Ocean (Damage Control 5)
Grabbing my phone, I draw a shaky breath and click connect as I surge to my feet and stumble toward the kitchen.
There goes my resolution. I’m such a lost case when it comes to Ocean Storm, not even my cards can save me.
I guess it’s fate.
***
“Hey.” My voice is all husky. Crap. I swallow hard and try again. “Hello?”
Static filters down the line. I pad over to the sink, then turn back around and prop my hip against it.
Don’t know why I came here. I just needed to move.
“Kay,” his voice finally rings in my ear, distant and crackling, and my knees go weak.
God, what is it with this boy that I can’t remain angry at him?
“Yeah, that’s me. What’s up?” Oh yeah, I’m so cool. Not like I called him a hundred times and sent him, like, fifty texts asking if we could talk. “Everything okay?”
“No,” he says, and it takes a long moment for that word to sink in.
“What? Why?” My heart is pounding, a hammer to my ribs. “Ocean.”
“Can you…?” He’s panting over the connection, and holy shit, what’s going on? “Call Seth, tell him to pick me up. I guess I’m,” he groans and my heart does a jolting thing in my chest, “at about thirty miles from Milwaukee on the interstate.”
“Did your car break down? What—?”
“He’ll see the broken roadside fence. I’ll be waiting.”
Oh God. “Are you hurt? Are you in your car? Should I call an ambulance?”
But he doesn’t seem to be listening to me. “Missed you, Kay,” he says. “Sorry I didn’t answer when you called. I thought I was leaving. But I’m not.”
He’s panting harshly. Shit, I don’t like this. It’s raining outside, and he’s stranded on the highway, possibly hurt. And he’s rambling.
“I’m coming to get you,” I say, pushing off the sink and starting toward the living room. “Did you hear me, Ocean? Stay where you are, I’m on my way.”
“It’s cold,” he whispers, and then the line goes dead.
***
My first thought is to get to him, make sure he’s okay. But he can’t be okay, not if his car went through the fence, and I’m not sure I’d be that much of a help.
Not that I’m sitting this one out. No frigging way. No matter what I feel for Ocean, what happened between us and where that leaves us, I’m heading out there to find him.
But I’ve called for reinforcements. Seth and Manon, Micah and Ev, Shane and Cassie. Turns out Jesse and Amber are out of town, but I leave them a message.
Now let’s just hope my Mini Cooper is up to task. It zooms through the rain-slicked city, and thankfully the rain is beginning to let up by the time I hit the interstate.
Mini Cooper ninja to the rescue.
I laugh hysterically, alone in my tiny car. Then I step on the gas and turn up the music to shut myself up.
This isn’t the time for a nervous breakdown, Kay. Just find him. He’s okay. He’s perfectly okay.
And if he’s not?
Shut up, brain.