Peak Performance by Helen Brenna

Author:Helen Brenna
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780373217892
Publisher: Harlequin NASCAR
Published: 2007-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Payton screeched to a stop at the emergency entrance of the Charlotte hospital. “Go,” he said. “I’ll take care of the car.”

Rachel jumped out, ran inside to find Justin and Hugo already at the visitor counter getting security passes. “I need one, too,” she said to the officer.

“What happened?” she asked Hugo.

“She passed out at work, and they called an ambulance. That’s all we know.”

They snatched up their passes and headed through the security doors. Justin and Hugo whizzed by Rachel when she stopped outside Kim’s room. Her hands were shaking, her skin clammy. If she went in there like this, she’d probably scare Kim.

“Rachel?” Her brother peeked around the corner. “You comin’?”

She stared into her brother’s soft brown eyes. He was scared, too. She had to get hold of herself. For Justin and Hugo. And for Kim. When he reached out a hand, she took a deep breath and let him draw her into the room.

Surrounded by machines with various tubes sticking out of her arms, Kim sat, propped partway up, in the hospital bed. She smiled weakly when she spotted Rachel following Justin into the room. Hugo had sat in the chair on Kim’s right and Justin stood near the end of the hospital bed.

“Hey, you.” Rachel dropped into the only other chair immediately to Kim’s left, a sense of panic, something deep-seated, something she couldn’t name, threatening her composure. People died every day. Her parents were here one day, gone the next. Rachel knew the fear was irrational, but what if Kim was really sick, sick to the point of dying?

Don’t leave me, Kim. Don’t you ever leave.

“You guys came here empty-handed?” Kim’s voice sounded quiet and breathy. “What’s a girl gotta do to get some flowers?”

She may have lost more weight since Rachel last saw her and her skin was nearly as pale as the wall behind her, but Kim obviously hadn’t lost her sense of humor. And she was still as beautiful as ever.

“You’re not supposed to be in here,” Rachel said, and Kim managed a feeble smile. Justin was usually the one they worried about.

“Goes to show,” Kim whispered, her eyes growing heavy, “driving a stock car isn’t nearly as dangerous as stem-cell research.”

Justin chuckled. “Anytime you want to take over, coz, the No. 448’s all yours.”

“I’ll get right on it.” Kim’s voice sounded groggy.

Hugo put his head down. Listening to the three of them banter back and forth usually put a smile on his face. Not today. Today, he barely held back tears.

“I’ll be okay, Daddy.” Kim rubbed her thumb over his hand. “You concentrate on winning in Michigan, okay?” She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Rachel lowered the head of the bed and planted a soft kiss on her cousin’s forehead.

The doctor strode into the room. “I’m your E.R. physician.” He reviewed Kim’s chart. “I’ll be in charge of Kim until we get her stabilized and moved into a regular room in the hospital.”

“Hugo Murphy. Kim’s father.” He stood and shook the doctor’s hand.

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