Wrecked by Her (Like a Hurricane Duet Book 1) Read online

  I threw my phone across the truck. I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t even tell her I loved her one last time. No way. There’s no way she’s gone.

  I scrambled to find the phone I’d just thrown and pulled up her text, again. She sent it two hours ago. I dialed her number, but it went straight to voicemail. I tried her house, and her mother answered.

  “Hi, Miss Davis, is Jules around?” I tried to sound relaxed and calm, although I was anything but.

  “No, I’m sorry, sweetie. Her plane left at seven this morning. Didn’t she tell you?” Her voice was soft with sympathy.

  I shook my head as the tears started to fall, I couldn’t speak. She was really gone.

  “Oh Hunter, I’m so sorry. I told her she needed to call you. Leaving without a goodbye will be something she regrets. I’m sure she’ll get in touch with you soon. I’m here for you anytime you need me. Okay, sweetie?”

  I shook my head again, although she couldn’t see me, but the words weren’t coming.

  “Hunter, are you still there?”

  I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “Yes, Miss Davis. Thank you.” I hung up without saying goodbye and sat there in my truck, sobbing like a toddler.

  I couldn’t believe she was really gone.

  My Jules was gone.

  1

  Jules

  Eight Years Later

  You've got to be shitting me. Not again. I swear, I was going to lose all my hair before I was thirty because I was going to pull every damn strand from my head. I knew I was losing my ever-loving mind, but being a single mom to a two-year-old boy was hard as fuck. This kid had clogged the toilet more times than I could count. I was sure he did it just to get a rise out of me.

  There was water all over the place, every towel in the house was sopping wet, and Calum was sitting on the floor, splashing around like he was playing in the damn rain. And to make matters even worse, I couldn’t stay mad at him—he was freaking cute when he stared up at me with big, innocent eyes. Kids were evil geniuses. They did things to make us crazy mad, and then BAM, they smiled or laughed, and it’d wipe all the anger away.

  This wasn’t my first rodeo, so I used the shut-off valve to stop the toilet from overflowing. It was time to call the only man I’d had in my life for the last two years. If only Bill—also the only man on my favorites list in my phone—were a hot, sexy plumber, that would make my life a lot more interesting. But he was not. He was a sixty-year-old man who lived a few floors down from me who took pity on me after the third time I called him. Now, he just came by when he was home and didn’t charge me. In exchange, I baked for him. I couldn’t cook for shit, but when it came to sweets, I was your girl.

  I grabbed my phone, and it lit up with a call before I could even unlock it. The ID showed a Florida number I didn’t recognize. "Hello?" I answered hesitantly, a little nervous about who might be calling. I hadn’t spoken to anyone back home other than my mama and my best friend, Taylor, in a long time.

  "Hi there. Is this Miss Davis?" The woman on the other line spoke softly but with authority.

  This didn’t sound good. "This is she.”

  "Ah, Miss Davis, my name is Susan Banyan. I'm a nurse at Mercy Medical Center in McKinney. Your mother has been admitted to our facility. I'm afraid it looks like she's taken a turn for the worst. We still have a lot of testing to do, but things are critical."

  I was speechless. I didn’t have a clue what this woman was talking about.

  "Are you there, Miss Davis?"

  I snapped out of it. "Yeah, sorry. Are you talking about Stephanie Lynn Davis? I wasn't aware my mom was sick." I was confused; she must have been mistaken.

  The woman sighed and took a moment, and I heard her shuffling some papers.

  "Yes, Stephanie Lynn Davis. I'm very sorry. I assumed you knew as you were down as her emergency contact. Your mother has lupus. I'm not sure if you’re familiar with the disease, but she is quite ill. Lupus can be very serious, but with some lifestyle changes and medication, she was able to live a fairly normal life. However, your mother has missed several of her doctors' appointments as well as skipped her medications. Overall, she has not taken care of herself physically. I don’t have a lot of specifics to offer you right now, but her condition is not stable.” The nurse let out a breath, and my heart fell into my stomach. “I would recommend, if you are able, that you should come to the facility."

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Thank you, Miss Banyan, I’ll make arrangements to come out there as soon as possible. I should be able to get there within a few days but will need to do some things before I'm able to leave for an extended period."

  "I look forward to meeting you."

  "Thanks for calling."

  "You're welcome, Miss Davis. I’ll see you soon."

  I hung up without another word. I didn’t know what to feel right then. I couldn’t imagine Mama being sick and her not telling me. Our relationship hadn’t been the same since I moved to California, but I was still her daughter. She should have told me.

  The sound of Calum splashing in the water at my feet brought me back to the here and now. Right, I completely forgot about the inch of toilet water I was standing in and my toddler enjoying it.

  I quickly gave Bill a call, and he laughed when I told him what happened. He recommended the toilet lock again, and I repeated the same spiel for the tenth time that I would get one. Little did he know. I bought one, but I almost shit myself once because I couldn't get the damn thing to unlock in a race to use the restroom. I would not be having a repeat of that; thank you very much.

  I ran the bathwater for Calum and snatched him out of the makeshift tub he created on the floor. Holding him at arm’s length, I attempted to stay dry before setting him into the bubbles. I swear, the child should have been a fish. After a quick bath, I bundled him up in a towel and kissed his forehead. There was nothing better than breathing in his fresh baby scent.

  "Today has been a long-ass day, and Mama needs a glass of wine."

  "Ass, ass, ass." He giggled not having a clue what the word even meant.

  Crap. I really needed to stop swearing. My son was going to start kindergarten teaching all the kids how to tell off their teacher.

  "Ugh. Sorry, buddy, no more bad words, okay?"

  He kissed me and grinned, melting my heart.

  After settling my little man in bed, I kissed him goodnight and said, “I love you buddy, bigger than the sky” just as my mom always had to me.

  Bill came over shortly after and successfully removed the rubber duck out of the toilet but didn’t linger long.

  I had a quick shower, put on my comfy clothes, and poured a Big Gulp of wine. My wine glasses were too small to accommodate the amount I needed today. The wine started to kick in, and that's when my mind started to wander. At twenty-six, I was a single mom to a rambunctious, yet sweet little boy. I lived in beautiful California, in a gorgeous condo, and I had my dream job doing freelance graphic design. But at the end of the day, something was missing.

  Getting that phone call shifted something inside me. I hadn’t been home in eight years, and going back made me anxious but also a little excited. I saw my mama once, right after Calum was born when she came out to help me. And we spoke every Sunday, but it’s typically quick. Neither of us shared a ton of detail about our personal lives. I didn’t have any to share, and her side was always about McKinney. The latest gossip from back home didn’t appeal to me, especially when it almost always included Hunter. Mama never got the memo that we’d broken up.

  Hunter, the only boy I'd ever loved until Calum. Nothing had ever come close to what I felt for him, but that ship had sailed. I left him to come out to California for school and never looked back. Well, that's not entirely true. I had this horrible habit of stalking Hunter via social media, so I guess I was always looking back. He didn’t post much—mainly tags from other people—but he looked happy. There had been pictures with other women, although, oddly enough
, I could tell it wasn’t serious. Not to mention, Mama would be on top of that if he was in an actual relationship.

  If I was honest with myself, the only reason I hadn’t been back to McKinney was Hunter. Seeing him would be too hard. He’d wanted to come out to visit so many times, but I always made excuses. Now, I’d be home, and I wouldn’t be able to avoid him. We’d spoken sporadically over the years, a text conversation once a week, a phone call every month or so, but honestly, I dreaded those conversations. It felt so natural like no time had passed, and we were still best friends. The conversation flowed, but then we’d hang up, and it’d sink in. We weren't together anymore, and I was alone. I sunk into a depressed state for a few days afterward, and it wasn’t healthy.

  I ended my pity party for one and decided to get my ass in gear. If I wanted to be back in McKinney this weekend, I had a lot to do. The first order of business was the condo. With no idea how long I’d be gone, it only made sense to have someone come stay here.

  I called my friend Gina. She was such a sweetheart, but her life was a bit of a mess. No adult wants to have to live with their parents, especially while they’re going through a divorce. This would give her a little bit of a reprieve away from them, even if it was only for a week or two.

  2

  Hunter

  My tires squealed as I pulled into a parking spot at Mercy. I threw my truck into park and turned off the ignition. I could barely get the keys out because my hands were shaking so badly. Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to calm my nerves. Stephanie didn’t need to see me worked up; it wouldn’t help the situation.

  When I ran into Taylor tonight, she told me that Jules’s mom was here. As soon as I heard, I jumped into my truck and tore out of the parking lot of Tipsy Cattle to get to her.

  Since Jules left eight years ago, her mom and I have had met up for tea every Wednesday, and we hadn’t missed one since. We’d become really close over the years. She was like a mom to me. We both missed Jules like crazy, and we bonded over that. Now, I couldn’t imagine my world without her.

  Before climbing out of my truck, I took a few deep breaths. Walking in the entrance I knew I wasn’t supposed to. I was stopped instantly.

  “Sir, you’re not allowed to be in here. Can I help you?” The woman’s hands were on her hips, and her lips were pursed. She was an older woman—mid-sixties, maybe—glaring in my direction. Her demeanor instantly changed when she noticed my expression. “Oh dear, come here. Tell Jeannie all about it.”

  The woman took my hand when I reached her desk. I sighed as that simple touch almost pushed me over the edge. I’m a man dammit; I shouldn’t be on the verge of tears.

  “I’m sorry I came in this way. I haven’t been here in a long time, and I’m kind of out of sorts right now.” The words came out faster than I could think, and my voice was shaking as bad as my hands.

  “Calm down, honey. Who are you looking for?”

  “Stephanie Davis. She’s a friend and alone. Her daughter’s in California and I don’t know when she will make it.” Each deep breath I managed to pull in helped calm me enough to continue. “I just need to see her and make sure she’s all right.”

  She squeezed my hand, before letting go and turning to her computer. “Let me see what I can find out.” Her fingers flew on the keyboard while I waited. “Ah, there she is. She’s on four.” She looked up with sad eyes. “I’ll help you get into the main area, but you probably won’t be able to see her tonight. Visiting hours are between ten a.m. and eight p.m. If you can charm the nurses, they may make an exception for a handsome guy like you, but don’t hold your breath.” She winked, stood, and put her arm around me. “Come on.”

  We walked over to the door, and she scanned her badge to open it. Pointing down the hall, she explained how to get to the ward.

  I smiled down at her. “Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.”

  She reached up and pat my cheek. “You’re more than welcome, sweetie. You know where I’ll be if you need me. Good luck and have faith. Faith will guide you.”

  I nodded and turned the direction she indicated. The elevator doors opened to a large nursing station. It was eerily quiet up here. There were a few machines beeping, and some hushed voices could be heard in the distance, but that was it.

  There was a single nurse at the desk when I stepped up. She indicated with her finger that she was on the phone, so I nodded and grabbed mine to distract myself. I scrolled through Facebook—always Jules’s page, nothing else. She was literally the only reason I had it. There was never much there, but when she did post, it was always about her little boy. I couldn’t get over how much he looked like his mama.

  "Good evening. Is this Miss Davis?" the nurse asked the person on the other end, and my ears perked up.

  She continued, "Ah, Miss Davis, my name is Susan Banyan. I'm calling from Mercy Medical Center in McKinney. Your mother has been admitted to our facility. I'm afraid it looks like she's taken a turn for the worst. We still have a lot of testing to do, but things are critical."

  I’d had a feeling something was off with Stephanie lately, but she assured me she was fine. I should have pushed harder.

  I was hanging on every word, knowing this nurse was crushing Jules right now. I wish I was there to hold her. I should’ve been with her.

  The nurse started to move papers around and continued to speak, but I zoned out when I heard what I thought was confirmation that Jules was coming home. I couldn’t say I was happy that Stephanie was sick, but a silver lining for both her mom and me would be to see Jules again. Stephanie would be over the moon to see her daughter and grandson.

  "You're welcome, Miss Davis. I’ll see you soon." The nurse hung up the phone.

  “See her soon? She’s really coming?” Shit, I hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

  “I’m sorry. Who are you?” Clearly irritated, the nurse snapped at me.

  “I apologize. I’m a close family friend of Miss Davis; both of them actually. A nurse downstairs directed me here to check on Stephanie.”

  The nurse sighed. “Listen, it’s way past visiting hours. I can’t let you in to see her. You can come back tomorrow morning at ten.”

  “Can I just look in on her? I need to see for myself that she’s okay.” I couldn’t keep the anxiety from my voice, but I hoped it played on the lady’s heartstrings.

  “Fine, but not one peep out of you. Patients are sleeping, and I can’t have you disturbing anyone.” She came around the desk to escort me to her room. “Follow me.” The woman grabbed me by the arm before I cracked the door and put her finger to her lips.

  I made a zipping motion with my fingers and smirked before I peeked around the corner into the room. She looked so small and pale, lying there. A tear slipped down my cheek; I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t stand to see her so frail and helpless.

  I heard the nurse follow behind me as I walked away. Before I stepped into the elevator, I stopped and turned to her. “One more thing before I leave. How did Julianne sound? Her mom has kept the lupus from her daughter for years, and I can’t imagine how she’s feeling, finding out this way.”

  The nurse came back to my side and rested her hand on my shoulder like she could tell I needed to be grounded. “She seemed a little shocked. I wasn’t prepared for that. I assumed she knew her mother was ill.” Her eyes softened as did her smile, even though it was one of pity. “She indicated that she needed a couple days to make arrangements to be here for an extended period. I assume that means she’ll be here in the next couple of days.”

  “Thank you. Will I see you tomorrow morning?”

  “No, I work nights, but I hope to see you another time. Try to get a good night’s sleep, and come in here tomorrow with a smile on that handsome face.” With a reassuring squeeze and a motherly pat to my shoulder, she smiled.

  “Thank you. Have a good night.”

  I left out the front doors and made the drive home. Pulling into my driveway, the exhaustion hit me like a ton o
f bricks. I couldn’t take my mind off Jules. I should’ve been there for her. But my mind wouldn’t let me forget that she took off and hadn’t come back. Until now. This was true. Regardless of how my head played into my life, my heart refused to let her go. She’d always owned it and always would. Call her. My heart was a glutton for punishment.

  I gave in and grabbed my phone from my back pocket. Pulling up her name on the screen, I hesitated. It was late, but she was three hours behind us on the West Coast. “Fuck it.” I touched her name and waited for it to connect. My stomach dropped when I heard her voicemail.

  “You’ve reached Jules; you know what to do.” I waivered for a moment but decided to hang up.

  “Ugh,” I grunted in frustration. It’d been a shitty day, and hearing her voice made me miss her that much more. The only way to make this end was to go to bed. Climbing the stairs felt like a workout. My body and mind were wiped out.

  3

  Hunter

  I woke to drool on the side of my face.

  Grabbing my phone, I noticed it was just after eight. I

  needed to get my ass in gear. I hopped up and jogged down the stairs where I grabbed a protein bar and sat at the island to pour some coffee. Thank God for automatic drips with timers. I didn’t have the wherewithal to function in the morning before caffeine.

  “Shit.” I realized I hadn’t gotten in touch with Mike to make sure he covered for me today.

  Mike was my grandfather’s right-hand man until he retired, and now he was mine. He knew the company inside and out, so I knew I could trust him to run things the way I would. After getting off the phone with Mike, I ran upstairs to get ready and didn’t take my time. I had several errands to run on my way to the hospital, and I didn’t want to be late to see Stephanie.