Persuaded (17 page)

I turned at the sound of Gregory’s voice. He looked as weary as I felt. My eyes traced the streak of dried blood on his forehead and then followed along his cheek, which was covered in dust and grime. His clothes hadn’t faired well, either—his cargo shorts and his T-shirt were splattered with blood. He softly chuckled and my eyes flew to his.

“I saw your grimace.” He smiled down at me. “For the record, you’re not looking too hot yourself.”

“Thanks.” I attempted a grin.

“Come here,” he whispered as he stepped forward and caught my elbows. Slowly he turned me away from him. I felt his fingers move my hair to the side. Tiny sparks tingled their way across my back where his fingers had grazed. And then they were forgotten when his strong hands began to gently knead my shoulders and neck.

Ahh.
I relaxed. Just like that. It was as if a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders as Gregory coaxed and worked my stiff, sore muscles. “Thank you,” I mumbled quietly. The sensation was so wonderful that I didn’t think I could speak any louder even if I wanted to.
Soft, smooth, strong, and fabulous.

“
I figured you needed this more than I did.”

“Hmm . . .”

He chuckled a bit louder this time. “You were really awesome today, Andy.”

“Hmm . . . so were you.”

After a few more minutes, my aching muscles had turned to putty in his hands. Gregory ran his fingers down my arms to my elbows and gently turned me back around to face him. When he released his hold on me, I looked up and smiled. He had his arms outstretched, wide and inviting. I didn’t hesitate or think; I just stepped forward, wrapped my arms around his waist, and snuggled against his chest. His arms folded tenderly around me. We stayed like that for a while in the darkened lobby of the hospital. I wondered briefly what it would be like to always be held by Gregory. He was so strong and comforting, and he cared—really cared—about the people around him.
I love him. I will always love him.

My mischievous tummy growled and broke the spell. Embarrassed, I stepped back. “I’m sorry.”

Gregory laughed and shrugged as if growling stomachs during special moments were normal. “Come on. Let’s raid the vending machine. I’m starved, and from the sound of things, you are too.”

Just as I was about to protest, my stomach confirmed his suspicions. I blushed like crazy. “Yes, okay. I am hungry. I’m really hungry.”

“Really hungry? That settles it. I’m getting one of everything.”

One of everything?
“No. I’m not that hungry,” I protested as he made his way to the vending machine.

“Too late.” He inserted a twenty-dollar bill and started to push buttons.

“You’re crazy.”

“Besides, if we’re hungry, I bet everyone else is, too.”

“Oh, you’re right. I didn’t even think of that.”

“Maybe I better make it two of everything.”

After we carried our load of snacks into the waiting area—all stashed neatly in the fold of Gregory’s dirty shirt—the rest of the group came alive. He dumped the whole bounty onto the coffee table. “Who’s hungry?”

The next morning, I woke up early and quickly got dressed. It had been pretty late the night before when Madison and I had finally showered and made it into our own beds. The hospital staff had eventually urged us all to go home.

“My dears,” an older, red-haired nurse had pleaded, “even if your friend did come out of surgery, she still wouldn’t be allowed any visitors. Please go home and get some rest. If anything urgent happens, we’ll be sure to call you. You’re just hurting yourselves by sitting in this waiting room. Now go.”

I wandered into the family room and was surprised to see Sydney and Collin there already. “Hey, guys,” I cautiously greeted as I plopped down on the leather sofa. “Have you heard any news?”

“Gregory’s calling the hospital right now,” Sydney answered.

“Oh, he’s up?”

I knew from the look Sydney gave me that she thought I was stupid. “Uh, yeah, hence the reason he’s making the phone call.”

I ignored her and glanced at Collin. “So has anyone figured out what’s going on yet?”

Just then I heard a step behind me and I turned around. Gregory looked absolutely awful. He had showered and changed, but his eyes were dark and his features still wan and peaked. “Didn’t you sleep?” I asked him.

“A little.” He paused. “It is all settled. Kylie’s father will be at the Moab Airport within a few hours. His airplane should’ve landed in Salt Lake City a little while ago.”

“Have you heard from the hospital?” Collin asked in a rush.

“No. The nurse said she would call me back as soon as she had an update from the doctor.”

“What about Kylie’s mom?” I said. Her parents had split when her father got a job in Boston. Neither of them had wanted to give up their successful careers, so at first they tried to have a long-distance relationship. When that didn’t work they eventually divorced.

“Ms. Russell will be flying into Farmington in about two hours,” Gregory explained. “It’ll give me just enough time to pick her up and bring her here this afternoon. Hopefully by the time I’m back, Kylie will have made some progress.”

“How are you going to be in Farmington in two hours?” I wondered aloud before it dawned on me. “Oh, the plane. You’re flying?”

“Yes, it’s being flown over now. Actually, I was hoping Lilly and you, Sydney, could be ready to go as soon as possible. Carson has offered to drive Madison and Ethan home. They’re dropping off Ethan’s Jeep at the airport now for Kylie’s dad to use, since Ethan has officially pulled out of the competition. Oh, and Collin has decided to stay with you, Amanda.”

I looked over and smiled at him. “Thank you, Collin. Now I won’t feel awkward staying in your aunt and uncle’s house alone.”

Sydney had spent two hours on the phone with our parents last night. To say my dad freaked out would be an understatement. It took every bit of skill my stepsister had to calm him down. I was so glad she was the one to make the call, and until she did, it hadn’t entered my head to call anyone myself. Quickly, I pulled out my cell phone to start dialing the coach’s number and let her know I wasn’t going to be there.

“Wait a minute.” Sydney sat up on the sofa and looked as if something had clicked in her brain. “Amanda is staying?”

Gregory glanced briefly at me. “Yes.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Why?”

Sydney pointed right at me. “Her? Amanda gets to stay here in Moab, while I—I have to be shuttled away to Farmington?”

“Is there something wrong?” Gregory folded his arms across his chest.

She wasn’t intimidated. “Yes, there’s something wrong.” Mortified, I watched as Sydney stood up and walked over to him. “I’m four months older than Amanda. It is my right to stay and help Kylie, not Amanda’s. Why should I have to be the one who runs home while she stays here? It’s not fair.”

“You?” Gregory frowned. “You, who couldn’t think rationally enough to stop screaming at just the sight of Kylie? You think you’re the best one to look after her?”

“Yes.”

Gregory was clearly astounded. “When your stepsister was the one who singlehandedly took control of the situation?”

“I want to stay. It’s not fair I have to go and Amanda gets to stay. It’s not.” Her pretty face scrunched up just like the two-year-old she was imitating.

I couldn’t stand to hear Sydney’s selfish whining any longer. And there was absolutely no reasoning with her when she got that way. I turned my phone off before I punched the last digit.

I could see Gregory was about to explode. “Of all the—”

“Gregory, stop.” My command caused both of them to whip around. “I’ll go. Sydney can stay.”

“No,” he protested.

“Yes. It’s fine, really. One of us has to get home and calm our parents down. I’ll go. Just as long as there is someone that Kylie knows in that room when she wakes up, everything will be fine.”
If she wakes up.
“It’s ridiculous to fight over it.” We both watched Sydney smugly flounce out of the room.

Gregory wasn’t finished. “Ridiculous? You think it’s ridiculous that I would want what’s best for Kylie?”

The best for Kylie.

“Obviously, you are the most capable of anyone here, Amanda. She deserves someone who can watch her and look after her and keep her calm. You’re her best friend.”

His cell phone rang. He glanced down at it and then back up at me. “It’s the hospital.” He took a couple of steps and answered the call.

I watched as he ran his fingers through his hair and walked over to the couch Sydney had just vacated.

“Yes, yes. Thank you. Yes, I’ll let her know. Okay, goodbye.”

Gregory ended the call and collapsed into the couch. Anxiously, Collin and I watched as he rubbed his face with his hands and slowly shook his head.

I couldn’t stand it anymore. “Gregory, what is it? What did they say?”

He turned disbelieving eyes toward me and announced, “She’ll live. She made it through the surgery and the night.” His voice cracked. “S–she’s sleeping now. She’s not out of the woods by any means, but they have hope that she may, in time, recover. They credit you for her miraculous improvement, Amanda. The doctors believe that had you not kept her so still, Kylie wouldn’t be alive now.”

I silently absorbed what Gregory had said. And then he climbed out of the couch and knelt in front of it. With his bowed head resting on his clasped hands, he prayed.

It was the first time I had seen him cry.

Sixteen: Back to Life, Back to Reality

Just before we were set to leave the mansion, I placed my bag outside the bedroom door and ran quickly down to the music room. I knew it was silly, but I wanted to say goodbye to the piano. I crept in and looked one last time at the beautiful instrument. The sun was shining through the window, and I enjoyed how the light bounced off the piano’s shiny surface.

I glanced at my watch. Five minutes. I debated between leaving the room as I ought to, and playing one more song. The song won. I hurriedly hopped up to the platform and sat on the bench. Just as quickly, the lid was open and my fingers had begun to skim the keys.

It was probably the most purely selfish act I had allowed myself. But the chance to forget for a moment about poor Kylie, my feelings for Gregory, and the home I hadn’t even seen yet was too much to resist. For five minutes I lost myself in the music. Five glorious, wonderful minutes.

Afterwards, I put the lid gently down and pushed the stool quietly into place. My heartstrings tugged as I looked at the piano one final time. “Goodbye, friend.”

“You’re welcome to come back, you know. Anytime.”

Startled I turned. “Collin!” He must’ve just come in the room. “You scared me.”

He smirked. “Yeah, well, big surprise there. Is there anyone I don’t scare?”

“Are you going to be okay? I mean, with trying to entertain my stepsister?”

Collin snorted as he stepped back from the door and let me pass. “Nah, I’m not worried about Sydney. Like she’s going to come and hang with me—that’ll be the day.”

We began to walk slowly down the hall. “Well, what are you going to do while you’re here?”

“I don’t know. I was thinking Gregory might let me go in and read to Kylie every now and then.” He paused a moment. “Man, that shook me up. I don’t think I have ever been that scared in my whole life.”

“Really? You didn’t show it. You were so strong.”

“No, not really.” Now it was his turn to blush.

I nudged him with my elbow. “Hey, I never did say thank you for all of your help yesterday. So, thank you. You were a rock, and I needed one right then.”

“Come on. I only did what you told me to do.”

“Without question or complaint. You’re a really great guy, Collin. You really are. One day you are going to sweep some beautiful girl right off her feet.”

“Yeah, right. Now I know you’re crazy. First saying goodbye to pianos, and now telling me I’m going to make some gorgeous girl fall madly in love with me. Yep, stark-raving mad.”

“Hey, I mean it.” I stopped and grabbed his arm. “Collin, don’t stop writing, okay? Every time you feel like it, grab your phone and put it in there. One day there will be a girl that will fall madly in love with you over the songs you write about her. I’m not kidding. You’re an awesome, caring guy. Thank you for letting me see the real you. I’ve enjoyed the experience more than you could ever know. Now come here and hug me goodbye before I cry.”