“Is he okay?” Kayla whispered, their differences set aside for the moment.
“I don’t know,” Matt answered, but knew that there was no way to stop J.D. Lassiter once the man had decided on a course of action.
“We’re all here to celebrate my girl Angelica’s upcoming marriage.”
Smatterings of applause broke out, before J.D. shushed them all with a wave of his hand. “I’m a big believer in family,” he continued, his voice going softer. “A man makes mistakes in his life, can’t avoid them. But the one thing you should be able to count on is family.”
Kayla glanced around the room, wondering if anyone else but she was noticing that J.D. didn’t look too well. But the others were clearly just listening to the words.
“All of us gathered here tonight are family. By blood or by choice. Doesn’t matter. The only thing that does matter is that we’re here for each other come what may. So I’ll ask you to lift your glasses—”
He stopped. Eyes going wide briefly, his expression vaguely surprised, J.D. dropped the champagne flute and the fine crystal shattered on the tile floor. He didn’t seem to notice. He took a single step, then slumped to the floor and lay still.
The next few minutes felt as if they’d been pulled out of time. Kayla knew only moments went by but everything took place in such slow motion it was as if hours were crawling past. She watched as if from a distance even though she was right in the middle of it all.
Chaos erupted. Angie screamed. Colleen dropped beside J.D., loosening his tie and collar. She checked his pulse and as Dylan and Sage dropped to the other side of their father, she began CPR.
Horrified whispers ran just beneath the shouts and choked, muffled sobbing from the people gathering in a tight circle around the fallen giant.
Kayla moved to Angie, wrapped one arm around her and held on as Evan dialed 911. Holding on to her friend, feeling the other woman’s tremors wracking through her own body, Kayla watched helplessly as Colleen continued CPR.
Matt herded the crowd back, giving those trying to help J.D. the room they needed. Matt’s gaze locked with Kayla’s and she knew exactly what he was thinking. It didn’t look good. There’d been no change in J.D.’s condition. He lay still and quiet, the only island of calm in a churning storm of emotion.
Sage and Dylan hovered over their father, helping Colleen as they could, focusing on the old man as if they could use the strength of their will to heal him.
And Kayla thought wildly, there was a part of her half-expecting J.D. to sit up, laugh that booming laugh of his and tell everyone it was all a joke. A prank.
But he didn’t move and as seconds passed and the sounds of approaching sirens grew louder, Kayla hugged her friend tighter, knowing that nothing was ever going to be the same for any of them again.
* * *
At the hospital, Kayla felt absolutely useless. She couldn’t help J.D. Couldn’t help her friend. Couldn’t help herself.
Angie was bereft, huddled against Evan’s chest, her quiet sobs echoing in the eerie stillness of a cold, antiseptic waiting room. Colleen sat beside Marlene, offering what comfort she could while Sage and Dylan paced relentlessly across pale green linoleum. No matter what happened with J.D. tonight, Angie had already made the decision that the wedding would be postponed indefinitely.
No one could think of a wedding right now and Kayla had promised to make all the necessary calls as soon as they knew what was happening.
Until then, Kayla was grateful for the warmth and strength of Matt’s arm around her shoulders. It felt good to have him with her. Even though it tore at her to think that soon he would be gone again, right now, he was here. With her. And she knew somehow that as long as she needed him, he would stay. All night if necessary. Even longer. As that thought slid through her mind, she realized that she believed in him.
She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but Kayla was convinced now that he really did want her in his life. How that would work out, she didn’t have a clue, but maybe together they could find a way.
As an anonymous voice bristled over the loudspeaker, Marlene cried into a tissue and Dylan offered to bring everyone coffee. But before they could respond, a doctor strode into the waiting room and everyone there leaped to their feet. They had been waiting so long—now they would finally have answers. But judging from the look on the doctor’s face, Kayla knew none of them was going to like what he had to say.