Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
LANDEN
By the time Ellie’s parents arrive, she’s long passed out.
I greet them in the hallway and their surprised expressions tell me they know I shouldn’t be here either.
Still, I catch them up on what I know since the on-call doctor is with other patients.
“Thank you, Landen.” Mr. Donovan claps my shoulder—a smidge too hard—but I grin in return. “And for stayin’ with her. We got here as soon as we could leave.”
“No problem.”
I watch them go into her room, wishing I could go back in too, but they deserve some alone time with her.
This new version of Ellie is throwing me off, and I’m not quite sure if it’s a good thing or not.
There has to be a reason she hasn’t liked me all these years.
I had finally accepted I’d never change her mind about me.
But now, I’m so fucking confused about what to do because this Ellie seems to like me.
She likes me.
But how can I just go along with it knowing she didn’t before?
The moment she remembers she doesn’t will destroy me after getting my hopes up for a second chance.
My heart would break worse than it did before when she asked me to keep my distance.
So maybe I should respect her wishes from before the accident.
But fuck if I don’t want to do that.
When I grab my phone to order an Uber, the screen is black. After Ellie borrowed it to call hers, it must’ve died.
I could ask at the nurse’s station to use their phone to call a cab service, but at this rate, I’ll just hang out here and wait until one of my siblings can pick me up after they’re awake. Plus, this way, I can still feel close to her and be here when she wakes up in the morning.
Hopefully, she doesn’t remember me overnight. I’d like another few days of her not hating me.
“Landen?”
My eyes peel open to Mrs. Donovan standing above me as I lie back in an uncomfortable hospital chair.
Blinking a few times, I sit up and clear my throat. “Hello. Hi.”
“You’re still here?”
“Uh, yeah. Just waitin’ until Noah returns. How’s Ellie doing?”
“Good. They got more of her blood test results back and said she had high-dose alpha-blockers in her system. She’s not prescribed for any blood pressure meds, but of course, she doesn’t remember takin’ any.”
“Do you think someone slipped them to her? For what exactly?” The panic in my voice is evident, but this is alarming. Ellie’s one of the top pro barrel racers in the region, so she causes a threat to many who want to beat her.
“The way Dr. Murray explained it is when your blood pressure drops suddenly, it can cause drowsiness or make you pass out, but in some extreme cases, it can give you a seizure.”
“Oh my God.” I stand, folding my arms, not knowing what else to do.
“He also said there were other concerns with some of the blood test results. Based on how low her blood pressure got, he doesn’t think the dosage of those pills would’ve been enough to do that on their own that quickly.
He suggested she might’ve digested something that counteracted the meds or contributed to the side effect of low blood pressure.
They’re going to do more extensive testing to find out for sure.
Then we’ll at least know she doesn’t have a seizure disorder because if she does, her career would be over for good. ”
Shaking my head, I blow out a breath of frustration and anger. “Someone must’ve drugged her. Ellie would never take prescription meds without needing ’em.”
She doesn’t deviate from her routine.
“I agree. But since we couldn’t go with her, I don’t know who she woulda been around.”
I rub along my scruffy jawline, thinking. “I didn’t see her before the race. She’s usually at her trailer until she brings Ranger to the waitin’ pen. And with the junior division also racing, it woulda been crowded with people.”
“Many people who know of her, I’m sure,” she says, and I nod.
“Do you think you could open an investigation into it? If someone drugged her, that’d be a crime, and an officer could question everyone who was there. Maybe someone saw her with a specific person or noticed something off beforehand.”
“Maybe…it’d be worth findin’ out, though.” She gives me a sad grin. “Anyway, Ellie’s getting assessed right now to make sure she can go home this afternoon. Did you wanna see her before she leaves?”
It’s throwing me off how nice her mom is being, but whatever beef Ellie had with me, I guess it didn’t extend to her parents. I’m halfway tempted to ask if she knows Ellie’s reasoning, but that feels too intrusive.
Before I can respond, Noah and Magnolia enter the hospital with the babies, and I wave them down.
“There you are!” Noah scolds when she sees me. “I’ve been callin’ you all mornin’.”
“Phone died,” I tell her.
“You’ve been here all night?” Magnolia asks, scanning around the waiting room. She’s wearing one of Ellie’s backpacks.
I stretch and crack my neck. “Yeah, I slept in a chair.” Though I wouldn’t call what I did sleep. More like twenty-minute interval naps in between trying to get comfortable.
Noah gives Mrs. Donovan a hug and the two speak for a few moments before she takes us down to Ellie’s room. As soon as she sees us, her face lights up.
“Thank God. Have you come to bail me outta here?” she asks.
Mr. Donovan sits next to her in a chair, looking amused by Ellie’s eagerness to bail.
“Not exactly, but we brought you some clean clothes and your toothbrush.” Magnolia hands her the bag.
“Oh my God, thank you. I can’t wait to get out of this gown and shower at some point.”
When Poppy fusses, I take her from Noah’s arms so they can talk. I bounce her around the small room and let her look out the window.
“Any chance you checked on Ranger?” Ellie asks Noah.
“Yep, and he’s doing fine. I can tell he misses you.” Noah sits on the edge of the bed. “Everyone’s askin’ about you.”
Ellie rolls her eyes. “More like they’re wonderin’ if I’m out for the season so they can take my spot.”
I smirk at that. Glad to see the arrogant Ellie is still in there.
“That just means you’re gonna come back stronger and better than ever next year. The time off will be good for you, too,” Noah says. “I’ll continue trainin’ with Ranger so he doesn’t get out of his routine.”
“I will, too,” I interject, and when Noah looks at me, her brows furrow. “You have enough on your plate, and I don’t mind. Plus, Ranger likes me.”
“It was just his owner who didn’t.” Magnolia laughs at her own joke, but no one else does. “What? You can’t tell me her forgettin’ who you are ain’t a bit ironic and hilarious?”
Of course Noah told her.
“It kinda sucks, honestly.” Ellie glances at me before speaking to Magnolia. “There’s so much I can’t recall and it makes me feel like I’m missing a part of myself. Makes me feel a little vulnerable, too. Like y’all know a secret about me but no one’s sharing it.”
“I’d be happy to fill you in on the town gossip,” Magnolia teases. “You wouldn’t believe what people openly share with me while I’m makin’ their lattes.”
Noah nudges her. “We can’t, remember? The doctor said it’ll confuse her.”
“Even if it’s not about her?” Magnolia asks.
Ellie groans. “I don’t see why not. I’m confused as hell anyway.”
“What if she reads something on her phone? I’m sure there are messages, emails, or something that will trigger a memory,” Magnolia suggests.
“I don’t use my phone much,” Ellie admits. “I post on my social media pages a couple times a week, but that’s about it. Otherwise, everyone I talk to is usually in person or we call.”
“Damn. So no juicy tea to discover.” Magnolia pouts.
“That’s what happens when you stay in your lane and mind your business…” Noah directs to Magnolia, and I snort.
She’s one to talk.
After another twenty minutes of the girls talking, the nurse enters and says she’s been cleared to start working on her discharge papers.
Ellie goes to change out of her gown and then they discuss how they’re going to get Ranger and the trailer back to the ranch. Mr. Donovan states he’ll drive the truck and Mrs. Donovan will take Ellie home in their car.
“I’ll let Ayden know to be ready for his arrival and he’ll get him situated in his stall,” Noah tells them. “Once we’re back, I’ll have the vet check him over just to make sure he didn’t get hurt during the fall. He seemed fine, though, but I’m not takin’ any chances.”
“Thank you. We appreciate that,” Mrs. Donovan says.
“I’ll get out there as soon as I can.” Ellie frowns. “Even if it’s just to sit and read to him.”
Magnolia rocks Willow back and forth when she gets restless. “You read to your horse?”
“Mostly when we’re traveling. It can get lonely just the two of us, so I’ll sit with him and read my book out loud. It calms him, too.”
“Aww…that’s sweet. I wish I was a horse girlie,” Magnolia says. “But I’m kinda terrified of ’em.”
“Willow and Poppy will be horse girlies, though, won’t ya?” Noah tickles Poppy when I give her back.
“I gotta run. I’m on Cantina lounge duty tonight and need to clean up. Can you drive me to the campsite?” I ask Noah.
“Yeah, I should get back, too. Lord knows what the others are gettin’ themselves into. I found Wilder halfway under the camper this morning three sheets to the wind.”
Ellie’s horrified look makes me laugh.
“That’s Wilder on a tame weekend,” I tell her.
The girls exchange hugs and Ellie promises to let Noah know when she’s home. There’s an awkwardness as we linger in the doorway, and I’m not sure what to say.
“I hope you feel better and maybe I’ll see ya at the ranch soon?”
“Thanks. As soon as they let me, I’ll be there.” She smiles weakly.
I tip my hat to her parents and then walk out behind Noah and Magnolia, crossing my fingers that the next time we see each other is before she remembers me.