“Frisco!” Georgia yelled, holding out her hand toward me.

Moving quickly, I headed toward her and clasped her hand in mine. “I’m here.” My heart squeezed at the clear agony etched on her face.

She squeezed my hand. “Don’t leave me.”

“I’ll be right behind the ambulance. I’m not going anywhere.”

“We’re taking her to Florida Hospital in Wesley Chapel if you’re following us,” the paramedic told me before they started to carry the gurney over the uneven terrain.

I clutched her hand, following them as they moved, and didn’t let go. “I’ll be right on your tail.”

“Promise me,” Georgia said when my fingers began to slip from hers.

I lurched forward, grasping her hand in mine. “I promise, Georgia. I’ll be with you for the entire thing.”

Chapter 13

Meet the Parents

After I had been kicked out of the ER, I paced a new path in the waiting room. Wiping my sweaty hands on my shirt, I tried to calm my shit. She’d be okay. She had to be.

Just when I was about to do my hundredth pass by the reception desk, a man and a woman ran into the ER in tears. They looked exactly how I felt inside.

“We’re looking for our daughter,” the man said, slightly out of breath and leaning against the desk.

The nurse glanced up, giving the man a sweet smile. “What’s her name?”

“Georgia Phillips.” He pulled the woman into his side, holding her close.

I closed my eyes, swallowing hard, and cautiously approached them. These were Georgia’s parents. The very ones she wanted me to meet. The ones we argued over that led her to drive herself. The ones who made me act like a dumbass. The ones who led me to piss her off and made the entire night go the way it had.

“The doctors are evaluating her, sir. You’ll need to take a seat, and I’ll have someone come talk to you as soon as possible.”

He slammed his hand down on the desk. “I want to see her now.”

“Sir,” the nurse said in a snotty voice as her sweet smile faded, “someone will be with you in a few minutes.”

The woman stroked his back and glanced up at him. “Come on, honey. Let’s go wait for the doctor. We don’t want anyone to get angry.”

“I don’t give a shit about angry. I want to know how my baby is doing.”

Taking another step closer, I took a deep breath and prayed this would turn out okay. If he hit me, I would totally understand and know that I deserved it.

“Mr. and Mrs. Phillips,” I said with a shaky voice.

They both turned, their eyes raking over me. “Yes,” the man said through gritted teeth.

I tucked my hands into my pockets, glancing down at the floor. “I’m Georgia’s friend. I was with her when the accident happened.”

“How is she?” her mother asked as she took a step forward.

I dragged my eyes to hers, swallowing down the lump that had been lodged in my throat since the accident. “She was awake when they kicked me out of the ER. She has a broken leg, but they’re assessing her for other injuries.”

She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, God. My poor baby.”

“What the hell happened?” her father snapped as he held his wife by the shoulders and stroked her skin with his thumbs.

“I need to sit down,” she said tearily.

“Come on, love.” He helped her to an empty waiting room chair.

I sat next to her, feeling she was safer than sitting next to Georgia’s father. “We were driving to meet some friends to have a drink.”

“On a school night?”

That statement made me feel like a pedophile.

“Yes.” I gritted my teeth. “I had been following her car. I saw the oncoming car in the distance. Noticed it was swerving and driving erratically. I tried to get her attention. I tried to get her to pull over, but nothing I did worked.” I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to ease the perpetual tension that had settled there.

“Dear God,” her mother whispered, a tear trickling down her face, following the path of her already dried tears.

“The car swiped the side of hers, causing her to lose control and sending her car off the side of the road into a field. I got her out as quickly as possible and called 911.”

Her father’s eyes sliced right through me. “You shouldn’t move someone after an accident.”

I nodded and rubbed my hands against my jeans mindlessly. “I know, sir, but the car had caught on fire and I had no other choice but to get her out.”

“Georgia Phillips’ family,” a woman called out from across the room.

We turned in unison, standing quickly from our chairs. “Yes,” her father said. “We are.” He motioned to his wife as I stood behind them.

“The doctor said you can come back now and see her.”

Mrs. Phillips peered up at her husband, wrapping her arm tightly around his middle. “That’s good, right?”

“I hope so, love. I hope so.”

The woman looked around Mrs. Phillips and stared at me. “Family only, please.”

I took a step forward, needing to see her too. “But I—”

“He’s family,” Mrs. Phillips told the nurse before glancing over her shoulder at me. “He’s coming also.”

I sighed, thankful that she’d stuck up for me.

Honestly, I was going back there no matter what.

No one would stop me.

“Fine.” The nurse quickly turned on her heel and swiped her keycard before opening the door.

I leaned forward and whispered in Mrs. Phillips’ ear, “Thank you.”

She nodded as she and Mr. Phillips started to follow the nurse through the door, with me quick on their heels. The farther we walked, the bigger the knot in my stomach became.

“Next curtain on the right,” the nurse said before leaving us.

The doctor stood outside staring at a chart as we approached. He flipped it closed as Mrs. Phillips came to a stop in front of him.

“Doctor,” she said, digging her fingers into the back of her husband’s shirt. “I’m Georgia’s mother. How is she?” I couldn’t see her face, but her voice was laced with worry.

The doctor tucked the chart into the crook of his arm. “Ah, Mrs. Phillips. She’s fine. A little banged up and has a broken leg. She’ll be sore for a couple of days, but she’s really lucky she doesn’t have more injuries.”

Mrs. Phillips turned into her husband’s chest, clutching him as if her life depended on it, and she began to cry.

“Thank you, Doctor. When can we take her home?” Mr. Phillips gripped his wife tightly.

“We need to set her leg and do a few more tests, but I’d say she can leave in a few hours.”

Mrs. Phillips lifted her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. “May we see her?”

He nodded and moved the curtain to the side. “She’s waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” Mrs. Phillips said before leaving Mr. Phillips’ side as the doctor walked away.

Mr. Phillips turned to face me with a cold stare. “You and I are going to talk.”

My eyes widened and the lump in my throat returned to join the knot in my stomach. “Yes, sir.” I tried to keep my voice strong and steady.

“We’re going to go in and check on her, and then I’ll meet you out here.”

“Okay,” I whispered as he turned his back and followed his wife into the room.

I stood in the hallway alone, looking around and rubbing my face. What a total clusterfuck. This wasn’t how I wanted to meet her parents. Her dad probably wanted to string me up by the balls, and I wouldn’t blame him.

This entire thing was my fault.

No matter what Georgia said, in the end, I was the one to blame.