“You know what I mean. Is there any guy in the picture?”
She stopped and turned to face me. “Kevin, listen. I know you two have a history and are trying to be friends, but I’m not going to discuss her personal life with you. She’ll tell you if there’s anything to say.”
“You and I both know she won’t.”
“And why’s that?”
“I know she tells you everything, so you should already know why she wouldn’t fill me in.”
“Exactly. That’s because she doesn’t want you to know. It’s that simple, Kevin. Licia’s life, her rules. Neither of us has a say in it.”
“So is that a yes or a no?”
“To what?”
“If she’s seeing someone new or not.”
“You don’t give up, do you?”
“Busted...” I smiled. “I don’t. Glad you noticed.”
“I honestly think it was better when we had just a professional relationship. This forced camaraderie is going to be exhausting.”
“Sorry, but my friend’s best friend automatically becomes my friend too, so deal with it.” I cackled.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest, like a tightening knot, but I ignored it as we continued the inspection. I wasn’t going to chicken out.
I had successfully endured the excruciating pain in my leg since morning without making a fuss. So, this would subside as well—or so I thought.
The pain struck again, this time feeling like someone was driving a screw through my heart. I stopped, clutching my chest as I winced in pain.It was inexplicable.
Joey’s eyes widened in shock. “Kevin… what’s wrong?” she asked, hurrying closer.
“Get me... to the... hospital... fast,” I gasped, struggling to breathe.
Joey ran out, calling for Jackson. I could tell she was terrified, and so was I. My life was slipping away before my eyes. I didn’t want to leave Licia again without a goodbye.
Jackson sped to the hospital, ignoring the speed limits. It would take the EMS longer to get to us, and I didn’t have that kind of time—I might be dead before they arrived.
Joey was frantically making phone calls. I wasn’t sure who she was calling, but I knew she must have contacted my dad.
I was slowly losing consciousness as they wheeled me into the emergency unit. The doctors rushed around, shouting ordersand instructions. Everything was fuzzy in my head, but I could still hear their voices, distant and echoing.
The last thing I remembered before everything went black was one of the doctors yelling at someone, “Get me a chest CT and page Cardio—he’ll likely need surgery. For now, keep his vitals stable.”
Chapter Fifteen
Licia
Avery lived on a private property near Frenchman’s Creek. The directions he provided were precise, making the journey easy.
As I neared the estate, the atmosphere began to change. The intense midday sun filtered through a dense canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows across the winding road.
The air here was different—crisper, cleaner, as if untouched by the pollution of the city. The silence was almost surreal, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves or the distant call of a bird.
It reminded me of the serenity I used to find at Gramps' place, where time seemed to slow down, allowing you to breathe and take in the world around you.
Avery greeted me at the entrance with a warm smile, his presence somehow amplifying the peacefulness of the surroundings. “Licia! Welcome to my home.”
