Risking Fate (Mitchell Family #4)(63)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Colt was taller than me, so naturally I had to roll up my pant legs, but everything else fit fine. I started to ask to borrow his razor, but I just lathered up my face and did it without his permission. If he wanted to bitch about it, I’d buy him a new one.

When I came out of the bathroom, Van and Colt were wrapped in each other’s arms sound asleep. I wanted to get to the hospital, but I opted to give them a few minutes to rest. I paced around the room until finally collapsing face first on the bed.

That was the last thing I remembered until I felt a pillow waking me up.

“Ty, wake up.”

I sat up and realized it was dark outside. “Holy shit! What time is it?”

“After seven. Aunt Karen just called and said Miranda is askin’ for you.”

I jumped up and started to put my shoes on. “Did she just call? I didn’t even hear the phone ring. Mine’s dead.”

Van handed me my phone. “I have the same charger so while you slept I charged it for you. I also went out and got you a toothbrush. I know you have an obsession with fresh breath.” She winked at me.

“Shut up and thank you.”

It felt great to brush my teeth, but I wanted to hurry. Miranda was asking for me to come back. If she said jump, I needed to do it.

I rushed back into the wing where Miranda was being taken care of. Her mother was standing there waiting to switch places with me. I walked up to give her a hug and she slapped me in the face. The blow was so unexpected that it jerked me back against Van.

“What the Hell?”

“I don’t know what you did to my daughter, but she should have never been driving all that way alone. She refuses to tell me the truth.”

“They had a fight, that’s it. Ty would never do anything to hurt her.” I was amazed that Van had taken up for me like that and so was my mother in law.

“You only know what he’s told you. Tyler Mitchell, you better not be keeping something from me.”

Van pulled me away from Miranda’s mother. “She’s just overwhelmed Ty. She went in there and saw Miranda and probably lost it. She’ll apologize later. Go in there and be with your wife. If you need anything just text me or Colt. Tell her we love her.”

She kissed me on the cheek before walking toward a very mad Karen Healy.

I shook my head but continued walking toward Miranda’s bed. She smiled when she saw me and I lit up too. “Hey, Baby.” I hesitated before reaching down to kiss her. At this point, I didn’t even know whether she wanted me to.

“You smell good.”

“Rumor has it I stunk earlier. Van took me back to the hotel and forced me to shower with her.” Miranda cocked her eyebrow. “Colt was there too.”

Maybe it was a shitty joke, but I felt so uncomfortable being around her that joking was the only way for me to cope.

“Probably should stick to jokes that have nothin’ to do with bein’ naked, at least for the time bein’.”

I put my hands in the pockets of my jeans. “So, how was your visit with your mother?”

“She kept tryin’ to find out why I was drivin’ to Kentucky without tellin’ anybody.”

“Why didn’t you just tell her the truth? Don’t I deserve to be hated for what I did?”

She started crying and I felt so bad. She was lying there in the hospital bed and I was trying to crack jokes and be sarcastic. “I don’t know how to hate you, Ty. I’m so in love with you that I can’t bear to be without you. I mean, I hate what you did, but I hate thinkin’ about not bein’ with you. I’m so confused.”

I grabbed her hand, knowing she wasn’t going to let go. “Please listen to my side of the story.”

With tears in her eyes she nodded her head. “I’m afraid. I can’t hear you say what you did. I just can’t hear you talk about it.”

“I think you’re going to want to hear this.” I squeezed her hand tighter. “Just tell me to stop if it hurts too much. Just let me tell you, Miranda. I can’t go another day with this on my chest. I’ve wanted to tell you about that night, but I couldn’t believe it myself. Please.”

“Okay.”

I kissed her hand and put it to my chest. “Don’t let go of my hand. I can’t do this without you touching me.”

It was time for me to relive every second of that night and to try and convince my wife that I never had any intention of ever being with Heather.

Chapter 24

Miranda

More than a day had passed since my accident, but the visions of those pictures were still fresh in my mind. The problem was, so was my undying love for Ty. In light of our boys being born prematurely and everything I was going through, I couldn’t imagine him not being by my side, in fact I longed for his touch more than I ever had before.

I could tell he felt uncomfortable. He was rubbing my hand with his thumbs as he focused on telling me his side of how he’d cheated on me. I don’t know why I wanted to hear it so badly. Either way, it was proof that it happened.

I started to tell him to stop even before he started. In order for us to get through this, I had to know the truth. I’d rather him tell me while my family was all here to help pick up the pieces of my broken heart when it shattered all over the floor.

“That night when I found out Heather wasn’t going to help us because you sent her that text, I was so mad at you. I mean, she deserved everything you said, but it was my last hope at securing my position in Izzy’s life.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“The last thing I wanted to do was go along with some plan to seduce her into helping me again. That was never my idea and if you remember, you made me do it. I hated the f**king plan from the get go. I mean, who in their right mind would have gone along with something so stupid? Oh right, I did.” He shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh. “Anyway, the whole way there I was a wreck and you know I called you from outside, begging you again to change your mind.”

“I know, Ty. So what changed? Did you know all along that something would happen if you went inside?” He didn’t like my accusation. He scrunched up his face and cocked his brow.

“Is that what you think?”

I started to pull my hand away from his, but he tightened his grip. “I don’t know. I guess the thought has crossed my mind.”

He shook his head. “Well, you’re wrong, Miranda. I can’t stand even looking at that bitch. There’s no way in Hell that I was afraid of what would happen, unless you include strangling her.”