Chapter Twelve
Harper wrung her hands together as she paced back and forth in the hallway outside Emmett's room. She'd always hated hospitals. This one was better than most that she'd been in, but it still smelled the same.
She reached the end of the short hallway and turned around. She needed a drink. She knew there was a cafeteria somewhere, but she didn't want to venture that far away from Emmett. And besides, she doubted they'd serve the kind of drink she needed.
She glared at the door as she passed Emmett's room, resenting that Trip was in there with him and she wasn't. Okay, so Trip was a doctor, but that wasn't the point—she needed to know how he was. Deacon was on his way, and he’d be allowed in there too, and sure, Deacon was the sheriff, but again, that wasn't the point. She wanted to be with Emmett.
Just as she was about to turn around again and begin her march back toward his room, she froze when she heard, "Harper, are you okay?" and spun around to see Shelley hurrying toward her, looking worried.
"Me? I'm fine. It's Emmett. He's there in that room.
" She pointed at the door accusingly. "Shelley, he's been shot, and from the way he was moving—or barely able to—I'd say he's got some broken ribs as well.
And who knows what else. I don't know what happened to him before I arrived, but the guy who broke in.
.." She inhaled sharply. "Shelley, he was only a boy. "
Her best friend held her arms out to her, but Harper shook her head. There'd be time for comfort later—once she knew Emmett was going to be all right.
"You know I love you, Shelley Bells."
Shelley gave her a grim smile. "I do, and as soon as you're ready for a hug, I'm here, okay?"
"I know, but Shelley, he was only a boy."
"Never mind that, he could have killed you both."
Harper closed her eyes for a moment. "Believe me, I know. That's the second time in my life I've stared down the barrel of a gun, and I hope to God it's the last."
Shelley reached out to touch her arm. "Me too. But, are you okay?"
"I told you, I'm fine," she said impatiently, before taking a deep breath and smiling. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."
"Don't apologize, it's understandable."
"And to answer your question, I am okay. There's not a scratch on me. It's just... Emmett. I want to see him; I need to see him—just for a minute. I need to know that he's all right. Of course, Trip's in there with him. But I wish that I..."
They both turned when a large, angry-looking man in a cowboy hat approached. "You're Shelley, right?"
"I am. Oh, you’re Blane, aren’t you?"
The man nodded curtly. "Where is he?"
Harper jabbed a finger toward Emmett's door. "He's in there, but..."
Blane didn't wait for her to finish. He strode toward the door, knocked sharply twice, and went inside.
Harper let out an indignant huff and hurried after him.
"Hang on a minute, Harps..."
"No way," she said indignantly. "If he can go in, so can I."
She pushed through the door after Blane, with Shelley hot on her heels.
As soon as she laid eyes on Emmett, something inside her settled.
He didn't look great. He was propped up against the pillows, his face tight with pain.
Bruising was already starting to creep across the right side of his face, but he looked remarkably.
.. well, that was the only word she could think of.
Yes, he was battered and bruised, but he didn't look like someone who was sick.
The sound of his deep chuckle brought her gaze up to meet his. She had to laugh as he drew the sheet up to cover his naked chest. "You might want to avert your eyes, lady. This isn't a pretty sight."
Harper was surprised at herself when a laugh bubbled up and escaped her lips. She put her hands on her hips and did her best to glare at him. "If you want to know the truth, it might just be the most beautiful sight I've ever seen."
She only realized how that sounded when every head in the room swung to look at her.
She waved a hand at them. "Come on, guys.
What I mean is, not that long ago, he was in danger of becoming a dead body before my eyes, not a.
.." She smiled as she let her gaze run over his still sculpted, if currently battered and bruised, chest. "Fit one. "
She was relieved when Emmett chuckled again. "It's only thanks to you that I'm not a dead body."
She waved her hand again. "That's not true and we both know it." She took a step toward the bed.
"I'll tell you what," said Trip. "I'll give you both a minute." He touched Emmett's shoulder. "Just press the buzzer when you're ready for me."
Emmett gave him a nod, and Harper watched as he and Shelley left the room. Blane had taken up position in the corner, arms folded across his chest, feet apart, standing like a sentry.
She was kind of hoping that he'd follow Trip and Shelley out of there, but he just stared back at her impassively.
"It's okay, bud," Emmett said in a surprisingly gentle tone. "You can give us a minute."
Harper was fascinated to watch the way they interacted. Blane turned only his head to meet Emmett's gaze. "You sure about that?"
"I am. Just a few minutes, okay?"
Blane nodded curtly. "I'll be right outside the door." On his way out, he addressed Harper. "But I'll be back in just a few minutes."
She pulled herself up to her full height, bristling at his tone, but managed to stop herself before she started.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Emmett chuckled again. "You'll get used to him. He's kind of protective."
She let out a short laugh. "You can say that again. Is he like that with everyone, or does he have a problem with me?"
The way he hesitated before he answered made her heart sink. She wanted to know if maybe Blane had been close with Emily, but this wasn't the time for questions like that.
Instead, she approached the bed and didn't need to force herself to smile. It came naturally when she was close to Emmett.
"How are you doing, then? I take it you're going to live."
"Trip seems to think so, but only thanks to you."
She shook her head rapidly. "It had nothing to do with me."
"Hey." She was surprised at the stern note in his voice. "That's not true, Harper. You saved my life."
She waved a hand at him. "I did nothing of the kind. I created a bit of a diversion, that's all."
He smiled. "You're just the cleaning lady, huh?"
She had to smile back at him. "It was the first thing that came into my head. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. I panicked."
"No. You didn't panic. That's the point. You kept talking, diverted his attention—you gave me the opening." He met her gaze and held it. "You saved me."
She huffed. "Okay, well if you insist on saying that; you saved me, too. I already told you about my one previous experience meeting a gun. If I recall correctly—and I do—I was eye to eye with his gun until you took him down."
Emmett reached for her hand, and it was only when she took his that she realized how much her own was shaking.
"You were brave and smart, calm under pressure." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Are you okay?"
She let out a short laugh. "Me? Of course I am. I'm fine. Are you worried about my hand? It's probably the DTs—I could use a drink right about now."
He gave her a stern look. "Don't try to laugh it off, Harper. You could be in shock."
She rolled her eyes. "If I am, it's at the sight of your very masculine, if slightly battered, chest." She let her gaze run over him. "I never suspected you were hiding all that muscle under the capable vet, caring dad front you put on."
He chuckled. "No. It's not a front."
"I know. Just let me ramble to cover my embarrassment, would you?"
"Fair enough. I can do that. As long as you know I see straight through it."
She sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out slowly. "You're not supposed to be able to do that, you know. Most people can't."
He squeezed her hand again. "Well, I can. Are you saying you don't want me to?"
She had to swallow a couple of times before she could say, "No, Emmett, that's not what I'm saying.
Far from it. But you should probably press that buzzer and get Trip back in here to give you something for the pain.
" She glanced at the door, imagining his tall, unsmiling friend waiting out there.
"I'll be more inclined to do as I'm told if it's doctor's orders. "
"I think you and Blane will get along when you get to know each other."
Harper wasn't so sure about that, but she didn't want to say so. "Maybe so, but he'll want to get back in here, and no doubt get rid of me, so I'll save him the trouble."
Emmett tightened his grip on her hand. "You're leaving?"
"Hell no! But you look like you could use a coffee or something. I'll go find us one. I'll wait outside when I get back. You can tell Sergeant Sparkles to let me back in when you want to."
Emmett chuckled. "Cash calls Blane and Mav Grumpy and Grumpier, or the Sunshine Twins."
"I can see why. I'll call Cash again while I'm out there, make sure the girls are okay."
"Thanks, Harper. Would you tell Cash to call me here at the hospital? I left my phone on the desk at work."
She reached for her own phone. "Do you want to use this?"
He shook his head. "They're okay for now. Might as well let them enjoy their milkshakes with Uncle Cash before they start worrying about anything."
"He could bring them here while they're in town."
He didn't seem to like that idea, so she didn't push. She'd ask again later—it didn't make sense to let the girls go all the way home only to have to come back up to town later to visit him in the hospital.
~ ~ ~
"Just like old times, hey, buddy?"
Emmett gritted his teeth while Trip cleaned the wound.
Blane was back in position in the corner; arms folded across his chest. "I thought those days were behind us."
Emmett grunted at the sting. "Yeah, me too. Especially in my line of work."