Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
The Hospital
“Oh, sugar.” Muddy wrapped her arms around me and held me tight.
I closed my eyes and sank into my grandmother’s embrace. Despite being nearly seventy, the woman was strong—physically, emotionally—and at the moment, I desperately needed a shot of her fortitude. Her long silver braid fell over one shoulder and she smelled like baked apples.
“Any change?” I asked when I pulled back.
Muddy shook her head. “You want to go in and see him?”
No.
“Yes,” I lied.
The hospital smelled like nothing. Sterile.
“Who are you?” Muddy asked, dropping her arms and looking over my shoulder at Bowman.
“Cas Bowman, ma’am,” he said.
Muddy frowned. “Cas Bowman.”
“My best man,” Declan supplied. “He flew in early as a surprise before the wedding.”
“Salem and Bowman were on the same flight,” Hadley said. “Oddly enough.”
“Oddly,” Muddy murmured. She moved away from me and embraced him before stepping back. “Hadley? You want to come too?”
Hadley nodded and left Declan’s side. He watched her go and a pang of envy shot through my heart.
She had someone to lean on. Someone to care for her.
My eyes went to Bowman. He was staring at me with a blank expression across his face.
I quickly turned away and followed my sister and grandmother. “You have to gown and glove up just for the first few days,” the nurse said, handing me a gown. “He’s at a high risk of infection.”
The three of us donned the medical gear, and then went into my father’s ICU room.
I stared at him.
The man had always been larger than life. A cowboy. A stubborn, steady presence. A bear of a man.
And now he just looked . . . human. Fallible.
I hated seeing him like this. Broken. A shell of who he truly was.
A horse had kicked him in the head. Would that rob me of my father like the ovarian cancer had robbed me of my mother?
“He looks better today,” Muddy said. “He’s not as pale.”
“You’re right,” Hadley agreed.
I bit my tongue.
Hadley reached out and touched Dad’s hand despite having a glove on. “We love you, Dad. Get better.”
I wasn’t doing this. I wasn’t saying goodbye. I would not mourn at his bedside.
“We should go,” I said quietly. “Let him rest.”
Hadley looked at me. Seeing without needing words. We were twins. We didn’t need words.
The three of us stepped out of the hospital room and began to take off the gown and gloves.
“When was the last time you slept?” I asked Muddy.
“I don’t need sleep.” She lifted her chin, presenting a stubborn angle that I recognized from years of looking in the mirror. “I’m staying in the waiting room. They let me see him for a few minutes every couple of hours, and I want to be here in case something changes.”
“I’ll stay with you,” Hadley offered.
“You don’t have to, sugar,” Muddy said.
“I know. But I want to.”
I couldn’t sit in the waiting room with nothing to do except let my mind hold me hostage.
Muddy handed me her keys.
“What are these for?” I asked.
“I know you want to be anywhere but here,” Muddy said softly. “So take my truck and go for food or something. Take Bowman with you. He shouldn’t have to sit here with the rest of us.”
I swallowed. “You sure?”
“Yep.” She cradled my cheek in her hand. “There will be plenty of time to catch up later.”
I let out a breath. “Call me if something changes?”
“Will do.” She nodded.
We headed back to the waiting room to Bowman and Declan. They stood when they saw us.
“How is he?” Bowman asked me.
“He’s . . . I don’t know.” I rubbed my third eye.
“He has more color in his cheeks,” Hadley said. “But he’s in a medically induced coma. They’ll wake him up in a few days if everything goes well.”
Try to wake him up. She forgot the word ‘try.’
“We have a ride,” I said to Bowman as I dangled the keys in my hand. “You want to get out of here?”
“Sure,” he said.
“Take him to the Ridge,” Muddy suggested. “Show him around. Get him settled. He can stay in Hadley’s room.”
Bowman . . . in my twin sister’s bedroom . . . right next door to me?
DEFCON 1 for my loins.
“Wouldn’t he be more comfortable at The Regal Beagle?” I blurted out.
Muddy frowned. “No. He’s Declan’s best friend, which makes him family. He stays with us.”
“First of all, I’m right here. Also, what’s The Regal Beagle?” Bowman asked with a cheeky smile at me.
“The only bed and breakfast in town,” I replied, ignoring the teasing glint in his eye, as if he knew what was going on in my brain.
“It used to be a brothel,” Hadley said with a smile. “It’s seen the error of its ways though, and now it’s a respectable Victorian bed and breakfast.”
“They serve tea and crumpets,” I said. “They used to anyway.”
“Still do,” Hadley said. “In fact, I’d be okay having my bachelorette party there when the girls are in town.”
“You wild thing,” I quipped.
She pointed to her belly. “My wild days are over.”
“We could still have a male stripper,” I joked.
“Absolutely not,” Declan said. “And for the record, I’m not having a stripper either.”
“What are we doing for your bachelor party?” Bowman asked.
“You tell me. You’re the one who’s going to plan it,” Declan stated.
“Oh, right.” Bowman winked at Hadley. “No strippers jumping out of cakes, I promise.”
“You’re a good man, Bowman,” Hadley said.
“No, he’s not,” Declan said.
“And yet he’s your best friend,” Hadley pointed out.
“History at this point,” Declan stated. “It would take too long to find another one.”
Bowman shoved Declan’s shoulder, causing him to laugh.
Despite the fact that my father was in a hospital bed in a coma, my spirits lifted. Being around Hadley always had that effect. But it was something more now. Declan, Muddy, Bowman . . .
I’m home.
A stunning brunette with high cheekbones came into the waiting room while Declan and Bowman continued to verbally rib each other.
I frowned in confusion as she strode over to us. Her expression was wreathed with concern.
“Muddy,” she greeted, placing her hand on my grandmother’s arm.
“Jane.” Muddy embraced her. “So glad you’re here.”
“Of course,” the woman asked. “You hanging in there, Hadley?”
“Barely,” Hadley stated. Her gaze shot from me to the woman. “Jane. This is my sister, Salem.”
“Salem,” Jane greeted. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I said in perfunctory politeness.
“Let me take you to see him,” Muddy said, grasping Jane’s elbow and pulling her away. Over her shoulder, she said, “Hadley?”
Hadley sighed. “Yeah, I’ll tell her.”
“Tell me what?” I demanded.
Hadley waited until Muddy and Jane disappeared before saying, “That’s Jane. Dad’s girlfriend.”