13. Logan
Chapter 13
Logan
T he hospital in Amarillo was like any other, cold, sterile, and full of bustling nurses that looked like they hadn’t slept in two years. They rushed in and out of the heavy metal doors all night that separated us from the operating rooms. That’s where my father was, where he had been for the past several hours.
I’d been sitting there all night with Caroline and my mother, silently startling every time the doors opened and a white coat stepped through. We waited and waited, hoping that a doctor wouldn’t come through and tell us my father was dead. Each minute that ticked by was a blessing and pure torture.
Caroline shifted in her seat, her boots scuffing against the linoleum floor. She’d been uncharacteristically quiet all night, her usual brash demeanor subdued by the gravity of the situation. I caught her glancing at me every so often, her brown eyes filled with a mix of concern and something else I couldn’t quite place. It might’ve been fear.
“You want some coffee?” she finally asked, her voice low and rough from a long night with no sleep.
I shook my head, my stomach too knotted with worry to consider putting anything in it. My mother, on the other hand, nodded gratefully. Caroline stood up, her long dark braid swinging behind her as she made her way to the vending machine.
The clock on the wall ticked away, each second feeling like an eternity. I thought about my father, lying there on the operating table, fighting for his life. The image of him being unloaded out of the ambulance and into the emergency room still haunted me. He was pale, unconscious, and looked like he wasn’t breathing at all. It scared the shit out of me.
As Caroline returned with the coffee, the heavy doors swung open again. This time, a tired-looking doctor in green scrubs stepped out, his eyes scanning the waiting room. My heart leapt into my throat as he made his way towards us.
“Family of John Baker?” he asked, his voice low and serious.
My mother shot to her feet, her hands trembling as she clutched her purse. “Yes, that’s us. How is he? Is he...?”
The doctor held up a hand, his expression unreadable. “Your husband made it through the surgery. It was touch and go for a while, but he’s stable now. We had to do an emergency bypass, but he’s got a good chance of pulling through.”
A collective sigh of relief swept through our little group. I felt my shoulders sag, the tension of the past hours finally releasing its grip on me. Caroline’s hand found mine, squeezing it tightly.
“Can we see him?” I asked, my voice like gravel. I hadn’t spoken nearly all night.
The doctor nodded, his eyes softening slightly. “He’s in recovery now. We’ll be moving him to the ICU shortly. Once he’s settled, one of you can see him for a few minutes.”
“Only one?” Caroline said, a tone of anger in her voice.
“For now,” the doctor replied, feigning patience. “We want to keep everything around him as sterile as possible. He’s stable, but even small exposures to a sickness could mean he doesn’t recover. I know it’s hard to hear, but he needs his rest.”
My mother nodded vigorously, tears of relief streaming down her face. Caroline’s grip on my hand tightened, and I could feel her trembling slightly beside me.
“Thank you, doctor,” I managed to say, my voice still rough.
As the doctor walked away, I turned to Caroline. Her face was a mix of relief and lingering worry, her usually messy appearance even more disheveled after the long night.
“He’s gonna be okay,” she said, more to herself than to me. “Right?”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. I gave my sister a hug before I turned back to my mother. “You should stay here Mama. He needs you.”
Caroline looked affronted for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. You should be the one to stay.”
“But the ranch?—”
“I’ll take care of the ranch,” I said, shaking my head. “You take care of Daddy.”
“He was supposed to meet with a beef distributor today?—”
“Mama,” I said, more sternly than I meant. “I can take care of it.”
“And I’ll help him,” Caroline added. “And I’ll bring you whatever you need. Just text me and I’ll pack it up.”
Tears filled my mother’s eyes as she pulled both of us into a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling. When she took a step back, she pulled out her key ring and pulled a key from the cluster, handing it to me. “Everything for the ranch is in your father’s office. His wallet’s in there too if you need to pay any bills… I can’t imagine he’s coming home anytime soon…”
“I got it, Mama,” I said softly, taking the key. “You go be with Daddy.”
With one last hug, she left with a nurse, heading back into the ICU alone. There was nothing else we could do for her or my father, so Caroline and I left the hospital, stepping out into the crisp morning air. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, but the beauty was lost on us. We walked to my truck in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts.
As we climbed in, Caroline let out a long sigh. “Hell of a night,” she muttered, running a hand across her messy braid in a vain attempt to tame it.
I nodded, starting the engine. “Yeah. Hell of a night.”
We drove in silence for a while, the familiar landscape of northern Texas rolling by outside the windows. Fields of green grass stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted here and there with grazing cattle. It was a sight that usually brought me some sort of comfort, but today it just felt hollow.
“You really think you can handle everything at the ranch?” Caroline asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
I glanced at her, seeing the worry etched into the lines on her face. “I’ll have to,” I sighed. “Don’t have much choice.”
“If you need help?—”
“Don’t you have clients?” I said, interrupting her.
“A couple… but they can wait.”
“Caroline,” I sighed. “Don’t give up on your business before you even get started. Daddy wouldn’t want you to do that. And I’ll be fine on my own.”
“Daddy doesn’t know about my business,” she said, her voice quivering with emotion. I glanced up as tears began to fall down her face. “I couldn’t get up the courage to tell him. I… I thought he’d be mad at me for not wanting to stay on the ranch. And now… well now he might never know.”
She sobbed for a moment, her emotions getting the better of her. My heart sank, seeing her in such a state. Caroline was usually so strong and stalwart. But the past few hours had brought out more vulnerability in her than I’d seen in years. It was no secret she was our Daddy’s little girl, and the thought of possibly having to go on without him was tearing her apart.
“You’ll tell him,” I said softly once she calmed a bit. “And he’ll support you. In fact, he’ll probably become a client just so he can go to lunch with you every other day. You know how he is.”
“What about you?” she asked, wiping her cheeks. “You don’t want to be a rancher. You don’t even like the ranch that much.”
“You’re right,” I nodded. “But I’m gonna do it for Mama and Daddy. I’m gonna make sure their life doesn’t fall apart while he’s trying to heal. The hospital bills will be bad enough, they don’t need the place going under in the meantime.” I let out a long sigh. “But right now, as much as I want to help them, all I wanna do is go home and sleep. Dakota can tend to the cattle today. He knows what to do. Tonight, I’ll start going through things and figuring it all out.”
There was another long silence before Caroline finally spoke again.
“I’m happy for you, you know?”
“Happy for me?”
“You and Dakota I mean,” she clarified. “I think you two are good together. In an opposites attract sort of way.”
I felt a flush creep up my neck at Caroline’s words. Dakota and I had been keeping things quiet, not really sure ourselves what was developing between us. But leave it to my observant sister to pick up on it. Then again, she did find me at his cabin nearly naked, so the trail of crumbs wasn’t exactly hidden.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, keeping my eyes fixed on the road ahead. “It’s still... new. We’re taking things slow.” I paused for a moment, remembering Caroline was the one that had a crush on him. “And I’m sorry… I asked him for you but he… he wasn’t interested.”
“I figured as much,” she sighed. “You know, when you slept over at his place for the second time.”
“I didn’t steal him. I swear…”
“I know you didn’t,” she replied, shaking her head. “He’s been avoiding me for a long time. I knew he wasn’t interested, but he’s just so…”
“Handsome?”
“Sure. Rub it in,” she said, cracking a small smile.
“Sorry.” I couldn’t help but chuckle, needing the release after such a stressful night. It turned out to be contagious and within a few seconds, we were both belly laughing as the truck bounced down the road. Apparently we both needed the relief.
As our laughter subsided, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. The adrenaline from the night was wearing off, leaving me drained. I blinked hard, trying to focus on the road ahead.
“You want me to drive?” Caroline asked, noticing my fatigue.
I shook my head. “Nah, we’re almost home. I’ll be fine.”
We lapsed into silence again as we approached the ranch. The familiar sight of the weathered wooden sign reading “Baker Ranch” came into view, and I felt a pang in my chest. It had always been Daddy’s pride and joy, and now it was up to me to keep it running.
As we pulled up to the house, I spotted Dakota near the barn, already at work. He looked up as we approached, his long dark hair catching the morning light. Even from a distance, I could see the concern in his eyes. He must have heard about what happened.
I parked the truck and we both climbed out, our boots crunching on the gravel. Dakota walked over, his gait steady and purposeful.
“How is he?” he asked, his voice low and tinged with worry.
“He made it through surgery,” I replied, running a hand through my hair. “He’s stable, but he’s gonna need a lot of recovery time. Mama will know more soon, but he’s in the ICU right now.”
Dakota nodded, his brown eyes searching my face. “And you? How are you holding up?”
I shrugged, suddenly feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me. “I’m... managing,” I said, my voice cracking slightly.
Without a word, Dakota stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. His strong arms wrapped around me, and I felt myself melting into his embrace. The warmth of his body and the familiar scent of leather, horse, and sweat enveloped me, providing a comfort I didn’t realize I desperately needed. I allowed myself to relax into him for a moment, drawing strength from his steady presence.
Caroline cleared her throat softly, reminding me we weren’t alone. I reluctantly pulled away from Dakota, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.
“I should... I should get some sleep,” I mumbled, avoiding eye contact with both of them.
Dakota nodded, his hand lingering on my arm. “Of course. I’ve got things handled out here. You rest up.”
“Thanks,” I said, finally meeting his gaze. The concern in his eyes made my heart skip a beat. “I’ll... I’ll fill you in on everything later.”
He gave my arm a gentle squeeze before letting go. “Whenever you’re ready. I’m here if you need anything.”
I nodded, then turned to Caroline. But her eyes were on Dakota. She stepped up to him, punching him hard in the shoulder.
“That’s for turning me down,” she said. But before Dakota could say anything, she did it again. “And that’s a warning.”
He rubbed his shoulder, his brows furrowed. “A warning? For what?!”
“A warning should you decide not to take good care of my baby brother,” she growled, getting close. “Cuz if you don’t, you’ll have me to answer to.”
Then, without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and headed back toward the house. I watched Caroline stomp off, feeling a mix of embarrassment and gratitude. She may be brash, but she always had my back. I turned to Dakota, who was still rubbing his shoulder with a bemused expression.
“Sorry about that,” I mumbled, not quite meeting his eyes. “She’s just... protective.”
Dakota’s lips quirked into a small smile. “It’s alright. I can take a punch. Besides, I reckon I deserve it for how I handled things with her before.”
We stood there for a moment, an awkward silence stretching between us. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I needed to process, but exhaustion was quickly overtaking me.
“I should...” I gestured vaguely towards the house.
“Yeah, of course,” Dakota nodded. “Get some rest. I’ll take care of things out here.”
As I turned to leave, Dakota caught my arm gently. “Logan,” he said softly, his dark eyes full of concern. “I know you’ve got a lot on your plate right now. But don’t forget, I’m here if you need me. For anything.”
I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. “Thanks,” I managed to croak out before quickly heading towards the house. However, I only made it a few steps before I turned around. “Dakota?”
“Yeah?”
“Can… Can I sleep in your bed?”
Dakota’s eyes widened slightly, a mix of surprise and something softer flickering across his face. He hesitated for just a moment before nodding slowly.
“Of course,” he said, his voice low and gentle. “You know where everything is. Make yourself at home.”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. The thought of being alone in my childhood bedroom, surrounded by memories of happier times with my family, suddenly felt unbearable. Dakota’s cabin, with its simple furnishings and comforting scent of pine and leather, seemed like a sanctuary.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, feeling a blush creep up my neck. “I just... I can’t...”
“You don’t have to explain,” Dakota interrupted softly. He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. “Go on, get some rest. I’ll check on you later.”
I nodded, too exhausted to argue. As I went to leave, his hand stayed on my shoulder, holding me in place. I glanced up at him just in time for him to lean down and place a soft, but unexpected kiss on my lips.
“Sleep well,” he said softly, letting me go.
I stood there staring as he headed back toward the barn, his simple but intimate gesture rooting me to the spot. My chest filled with warmth as my heart sped up. I’d half expected him to call things off, but that kiss… well… it meant something more.
And I couldn’t wait to find out what.