Not Alone (12 page)

Several loops through the parking lot later, I finally found a spot. Of course it happened to be between two people who hugged the line, so it was a tight fit, but it was all I could find. I threw my truck into park and jogged my way into the hospital.

I immediately took in Emmalynne’s red face, waving her hands around. I walked up to her and put my hand on the small of her back, trying to and help soothe her nerves.

“Tucker Morgan, is my son. He was brought in by someone from Brown County Elementary school. He got hurt at recess. Find him!” she hissed. I had to place a hand on her forearm to try and deter her from jumping across the counter and strangling the poor receptionist.

“Calm down ma’am. I’m trying to locate what room they have him in,” the receptionist replied back, snottily. Uh oh. I physically saw Emmalynne’s body tense as her blood pressure rose.

“Calm down!? Calm down!? Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down, that’s my son!” she yelled as she pounded her closed fist on the counter. “He is probably scared and he needs his mother. Don’t make me go all momma bear on your ass!!!!”

Fuck, she was even sexy when she threatened someone. This was definitely not the time to be thinking of Emmalynne all sexy.
Grady…Think with your brain and not your dick.

A man in a white coat emerged out from behind the double doors that led into the Emergency Room and walked straight to me and Em. “Are you Emmalynne Morgan?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m looking for my son Tucker Morgan. Is he back there?”

“He is, follow me and I’ll bring you to him.”

“Thank god,” she threw her hands in the air. “Someone who knows what the fuck they are doing,” she said as she glared at the receptionist. I was personally staying out of this. I didn’t plan on having her go all momma bear on my ass. I was rather fond of all parts of my anatomy, ass or otherwise.

The doctor took us through the double doors and down a long corridor, finally stopping in front of room five and letting Emmalynne through. She wasted no time in throwing back the curtain and rushing to Tucker’s side. I stepped partially into the room and waited in the corner while she comforted her son.

“Tucker, are you ok? What happened? Do I need to kick someone’s ass?” she said as she picked up his already casted arm and examined it.

“Miss Morgan, I’m Mr. Franklin, the assistant principal. I’ll be going now. I just wanted to make sure that you made it here with Tucker before I left.”

Emmalynne wasn’t paying a bit of attention to Mr. Franklin so I politely shook his hand and told him, “thank you.”

He let us be and I finally took in Tucker’s form. He was sitting perched up on the hospital bed sporting a neon green cast on his arm, and he didn’t look in the least bit sad or upset. He actually looked pretty fucking excited.

“Mom, it was awesome! Drew and I were trying to walk across the monkey bars, I made it, but then I fell. The Doctor let me chose what color I wanted my cast to be, I liked the blue, but decided to get green. Can I bring a marker to school tomorrow? I can’t wait for everyone to sign it.” I could see where he got his rambling from. Like mother like son.

“Sure Tuck.” I could tell her pent up anger had already dissipated. “Let’s try and get you out of here and I’ll make you some grilled cheese and tomato soup. How does that sound?”

“Yum, that sounds great! Oh hey Grady, do you want to be the first one to sign my cast?” he looked back to his mom. “You can sign it too mom!”

“Sure thing, kiddo,” I said to Tucker. “But you do know that you won’t be able to play soccer for a while now.”

“Bummer, I didn’t think of that.” His smile faltered for a split second. “Can I still go show the team my support by being at the games?”

“Absolutely, I think that’s a great idea. And that shows great sportsmanship. You are a great kid, Tucker Morgan,” Emmalynne said as she ruffled Tucker’s hair and placed a kiss on top of his head.

“Moooom, don’t mess with the ‘do!” I chuckled to his response. Tucker really did seem like a great kid, and Emmalynne just amazed me with how she was with him. There was so much love in that house, despite what went down with Bryce, the asshole.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I take it out to see
Becca calling
. I guessed my little chat with her did nothing. She needed to learn to leave me alone, and I sent her to voicemail. By the time my phone had slid back into my pocket, she had been forgotten.

Tucker finally got discharged and he had been set up with an appointment in six weeks to get his cast removed. I ran out to get my truck and pulled up to the entrance so Tucker and Emmalynne can climb in.

It was almost my shift so I regretfully dropped them off at her van at the bookstore and promised to call her later in the evening. Before getting out she gave me a knowing glance and a wink that told me that if she could she would kiss me goodbye.

Chapter Twenty-One

Emmalynne

Several days had passed since Manic Monday, that was what I was calling it. So much crap went down, that I was ready to fall into bed and sleep until Wednesday. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Sheriff Mitchell still hadn’t found Corbin Montgomery. And I’d heard nothing from my dad. But fortunately things had been pretty mellow the last few days, thank goodness!

Grady kept true to his promise of calling me that night, in fact we’d texted and called each other several times this week. I just hadn’t seen him since that day.

Toby and Tessa were pissed off that I didn’t let them in on what happened Monday, but they quickly got over it. And now all was well.

It was now Friday and I was opening the store. I made oatmeal raisin cookies today, they were Toby’s favorite and he always stopped by on Friday’s. What was I saying, he stopped by every day of the week.

Speak of the devil, in walked both Toby and Tessa.

“Hey guys,” I said while filling up the bakery case with loads of cookies.

“If those are what I think they are, you’d better leave a dozen out for me,” Toby said by way of a greeting.  I complied and left a dozen in the tin, something I had already planned to do, but I won’t let him know that.

“So, how are things?” Tessa asked.

“Things… are good, quiet.”

“So, have you done the nasty with Mr. Hottie McHottness?”
Toby, always the straight shooter.

“No, Toby, I haven’t done the nasty with Grady. I haven’t even seen him since Monday, is it sad that I miss him? I mean we talk and text several times a day, but we’ve both been so busy.”

“Girl, you’ve got it bad don’t you? But what are you waiting for? You need to get on it and clear out those cobwebs!” she said while waving at my nether regions.
Wow, Tessa lets be blunt.

“Stop talking, please stop talking! I’ve been out of commission on the sex life aspect for too many years, I don’t even know if I’ll remember how.”

Tessa perched herself on a stool that was behind the counter and picked at her cookie while saying, “Honey, it’s something you’ll never forget, like riding a bike. You just need to woman up and attack his ass.”

The bell for the door sounded and in walked in none other than, Grady. Just looking at him made my breath hitch and heart skip a beat.

“That’s my cue. I have to go meet Brock anyways; we are auditioning several bass players today as a replacement for the dickhead,” Toby said as he looked over to Tessa. “You coming, Tess?”

“Wha? Oh yah,” she shook herself from her thoughts, no doubt on Grady. “Hi Grady, bye Grady. Bye Em, see ya later!” And then they were gone, Toby taking the entire tin of cookies with him.

“Hi sweetheart, I’ve missed seeing you this week,” he said as he took my lips in a perfect, sweet kiss.

“Hi babe, I missed you too, but I’ve enjoyed our phone conversations.” Talking until the wee hours of the morning, made me feel like a teenager again, but it made it hell on getting up on time.

“Mmm. I like it when you call me babe, it gets me hot,” he said in a husky voice.

Blushing, I shoved him playfully out of the way, and offered him a cookie.

He took a generous bite. “Damn woman, is there anything you can’t bake?” He went on to say, “I gotta see you tonight, can I come by after I get off work, at eleven?”

“Sure, I have a pot roast cooking in the crockpot. I’m sure there will be plenty of leftovers if you want them.”

“Oh, I know what I want, and it sure as hell isn’t leftovers.” He nuzzled my neck and kissed me right below my ear, making me shiver with delight. “I gotta go sweetheart, but I’ll text you when I’m on my way.” He gave me a quick peck on my lips and he was gone.

The rest of the day went by at a snail’s pace. Tucker stayed at his friend Drew’s house, so after dinner I changed into my pajamas, jersey capris and a t-shirt, and settled onto the couch to watch a movie.
You’ve Got Mail
was on the menu for tonight, ever since I talked about it last weekend with Grady, I’d wanted to watch it. What could I say, it was my absolute favorite.

Next thing I knew, I was woken up by the phone going off on my coffee table. I reached over to grab it and saw
Grady Calling
flash on the screen. “Hello,” I answered, then took a second to clear the sleep out of my throat.

“Sweetheart, were you asleep?”

“Yeah, I crashed while watching a movie.”

“You still want me to come over?”

“Yes!” I replied a little too enthusiastically. The seed had been planted in my brain and by golly we were going to carry it out.

“Ok, well I’ll be there in just a few minutes.”

We disconnected and I rushed around getting a drink, then to try and make some semblance of order out of my hair. Stopping for a minute to think about what bra and panties I had on, I had to go as far as to look down my shirt to make sure they were acceptable.

He should be here any minute and my nerves were killing me. I was in need of a pep talk, so I called Tessa to boost my spirits. I found her number in my phone, pressed send, and waited for her to answer.

“Hey chica!”

“Hey, I don’t have much time, but I’m in need of a pep talk. Grady is on his way over and I think, oh, I don’t know what I think. I really want to have sex with him,” I rambled.

“Em, don’t freak out, if it happens it happens. You are absolutely beautiful, and he totally digs you. He left the bar in an amazing mood and was totally excited to come see you. Just breathe, girlie. And I want details tomorrow!!!! Now, I gotta go, Mac’s giving me the stink eye because I’m on the phone. Bye girl!” and she hung up.

“Ok just breathe, Emmalynne, you can do this. Tess says it’s like riding a bike. She also says YOLO, whatever the hell that means. What if he doesn’t like the way I look without my clothes on? Hell, with my flabby tummy and jacked up leg, who would? I’ll suggest we keep the lights off, that’s it!” I was rambling to myself out loud and I almost didn’t hear the knock at the front door.

Opening the door, Grady had his arm stretched out on the door frame. It took little effort for him to look sexy, me on the other hand, I could try and wind up looking like a freaking clown.

“Come in babe,” I said, knowing that he liked it when I called him that.

His eyes got heated. I was right.

He came in and immediately took off his boots and left them by the door. “I don’t want to wake Tucker up with my boots clomping throughout the house,” he said quietly.

“Oh, uh well, Tucker isn’t here tonight. He’s at a friend’s house.”

“That so?”

“Yeah,” I said while walking towards the kitchen. “Would you like a plate?”

“No,” he muttered as he walked towards me then let out a yell. “Son of a Bitch! What the fuck was that?”

He was hopping on one foot and I couldn’t help but find it hysterical. He hobbled over to the couch to sit down, and I realized what it was he stepped on.

“It was one of Tuck’s Lego’s. Payback is a bitch, huh?”

“What are you talking about? Damn, those fuckers hurt.”

“The other night when I stepped on one you totally wanted to laugh. You thought I was a big sissy, freaking out by stepping on a Lego. Don’t you try to deny it, I saw it in your eyes.” I walked over to him, put my hand on my hip and pointed my finger in his face.

“Ok, you’re right, you win,” he said as he grabbed me and pulled me on top of him on the couch.

“Grady!” I squealed.

He put his face in the crook of my neck and started alternating between kissing and nuzzling, while he cupped my ass. He stopped abruptly and stood, taking me with him.

“Bedroom?” he barked out.

“The door across from Tucker’s.” He knew where Tucker’s room was so this was the easiest explanation. I couldn’t actually believe this was actually happening!

He opened the door to my room and flipped on the light, all while carrying my hefty behind. He made it seem so effortless, I guess because he had to keep in great shape being on the Special Forces team.

He tossed me on the bed and reached behind his head to pull off his shirt.

I was stunned stupid by the sight that was before me. He may have been gorgeous with his clothes on, but with his shirt off, he made me swallow my tongue. I couldn’t ever recall seeing a more beautiful man. I scanned his svelte torso, taking in the curves of his abs and the deep V of his hips. Taking a second to lick my lips, I thought to myself that he was absolutely delectable. I kept on tracing his chest with my eyes until my gaze settled upon the scars on his shoulder. Even they didn’t detract away from his beauty. Then I continued my descent to his lone tattoo, at least that I’d seen so far. It sat right below his scars, on his upper arm, and was an intricate design of praying hands adorning several sets of dog tags.

I froze and realized… oh god, Grady was here to have sex with me.

He leaned forward to try and start removing my shirt, but I stopped him and blurted out, “Can’t we turn the lights out?”

“Emmalynne I want to see you, all of you.”

“But my leg, my scars, my fat….” He put his finger to my mouth to shush me. “Baby, I’ve told you already, I love your curves. You have a small waist and full, succulent hips, and an ass I want to sink my teeth into. Did my scars on my shoulder turn you off?”