Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 446: A Family Emergency

Violet was in the middle of rehearsal when she got a rather alarming phone call. Her father had gotten into a car accident on the way back to the office from a meeting and his emergency contact wasn't picking up so they were going down the list.

"Please excuse me director, I have a family emergency!" she hollered as she grabbed her bag and ran out.

She barely managed to change from her pointe shoes into the flats she had worn into work. She was still wearing a lilac spaghetti strap leotard with black booty shorts and matching leg warmers, forgetting to even grab a jacket, but was too worried to focus on her inappropriate attire.

Rushing to the hospital, a bunch of different terrible scenarios ran through her head of what might have happened. The one Violet actually encountered was completely unexpected.

Aaron was sitting up in a hospital bed barking orders at his assistant in the middle of a doctor sewing up a bloody gash on his shoulder. He didn't seem particularly affected by what happened at all.

"Dad?" she asked in confusion. "What are you doing?"

His icy demeanor melted away when he saw her. "Violet! Why are you here?"

"…the hospital called me because they couldn't get a hold of Mom. What happened to you?"

He sighed and rubbed his forehead in annoyance with his good hand. Jeremy stood awkwardly to the side in complete silence, not knowing what to do since his boss had stopped ordering him around.

"Some idiot kid speeding on a motorcycle slammed into my car and broke the driver's side window. I'm only here because I got glass imbedded in my arm and shoulder. I really don't know why they called you since Jeremy is already here and he's perfectly fine."

The doctor finally spoke up. "It's standard procedure, Mr. Hale. Mr. Ward was in the accident with you so someone uninjured has to drive you home."

So that explained it. Violet was more than a little annoyed to have worried for nothing. Missing work was less of an issue because she didn't mind driving her dad home. But wished someone would have told her it wasn't serious so she didn't panic on the way over.

She scowled. "Whoever called me should have explained it wasn't serious. I nearly had a heart attack."

"Were you at work?" Jeremy asked.

It was the first thing she had heard him say since that day in the elevator over a week ago. He hadn't made much of an impression on her so she hadn't really thought about him since then.

Suddenly Violet remembered what she was wearing and she turned a bit pink. Nobody wore clothes like this outside of a dance studio. Her hair was in a very messy bun as well since she had been too lazy to make it look nice this morning.

"Yes. I ran out without changing because I thought it was an emergency," she explained, not meeting his eyes in her embarrassment.

"Clearly I'm fine," her father said with a slight wince as the needle pierced his skin yet again. "I will need a ride home in about twenty minutes though."

Violet smiled at him, so obviously trying to play tough even though he was in pain because other people were watching. He had always been like that.

Though she was certain if her mother had been able to answer the call that he would be milking his injury for all it was worth to get her attention. Keeley Hale was a strange exception to all of Aaron's usual rules, even the ones involving their children.

"Not a problem. Do you need anything else while I'm here? Coffee, maybe?"

"Do they even have decent coffee here?" he asked dryly.

"I saw a Starbucks in the lobby, sir," Jeremy piped up helpfully. This fit with what little Violet knew about him. Her father always described him as an overachiever.

"That will do. I'll take a dark chocolate mocha. Thanks, Vi."

She turned to her father's assistant. "Would you like anything while I'm out?"

Jeremy smiled warmly at her. "I'll have a cappuccino. Thank you for thinking of me."

"No problem. I'll be back soon," she promised as she headed out the door.

Why had that man been so pleased when she showed basic politeness? Wasn't it normal to ask other people present if they wanted something in situations like this?

While waiting in line Violet figured it might be good to get herself a snack as well. She ended up settling on a mango and coconut yogurt bowl. Coffee was typically frowned upon by her director, though a few of the other dancers still drank it regularly in secret.

About ten minutes later she handed one coffee each to the men in the hospital room. Her father's stitches were done and his shoulder had been wrapped in gauze.

His arm hurt too much to put his bloody shirt back on so he walked out of there shirtless. Their oddly dressed little group (except Jeremy, who was still in a suit) got a lot of stares on their way out of the hospital.

"Were you able to get a hold of Mom?" she asked once they made it to her car.

Aaron frowned. "No. She usually turns her phone off or leaves it in her locker when she's in the middle of lab work."

He would probably get an earful from his wife when she got home later tonight. She fretted about people even more than Violet did. And knowing him, he would probably savor every second of her babying. Her parents were so weird.

Yet she envied them. Their relationship was unshakable. Solid. No one looking at them could ever doubt their love for each other. She wished somebody could love her like that.

"She'll see the missed call from the hospital soon enough," Violet predicted. "Then she'll probably blow up your phone."

Aaron smiled as if he couldn't wait. Such a weirdo.

Rolling her eyes, she addressed the man sitting in the back seat. "Jeremy, I just realized I didn't ask if you were hurt at all."

"Oh, I'm fine," he replied mildly. "I got a tiny bit of whiplash from the impact but that's it. The accident really was a very minor bump. Aaron's window only broke because a handlebar went through it."

That was good to hear. She had nearly forgotten about Jeremy because he had been so quiet the majority of the time they were together today. He tended to blend into the background.

It had nothing to do with his looks—he was quite attractive—but he didn't really speak unless spoken to. Did he feel awkward because she was his boss's daughter? He had been chatty enough when they were trapped in the elevator.

Then again…this time her dad was actually here. His presence had been quite suffocating before he noticed Violet was standing in the room. She was old enough to know that most people feared her father. How did Jeremy manage to deal with that all the time?

"Thank you for asking," Jeremy added a moment later.

Again with this surprise at basic politeness. What kind of person did he think she was from one simple encounter?