Page 29 of Forever my Love

Hailey glanced around, needing an excuse for time to think. “I asked for a double shift. I won’t get off work until late,” she lied.

“Tomorrow?” Harper asked.

Hailey nodded. “If I can swing it. I’ll text you.” She glanced at her watch. “I’d better get back to work.”

A few hours later, almost an hour after she was scheduled to be off shift, Reece walked into Baked.

“Hey,” she greeted him as he approached the counter.

“Hey.” He frowned at her. “I thought you were getting off a while ago?”

“I was, I…” She shrugged. “Just wanted to help out a little longer.”

He nodded. “Want to order us a pie to go?”

“Sure,” she said, punching in her favorite pizza. “Hawaiian okay?” she asked as she handed him a cup for a soda.

“Sure.” He disappeared to grab himself a drink.

She heard her cell phone ringing in her purse under the counter and answered Nick’s call.

“Where are you?” Nick asked her.

“Work,” Hailey answered quickly, fear spiking in her at Nick’s tone. “Why?”

“Stay put. I’m going to have Reece head your way,” Nick said.

“He’s already here.” She glanced as Reece returned. “What’s happened?” Hailey asked Nick, a little scared.

“Someone attacked Harper on the beach. She’s okay, but they tried to drown her. She’s warming up before the doctor gets here to look her over,” Nick said quickly.

Her vision blurred for a heartbeat.

“We’re heading over there,” Hailey said before hanging up.

“What?” Reece asked.

“Someone tried to drown Harper.” She felt her hands shake as she grabbed her purse.

“Here, I heard the whole thing,” Corey said, handing Reece a pizza box. “Not sure what’s inside but take it and go. Keep us posted on your sister,” he told Hailey.

“Thanks,” Reece said, grabbing Hailey’s arm and helping her out of the building.

She was so dumbfounded that she allowed him to load her into his truck and set the warm pizza box on her lap.

Nick’s place was only a couple blocks from the pizzeria.

Still, Reece’s tires squealed as he came to a stop behind Nick’s Jeep.

She was still in a daze as they stepped inside the home her sister was living in now.

Tom met them at the door and the words “she’s upstairs” registered enough that she headed towards the staircase across the room.

Nick met her at the bottom of the stairs. “Last door on the right,” he told her. “She just got out of the shower and is dressed,” he said as she rushed passed him.

When she opened the door to the bedroom her sister was sharing with Nick, she almost collapsed when she saw Harper lying on the massive bed. Her skin was pale. Her long dark hair was still wet from the shower, and she was wrapped up like a mummy.

She rushed over to the bed and wrapped her arms around her.