“Yes,” Sydney said, her hands shaking and her heart beating hard. “We’ll be right there.” She put down the phone, took a deep breath to calm her rattled nerves and returned to the living room to find Thomas snuggled up to his mother, his eyes heavy.

“Syd? You’re totally pale. What is it?”

“There’s been an accident.”

“Oh God. No. Not Mac.” In a whisper she said, “Please tell me it’s not Mac.” Her caramel-colored eyes filled with tears. Somehow she managed to get up and settle Thomas on the sofa.

“Mac, his dad and Luke were all hurt. Janey didn’t have any of the details, except that one of them was hurt bad. She said we should meet them at the clinic.”

Maddie stood frozen in place, one hand resting on her pregnant belly.

Sydney went to her. “Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together, okay?” Sydney had no idea where this calm control was coming from. The idea that Luke could be injured—or worse—made her want to howl. He had promised her nothing bad would happen to her again. He’d promised.

Maddie clung to her for a long moment.

“Let’s call Tiffany so we can drop Thomas off with her on the way to the clinic,” Syd said. “I’ll drive.” She lifted the sleeping toddler from the sofa and closed her eyes tight against the rush of emotion as he molded himself to her without waking, the way Max used to at that age.

Maddie grabbed her purse and keys and led the way out of the house to the SUV.

Sydney fumbled her way through settling Thomas into his car seat. Her hands shook all the way into town, where they dropped the boy with his aunt.

Tiffany’s concern for Mac sent Maddie even further into herself.

As they headed for the clinic, Syd reached for her hand. “He’s okay. He has to be okay. They all are.” The alternative was simply unimaginable.

Maddie tightened her grip on Syd’s hand but didn’t say anything.

Chapter 18

As Sydney and Maddie rushed into the emergency entrance, the first thing they heard was Mac bellowing for someone to tell him something about his father. At the sound of his voice, Maddie staggered, and for a moment Sydney wondered if her friend was going to faint.

“Oh,” Maddie whispered, “thank God.” She rushed past the registration desk, following the sound of her husband’s voice.

Since Sydney didn’t know what else to do, she went with Maddie.

“I’m Mrs. McCarthy,” Maddie said to the nurse in the hallway. “I need to see my husband.”

“Right in here.” The nurse opened the curtain to Mac, who was red-faced and furious. “He’s all yours.”

Maddie burst into tears at the sight of him.

“Come here, baby,” he said, holding out his arms to her. “Sorry I couldn’t call you. My phone is toast.”