“Okay, so… maybe she’ll have some stitches. Maybe some muscle damage,” she said, more to reassure herself than anything.
She closed her eyes again, then they flew open. “I have to call her parents.” She fumbled for her phone.
“Kara, they were there. They’re in the ambulance with Liz. That’s why you couldn’t ride with her.”
“They were?” Kara frowned.
“I think you were sort of in shock too,” Nick said, touching her arm. “It looks like you’re back under control.”
“I… I’m sorry.” She took a deep breath.
“Don’t be. She’s your best friend. We just went through something really crazy.”
“I don’t know what I would do without her. She’s the only reason I’m still in Cedar,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I love it here, but without Liz…” She shut her eyes on the fear.
She’d been so involved in her own pain that she didn’t notice what her admission did to Nick. She didn’t see the pain or the hurt that crossed his eyes. But when she opened her eyes and looked deep into his, she realized that there was a new reason she wanted to stay in Cedar. One that meant as much to her as anything else. Maybe even more. But it was still too early to admit that to herself or anyone else.
ChapterSixteen
It was strange being back at the hospital. Even though he knew that this trip wouldn’t end in as much sorrow and loss as the last time, it still stung.
They rushed into the emergency room and waited with Liz’s parents for an hour before they were told that Liz was okay. Her parents were shown back to a private room where Liz was recovering just fine.
Liz had been very lucky and had only received ten stitches. She’d also apparently hit her head on the edge of the table when she’d fallen. The doctor seemed more worried about that than the bullet graze.
While they’d waited, they’d overheard that two more people had been shot. One of them was an out-of-town guest who had been shot in the leg and was expected to make it.
The other was Rudy, a kid they’d gone to school with. The nerdy kid who had always kept to himself had been shot in the heart and died on the scene, feet away from his brother and mother.
The police believed the shooting was random and had no suspects yet. They were asking anyone with video or photos of the day to send them to the police station’s email address for review.
While they waited to see Liz, they both scrolled through their phones and sent what they could.
“Liz took more photos than I did today. She even did a video of me. I was too busy selling stuff to bother,” Kara admitted as she scrolled through her phone.
They had gone to the bathroom after they had arrived and washed most of the blood from their hands and clothes. Still, he could see some dried blood under her fingernails.
It reminded him how close they had been to losing one another. That thought had him holding onto her a little tighter as they waited.
When Kara was told she could go back and see her friend, he waited alone and thought about his future. With or without her.
She hadn’t returned his feelings yet, at least not verbally. He knew that didn’t necessarily mean that she didn’t love him. After all, when they were together, she showed him that she did, even if she didn’t know it.
So how could he get her to realize just how much she meant to him? The flowers had been just the start. He figured he didn’t have much time to show her, to prove to her, just how much better they would be together than apart.
Three hours later, he drove her back to her truck. Cheryl had finished loading all of Kara’s things into the back of it. She’d found the bag of money Kara had made on the ground and held onto it until she could give it to her in person. She’d also found Liz’s cell phone and had delivered it to Liz’s family at the hospital after everything settled down.
Nick followed Kara home and texted Daryl to ask him to check up on his place, as he wouldn’t be home until later that night.
When he walked into her house behind her, Daryl’s text response came in. He read it quickly.
“Is everything okay?” Kara asked.
“Yes, Daryl says everything is quiet at home. He let the dogs out and is taking them for a walk.” He set his phone down and wrapped his arms around her.
“Who do you think it was?” Kara asked against his chest.
It was the first time she’d asked it, but not the first time he’d wondered the same thing.