Her eyes connected with mine. They shined like the sky on the sunniest day of the year. So blue, they were almost unreal. And they were so incredibly sad. Still, she forced out a half smile.
“His parents offered to help—I guess they know what kind of man their son is—but you see, they’re all the way out in California. Rasc and me have been workin’ odd jobs, but the RV broke down and it’s expensive to fix a vehicle this old. We spent all our money on makin’ the RV run. If we can just get to Cali, we’ll be golden, but funds are short. I’m hopin’ Callum will help us one last time so I can have my baby near her grandparents. They don’t have much, but they’ll watch her and Sparrow while I work and we can live with them. We won’t have to be stuck in the RV anymore.”
“That’d be nice.” I was thinking about Jenny and what a lifeline she’d been for me. How I wouldn’t have survived without her. And then I remembered what a lifeline Callum had been and I hadn’t even known it.
“Yeah.” She smiled through her tears. “Sparrow can have a real bed. He can get enrolled in school. It’d be real, real nice. We just gotta get out there. Lorraine and Mike can’t afford to loan us much, so we’re a little desperate. I know it isn’t right, grabbin’ you and scarin’ you, but Rasc and I didn’t know what else to do. So, I’m beggin’ you right now to ask Cal to help us. And I’m throwin’ myself at your mercy, askin’ for your forgiveness.Please, Wren. Ask him to call me.”
I nodded, seeing so much of myself in her. She was breaking my heart with her sad blue eyes that reminded me so much of Callum’s.
“I’ll ask him. I’ll try to make him understand.” Reaching out, I laid my hand on hers. “I know you grew up rough, but you’re making things better for your kids, and that’s so commendable. I think Callum will help you, but can I ask that when you call in the future, it’s just to check on him. Don’t call when you need something. Call because you love him.”
Her head jerked back as if I’d surprised her. “Um…okay. Yeah, you’re right. I should definitely do that.” She stood up and cupped her mouth. “Rasc, we’re good.”
The vehicle slowed a minute later, then pulled to a stop. Chrys tipped her chin to the door. “You can go now.”
“Oh, okay.”
Flustered, I smoothed my hands over my coat and climbed to my feet. My knees were wobbly, and it felt like all the blood had rushed out of my head.
Chrys followed me to the door, crowding me like she was in a hurry. “You’d better shake a tail feather,” she said from behind me. “Cops catch us double parked, we’ll have even bigger worries.”
She swung the door open and gave my shoulder a sharp nudge. Lightheaded, knees knocking, I stepped out, and it was clear right away I’d misjudged the drop. Time slowed, and even though it was a few feet, it took forever for me to hit the ground.
When I did, I wished I was still floating.
The snap was audible. Nausea rose in my throat immediately. Horns honked, someone cursed a few times, then the rumble of the engine vibrated the pavement where I was curling into a ball.
Someone rushed toward me. Then another someone. I saw feet, men’s dress shoes and women’s spiked boots.
“Wren? Oh my god, Wren! Ronan, lift her up.” Iris was here. Why was Iris here?
A strong hand curled around my arm, and my vision went black. Someone screamed so loud and high, windows must have shattered.That was me. I screamed. Oh god.The hand retreated right away. Another hand drove through my hair, stroking me gently, shushing me.
“Wren, honey, Ronan needs to help you up. Is anything else injured?” Iris asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” I cradled my wrist to my chest. I’d never broken a bone, but I had no doubt I’d broken this one. The snap would forever be ingrained in my mind.
“Come on, love,” Ronan cooed softly as he took me under the elbows. “Let’s get you up and take care of you.”
He got me standing, holding me against his broad frame. Iris was there too, stroking my hair and looking me over. That was when I saw we were right in front of Good Music. Natalie had run out of the building. She was watching from the entry, worry crinkling her brow.
Then I was ushered away. Iris sat beside me in the back of a plush SUV while Ronan sat beside their driver, Bill. He drove like I had a life-threatening emergency instead of a broken wrist.
“Want to tell me who shoved you out of that RV?” Iris asked.
“I don’t know if I was shoved—”
“You were shoved, girl,” Ronan barked. “And they drove off, seeing you lying there. I hope that wasn’t someone you consider a friend.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “That was Callum’s sister,” I whispered, and Iris gasped. Bill’s eyes shot to the rearview mirror. Ronan twisted in his seat, scowling ferociously.
“I’ll call him, tell him what happened.” Ronan picked up his phone, but I slapped his seat.
“Please don’t. He’ll be so angry, especially if he doesn’t hear it from me. I have to make him understand what happened.”
Ronan’s eyes narrowed. “If you don’t tell him you were shoved, I will. Iris will too. We both saw as we were leaving Good Music. There’s no denying that. He needs to know.”
“He’ll be so angry,” I whimpered.