But what if something happens?
Just as the thought passes through my mind, I hear a loud screeching noise causing my eyes to fly open. I rush toward the fencing and watch as the car Tyler is driving slides across the track, and as soon as it hits the grass it flips. I count each flip in my head as my heart lodges in my throat. Once, twice, three times before I finally stop counting and head back toward the entrance.
I hear screaming from everyone around me, but my only thought is getting to Tyler and making sure he’s okay. Just before I make it onto the track, a pair of arms around my waist stopping me from moving any further.
“Let me go!” I shout as I claw at the arms holding me tighter, unable to focus on anything but making sure Tyler is okay.
“You need to stay here. Crashes always look worse than they really are.” Colton’s deep timbre filters through my mind as the fight leaves my body. We both crumble to the floor as I turn to bury my face into his chest.
“I just got him back, I won’t lose him again.” I repeat over and over, like a mantra.
“You won’t lose him,” Colton responds, wrapping his arms tighter around me as I continue to sob into his chest.
It could have been minutes or hours, I have no idea, but suddenly I hear someone shout that Tyler is out of the car. Without hesitating I rip myself out of Colton’s arms and run directly to where I see Tyler.
He’s strapped to a gurney, his neck in a splint and his leg in a makeshift splint. He is covered in blood but seems to be speaking to someone about a broken axle and over correction.
“Who gives a shit about the damn car! You could have died, Tyler. You can’t leave me, not again. We wouldn’t be able to survive losing you,” I whisper as I cage his head between my hands, noticing his eyes are clouded slightly.
“Miss, we need to get moving. He hit his head badly and we want to be sure he doesn’t have a concussion.”
I nod my head at the paramedic while I tell Tyler my biggest secret. “Colt needs his daddy, Tyler. Do you hear me?” Tyler’s eyes widen in shock before his eyes slide closed and I’m pulled back from the gurney.
Tears continue streaming down my face as I watch them lift him into the ambulance, taking him away from me once again. The sound of Colt’s voice screaming in pain shocks me into action.
First, I need to take care of my little boy, then I can fall apart. One thing is for certain now that Tyler Davenport is back in our lives, it will take a lot more than a car crash to take him from me.
Chapter Twenty-One
Tyler
Beep
Beep
Beep
I pry my eyes open and look around the room. The constant beeping fills my ears as memories of what happened fill my mind. I was putting the backup engine through its paces just as I heard a loud noise before the car started pulling to the right, toward the inner green. I over corrected and sent the car into a spin. Once I hit the grass, I lost complete control, and the car began to tumble.
I try to turn my head to the left, but a blinding pain shoots through my head. I definitely have a concussion. I lift my arm and notice a needle and a few tubes hanging from the top of my hand. Another car accident landed me in the hospital. At least this time I didn’t almost kill another person.
“Looks like someone is awake,” a soft voice comes from my right.
“What’s the damage?” I hear a few pages turn before the person answers.
“You have a severe concussion and a transverse fracture of your tibia that required surgery to repair.”
“When can I blow this popsicle stand then?” Hospitals still hold nothing but bad memories, but at least this time I’m not wanting to claw my eyes out from the pain. “I have a date with my girl.”
“Your girl is right here and has no plans of going anywhere until you are released.” Ignoring the pain, I turn and see Lucy’s smiling face as she leans against the hospital room door, her phone in her hand. She takes a few steps closer before turning the phone screen in my direction.
“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” Colt screams as he buries his face into someone’s chest.
“Hey, little man. I’m alright, your momma is taking good care of me. Just mind your manners and I’ll be back to playing with you in no time.”
There is some shuffling on the screen before Colton’s face fills the screen. “Glad to hear your voice, buddy.”
“Glad to be heard,” I groan as I try to turn my head slightly. “I’ll be out of here in no time. It was the damn axle linkage. Have the boys…”
Colton cuts me off, “Just focus on getting better. I pay people to diagnose problems. Tell Lucy we said bye, and she doesn’t have to worry about Colt. We have it covered.”
“Will do,” I respond before the screen goes black, signaling the end of the video call. Lucy pockets her phone before taking a seat in a chair off to the side of my bed.
“I’m all finished here. Just hit the call button if you need anything.” The nurse gives Lucy a smile before heading out of the room. We sit there in silence for a few moments, neither one of us knowing what to say.
Wanting desperately to break the silence, I say the first thing that comes to my mind. “I could get used to Colt calling me daddy on a regular basis.”
“You should,” Lucy whispers before leaning forward and grasping my hand in hers.
“What do you…”
