Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Daisy
The hospital room was small, and the entire group of us packed in it shrunk it even more.
Knox lay propped against the hospital pillows, far too alert for a man who had been in surgery until two in the morning.
The doctor had his left shoulder bandaged and immobilized.
A couple of monitors beeped steady reassurances beside him.
He took one look at all of us piling in, and the corners of his mouth curved up. “You all look worse than I feel.”
“Good to see you with us on this side of the living,” Colt shook his hand carefully, right hand only. Ivy squeezed his forearm.
Sage stood at the foot of the bed and said, “Thank you for bringing Daisy home to us.”
“It was a team effort.” Like he couldn’t take credit for anything.
Ash shook hands with him as well. “Rest up. We’ll save some work for when you get better.”
“Thanks. And I appreciate everything you did last night. We all made a good team.” His eyes fell on me, surprisingly bright after everything his body had been through.
“That’s just what we do. We step up for each other. Brothers in arms. Brothers on the ranch,” Ash nodded.
“Oh, Ash, that was beautiful,” Willow kissed his cheek.
“I admit last night was incredible, being a part of the action. But after our experience with Seth, and now Trevor, I’m looking forward to the rest of fall and winter being a little more peaceful on the ranch.” Colt squeezed Ivy into his side.
“I think we all are,” Ivy added.
We talked more until eventually everyone filed out, giving us some space.
“You know what would make me feel better?” He didn’t wait to tell me the answer, but pointed his right forefinger at his lips.
I could have been smart and toyed with him, like food? Water? But I knew he wanted a kiss or two. And I needed them, too.
I bent over his bed, cupped his cheek and gently brushed his lips, careful not to hurt him.
“I’m not that fragile, sweetheart. Next time I want tongue.”
I laughed and pulled a chair beside the bed and took his right hand in both of mine.
“I contacted your family. They’re driving up this afternoon for a visit,” I informed him.
“Thank you for doing that. Means the world to me. I’ll bet they were worried.”
“I’m the one who should thank you. As usual.”
“No need to thank me. Although, if you’d like to break out spontaneous acts of appreciation, I would never turn those down.” He winked with a sly grin.
I shook my head, chuckling, still coming to terms with all that had happened. If I’d have lost him…
A year ago, losing friends who had come to feel more like family would have saddened me. Given the depth of my feelings for him now, these emotions that have hit me so fast, I’d have mourned the loss of love and what could have been.
Thankfully, after last night, I didn’t lose him. He was alive and well, and laced our fingers together.
“I told you before. I take good care of the most precious things to me on earth.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “Turns out precious cargo requires a little more security than a seatbelt or a deadbolt sometimes.”
I laughed despite myself, and the release of it relaxed me, like the first full breath I had taken in twelve hours.
“Good to see you still have your humor, Knox.”
“So, how are you?” He settled carefully against the pillows, concern in his eyes.
“We’ll be fine. My sisters and I are coming to grips with Trevor’s arrest and the part he played in our parent’s accident.”
“Good. But I asked about you. It must have been scary for you, what happened in the cottage.”
“Yeah. The Trevor part is. But mostly I think about you. I watched you go down on that cottage floor and I—” I stopped and pressed my lips together hard.
“Hey. I’m a tough guy. I made it through.” He squeezed my hand.
“If you hadn’t been there, if you hadn’t somehow figured out where I was, this would be an entirely different conversation.
Still, I want to be furious with you about Operation Daisy for a considerable length of time, because you had put yourself in harm’s way for me.
But one look at you and I can’t bring myself to be mad. ”
“Fair enough. But I watched over you, like I said I would. I’ll always keep you safe. If it happens again, I’d do it all over again.”
I snorted. “I think I’ve met my quota for one deranged man in my life. So you’re cleared of any more obligation.”
We talked more about how much had changed in the past twelve hours.
The TV news had plastered home video footage of Trevor being hauled out of the cottage in handcuffs.
I’d turned over my diary as evidence to the Sheriff, who no longer had competition in the November election.
The congressman was shown entering the jailhouse, stating no comment when a reporter asked how he felt with two sons locked up.
It should scare me that he might seek revenge on me and Ivy for the parts we played in his sons’ lives.
But I’d given it heavy consideration while waiting for Knox’s operation to conclude.
I didn’t see what benefit the congressman would gain by getting back at us.
Besides, with the sheriff opening up the cold case files, I had a feeling the walls would soon close in on Bruce Brewster and any dirty-handed thing he was involved in.
I sighed. Knox noticed and asked, “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“I’m wondering how I can step into the orchard cottage again, what was once my peaceful, happy place.”
“Give it time. Or, we could tear it down and build a new one.”
“It’ll be closed up for the winter; I’ll see how it feels this spring.”
“That’s a good plan. I’ve been doing some thinking, too,” he nodded.
“Lying on a cottage floor will do that.”
“Surgery too, apparently.” We chuckled together.
“Last night, running Operation Daisy felt right in a way I haven’t felt since before I left the service.
” He glanced away, out the window. “I love the ODRR. What Ash and Chris built out there, what the ranch does for the guys, I’ll always be grateful for it.
But I think I’ve known for a while that it wasn’t the complete story for me. ”
I waited, trying to figure out where he was going with this.
“I was born to serve, Daisy. It's been underneath everything I’ve ever done. I served my country. I was good at it. They called me a hero. Last night, running Operation Daisy, I realized how much I missed being a part of something bigger than myself. Of course I enjoy working with horses and being on the ranch, but I think I need to be doing something more. That’s why I want to apply to the deputy training academy in Billings.
I’d be away for a few months, but I’d return here and work for Sheriff Patrick, and continue to be a part of this community. ”
My mouth opened and closed, both proud of him and scared for him at the same time. “If you feel you were born to serve, then do that.”
“I see it clearly now,” he said. “My future. This county. Patrick’s department. You. I just need to know you’ll be by my side through all of it.”
My chest ached to be the woman who could give him what he wanted and more.
Could that really be me? “I’m proud of you, Knox.
I genuinely am. After last night, though, the idea of you in the line of duty is going to require some getting used to on my end.
What if you get hurt worse next time? The risks—”
“Are real. I won’t pretend otherwise.” He squeezed my hand.
“But I couldn’t be anyone’s hero without some risk involved.
You know that better than most.” His eyes held mine, full of hard truths.
“What I can promise you is that I will be as careful as possible for a man in that line of work to be. Every single day. Because I intend to come home to you every night for a very long time, Daisy. A good woman like you is a significant motivator for caution.”
I chewed my cheek and considered everything he said. In the end, I’d never want to hold him back from doing what he loved.
“You'd better promise me you’ll come home every night.” I pointed sternly.
He brought my hand up and pressed his lips to the back of it, his eyes on mine over our joined hands. I leaned forward and kissed him properly, full mouth, plenty of tongue, careful of the shoulder, careful of the monitor leads, not particularly careful of anything else, like my heart.
“I can’t wait to get out of here. I miss being inside of you,” he murmured.
“I miss you too.”
“I love you, Daisy.”
“I love you, too.” Saying those three words became our new thing.
“By the way, how big a ring should I buy you?”
“What?” My heart skipped a beat. Knox asking me to marry him from a gurney with a bullet wound in his shoulder was something I was certain he’d have forgotten. I chalked it up to the pain medication. The shock. Men said things in extremity that they did not always mean. I wouldn’t hold him to it.
“You were shot,” I said.
“I’m aware.”
“You’re on pain medication.”
“Still am, a little. But one hundred percent, I meant the proposal.”
“Knox, you can’t seriously be thinking we’d get married this soon.”
“You don’t want to marry me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Life is too short to wait another year, to be patient, to tell you what I want. When I am positive, all I want is you.”
I took in a shaky breath, but forced the air right out. “Oh, Knox.”
“When I look into your face, into your pretty eyes, and all the time I’ve studied you and gotten to know who you are, I see a woman who can stand strong on her own two feet.
You probably don’t really need a man in your life.
But I think you could use a friend, a lover, a protector, a partner.
Someone who can guard your heart from the worries of the world when you need it, and strong enough to help you share in carrying the load.
And definitely someone who can put up with your stubbornness and push back a bit.
All of that, that’s the man I’ll be for you, Daisy, if you’ll say yes. ”
Tears filled my eyes, and I didn’t stop a single one from falling. To think that I went from a hideous man like Trevor, objectifying me and marriage for his own cruel obsession, to Knox, offering me a loving relationship built on trust and mutual respect.
Some time ago, I told him I didn’t want a relationship. I’d vowed to see my sisters settle down and put them first ahead of myself. But they claimed they’d rather see me find happiness.
I had bills and responsibilities to the orchard, to keeping things afloat at home. But thanks to Dad’s notes, I think I finally cracked the code on what it took for a plentiful, healthy harvest each year.
I thought a relationship would be too much for me to handle. And I carried guilt and grief, and secrets as my greatest burdens in life. But Knox had been there at every turn, not a man to fear, but a man to trust. Someone to count on because when he gave his word, it meant something.
We shared a bond now. A love so true. I couldn’t possibly walk away from that.
“Daisy, I want everything with you. The orchard and the farmhouse and your sisters turning up unannounced anytime, night or day. I want you in your granny nightgown so I can unzip it and be surprised by what you’re wearing underneath.
I want coffee with you before sunrise because we’re both early risers and hard workers, and we get out there and get things done every day.
I want all of it. I want forever with you.
Yes, this is fast. But I believe we’ll figure it out as we go along. ”
I wiped the tears from my cheeks, my heart beating wildly in my chest. “I want two rings. One a simple plain gold band for days that I work. You can etch a special message to me inside it. And another gold band with a simple, petite princess diamond in it, because I like nothing too flashy. But now and then, when I’m not covered in barn dust, I like to look nice. Having options is good.”
He chuckled, bringing my hand to his mouth once again. “Is that all you want?”
“You owe me red panties. An entire drawer of them.”
“That I do. What else?”
“A wedding in the orchard this summer might be nice.”
“Done. And?”
“I want you.”
“That’s a given.”
“I want you to be my husband.”
“And you’ll be my wife.” A thrill worked down my spine when he called me that.
A knock came at the door. The nurse poked her head in. “Mr. Alexander? Sponge bath time.”
Knox cocked an eyebrow. I growled. “Don’t even think about it, cowboy.”
“I absolutely wasn’t. Much,” he grinned. “Say, nurse, I just proposed to my lovely fiancée. Would there be a way, by any chance, that you’d allow her to give me a private sponge bath?”
“Hm.” She eyed us at first and then walked in.
She placed the bucket of water on the bedside table and consulted the chart.
“You know what, I see on your chart here it shows that you’ve already been given one today.
” She purposely left the tub and sponge behind and left the room, closing the door behind her.
“Problem solved. I’ll take one of those spontaneous acts of appreciation now, future wife.”
“You’re enjoying this way too much, future husband,” I laughed.
“I have a feeling I’m about to. Make it a good one.”
I wrung out the sponge and took my time with his body, grateful for him and thanking him properly.