Chapter Seventeen
“We’ll have to reschedule, Chip.” Wyatt glanced at his watch as he paced back and forth in the living room. Jacob wailed, a loud piercing scream that made him shudder. “It’s okay, slugger. It’s okay.” He grabbed the pacifier from the end table by the couch and popped it into Jacob’s mouth. He spit it and shrieked even louder. Lord, what was wrong with him? He’d been crying nonstop ever since Maddie left and Wyatt was at his wits’ end. “Give me an hour.”
“Right, boss. I’ll continue checking the fruit ripeness where you left off yesterday.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you in the lab.” He hit end and dropped the phone on the table. Wyatt shifted Jacob, cradling him in his arms. He hummed a lullaby, rocking him back and forth as he paced the length of the room. The sobbing stopped. Wyatt grinned. “You like hearing Daddy sing.” Jacob’s eyes blinked a few times and he drifted off to sleep. Halle-friggin’-lujah!
He kissed Jacob’s forehead and laid him in the Pack ‘n Play. Retrieving his cell, Wyatt scrolled through his contacts, and selected Maddie’s number. His call went to voicemail on the fourth ring, her chipper voice filling his ear. Again. Where was she? It was close to nine thirty. What could be keeping her? And why didn’t she answer her phone?
His cell buzzed. He glanced at the caller ID. Maddie. Finally. “Where are you?”
“This isn’t Maddie.”
What the hell? “Who is—?”
“It’s Zoe. Please don’t hang up.”
He clenched his hand around the phone. What game was Zoe playing at? “Why do you have Maddie’s phone? Where is she?”
“There’s been an accident.”
His heart stopped beating, then kicked hard against his ribs. He couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. What happened? “Where is she? Let me talk to her.”
“I can’t. She’s in the ambulance on her way to the hospital.”
Hospital. Oh God. Bile burned as it rose in his throat. What if he never saw her smiling face again? Tasted her sweet kisses, held her in his arms. What if he never got the chance to tell her how much he loved her? If he wasn’t sure before, he was absolutely positive now. He loved Maddie with all his heart.
“Is she okay?” She had to be. He couldn’t lose her.
“I—I don’t know.” Zoe’s voice broke. “S—she was out of it when I found her. She came to when the EMTs arrived. The police talked to her for a few minutes, but she kept asking for you. That’s why I’m calling. I’m using her cell because I don’t have your number. I’m following her now. I have to go. I shouldn’t be on the phone while driving.”
###
Wyatt sped down the road faster than a NASCAR driver racing in the Daytona 500. Horns blared as he weaved through the heavy traffic. He didn’t care. Couldn’t think about anything else but getting to Maddie. Seeing her with his own eyes. Making sure she was all right.
He turned at the red emergency room sign. Pulled the car into the first spot he found. God, he couldn’t even remember what he said to his mother as he handed her Jacob and she’d tossed him her keys. Had he told her Maddie nursed him? She’d said something about sending his father out for bottles and formula so he must have. He hoped Jacob would be okay.
Wyatt made a beeline to the information desk. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Zoe waving at him. Detouring, he raced to where she sat on the far side of the room. “Where is she?”
“In with the doctor. Sit down. It might be a while.”
He was too impatient to sit. Had too much adrenaline coursing through him. “What happened?”
“I’m not sure. I spotted the truck plowed into the tree on my way home and stopped to see if anyone was hurt. I found her slumped against the seat and thought—” Zoe trembled and the color drained from her face. She rubbed her palms up and down her bare arms.
An image of Maddie’s lifeless body formed in his brain. Wyatt shuddered and shoved it away. He wouldn’t go there. Couldn’t.
“Anyway, Maddie woke up as I was calling emergency services, and I stayed with her until the police and ambulance arrived.”
Wyatt dragged a hand through his hair. How the hell did this happen? The roads were clear and dry, so the weather hadn’t played a part. He’d had the truck serviced last week. The brakes and tires were fine. “Did you see any other cars around?”
“No. I don’t even know how long she’d been there before I found her. She was pretty shaken up after she came to.” Zoe cast a wary glance at him. “But she insisted I call you.”
“Yeah. We’re—”
“Together. I know.” Zoe’s voiced dripped with accusation, as if Wyatt had stolen Maddie from her.
What did she expect after the way she treated him over the years?
Zoe stood and walked over to him. She squared her shoulders, and looked him dead in the eye. “I know that you don’t like me.”
He nodded. “I’m sure the feeling is mutual.”
Something flickered in her gaze. Disbelief, denial? No, he must be mistaken. Whatever the emotion, it disappeared before he could decipher the reaction.
“Well, we’re going to have to work on that. Maddie is my friend. I care about her, and I don’t want to lose her.”
Wyatt gawked at her. What the hell was he supposed to say to that? He couldn’t even think about it right now.
“I’d like to stay, at least until the doctor tells us how she’s doing, but I’ll leave if you insist.”
“Stay.” He owed her that much. She’d helped Maddie when Maddie couldn’t help herself, and for that he’d always be grateful. As for the rest, he wasn’t making any promises.
“I—I.” She gulped in a breath. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I want to thank you too, for everything you did for her.” Wyatt dropped into one of the stiff waiting room chairs, and Zoe sat opposite him.
A loud male voice had Wyatt turning his attention to the information desk. “Oh hell.” The day just went from bad to worse.
“Maddie asked me to call Bryce, too.” She shot a speculative glance at Bryce as he stalked over and back to Wyatt.
Oh yes, he could imagine what she was thinking. Ex-fiancé versus baby daddy. He wouldn’t let Bryce goad him into a fight.
“What did you do to her, Leone?”
He so didn’t need this right now. Had enough to worry about without Bryce sniping at him. “Back off.”
“I will not. What the hell was she doing driving your truck?”
His eyes narrowed. “How do you know what vehicle Maddie was driving?” Did Bryce see what happened, or worse, cause the accident?
Bryce rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid. Zoe told me Maddie crashed her truck, and we both know she doesn’t own an F150.” He jammed a finger at Wyatt. “But you do. Why would you let her drive it if it wasn’t in good working order?”
Wyatt dragged in a lungful of air and prayed for patience. “My truck ran fine. I would never put Maddie in danger.”
“Then why did she skid off the road and slam into a tree?”
“How do you know she skidded off the road?” Bryce seemed to know a lot about what happened for a man who only received a phone call. He shifted his gaze to Zoe. Were Bryce and Zoe up to something together? She said she cared about Maddie but…
“I didn’t tell him,” she said quietly. Zoe shifted her attention to Bryce. “What are you even doing here?”
“How can you ask such a thing? I happen to care about Maddie a great deal. Of course I’d be here.”
Wyatt snorted. Concerned my ass. The man had blackmailed Maddie into getting engaged. Bryce Beaumont didn’t give a damn about anyone but himself. He was up to something, and Wyatt was damned well going to find out what.
A petite woman with short dark hair wearing blue cotton pants and a flowered top approached them. “I’m Kayla, the triage nurse. Which one of you is Wyatt?”
He stepped forward. “How’s Maddie?”
“She suffered a mild concussion, but no other internal injuries.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, and sent up a prayer of thanks. “Is there anything I need to do for her?”
The nurse nodded. “Watch her over the next few days. She’ll have a headache for a day or so, but that should lessen as the week progresses. Call her doctor immediately if her symptoms worsen. Make sure she gets plenty of rest. She should be back to normal in about a week.”
“Can I see her now?”
“She’s getting dressed, and should be ready to leave in a few minutes. You can pull your car up to the door, and we’ll escort her out when she’s ready.”
“Thank you, Kayla.”
“You’re welcome. Take care.”
Kayla departed and Wyatt turned to face the others. “I’ll see you later.” He made for the door.
Bryce took off in the opposite direction.
Wyatt turned to see what made him bolt. An orderly came toward them pushing Maddie in a wheelchair. Her eyes met his. Relief flooded through him, and some of the tension inside disappeared. He strode toward her.
“Thank goodness you’re okay.” Bryce tried to fuss over her, but Maddie shoved his hands away.
Maddie gazed up at Wyatt. She looked a mess with her disheveled hair and rumpled clothing. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“I’m sorry about your truck.”
He pressed his lips to hers because he needed to. “You’re all right. That’s what matters most. What happened?”
“Someone tried to run me off the road.”
His mouth fell open. “On purpose?”
“Yes.”
The weary sound gutted him, and he squeezed her hand. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re going to be fine.”
“I don’t understand why someone would want to do that to me.”
He didn’t either. I get what I want, and I want Leone Estates. Sam Hodges’s voice filled Wyatt’s head. Maybe whoever did this wasn’t after her. Maddie had been driving his truck. It could be him they wanted to force off the road.