Fair Lakes Series Box Set - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,18

reply from her to let me know where I stand. This silence is killing me.

Grabbing the remote, I’m just about to turn the volume up on the television when my phone rings again. This time it’s a number I don’t recognize, so I let it ring until the voice mail picks up. Immediately it rings again, the same number. I’m ready to let it go to voice mail again, but something in my gut tells me I need to answer it. After the fifth ring, I swipe the screen and place the phone next to my ear. “Hello.”

“Hi, is this Mr. Drake?”

“Yes. Who’s this?” I ask skeptically. I wouldn’t put it past Chase to have a random woman calling me trying to persuade me to come out with them.

“My name is Lori. I’m an Emergency Room nurse at County General. Your wife was brought in about twenty minutes ago.”

My heart stops, then stutters to life with a rapid beat pounding in my chest. My grip on the remote is so tight I can feel the plastic start to give. Dropping it to the floor, I sit up in my chair. “What? What happened?” There is a heavy thump, thump, thump ringing in my ears. My mind races with all the possibilities—why is she there? Is she okay? Please let her be okay.

“She was in an car accident.”

Shit. “How is she? Is she all right?” I ask over the lump that’s already formed in the back of my throat. Where was she going? Was she alone on her birthday? Questions I don’t have time to get the answers to flash in my mind.

“She’s doing okay. She’s very lucky. We found your information under the emergency contact in her cell phone. The doctor is going in to see her now.”

“She’s okay?” I ask for clarification. I think I heard her right, but this is Winnie we’re talking about. I need to be certain.

“Yes. She’s going to be just fine,” the nurse whose name I can’t remember assures me.

I’m already up and grabbing my keys. “I’m on my way. Can you please,” I fight back the emotion clogging my throat, “tell her I’m on my way?”

“Absolutely, Mr. Drake. Drive safe,” she says, ending the call. After slamming my apartment door, I bypass taking the elevator and opt for the stairs. I take them as fast as I can, bursting through the lobby door, and sprinting out to my truck. Tossing my phone in the cup holder, I shakily place the keys in the ignition and peel out of the lot. I break more traffic laws than I care to admit on my way, but that’s the least of my worries. They can give me a ticket, but I’m not stopping this truck.

Not until I get to her.

Luck happens to be on my side. As I squeal—tires turning—into the ER parking lot, no cops are in sight. Taking the first spot I see, I jerk the keys out of the ignition, grab my phone, and jog inside. I don’t stop until I reach the reception desk. “My wife, Wi-Gwendolyn Drake, they called me, a nurse, she called me and said that she was brought here,” I ramble as I suck in a deep breath. I won’t do either of us any good if I’m a hyperventilating mess.

“Yes, Mr. Drake.” She types something on her computer then looks up at me. “The doctor just finished up. Would you like to speak to him?”

“Yes, and I want to see her.”

“Of course.” She gives me a kind smile. “Let me get the doctor for you, and then we can take you on back. Just have a seat down the hall.” She points at where she wants me to go. “Third door on the left is consultation room three. I’ll let him know you’re waiting.”

“Can we not do this in her room? Can I see her first?” My voice is pleading.

“I’m sorry, the doctor should fill you in on her condition. He’ll be right in,” she says, dismissing me. I stand here for a few heartbeats while she places the phone next to her ear and tells the doctor I’m here. “He’s on his way,” she says again with a kind smile. I don’t offer her one of my own. I can’t. Not yet. Not until I see Winnie and know that she’s okay.

Making my way down the hall, I peer into every room to see if I can spot her, but without any luck. Pushing the door