Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
WYATT
Considering how long I’ve been doing this job and all the things I’ve seen over the years, I have to admit getting hauled out on a stretcher, being carried by—I count the people surrounding me as I lie here like a helpless kid—six of my fellow employees, some of them from my crew, is the very last thing I ever thought could happen to me.
My head and my right leg throb in time to the beat of my heart. The stretcher keeps jostling as they walk the uneven ground, making me grunt. At one point, I groan, and Suzi sends me a worried look, fear written all over her face.
She’s one of the people carrying me. Good old Suz. I can always count on her.
I don’t know how long I’ve been on this stretcher, but anything is better than being stuck under that damn tree. It was a dried-out bull pine, and I’m thinking all of us walking on the ground where its roots were close to the surface and hacking away at said roots made it come tumbling down.
Fuck me, that was a scary moment. All I could think about was my crew. I could give a damn about what was going to happen to me until I felt the tree land on me. And then all I thought about was Dottie. How she can’t lose her dad. I’m all she has.
Immediately following that thought came Rachel.
Just when I was opening myself up again to the possibility of having a relationship with a woman I’ve fallen in love with, this happens?
What if I can’t walk? What if I can’t work and do the routine things I need to do on a day-to-day basis?
What kind of man would I be? How can I be a protective dad to Dottie if I’m . . . disabled?
I immediately pushed all thoughts that resembled a pity party out of my brain and focused on the positives. One, I’m alive. Two, I can feel pain. If I couldn’t feel anything at all, that would be fucking scary. I’m going to be okay.
I have to be. I have things to do and a life to live and people to take care of. Some of those people are currently taking care of me, and I owe them my life. Indebted to them forever. To haul my big ass off this mountain is no easy feat.
“You hanging in there, Captain?” McGruff asks me at one point, and I crack open my eyes, realizing I must’ve drifted off. How is that even possible?
I raise my arm, groaning at the movement, and give him a thumbs-up.
“You really shouldn’t move like that,” Suzi chastises. She sounds mad, which is her go-to when she’s scared. I hate that she feels that way. It’s all my fault. Well, it’s all the tree’s fault. “Just talk if we ask you a question. Yes or no answers will suffice.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I croak at her, making her smile.
I realize it’s easier to pretend this isn’t happening, so I don’t focus on how hard they’re jostling me or how long this is taking.
I let my mind drift, ignoring the incessant pain in my head and leg, thinking of Rachel.
Is she back at Paige’s house, sleeping blissfully and unaware of what happened to me?
I can guarantee a couple of family members are waiting for me at the base of the road.
I’d guess my dad and Nate. Mom is most likely at home with Dottie and worried sick.
Dottie is for sure sleeping, and I hope she doesn’t know what’s going on because she doesn’t need to be scared for her daddy.
Finally, we’re walking on flat land, and I know we’re close.
Opening my eyes, I see lights flashing, and I swear I can hear the low murmur of conversation.
Within minutes we’re at the turnout where I left my engine, and I can tell a lot of people are here waiting for us.
A couple of battalion chief vehicles are parked nearby, as well as two other engines lined up beside mine.
I think I hear my dad’s voice, and I try to lift my head.
I’m hit with an excruciating bolt of pain, and another groan escapes me, this one louder.
“He’s so pale,” Suzi says, and her voice sounds distant. Definitely shaky. “Hey! Get the paramedics over here now!”
“I’m o—” I try to speak, but words fail me, and that’s when everything goes black.
* * *
The steady beep of some sort of monitor brings me out of my fog. It’s loud. Annoying. I lift my lids, realizing the monitor is hooked up to me and it’s my heartbeat that’s irritating the shit out of me.
Well, hell. At least I’m alive.
I exhale softly and close my eyes once more. That’s when I feel it. A hand sliding over mine, our fingers interlocking. A tentative, familiar woman’s voice. “Wyatt? Can you hear me?”
I squeeze her hand, and she gasps in shock. I open my eyes to find Rachel standing by the side of the bed, kicking the chair she must’ve been sitting in out of the way, as if it offended her. “Hey.”
My voice is raspy, like I haven’t used it in a long time, and I wonder how long I’ve been out. I can’t remember anything other than arriving at the head of the trail and Suzi yelling for help. That’s it.
“Wyatt.” Rachel’s voice cracks, her pretty but wan face crumpling, and my chest aches at seeing the tears form in her eyes, spilling down her face. “Oh my God, look at you.”
“I must look really awful.”
She laughs, the sound watery. “Not at all. I’m glad you’re awake.”
I try to look around the room, but it hurts to move my head even a fraction of an inch, so I give up fast. “How long have I been out?”
“Only since last night. You passed out when they brought you down off the trail. Probably from pain.”
My eyes drift shut, and I feel like I can’t keep them open. “How bad is the damage?”
“Not so bad.” Her voice is cautious.
“Tell me, Rachel.” I squeeze her hand, needing her to be honest with me. “Am I fucked up or what?”
“You have a gash on the back of your head, and it took ten staples to close it up.” She hesitates, like she doesn’t want to say anything else, and I will her to speak. “You broke your leg in two places.”
“Fuck.” The word shoots out of me, sharp and bitter. “Which leg?”
“Your right one. They operated on it. Had to reset the bones and add a few pins to keep them in place.” She winces. “I should probably let the doctor tell you that.”
“I’m glad you’re the one telling me.” I fight the despair that wants to sweep over me.
I won’t be back to work for months. My fire season is over.
Who’s going to take care of my crew? They’ll have to find a temporary placement.
Or they could promote someone to an engineer.
I know just the person to recommend, but that means I could lose Suzi after the season.
They’d probably move her to another station, or she’d transfer out on her own.
I hate this. All of it.
“Want me to call a nurse? Are you in pain?” Concern is etched all over her pretty features, and I don’t like seeing her like this.
“My head is fuzzy. I think I’m already pumped full of enough pain medication. I can’t even really feel my legs.”
Rachel frowns. “Well, that’s concerning.”
“Oh no, I can actually feel them. I’m just—it’s hard to explain.” I try to move my right leg, a bolt of agonizing pain shooting through me for my efforts, and I immediately give up. “I’d love to see the x-ray of my leg if anyone has it.”
She actually smiles, her relief obvious. “I’ll see what I can do to dig that up.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost four in the afternoon.”
Damn. I lost a lot of hours. Fewer than I thought, but still. “Where’s Dottie?”
“With your parents. They haven’t brought her by yet. They didn’t want her to see you like this.”
“Good.” I swallow hard. I wouldn’t want her to see me like this either. “How long am I in here for?”
“I don’t know, but the doctor mentioned to your mom when she was here earlier that you’ll have to go into a rehabilitation center before they release you home.” Rachel presses her lips together, wincing.
“Shit.” I close my eyes tight, wishing I could make all this go away, but this is my new reality. And while I know it’s temporary, it’s going to be a bitch to get through. “I can’t believe this happened.”
“I’m just glad you’re all right. I was so scared.” She’s whispering, and when I open my eyes back up, I see the fear shining in her glassy eyes. “I was there last night.”
“Where?”
“At the turnout, right at the head of the trail. Nate and your dad brought me with them,” she answers.
“You came to wait for me?”
“I had to know you were all right, Wyatt. Nate called me. Your dad made him. And when he let me know what happened, I knew I had to be there, waiting for you. But you passed out before I could get to you.”
“It would’ve been nice to see you there.
” I sound like a dope, but I mean it. After everything that happened, being carried down that trail on a goddamn stretcher, seeing Rachel’s beautiful face would’ve filled me with relief.
Would’ve reminded me that this entire mishap was all worth it, just to bask in her presence again.
“Oh, Wyatt.” She stops talking, and I slowly turn my head to see she’s completely falling apart. Tears race down her face, and her nose is turning red, her shoulders shaking. “I’m s-so g-glad y-you’re o-okay.”
“Rach. Baby, come here.” I tap the edge of the bed, and she doesn’t hesitate, sitting gingerly next to me, careful not to bump me. “Give me a hug. I want to feel you.”
She tentatively rests her body on top of my chest, her face in mine, her hands clinging to my shoulders. Her eyes never leave mine when she murmurs, “I don’t like thinking I could lose you.”
“You’re stuck with me.” She doesn’t have a lick of makeup on, and there are dark circles under her eyes. And those damn tears still streaking her face. “I hate seeing you upset.”
“It’s okay. I’m okay. I’m just glad you’re going to be all right.” Her smile is small, and I’m dying to touch her, but it’s like I can’t even lift my arms. My body feels heavy, like I’m stuck in a lake made of syrup.
“Maybe you should call for that nurse.” My eyelids are heavy too. They fall closed, and I focus on the soft, warm body that’s on top of mine. How good she feels. How right. “Or the doctor. Whoever. I want to know what I need to prepare for.”
“I’ll go find someone.” She moves away from me, and I’m immediately cold. Sad she’s gone. I can hear her shoes squeak on the floor as she walks, and I can tell she left the room because the silence is deafening. Her scent lingers, and I take a deep breath, hating the way my head aches.
My entire body aches. And it’s hard to stay awake, though I do want to talk to the doctor. Or one of the nurses. Anyone, really, who can tell me what I need to do. What the next steps are. I’ve never been in this type of situation before, and I feel lost.
Incapable.
And that’s a really shitty feeling.