Page 120 of Finding Hayes
Hot Husband
Hey. I’ve called a few times.I didn’t want you to hear from anyone else. There was a fire early this morning, and I fell through some flooring that was no longer stable. I’m fine. I’m just getting checked out at the hospital, but you know how everyone likes to make things a big deal. How’s your father this morning?
As soon as I was out of the building, I dropped onto a park bench to sit and pulled out my phone to FaceTime him. It had been days since I’d seen his face. I’d been avoiding it because I knew seeing him would make me more emotional.
He picked up immediately. His face was covered in soot, and his hair was disheveled.
“Hey, beautiful. I missed your face.” His smile was forced, and a nurse handed him a bottle of water.
I nodded, fighting the tears that just wanted to fall all day long lately. No words came at first, and I just tried to breathe in and out and keep it together.
“Everything is okay, Sav. I’m right here.”
“You’re okay?” I squeaked and shook my head frantically. “I need you to be okay.”
“I feel completely fine. A few scratches and bruises. Nothing that won’t heal in a few days,” he said.
“And a fractured wrist and a concussion,” the nurse grumbled beside him.
“You have a broken wrist and a concussion?” I gasped and held my hand over my eyes to hide the tears.
It was all too much lately.
My father’s suffering. My unexpected pregnancy with twins.And now Hayes was hurt, too?
In what universe did any of this feel fair?
“Savannah.” His voice was hard, pulling me from my meltdown, and I dragged my hand away from my eyes.
“Yes.”
“I. Am. Fine.” He glared to the side, and I assumed it was aimed at the nurse. “Any time someone hits their head, they say it’s a concussion.”
I heard the nurse disagree with him, and he asked her if she could give him a moment.
“Baby. Look at me. I’m worried about you. I’m not worried about me. I’m a firefighter. Sometimes we fall. This wasn’t that bad. I’ve had worse. But you’ve been distant. I know this is a lot with your dad, and I understand that, but we’re a team. And when you’re hurting, I’m hurting. So you need to talk to me and tell me what the fuck is going on.”
I shook my head and shrugged. “It’s just been a lot. I’m sorry I worried you. That’s the last thing I want to do.”
“I don’t give a shit about that. I don’t want you to shut me out. We did that a decade ago, and we lost a lot of time. That’s not who we are. If you need me there, I will get my shifts covered. If you want to come home for a break, I will book you a flight right fucking now. But you have to tell me what you need.” His green eyes locked with mine through the phone.
What do I need?
“I need time,” I said, just above a whisper.
“Time? What the fuck does that even mean? Time for what? You’re already in a different state. You aren’t telling me shit about what’s going on. And you need time?”
I nodded. Because it was the truth. I wasn’t ready to tell him.
Because telling him meant everything could end right now.
And I couldn’t handle that.
“I love you,” I said, because he needed to hear it.
I needed to say it.
I loved him so much, and I was struggling to embrace what was happening in my life. Struggling to admit that I wanted something that he didn’t. Something that could tear us apart.
