Page 151 of River Wild

“Hey, Red.” I smile.

“You okay?” she asks, sitting down beside me.

“Yeah.” I nod. “Just talking to Mama.”

“Happy birthday, Mary,” Carrie says.

I reach out and take hold of her hand, squeezing it.

“Sorry I’m a little late,” she says to me. “Old Mrs. Parker caught me on my way out of the diner. She was asking how Hope’s doing. Wanted to see recent pictures of her. It took a while.”

I chuckle at the thought.

But I can’t blame Mrs. Parker. Because Hope is awesome.

I think she’s stolen the heart of nearly everyone in this town.

Of course, there are a few who will always keep their distance because of me.

But the majority love her.

It’s hard not to love her. She’s sweet and adorable.

I love her and her mom in a way I never thought possible.

They are both my whole world.

And, because of the sacrifice my mama made for me, I get to be here with them now, being Hope’s daddy and living the amazing, wonderful life that we have together.

“Mada!” Hope cries happily when she spots her mom. She comes waddling over to Carrie, who pulls her into her arms and kisses her head.

“Hey, baby girl. Mama missed you!”

I chuckle at the highlighting of the word mama. Carrie is still pissed that Dada was Hope’s first word. And, of course, I wind Carrie up over the fact that Hope calls her Mada.

Some things never change with Red and me. And I pray to God, they never do.

After coming so close to losing her that day when that sick fuck of her ex shot her … seeing her die right there in my arms … it was the single worst moment in my entire life.

It felt like my life was over.

Watching the paramedics fight to revive her right in front of me …

Even now, just thinking about it almost breaks me.

But my girl is a fighter. And, when they got her heart beating again, putting a tube in her chest, draining the blood flooding her lungs, I got down on my knees and thanked God.

But the nightmare wasn’t over.

Carrie was put on a stretcher and transported to the hospital.

I followed in the car with Hope. Calling Sadie on my way. She met me at the hospital along with Guy.

The police were at the hospital, wanting a statement, but all I could think of was Carrie.

She was taken to the operating room.

She flatlined on the table.