His mom finally finishes her call and comes over to say goodbye as well.
Rhett hugs her. “Thanks, Mom.”
“We’re going to follow the bus back to your hotel. There’s something I want to talk to you about,” she says.
“We can talk now,” Rhett says. “It’ll take the guys a few minutes to load.”
“It’s fine. We’ll just follow you.”
Rhett’s features contort into confusion. “You’re being weird. What is it?”
“That was Cory on the phone.”
“Okay?”
“Who’s Cory?” I ask when no one speaks.
“Carrie’s mom,” Rhett says. “It’s cool, Mom. Sienna knows about Carrie.”
His mom nods and gives me a small smile. Her eyes look a little teary and I’m so confused.
“What is it? She didn’t drive down here, did she?” He looks around. “She can’t seem to understand that it’s really over.”
“No, she’s not here.”
Rhett motions with his hand impatiently.
“She tried to come.” His mom’s voice breaks. “She left her dorm last night so she could be here today.”
“Okay. Well, where is she?”
“She was in an accident near St. Joseph.”
“Is she okay?”
His mom shakes her head slowly side to side and she starts to cry. My skin goes clammy and my heart rate accelerates.
“No, baby. She fell asleep and drove across a median. They took her to the hospital, but it was too late.” She places a shaky hand to her mouth.
Rhett’s dad puts a hand at his wife’s back and stares at the ground.
Blood pounds in my ears and I’m warm all over.
“What?” Rhett asks like he’s not sure he heard her right. His grip around my waist tightens.
“She didn’t make it, baby. I’m so sorry.”
My breathing gets shallow and my knees buckle.
“Shit, Sienna. Are you okay?” He turns his attention to me. There’s no look of sadness on his face, but his eyes are hard and his jaw is set. “You’re white as a sheet. Sit down. I’ll be right back.”
He helps me sit on the high curb and he takes off.
“I’m so sorry,” I say to his parents, and then I close my eyes and focus on my breathing.
27
Rhett
“I’m fine, really,” Sienna says, trying to stand.
“Let’s give it a few more minutes.” Jeff places a hand up to stop her and sits with her on the curb.
“There’s no reason for everyone to wait. The bus should at least go back.” She ducks her head. I’m standing in front of her, shielding her from anyone who might look, but I don’t really think anyone is paying attention.
“My parents and I can give her a ride,” I say to Jeff. I’m thankful our trainer was here. He came just to watch as a spectator, but I grabbed him the second Sienna went limp in my arms.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital, just as a precaution?” he asks her for the third or fourth time in the past thirty minutes.
“I’m sure. They’ll only tell me what I already know. I need to rest.”
“Okay.” He stands and looks to me. “Text or call me if she needs anything.”
“Thanks, man.”
He pauses and lifts a hand to squeeze my shoulder. “And I’m sorry for your loss.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod. Focusing on Sienna, I push out everything else. I can’t go there right now. I’m on a teeter-totter with a nine-hundred-pound man. One second, I’m flying high, winning a national championship with my team and the woman I’m stupid in love with by my side, and the next I’m hitting the ground hard. Carrie’s dead? Nah, it doesn’t make any sense.
Dakota, Reagan, and Ginny move forward when Jeff leaves, hovering over Sienna like three mother hens.
“Give her some room,” I instruct. Instructions that fall on deaf ears.
“I’m okay,” Sienna says. Stubborn woman.
Adam appears at my side. “Hey, I just heard the news. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Listen, I’m going to stay with Sienna tonight. I already ran it by coach, and he said it was cool. Room’s all yours.”
He stares blankly.
“Dude,” Mav says, joining us. We’re a freaking circus act. He hugs me tightly, squeezing the air out of my lungs. “I am so sorry for your loss. What can I do?”
His tone is soft and sympathetic and I cannot handle it right now. I’ve gotta get the hell out of here. “I’m good.”
“What’s going on?” Reagan asks. The girls don’t know yet, and I don’t want to be around when more people find out.
I remove myself from Mav’s hold and look to Sienna. “Angel, you ready? My parents will give us a ride. I’m going to stay with you tonight.”
“Oh.” She glances at the girls. “It’s okay. Go be with your family.”
“No chance.”
She glances to Kota “I’m sharing a bed with Dakota.”
“It’s cool.” She waves her off. “You two can have the bed and the room. These two won’t be sleeping in our room, anyway.” She points to Reagan and Ginny. “And I can find somewhere to crash.”
“That’s settled then.” I scoop her up in my arms.
“I can walk, Rhett.”
“I know, angel.”
But having her in my arms makes me want to punch something a whole lot less.
“I’m sorry.” Sienna sits on the bed, her back resting against the wall.
“It’s fine. I don’t really feel like celebrating.” I toss my hat and run my fingers through my hair.
“I meant about Carrie. Are you okay?”
I ignore her question because I don’t know the answer right now. I open the mini fridge. “Do you need anything? Water? Food?”
“Just for you to sit down. I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.”
With a sigh, I go and sit beside her on the bed. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I know.” Her hands cup my face. “I’m so sorry.”
“It doesn’t feel real.”
She smiles sadly. “If you want to be with your family or by yourself, I’ll understand.”
I kick off my shoes and drag my legs up so I’m beside her on the bed. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”
I thought I’d have trouble sleeping, but I drift off while Sienna runs her fingers through my hair, letting me stew in silence, and I don’t wake up until the sun shines through a crack in the curtains.
I ease out of bed carefully so I don’t wake her and pull the curtains together, shrouding the room in darkness.
Dakota lets herself in as I’m pulling on my jeans.
“Sorry,” she whispers. “I thought you two would be up.”
“She should sleep as long as she can. What time are you guys leaving?”