Chapter 17 #2
She pulled her mask off and said to the medic beside her, “His heart stopped in there,” she said, nodding Garrett’s way, and she heard Ethan gasp.
He looked his father’s way, as the medic spoke into a mic clipped to his shirt, apparently to the EMTs who were pestering Garrett, because they got very serious very fast and Chelsea looked suddenly thunderstruck.
“We need to transport her, Mr. Brand,” the medic said to Ethan.
“I’m ridin’ in with her if you think you can work around me.”
The guy nodded, and Ethan eased Lily’s arms from his neck. She lay down so they could collapse the gurney and rolled her into the back. Ethan climbed in after her, and the EMT said, “I’ll ride up front, but if anything changes?—”
“Got it.
Before he could close the rear doors, her father and brother were there, leaning in.
“Baby!” Hyram cried.
She lifted the mask again. “I’m okay. But make sure Garrett is.”
“We have to go,” The EMT said. “You can meet us at the hospital.”
Lily gave Harrison and her dad a thumbs-up even though the EMT’s urgency had her concerned.
Beyond them, she saw Garrett climbing into the second ambulance under his own steam, Chelsea right beside him.
Then the rear doors cut off her view, and in another few seconds, the ambulance lurched into motion.
She was pleased to see the second one’s flashing lights right behind them.
Ethan took Lily’s hand in both of his, and pressed kisses to it. Everything had taken on a dreamy quality, and consciousness was a fraying thread.
He bent closer, and spoke softly, his deep voice caressing her ear. “I’m never leavin’ you again, Lily Ellen. I’d appreciate it if you’d return the favor, and not leave me, either.”
She blinked up at him. “Imma pass out soon,” she said. “Or did I already? Is this a dream?”
“It’s a nightmare. I almost lost the only woman I’ve ever loved, and the only one I ever will. I got a lot more to say to you, girl, but before you go passin’ out, I had to get that much said. I love you. Don’t deserve you, but I love you.”
She pressed a hand to his bristly cheek and smiled. “I love you, too.” She tried to say it, at least, as the thread of consciousness broke and she drifted away.
3 days later
Ethan stood at the ruins of Two Lilies Honky-Tonk.
The original structure had burned to the ground, and only charred beams and ash remained. The new addition had sustained such heavy damage to the inside that it would need to be gutted, but the external structure was mainly intact. There was a dozer working to clear the debris.
A car door slammed. He turned. And there was Lily walking toward him. She had a bandage around her head, wore jeans, boots, and a lightweight red flannel shirt unbuttoned over a tee.
She walked right up to him.
He said, “I thought they were keepin’ you one more night?”
“Yeah. So did they. But once they told you to leave and let me get some rest, I saw no more point in hanging around.” She looked over at the ruins of their place, shaking her head slowly.
“I’m glad everyone’s okay. I know what a blessing that is, but I’m pretty devastated you never even got to see it. ”
“I saw some. Willow took a pile of pictures before things went bad. They were saved in her cloud. It was beautiful, Lily. Perfect. The lettering over the archway—shoot, I loved it so much my heart hurt.”
She stared at him, right into his eyes, and he stared back. There were two feet of space between them and he didn’t know whether to close it up or not. He’d made a pretty powerful declaration in the ambulance. And she hadn’t responded, so he didn’t really know where he stood.
But he was planning to find out.
“You seen the headlines?” she asked.
He nodded. “They got Nathan Silver dead to rights on arson and attempted murder. He’s going away for a long time.”
She came closer, put a palm on his cheek. “That’s nice, but not what I meant. You are all over the news. Quinn wants to throw you a parade, you and your brother.”
He shook his head slowly. “You saved everyone in there, Lily. You and Garrett, and then you saved him too. He showed me the bruise on his chest, you know. The shape of your little hand. Said he’s gonna get it tattooed there so it never fades.”
She lowered her head. “And then you saved us both. You saved me, the one everybody thinks is a light-beaming angel, and you saved your father, the most loved man in Quinn County. I don’t know how your delusions of unworthiness will ever survive it.”
They were walking side by side toward where the cellar stairway opened into the earth. A lot of ash and rubble had fallen in there. Lily looked around, spotted some tools, and went to pick up a pair of shovels.
“Let’s dig this out,” she said, handing him one. “See if your surprise survived.”
They started digging, clearing debris from the basement stairway.
“I didn’t know you’d done anything in the basement,” he said.
“You said you trusted my judgment. I made an executive decision.”
She went into the basement and tried the door, and then he helped, and they got it open. “We need a flashlight.”
“Here, we’ll use my phone.” He turned on the flashlight feature, then he went through it and aimed the light around the room they had entered.
“It’s okay!” she breathed. “It’s not even damaged. Oh, gosh?—”
“Is this…Lily, did you put in a recording studio?”
“Just a small one. And the fire didn’t touch it!
” She put her hand over his on the phone to guide it to the padded walls, and then to the glass.
“The booth is over there. The glass isn’t even broken.
There’s not much equipment yet. The boom mics came with the package, but I figured you’d want to pick the rest yourself, and?—”
He pulled her around and right into his arms, and then he kissed her long and slow. He loved the taste of her lips, the feel of them, soft beneath his. He didn’t know how he’d ever thought himself capable of not being with this woman.
“It’s perfect, Lily Ellen. I love it. I’ll use it while we rebuild. The place was fully insured, the bank insisted on that. We’ll just start again.”
Ethan took her hand, pulled her out of the studio and back up the stairs. They stepped out into bright Texas sunlight. The dozer was running again, several yards away. It was time. He’d thought maybe a nice dinner or something, but no. No, he’d waited as long as he cared to.
He looked her right in those big blue eyes of hers, and he said, “Lily, do you remember the ride in the ambulance?”
“Of course I do. Why?” She lifted her eyebrows. “You’re not gonna try and take it back, are you?”
“Take what back?”
“Did I dream it, then?” She turned away, pressing a hand to her forehead. “Was it just from the smoke? I thought…you said you’d never leave me again. You said you loved me.”
He pulled the ring from his pocket while her back was to him.
He’d bought it right after they’d made him leave the hospital last night at the end of visiting hours.
They’d let him stay the two nights prior.
Well, let him wasn’t exactly accurate. They hadn’t physically removed him, though, so same result.
He’d called the jeweler at home last night, woke him up, made him come open the shop.
Lily was still turned away. He dropped down on one knee, and said, “You didn’t dream it. But you didn’t reply, either.”
“I tried to.” She turned around then, and saw him on his knee, holding the ring up like an offering, and she froze. Her eyes went so wide he thought they might pop, and she clapped a hand over her brilliant smile.
“I don’t know why I fought it so hard, Lily. I mean, I do. You’re too good for me, were then, are now, always will be, but danged if I’ve been able to convince you of it.”
“You’ll never convince me of that.”
“Then I guess you better marry me.”
“I guess I’d better.”
“Is that a yes?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He got up, wrapped her in his arms, and scooped her right off her feet. He held her up so high he had to tip his head back to kiss her.
Ethan Bubba Brand knew right then that he’d finally found his country kind of love. She’d been waiting right here at home.