The Boys of Blueberries

22

"Everything looks good to go, you just have to do one last sweep of the location," Yam tells Sabina with a bright smile, passing over the final report. "Invitations have been sent out, programs and logistics have the event covered. Models will have a rehearsal on the 27th."

"Great," Sabina says, flipping through the pages. Satisfied, she leans back on her chair and smiles at her. "I'll drop by the venue tomorrow after our all-staff meeting, and I'll be there during the rehearsal. Thank you for your work."

"Thank you, Ms. Kyle," the project head mutters bashfully, stepping back. She leaves her office.

Tristan comes in just before the door closes, bringing a coffee cup. "You have that meeting with Paez in half an hour, we should get going."

"Right." Sabina stands up and grabs her blazer, putting it on. Tristan takes her bag and hands her the coffee. "Thank you, babe. Is there anything else I need?"

"All with me," he tells her with a wink, cradling his tablet with the other hand. "Stan's ready, let's go."

Tristan stands behind her in the elevator. Sabina smirks at him through the glass doors and says, "I kissed you for the first time in an elevator almost a year ago."

"Yeah, you broke me."

Sabina turns around, laughing. "What?"

He has a smile on his face. "I told you I liked you, you ran away. I resigned, you hired me back. I told you I didn't wanna be fuck buddies anymore, you kissed me. I got butterflies."

Sabina grins, cupping his face with one hand. "You're so cute."

"You wouldn't leave me alone," he whispers in her mouth, sucking her bottom lip. "You're a true stalker. Very persistent. You throw tantrums when you don't get what you want."

"Well," Sabina murmurs, "I did get what I want. And it's a good thing you want me, too."

The elevator doors open before they can deepen the kiss, and Tristan's hand smacks her bottom as they walk to her car, where Stan is waiting by the driver's side patiently.

But then Tristan's phone rings, and he fumbles with it in his jacket while they walk. Sabina takes her bag and his tablet so he can answer it. "Hello?"

Sabina keeps walking, sipping her coffee leisurely. She doesn't realize her boyfriend stopped a few meters back, eyebrows furrowed. He has that pinch in between them, an angry set to his jaw. Sabina walks back towards him, confused.

"Ian, slow down. Tell me what happened."

Sabina freezes. Oh, shit.

Tristan looks like he froze, too. He's not moving, he's not breathing. Sabina can hear his sister's frantic voice on the other line.

"I'll be there in thirty," he says, and then promptly ends the phone call. He looks at Sabina.

Her heart instantly breaks at the look on his face. Sabina takes a guess, swallowing thickly. "Is Brandon hurt?"

"It was a bad fall," he says, blinking rapidly. He's not even looking at her anymore, he's looking at a distance, fingers stretching themselves open. "He's hurt, it's bad, he's being brought into the ER."

"Which hospital?"

Tristan tells her with a stutter. Hands full, Sabina manages to take his hand and drag him to his car. "Stan, change of plans."

Her boyfriend finally reacts just as Sabina settles them both in the backseat. His eyes are blue and wide. "Sabina, we can't just—you have work, you have that meeting, and I'll just check up on him and I'll be back—"