Chapter 6
Frank was dozing when he heard Lacy’s voice as she talked to Rory while they headed down the hall past his room at the clinic.
He had been sleeping on and off. Then he worried that Lacy had been hurt.
Why would she be here otherwise, if not to see him?
He didn’t think she would be at the clinic so late.
He pushed the nurse’s call button, and she responded. “Yes, Mr. Everest?”
“Is Lacy here?” Maybe he had thought he had heard her voice, but really hadn’t in his fog-filled mind.
“Oh, yes. Her ex-boyfriend fought Lacy and Rory as cougars on a run. Dr. Kate came in to take care of their bite and claw marks.”
“Aww, hell. I suppose Timothy is still running free.”
“Yeah, but Rory said he was chewed up worse than they were and headed for the mountains.”
“Can I see them?”
“I’ll let them know you’re awake and you want to see them. But Dr. Kate needs to take care of them first.”
“Of course.” Frank was so angry that Timothy had hurt Lacy and Rory, he wanted to get out of bed and find the bastard and finish him himself. He was wide awake when Lacy and Rory came in to see him. “What happened?”
Lacy explained their cougar run, Timothy tracking them as a cougar, and the fight. “Dan called us and said they’re initiating a cougar hunt before dawn. I want to go with them, but he said no.”
“I did too, but Dan wants me to stay with Lacy, which I certainly agree with,” Rory said.
“How bad are your injuries?” Frank asked.
“Some stitches for bites and wicked claw marks,” Lacy said, “but you know how it is with our healing genetics. They’ll all be healed up before long. Not Timothy’s wounds, since he isn’t getting any treatment for them. His injuries will take longer to heal.”
Frank scoffed. “He should be dead.” He was thinking about the beauty of the holidays, and that things between him and Lacy had improved by a hundred percent.
As far as meeting up with Florence and Lacy having Rory in her life, he couldn’t be more thrilled.
But this business with Timothy needed to end.
“Yeah, we agree,” Rory said. “I’m staying with Lacy, but others will be trying to track him down in the meantime.”
“I’m glad both of you are all right,” Frank said, realizing he should have said that to begin with.
“We’ve all had a time with Timothy today,” Lacy said.
“Yeah, I agree.” Frank just hoped Florence would remain safe.
Lacy gave Frank a light hug. “We’re going to the ranch and return to bed. We’re exhausted after all that has happened.”
“Stay safe, honey.” Frank hugged her back and shook Rory’s hand.
“I’ll keep her safe.” Rory took her hand and led her out of the room.
Frank knew Rory would if he could. He didn’t blame them for running as cougars on the ranch, not expecting Timothy to attack them.
The guy just had a knack for finding Lacy, even without tracking devices to guide him.
Now he would know Lacy was seeing another guy, and Frank knew Timothy would be even more infuriated and intent on getting her back. He was definitely a loose cannon.
Frank was soon asleep, and it seemed as though he had hardly slept when he felt a light kiss on his cheek and a hand on his. Then he smelled her light floral scent. Florence. He smiled.
“I’m heading to the shop. We go in early to start baking. I didn’t want to wake you, but I wanted to see you before I went to work.”
“I’m glad that you did.”
“Can I bring you something special from the shop?”
“A raspberry scone and coffee?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be back with it as soon as I can.”
“No rush. I know Lacy’s no longer helping at the shop for now. and you’ll be busy serving customers.”
“We’ll have it covered.”
Then she kissed his forehead and hurried off.
Now that was a nice way to wake up in the morning. Then Dr. Kate arrived to see him. “Well, good news. You can go home now, but if you feel like you want to stay here longer, until Florence closes shop and can go home with you, you can.”
“No, I’m fine. I feel great. I would love to be home.”
“All right. I’ll give the orders to release you.” Dr. Kate left the room.
Frank called Florence then to give her a heads-up. “Hey, Dr. Kate released me from the clinic. I’ll have Stryker bring me to the shop for breakfast, and he can have some too. And then he can drop me off at the house.”
“Okay, that works. Ask him what he wants, and we’ll make that up for him,” Florence said.
Frank got out of bed and went to the door. “Hey, Stryker, I’m being released.”
Stryker smiled. “Good show. Do you want to get dressed, and I’ll take you home?”
“Yes, but first we’re making a stop at the coffee shop. Florence is making me breakfast. What would you like? It’s on me.”
“French toast and coffee would be good.”
“Did you hear?” Frank asked Florence.
“Yep, getting it ready right away.”
“Okay, we’ll be over there in a few.” Frank closed his door and got dressed. He was glad he wasn’t feeling dizzy or otherwise incapacitated. His former mate had always said he had a hard head.
Florence was so glad to see Frank up and about and eager to eat breakfast. She hugged him as he walked in the door to her coffee shop with Stryker, and Frank hugged her back and kissed her on the lips. “I enjoyed the morning wake-up.”
She smiled. “I have both your breakfasts ready.”
“Thanks,” both Frank and Stryker said as they took a seat at one of the tables.
Some others were already there having breakfast and coffee. They weren’t cougars, so Florence figured they must be traveling through Yuma Town early in the morning.
Light snow was falling outside, the lights outside and in, reflecting off the white snow.
Everything seemed quiet outside when it was snowing.
Inside, the other family was eating quietly, except for the tinkling of a spoon stirring the sugar into a cup of coffee.
They looked like they were half asleep. The little boy who looked like he was about four, had his elbow on the table and his hand propping up his chin, his eyes shuttering closed.
The girl was eating a muffin so slowly that Florence didn’t think they would ever finish breakfast at this rate.
She brought out Frank’s and Stryker’s orders, and Ava served up their coffee, cream, and sugar.
“Thanks,” the guys said.
Then they began adding sugar and cream to their coffee and eating their pastries.
Some more customers arrived, and Florence went to wait on them. Frank called Lacy, hoping it wasn’t too early, and told her he was going home.
“Granddad, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I just wanted you to know Dr. Kate released me so I’m going home after I have breakfast at the coffee shop.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Great. How about you?”
“A little sore where I had some of the deeper bites, but otherwise, I’m fine,” Lacy said. “The same with Rory. Ted gave him off the day from ranch work, and he’s supposed to be my shadow.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“You’re going to be protected at all times?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m going to a sexy Santa’s tea tonight.
It was supposed to be in the afternoon, but too many Christmas events going on.
Mrs. Fitz was planning to go, but she might not so she can stay with you.
Though it’s a female-only event, except for the sexy Santa, Rory is going to be there for my protection.
I thought maybe you could also, so that Mrs. Fitz can still have fun at the event. ”
Frank chuckled. “Sure. I’ll let Florence know I’m going to be there too for her.” He was looking forward to seeing Florence and Lacy enjoy themselves and watching over the women with Rory.
“Tomorrow is the dance. You and Mrs. Fitz are still going, right?” Lacy asked.
“Yeah, for sure.”
“Good. So Rory and I will be there too.”
“That’s great. Save me a dance.”
“I sure will, Granddad.”
They ended the call and he finished his breakfast.
“You’re going to the dance with Mrs. Fitz on Saturday?” Stryker asked.
“Yeah.”
“Good. A bunch of us will be there dancing with our mates while the kids have a holiday party. That way we’ll still be watching over you and Lacy,” Stryker said.
That made Frank want to go even more, if he’d had any thought of just staying home.
“Rory and I will be at the Sexy Santa event tonight so no one has to guard us.”
“Oh, one of us will be there, taking his mate to the event, and will safeguard you and Lacy. Mrs. Fitz too, because we don’t trust that Timothy might not come after her and take her hostage since Lacy works for her now.”
“That sounds good.”
They left their table, and Frank went to say goodbye to Florence. “Hey, I heard about your Sexy Santa tea party. I’ll be there.”
She laughed, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his mouth. He embraced her soundly and kissed her back. “You just want to make sure I don’t fall for the sexy Santa.”
He smiled. “Yeah, that’s it. And we’re still going to the dance together.”
“For sure. You’re not getting out of that. I hope you like to dance.”
“I do.”
“Good, then we’ll have a great time. I’ll see you at the house, and then we’ll go to the tea party.”
“Yeah. What should I wear?” he asked, though he wasn’t really attending, just being there for her.
“Something Christmassy, red sweater or green sweater. Everything else is optional. Just no sexy Santa suit,” Florence said.
He laughed out loud. “Trust me, I wouldn’t.”
Then they kissed, and he felt like things were going just the way they should as far as his relationship with Florence.
Then Frank said goodbye, and he and Stryker returned to Florence’s home. They searched the whole house to make sure Timothy hadn’t returned to it, but it was clear.
“I’m going to take a nap.” Frank had been up so late and then woken early this morning, and was feeling sleepy.
“Are you okay?” Stryker asked.
“Yeah, just with seeing Lacy so late last night when she was injured and then Florence waking me so early and the nurses checking on me throughout the night, I’m tired.”