All Summer Long (Fool's Gold #9)

“I’m sorry,” she said, coming up to her friend. “You must feel awful.”


May nodded, her arms wrapped around her midsection. “I can’t believe what happened. I don’t think she was moving. Did you see her move?”

Dominique stepped closer and held May tight. “Let’s find out what the doctor has to say before you assume the worst. I’ve seen hundreds of injuries in my day, let me tell you. Modern medicine is a miracle. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

May drew in a breath. Her whole body was shaking. “I didn’t know,” she whispered. “I didn’t know what my own daughter was doing. I haven’t spoken to her in years. Sometimes I let myself forget about her because when I remember, I know I was wrong. And I don’t know how to fix that.”

Tears filled May’s eyes. “That’s why I wanted to help you with Charlie. One of us should get it right.”

“You can still get it right with Evie,” Dominique said, enjoying being the one offering comfort rather than taking it. “She’s going to need you now more than ever.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She’s been hurt. She needs her family.”

Dominique remembered an idiot stumbling into her while she was leaping into a grand jeté, knocking her off balance. She had crashed to the ground, feeling as if several bones had snapped. All she’d been able to think was how much she’d wanted Dan. He, of course, had been with Charlie. Dominique had been on tour, in London, painfully far from home. She’d recovered. She’d only missed three performances. But the sense of vulnerability had stayed with her. If Evie was seriously injured, she would want to be with those who loved her.

“You think I should go to her?” May asked.

“Of course.”

May shook her head and took a step back. “No. She doesn’t want me. I’ll send her brothers. She likes them.”

“You’re her mother.”

“You don’t know what I did. I can never take it back.”

“Whatever it was, I did much worse and Charlie has forgiven me. She needs you, May. This is your chance to be there for her.”

Clay walked into the room. “I just got off the phone with the local air-charter company. Finn can fly us to L.A. right now. We’re meeting him at the Fool’s Gold airport in fifteen minutes. The flight will take just over an hour. Annabelle and Heidi are going to work the phones and get in touch with Finn’s office. They’ll radio him when we find out where Evie is and we’ll land as close as we can.” Clay’s eyes narrowed. “You coming, Mom?”

“Of course she is,” Dominique said, giving her friend a little push toward the door. “Go on. The rest of us will take care of things here at the house. Make sure one of you calls us and lets us know how she is.”

May glanced between them. “All right. Yes, I’ll go, too. You’re right. I need to be there.”

She stepped into the hallway. Dominique expected Clay to follow, but he surprised her by walking over and hugging her. “I see a lot of potential in you, Mrs. Dixon,” he said, then kissed her on the cheek.

Five minutes later, May and her sons were gone. Glen had driven them to the airport. Heidi and Annabelle were working two cell phones, trying to find out where Evie was. Charlie walked over to her mother.

“That was unexpected,” she said. “I hope Evie’s okay.”

“Me, too.” Dominique looked at her daughter. “I quite like your young man.”

Charlie smiled. “Me, too.”

* * *

“I WOULDN’T do that if I were you,” Shane said.

Clay paused in the hallway. “You scared of a girl?”

“She’s not a girl. She’s our sister, and, yes.” Shane glanced back toward the downstairs guest-bedroom door. “You think you can do better? Go ahead.”

Evie had been in the house two days. In the end, Rafe, May and Shane had been the ones to fly out to get Evie. Clay had stayed behind to get the room ready and order any medical equipment she might need for her recovery. May and Shane had delivered her while Rafe had stayed behind in Los Angeles to take care of loose ends.

Evie had spent the first twenty-four hours in a somewhat drugged sleep. The doctor had said that was the best thing for her. Now she was awake and had Shane running for the hills.

“You’re kind of an embarrassment,” Clay told his brother as he pushed past him.

“We’ll see how long that cocky attitude lasts,” Shane called after him. “She’s going to eat you for breakfast, little brother.”

“It’s two in the afternoon.”

Clay knocked once on the partially closed door, then stepped inside.

Evie lay on the hospital bed he’d rented, her leg elevated. A cast covered her right leg from ankle to midthigh. She was pale and thin. Her long honey-blond hair was spread across the pillow. She didn’t bother to look at him when he entered but he knew when she did, her eyes would be green. Different from her brothers and her mother—a reminder of the mysterious man who was her father.

“You scared Shane,” he said by way of greeting. “Impressive.”