Page 47 of A Burning Rage

Tears burn a path down my cheeks as I press a light kiss to his lips.

“All right,” I say to my mom, whose own eyes are glittering with tears. I straighten and take a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

After hugging Cooper goodbye, I follow Mom out of the room, and we head to the waiting room, where our friends and family congregate.

I don’t think I’ve ever been hugged so many times, patted on the back, had so many words of sympathy and comfort whispered in my ear. This is our family, our big, often boisterous, and always loving family. Shane’s father is here. My brother and his husband are here. All of Shane’s siblings are here, even Hannah who just arrived from Colorado. Looming close behind her is Killian Devereaux, her tall Cajun husband.

Hannah steps forward to hug me. “He’s going to be fine,” she whispers fiercely in my ear.

Someone with a familiar face steps out from behind Hannah’s tall husband, Killian, and gives me a sad, bittersweet smile.

“Gabrielle!” I cry, glad to see my friend and former housemate. She hasn’t changed a bit—tall and slender, with a long braid of red hair and a sweetly round, freckled face.

Gabrielle relocated from Chicago to Bryce, Colorado, a couple of years ago to manage the restaurant at Hannah and Killian’s wilderness lodge. There, she met the love of her life, John Burke, the stoic cowboy with the scarred face who stands at her side.

My heart aches at the unexpected appearance of my dear friend. I was living in my brother’s Hyde Park townhouse with Gabrielle when I first met Shane. She was with me from the very beginning of my relationship with him. She witnessed all of our early ups and downs, as well as our first and only breakup. In the beginning, she openly distrusted him and his motives, but over time, she realized what Shane and I had was genuine.

“Oh, Beth.” Gabrielle wraps her arms around me. “I’m so sorry.”

I swallow against the lump in my throat, not wanting to cry here in front of so many people. I need to put on a strong face, for Shane and for his family. “I’m so glad you’re here. Thanks for coming.”

Gabrielle gives me a squeeze. “We came as soon as we could get a flight out. How is he?”

“He’s—” The words die in my throat. I was going to say he’s alive, but that sounds so incredibly inadequate.

She pats my back. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”

I glance around at all of the people in the waiting room who are here for Shane.

“Thank you all for being here,” I say, my voice breaking. “Your support means the world to me.”

Joe Rucker comes up to me, his expression somber. “Ingrid tells me you’d like to go home for a bit. I’d be happy to drive you. I brought your mother here.”

I squeeze his big hand. “Thank you, Joe. That would be great.”

* * *

The minute I walk into my house, Luke rushes me.

“Mama!” He throws himself against my legs and wraps his arms around my knees. “Where have you been?”

I pick him up and carry him into the kitchen, where I sit him on the island. He’s got tears in his eyes.

He reaches out to grasp my arms. “Mama, I missed you!”

“I missed you, too, sweetie.” I lean forward to kiss his forehead.

“Where have you been?” He glances toward the foyer. “Where’s Daddy?”

I’m not sure where to begin because I don’t know how much, if anything, Luke knows at this point.

Annie comes up beside me, holding Ava, who’s on the verge of tears. When Ava reaches for me, I take her from Annie and settle her on my hip.

Annie whispers to me. “He knows Daddy is in the hospital because he got hurt.”

I nod to Annie. “Thanks.” When I meet Luke’s gaze, my heart breaks all over again. He adores Shane. I can’t imagine how shattered Luke would be if Shane doesn’t come home.

Ava is clinging to me and crying now.