Crazy For You by Alexander, S.B. (best ebook reader ubuntu .TXT) 📕

hadn’t eaten anything that day. I kept rocking back and forth, tamping down the nausea that was ready to rush out when the whir of an engine tickled my eardrums.

The sound grew louder as the nausea increased. Any second, I was about to puke. Then the engine died, and someone called my name.

For a beat, the nausea settled. What is Colton doing here? He must’ve followed me.

He called my name more loudly. “Skyler!” Concern—like, a ton of it—dripped in his tone.

My mind scrambled to process why he would be so upset or worried. Surely, the word “love” hadn’t made him agitated enough to hunt me down… unless he wanted to tell me he felt the same way. If that were the case, I would expect a different emotion. Maybe happiness.

I blew out a breath as I wobbled upright, dizziness washing over me. Maybe it was Colton’s presence. He stood inches from me, looking like something that authors described in romance novels. A Greek god. Lips that tempted women into sin. Muscles that bulged with strength and purpose, and eyes that rendered me tongue-tied. He drilled his smooth gaze into me as though he wanted to taste me, tempt me, and devour me.

He caught me before I had a chance to fall. My knight in shining armor. He was always saving me.

He searched my face. “You look pale.”

I was sure I was, given how sick my stomach felt and not the fact I was swooning over a guy I was hopelessly in love with.

I gripped his belt in an attempt to keep myself from passing out. The combo of his presence and my sour stomach were becoming too much for me to stay on my feet. “I’m feeling a little sick. I haven’t eaten today.” I craned my neck upward. That small act clouded my vision. “What are you doing here? You followed me?”

One of his shoulders lifted. “I kind of did, then lost you until I spotted you turning on Taylor Road. I’ve got protein bars in the truck. Come on. We need to get moving. My mom called when I was trying to catch up to you. It’s your dad.”

If I was pale before, I turned white as a ghost, afraid to ask the tough question, afraid that if he said my dad was dead, I would bury myself in that cemetery right then with Mom.

“We need to get to the hospital.”

No. No. No. My entire body trembled like a ten on the Richter scale. “Please tell me he’s okay.” I clutched my chest. A stabbing pain so severe was cutting off my circulation and my ability to breathe.

His tender touch on my cheek said it all as he gave a pitiful look. “I don’t know, baby doll. Can you walk okay?”

I didn’t know if it was “baby doll” or “walk,” but a sudden adrenaline boost kicked my legs into gear. Within a second, I was running like a wild horse through the cemetery.

Colton’s heavy footsteps pounded behind me. He threw my board into the back of his truck, the sound exploding like a flash bang. After we were strapped in, he peeled out and sped through town as if rushing to a crime scene.

Please, please, let Dad be alive. I repeated that mantra over and over as buildings, store fronts, and homes blipped in my peripheral vision.

He handed me a protein bar, but I refused. Any ounce of food would come back up. I bounced my knee to keep me from jumping out and running faster than Colton was driving. Red lights stopped us at every corner, and slow cars in front of us were making me want to yell at them to get out of the way.

Finally, after what seemed like eons, Colton screeched to a halt outside the emergency room entrance. I darted out and into the hospital like a crazy woman on steroids.

I sprinted up to the information desk manned by a gray-haired woman. “Randall Lawson. I’m his daughter.”

Colton came up behind me, grabbing my hand. “He was brought in about an hour ago.” Colton’s placid tone did nothing to soothe the nerves that were making me chew one nail after the other.

The woman typed as she concentrated on her computer screen. Time stood still. My heart was ready to stop at a moment’s notice. I’d known this day would come. I was hoping it wouldn’t be so soon, though.

“Yes,” the gray-haired lady said, shattering the cloud hanging over me. “You’ll have to wait for a nurse to escort you.”

I dashed over to the double doors and pulled on the handle, only to find them locked. I banged on the door, tears spilling faster than I could wipe them. Dad couldn’t die yet. I had to say goodbye. I had to look into his eyes and tell him I loved him and not to worry about me. I had to tell him I was in love with Colton, and I needed to thank Dad for being the best father on the planet.

A waterfall of tears poured out like a hard rain.

Colton wrapped his arms around me from behind, and he nuzzled my neck. “I’m here for you. Lean on me.”

I wanted to ask him what about leaving town, but I was selfish and wanted him to stay. No, I needed him to stay. I needed him like I’d never needed anyone before. I was afraid that if he let go, I would disintegrate.

I spun around and buried my face in his chest. “He can’t die, Colton. He just can’t.”

He smoothed a hand over my hair. “What’s Nan’s number? I’ll call her. She can come out to get you.”

“I don’t know. It’s programmed in my phone.” Which I didn’t have. I silently kicked myself. I could’ve been there before now.

Colton managed to return to the gray-haired woman without letting go of me. “Can you page Nan…” He glanced down at me. “Last name?”

“Winston,” I said. “Nan Winston.”

While the woman paged Nan, Colton guided me to a