Chapter Five
Preparing for the wedding was more taxing than Cheyenne would have thought. The summer was half over, and the wedding was approaching in a few short months. She lay in Quinn’s lap as they cuddled after a play session.
“I have to go to Liam’s the end of next week.
They’ve set up branding for Friday and Saturday, and I promised to come up and help.
Cian is coming up to help with the immunizations.
Thought I’d play with the kids a little, bang a few nails to say I helped and talk through the semantics of things with my brothers.
Shane and Andrew will be working on the house plans.
They want to get started on foundational work while the weather is still good. ”
“Can’t they do that alone?” She didn’t even cringe at the tone she heard.
“I suppose they could but why? What’s wrong?”
Cheyenne shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing really, I feel a bit off, I guess. I don’t want you to go again. It seems you’re always gone in the summer. August is almost here, and I haven’t spent much time with you.”
“I can stay home and go the following weekend. I’ll call the guys and tell them to put off branding for another week.
It won’t be more than an inconvenience. I don’t like leaving you home when you aren’t well.
” He added a chastising tone to his next words.
“You don’t have a good history of getting medical help without encouragement. ”
She had already rolled her eyes before she caught herself and looked at him sheepishly. “It’s a female thing. Probably. But I’m not sick. It’s nothing I can’t handle. Besides, I’m anxious to see some tentative house plans, so I guess you should go.”
“We could work on the house plans here and likely will but it’s different when you are looking at the plot of land.”
“I would like to have input at some point but it’s all good.
” Quinn stared at her for a long moment and then accepted she would be fine.
After all, it wasn’t something she was unfamiliar with, and she sometimes had difficulty with her cycle.
He trusted she would be honest with him on the important matters.
So, he left for Montana and the Circle C Ranch.
It had been a very busy week for Quinn, but since they’d both been busy, Quinn didn’t come over the Wednesday night before he left, but he called. She sounded off, but not too much. He felt confident that her hormones would be in better condition when he returned. He hoped it wasn’t too difficult.
“Leaving at first light tomorrow, beag amháin, so wanted to call now. I’ve missed you this week, and now it won’t be until Tuesday before I see you. Possibly Monday night. I should have made some time to come over. I’m sorry I was so caught up at work that I didn’t do that.”
“Mmm, it’s okay, I’m a big girl, you know, regardless of what you like to call me.”
“Now, you know I love to use Irish endearments. Not like Liam, who all but had to learn the whole language, but I have my Gaelic favorites. Are you feeling any better? I know it’s late, but I don’t like how you sound. Do you need me to come over anyway?”
“No. I’m just having cramps and it’s been a long week. Don’t worry. Honestly, I’m fine. Just a day or two more and I’ll be great.”
“Are you sure?” his voice sounded skeptical.
“Allow me to know my own body,” was her testy reply.
“Okay. I might not call through the weekend because we’ll be working long hours but I’ll text you. I want to know if you aren’t feeling better. I love you, and I’ll be back Monday night, late or Tuesday morning.
“Geez, no calls, texts only, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were stepping out on me.”
“Cheyenne.” She could hear the Dom descending.
“I’m playing.”
“Not funny. All right, honey, go to bed and feel better. You know you can always call mom and if you need me, call me or the ranch. Katie is a nurse and Jocelyn is a mother hen. Promise me.”
“I will. Have a good time. Don’t work too hard.”
Cheyenne tried to take care of what she knew wasn’t her monthly visitor, but it was too little, too late.
Everyone who knew Cheyenne well enough knew of her general aversion to doctors, and since becoming an adult, she rarely saw one.
Quinn had gotten her into the only one she had seen in over four years, and only after she had gotten very sick.
Cheyenne tried to ignore the fact that her fiancé was quite adamant the last time she waited too late that if she did it again, she would be a very sorry “beag amháin”.
Regardless of the butt-clenching memory of her last doctor encounter with Quinn, she didn’t call the doctor. She was determined that she would be better all on her own. She tried every remedy she could think of, but nothing helped long term.
“Cheyenne, please call the doctor. Please? You’re really sick and have been for too long,” begged her assistant, Jacquie.
“Besides, every night Ace asks me how you are, and he said if you weren’t better today he would call Master Carter to come and see you.
I don’t think that would be better than going to your own doctor.
When Carter Taylor is in Dom mode and irritated, I find another place to be.
So would you please get an appointment?”
Cheyenne croaked her answer because her throat hurt.
“I’ll be okay. You were so sweet to bring these extra meds before work.
I’m staying here today and only stay in the office until you are done with your high priorities.
I just need this medicine and sleep. Just tell him you picked up medicine for me, and I should be better tomorrow. ”
“Cheyenne, you have to know that I can’t lie to Ace. I mean, I don’t want to, but I really can’t. It’s not possible anymore because he knows me too well. He has a radar for that. I’ll try to avoid the subject.”
“Fine but don’t offer any information.”
When Ace came home at lunchtime, he didn’t sound happy after his question-and-answer round with Jacquie. “Ace it isn’t my fault she won’t go to the doctor,” exclaimed Jacquie.
“True. But when I ask you a question, and you find every way in the world to avoid that question and then give me one syllable answers, that just won’t do.”
“She asked me not to say anything.”
“I bet if she knew you were going to get your butt burned because you were so avoidant, she might not have asked you.”
“Ace, this is Cheyenne we’re talking about and going to a doctor. Those two never reside in the same sentence well. She would feel bad, but she would not have gone to avoid me getting into trouble with you. She would have lied to me and avoided everyone. I did what I could to keep an eye on her.”
“Keeping her confidences are fine if she isn’t unsafe. You missed it on this one, baby, so let me call Quinn and then you and I are having a session on trust and truthfulness. Strip.”
Jacquie made an inadvisable sound of dissatisfaction, and Ace chuckled as he picked up his phone. “That’s five.” She made another sound but followed it quickly with, “Sorry, Sir.” He shook his head.
Quinlan was on his way home when he got the call from Ace. After listening to his friend’s interpretation of the situation, he asked to speak to Jacquie.
“Hello? Yes, she’s pretty sick, and no it isn’t even the right time of the month for that. Yeah, well, she’s having a hard time swallowing, but it’s gone way past that. I think it’s gone past a cold or strep. It’s kind of like a pneumonia.”
“She won’t go to the doctor.” It was a statement from Quinn, rather than a question.
“No. Quinn, she’s truly afraid of going for some reason. I know she was upset about losing her father in a hospital, but it goes way beyond that. I did try to get her to go but as sick as she is, she absolutely won’t even consider it. I feel bad even asking her.”
“You did what a good friend would do. I know my girl doesn’t like to go see a doctor. Look, honey, I’m on the road, do you think you could call her doctor and get an emergency visit.”
“Yes.” Her tone was resigned.
“Thanks, honey. Jacquie, before you go, is Ace upset with you?”
“Ah, yes. It’s the understatement of the year.”
“Okay, this wasn’t your fault, and I’ll talk to him to see if I can lessen the penalty.”
“You don’t have to, and I don’t think that will go over well, to be honest.”
“Well, let me have a go anyway, okay? I promise I won’t make it worse. Hand Ace the phone. And thanks again. Call me with the details of the appointment.”
“You’re welcome and thanks.”
Cheyenne’s doctor, being out of town, had someone covering for him who gave her an appointment at the end of the day. Quinn asked Jacquie to get her there, and he would bring her home.
“What the hell? I don’t need you to make my doctor appointments, and I’m really pissed off that you called Quinn. What are you now, the town crier?”
“I’m sorry,” cried Jacquie. “It wasn’t me it was Ace, and I’m telling you he’s upset with both of us.”
“I’m not going to see a doctor I don’t know, and I’m not talking to you about it anymore. I thought you had my back. And honestly, I don’t care what Ace thinks about it; it’s my life.”
“And my ass.”
Cheyenne coughed, moaned, and then tried to catch her breath. She decreed in her raspy voice that the crying Jacquie had been banished from her apartment. She knew that her friend had no choice but to do as the doms in their lives had told her to do. Cheyenne was still angry at the world.
When their men demanded something, it was the most natural thing in the world to comply. She moaned, thinking about how she would have to grovel when she felt better. Right now, however, she just didn’t care. Everything changed when Quinn arrived at 4:30 and pounded on the door, demanding entrance.
“Go away,” Cheyenne barely croaked out.