll handle it.”
He’d said “we” like they were a team. In this moment, she could believe that, and she was grateful he’d been at the youth center today, even if she hadn’t wanted him there in the first place.
~ ~ ~
Nathan sat in the waiting room. Across from him, a young mother held a sleeping baby, smoothing her hand over his head, worry lines creasing her face. Other than that, he was alone.
He braced his elbows against his knees and made a project of memorizing the swirls on the carpeting. Anything to keep him busy until he heard how Grace was doing.
If he hadn’t gone upstairs, Grace might not have fallen. If she hadn’t been upset with him, she might not have had to deal with the bees alone–or at all.
“Nathan.”
His head jerked up. He stood, relieved when Maddy and Kara rushed over.
Maddy caught him in a hug. “Is she okay?”
“Was it the star?” Kara asked.
“She’s okay. It was the star.”
He gave a nod when Riley arrived, hands shoved in his pockets. His hair looked like it had been run through by those hands dozens of times.
“Where were you?” Riley asked him.
Maddy took his arm. “Riley.”
Nathan shook his head. “I was upstairs. I didn’t know something was going to happen–”
“Well, something did happen–”
“Riley,” Maddy said again, louder this time. “It’s not his fault.”
“I should have been closer to her,” Nathan said.
Kara gave him an exasperated look. “You didn’t know something was going to happen. You were still there with her, Nathan. It’s not going to help if we’re mad at each other.”
“Tell us what happened,” Maddy suggested, keeping her hand on Riley’s arm.
“Grace was painting. She was using the ladder and the extension to get the higher part of the wall in the living room. She said she saw bees. Lots of them.”
“She’s allergic to bees,” Riley murmured, blue eyes troubled.
“I know. Now.”
“But you said she just twisted her ankle, right?” Kara persisted, glancing back to the nurse’s desk at the sound of the double doors opening. A man in a wheelchair came through. She brought her attention back to them.
“I think she did more than twist it,” Nathan admitted. “She hit her head, too.”
“Shit.” Riley closed his eyes briefly. Maddy turned and lifted on her toes to give him a hug. She whispered something Nathan couldn’t hear and Riley wrapped his arms around her.
The double doors opened again. This time Grace came through, crutches at both her sides. The group reached her at the same time. Riley leaned in for a gentle hug, holding her close for several moments.
“You know, you guys didn’t have to come here,” Grace told them once Riley released her.
“What did the doctor say?” Riley asked.
Nathan stepped aside and gestured for Grace to sit. She hobbled over, giving Riley a roll of her eyes when he tried to help her. She plopped down with a heavy sigh and rested her crutches on the seat next to her.
“I broke it,” Grace said, gesturing to her foot. “Chipped a bone, not a big deal. See? I don’t even have to wear a cast, just this fun little brace and crutches–which are going to be really annoying at the youth center–”
“Grace.” Riley’s voice was firm. He sat in the chair next to her. “You need to take it easy. The youth center will be there once you feel better.”
“I feel fine.”
“Grace–”
“What about your head?” Nathan interrupted, trying to stop a fight. He caught Riley’s swift look but ignored it.
This time, she lifted her hand and gingerly rubbed the spot. “No concussion. Just…a big knot.”
Kara winced. “I’m sorry, Grace. Did the doctor give you a prescription? Some kind of medication for the pain?”
Grace nodded. “But he said ibuprofen would work, too.”
“We’ll pick it up for you after we get you home.” Riley stood. “Or do you want to come to our house for a while?”
“No, home is good. But I left my car at Nathan’s.”
“We’ll swing by to get it later.”
Grace frowned. “What if I need it?”
Riley moved to help lift her from the chair. “You won’t for tonight. We can get it later in the week or–”
“Riley, stop,” Grace said, pulling her arm from his grasp. “I know you were worried. But, first of all, it wasn’t Nathan’s fault. And secondly, I’m fine. I just have to hobble around with these stupid crutches for a few days until my foot decides it wants to cooperate.”
Riley rocked back on his heels, bowing his head.
Grace turned to Nathan with tired eyes. “Can you please take me to the guesthouse? Then Riley can stop and get the prescription. That work?”
He nodded, glancing at Riley. His friend looked lost, worried, and he felt guilty again. But there wasn’t much he could do about that now, so he helped Grace out the doors to take her home.
~ ~ ~
Maddy could feel Riley’s tension, could almost see it radiating in waves off his body. She turned to him again. “Riley?”
He released a deep breath, hands propped on his hips.
“I’ll wait out by the car,” Kara said.
Maddy gave her a smile as she passed but quickly turned her attention back to Riley. She lifted her hand to his cheek. “Are you okay?”
He reached up and captured her hand in his own, and Maddy felt her heart twist painfully at the worry she saw there. “Honey, she’s fine.”
Riley finally met her eyes. “I know.”
She tuned out the overhead speaker, a nurse’s name being called to triage. “Please don’t be mad at Nathan,” she told him, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his chest. “You know something would have happened anyway. Even if you were there or I was there. At least she wasn’t alone.”
She felt a measure of relief when he returned the embrace, pressing a hand to her back to hold her closer. He dipped his head to brush his lips at her temple. “You’re right. I just…wasn’t prepared. I thought she would be okay as long as someone was with her.”
“Nathan was with her.”
“I know.”
“He feels really bad.”
Riley sighed and leaned back some. He met her eyes. “I know he does.”
Maddy tilted her head up and gave him a kiss, trying to ease his worry.
He brushed his thumb over her jaw. “You’re right. Nathan was there.” He gave an ironic smile. “She probably gave him a hard time for it too, but he was there.”
She took his hand, tugging him in the direction of the exit. “So maybe you could tell him you’re sorry so he doesn’t feel so guilty.”
Riley glanced at her, brows raised. “Is that a suggestion?”
Maddy smiled. “A strong suggestion, yes.”
His face grew serious again as they approached the car. Kara leaned against the passenger side door, one foot crossed over the other. “Everything okay?”
Maddy looked up to Riley. He clicked the button to unlock the doors and waited until they got in before he responded.
“What was Grace’s wish?” he asked, starting the car.
“She said she wanted to make something of her life,” Kara answered, her brow furrowing. “Or something like that.”
Maddy turned in her seat, adjusting the seatbelt so she could see Kara better. “She’s been kind of quiet about that part. She was even back when we made the wishes.”
“I think we need to figure out exactly what her wish was,” Riley said. “And be careful.”
Riley reached out for her hand and she nodded. “We need to talk to Grace.”