on the next flight home. We’ll see you soon.” Rip ends the call by dropping my phone on the bed, only to put his to his ear. “Mom, hey, can you do me a favor?” I listen as he explains the situation, asking his parents to go be with Gram until I can get there. No, until we can get there. Ending the call, he pulls me into his lap. “I’m going to get you home, baby. We need to get dressed and get to the airport.”
There’s so much going through my head right now—my worry for Gramps, the fear that we could lose him. Then there’s the fact that I’m naked, sitting on Rip’s lap who is also naked. I’d be lying if I said the feel of his skin against mine and the way his arms hold me tight was uncomfortable. It’s anything but.
I nod, wrapping my arms around him as the tears begin to fall. Naked bodies be dammed. I need this. I need the comfort he’s offering. I was gone to college for so long. So much time was missed with my grandparents, with Gramps, and now I might lose him. That’s not how this was supposed to happen. We were supposed to work together, at least for a little while, until he retired and spent his days doing whatever he and Gram wanted to do. This isn’t how it was supposed to go.
“Kenna, baby, I’m so sorry.” Rip holds me tighter, and I’m grateful for him at this moment. His strong arms give me a sense of security, and that’s a feat considering my world just tilted on its axis. The fact that we’re naked is never too far from my mind, and I know we need to talk about it. And we will, but not this minute.
“We have to go,” I say, crawling off his lap. I rush around the room, picking up my clothes from last night, I swallow hard, and I need to brush my teeth. I could really use a shower, but there’s no time. “I’m never drinking again,” I mutter under my breath.
“Hey, it’s me.” I hear Rip say into the phone. I’m sure he’s talking to Laramie or Colby. “We’re heading back today. Harold had a heart attack. Agnes just called. No, I got us on the next flight out. She’s… as good as can be expected. Yeah, I’ll let you know.” He hangs up the phone and comes to me, wrapping his arms around me once again. “What can I do?”
God, he feels good with his arms wrapped around me, skin to skin.
“Nothing. I—” I stop and look up at him. “I don’t know why we’re naked in my hotel suite, but I don’t have time to dissect that right now. Thank you for getting me on a flight home. You don’t have to come with me. I don’t want to cut your trip short too.” I’m rambling as my mind races to catch up with what’s happened since the shrill ringing of my phone woke me.
“Hey.” He places his index finger under my chin so that we’re eye to eye. “I want to be where you are, McKenna. Lean on me. Let me help you and your family through this.”
“I’m scared,” I confess.
“I know, baby. I know.” He pulls me into his chest. I want him to tell me that everything is going to be okay, but I’m glad he’s not. I don’t need false assurances, and I know that neither of us knows how this is going to turn out. I just pray that Gramps makes it through this. He has fight in him. I know it. I just hope it shines through at this moment.
Moving from Rip’s arms, I continue to get dressed. I glance over my shoulder to see him doing the same. He has a large white envelope in his hand, and a sad smile is tilting his lips. I don’t have time to ask him what’s in that envelope that would make him smile. I have to finish packing. “Thank you for this,” I tell him.
“Don’t ever thank me for taking care of you, McKenna.” His tone is soothing, but there’s an undercurrent of scolding to his tone.
It’s not his job to take care of me, but I’m grateful he’s doing so.
Running my hands over my face, I try to regroup. I don’t know how we ended up here together, and my brain is too foggy to recall much of the latter