Chapter 26
Rock
The following day, Andi, Ryder, and Doc Winters came to visit Chandler at Mischer Neuroscience Institute at Memorial Hermann. We air-kissed, because Andi decided she’s gonna be a big Nashville star someday, and that’s what they do. I left my backpack on my chair and exchanged hugs with Ryder and Doc Winters.
“Look who’s here, Maisy.” I waited while everyone greeted her.
“Sweet girl.” Andi wore all black from head to toe. Some kind of skirt and cat tights that emphasized an awesome pair of legs. “How’re you holding up, Rocky?”
Andi’s a little slip of a girl but she can hug like a Kodiak bear. I didn’t know if she knew my part in what happened to her dad yet, but guilt made it hard for me to meet her eyes.
Andi always smells like coconuts. The soft, familiar scent enveloped us both.
She is beautiful, talented, fearless.
She was calm, while I was a mess.
I sat back down, and the three of them pulled up chairs. All around us, clusters of people talked quietly or read outdated magazines or stared unhappily at their phones.
“Real sorry about your dad,” I searched her face for some kind of anger, but she didn’t seem to blame me. I apologized again anyway. “I never meant for any of this to happen.”
“Oh, honey.” She gripped my shoulders. “Elena told me everything. If anyone is to blame for this, it’s us. He’s been pissed off at Ryder and me far longer.”
She didn’t know, though. I’d pushed her dad. I’d defied him. He’d had to come looking for me.when he told me specifically not to go out. “But if I’d minded—”
“He was always going to stroke out over something. You know how he is. This is probably only a warning and it’s good he’s had it.”
Her words made me wonder if her dad’s situation was really sinking in.
“He scared me really bad,” I said doubtfully. “You should prepare yourself for—”
“How are you holding up?” I thought it odd she was focusing on me when her father was in the ER, but I didn’t argue about it.
“Everything’s just really fucked-up.” I told her about Sky, and then a sudden, vivid mental picture of her dad bursting in on us came out of nowhere. “I knew he’d be angry. But–”
“Have they talked about his prognosis?” Declan was justifiably interested in Sterling’s medical care.
“Other than wait and see? No.”
“I’ll go see if there’s anything I can learn,” Everyone watched Declan as he walked away. He wore jeans and a navy V-neck sweater over a white T-shirt. By all rights, it should have made him look like somebody’s dad, but no.
Hottest. Human. Ever. If you liked his type.
My type, apparently, is moreFight Clubthan country club.
For the thousandth time, I wished Skyler had a cell phone. Of course, if Chandler made good on his threat and they put Sky back in prison...
“Where’s Elena?” Ryder asked.
“She and Foz went to see about getting rooms at a local hotel. They should be back in half an hour or so. You’re staying, right?”
Andi picked up both my hands in hers. “I can’t stay.”
“Are you kidding?” I asked. “God knows your dad has been hard on you lately but—”
“It’s not—” She squeezed her eyes shut, opening them again only after she got herself under better control. “I have to be in Austin by late afternoon. The band’s got a gig at Duncan’s Place.”
She was leaving? “Tonight? Can’t you cancel?”
