Chapter 54
Aglow of light beckoned her to awaken.
Colette wasn’t ready yet.
The first discernible sound she heard was someone clearing his throat, then a deep voice.
“And then his hand slid up her thigh. Her chest heaved as his touch sent shocks of desire all the way to her…” Marshall hesitated, his voice getting gradually quieter.
“I’m gonna skip this part. I’m getting a little…
anyway. This is inappropriate for reading out loud.
I’m realizing this only now.” He coughed.
The darkness began to clear in her mind, and his voice pulled her, a tether bringing her back to the surface. No, she wanted to sleep more. Everything hurt. She gave a soft moan and sensed him immediately. A chair creaked nearby as he stood and leaned over her.
“Colette? Baby?” he whispered, his voice full of emotion. Hope.
Her eyelids fluttered as she attempted to open them. If only he would keep reading. She found it so relaxing. A simple word attempted to escape her mouth, his name. It was the only word she could manage.
Her throat was parched, and the word slowly dragged itself up her esophagus. She wasn’t even sure if the word came out right, but it was something.
Marshall cursed under his breath.
“Nurse, nurse!” he cried out into the hallway, then came back in the room and pressed the call button repeatedly. “She’s awake. She’s awake!”
Someone raced into the room. Colette still couldn’t quite open her eyes. Familiar sounds of beeps as something was placed on her finger, the nurse checking her vitals and pressing fingers to her wrist.
“Well, sir, your wife must have liked story time, because her vitals are looking good. Colette? Can you open your eyes?” the woman asked. “I’m Ingrid, and I’ll be taking care of you. Your husband and I are so happy to see you awake.”
Using all her muscle strength, Colette opened her eyes and kept them open. She turned her face to lock eyes with a familiar set of warm green eyes. Heat bloomed in her chest. Marshall. She had missed him so much. She had so much to tell him.
“Marshall…” she scratched out, her throat unused to speaking.
“I’m here, darlin’,” he said, a tremble in his voice as he took her hand carefully. “Right here.” Tears shimmered in his eyes and her own began to fill.
Colette blinked. It was easy to see in his haunted gaze how close she had come to losing all of this. She had no idea what would come next.
But she knew who she wanted to do it with.
The nurse bustled around them, then walked out of the room, only to return with a fresh cup of ice water. The woman searched Colette’s expression for signs of discomfort as she pressed the button to raise the bed slowly.
“Let me know if this is too much, Colette.”
When her body tilted and bent slightly, the pain lanced through her from the wound at her side. She had forgotten. Of course, Jarrett had stabbed her.
“Jarrett…”
“I know,” Marshall said, holding the cup and pointing the straw at her mouth. “Save your energy. He doesn’t deserve any of it. We’ve got him.”
The water soothed her parched throat. She leaned back into the pillows, the pain from her injury more pronounced now. A tear slipped down her cheeks as her breath shuddered in her chest from the movement.
“It hurts,” she said in a breathy voice.
Marshall lowered the bed, then placed a hand on her forehead. “Let’s see if we can get you more pain meds. They must have worn off.” He pressed the red button by the bed to call Ingrid back.
Moving his hand, he stroked his palm over her forehead and hair, the touch comforting.
“Tell me what happened to Jarrett,” she asked, closing her eyes to listen.
“Police caught him speeding away from the scene. We got him on the doorbell camera coming to the house that night and attacking Evan,” he explained, his eyes searching her for signs of discomfort.
“Grandpa hired people to put up security cameras after Jack was killed. It was a secret, so Jarrett didn’t know they had been installed.
Police were able to use the footage to build a damning case.
He’s been arrested. You just focus on getting better. ”
Nurse Ingrid popped open the door once more, her blonde top knot bouncing as she walked.
“I called your mom and dad. They should be here shortly. I’ll top up your IV and give you two some privacy.
We’ll have the doctor pass by on his rounds to check your stitches.
Welcome back, Colette.” She winked at Marshall and told him to call if he needed her for anything else.
He waited for the door to close, then turned back to Colette.
“I have a husband now?” she said with a rough chuckle, her voice slightly better after a long drink.
“About that…” Marshall ran his finger along his collar nervously. “You see, it was the only way they would let me be with you. Once I found you, there was no way I was leaving. Your mom played along once I told her. It has to be okay if your mom said it was, right?”
She gave a scratchy laugh and attempted to clear her throat.
“We’re not really married, but they don’t need to know that,” Marshall said with an exaggerated wink.
Colette swallowed as his words traveled directly to hit her in the heart. He hadn’t left her side? How long had she been in the hospital?
Her lip trembled as he spoke. A flood of emotion rushed through her as she remembered how close she had come to never seeing him again.
“Can you tell me what happened to me that night?” she asked, swallowing again to offset the stress her words had put on her vocal cords. “My memories are so confused.”
Marshall looked away. Steeling himself with a deep breath, he turned, placing a hand on her cheek.
“It’s still unclear right now, but what I know is my uncle Jarrett stabbed you and lit the guest house on fire.
” He swiped his eyes with his hands and before he continued.
“The timeline we’ve pieced together is that Jarrett attacked you.
He followed you from Calgary. I’m not sure how he found out you were coming.
Evan tried to rescue you from the house, but Jarrett knocked him out.
I pulled you out of the fire just in time and took care of you until the paramedics arrived.
The ambulance took you away, and I drove with a fucking lead foot to find you.
You’re at the Rockyview Hospital in Calgary.
They transferred you from Drumheller because you were high-risk and needed surgery. ”
Her hand moved toward her wound, gently pressing her side.
“Jarrett stabbed you, but luckily, the knife missed all your major organs. You were in surgery and lost a lot of blood, but you were so strong.” Marshall stroked her forehead with his thumb, as his gaze raked over her face.
“They’re keeping you here to make sure the wound heals properly and to watch for infection. ”
Her mouth curved into a smile. She was relieved to see him again. His face told her everything she needed to know. It was a close call.
A light knock sounded at the door and Marshall scrubbed his hand over his face to wipe away the last traces of his tears. Clearing his throat, he went to open the door.
“Is she okay?” her mother’s familiar voice could be heard whispering.
“I’m okay, Mom,” Colette answered for Marshall.
Frankie Slip pushed past Marshall, her hand covering her mouth as a sob escaped.
“Oh, Coco! We were so scared.” Frankie pulled the chair right up to the bed and sat down, wrapping her arms gingerly around her daughter. “It’s so good to see you awake.”
Her mother dropped about twenty little kisses on her forehead and inspected every inch of her face and arms, looking for signs of pain. Of which Colette had a lot.
“Mom, give it a rest,” her sister Aurora said from the door, standing next to Colette’s father. “Give the woman some space.” Her face was somber as she came to touch Colette’s hand. It was reassuring to stare into the blue eyes, so similar to her own.
Colette grinned, her heart warming.
“Does it hurt? Do you need anything? I can send Marshall to get you another warm blanket. Marshall, this one is cold. Please,” Frankie fretted over her daughter, her comforting hand wrapping around Colette’s.
With a determined nod, Marshall left to follow Frankie’s orders.
“It hurts, but I can manage. I’ve got this IV helping me, the nurse just increased my meds.”
“Oh, good. Perfect. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up.
Marshall sent us away for a little shower and a sleep, and well, I could barely get him to leave.
They would only let one of us stay here overnight, and for some reason, I felt like he needed it more.
Which is saying a lot, trust me. It was agony leaving you for a few hours every night. ”
“Mom…” Aurora warned.
Her mother quieted. “Sorry, I’m rambling.”
Colette smirked. “So, I have a husband now? You both approved this?”
Rupert Slip coughed into his fist behind her mother. Her father flushed, a guilty look on his face.
“Now, honey, just play along. Marshall was putting up such a fuss when they tried to make him leave, and then he said, ‘I’m her husband,’” her mother used a manly voice to imitate Marshall, which elicited a soft chuckle from Colette.
“I agreed, and that was that. But I have no regrets. The way that man has stayed by your side, night and day, only taking breaks when I forced him to. He loves you very much, Coco.” Her mother’s lip trembled as she covered it again and looked back at her Rupert.
“Alright, I’ll play along,” Colette said, smiling.
She nodded toward the water, and her mother helped her drink again.
A wave of fatigue swept over her. Her body was so weak, it took all her energy to drink.
She could barely move her arms, her hands, her legs.
It was terrifying to be this weak. Totally helpless.
Frankie ran a hand gently through Colette’s hair as Marshall strode into the room, his arms loaded with heated blankets. Colette was sure he had taken a few too many.
“Did you leave any for the others?” she asked in a rough whisper. It looked like he hadn’t.
“No,” Marshall replied, draping the warm cotton blankets over her body. “You need these. It’ll help promote healing.”
A soft sigh escaped her lips as he tucked them around her, avoiding her injured side. He was right, the heat was wonderful.
“Thank you,” Colette said, her voice choked with emotion, her eyes locked with Marshall’s.
“Anything for my wife,” he said with a cocky grin.
The words wrapped themselves around her heart, filling her chest with a comforting warmth. Her mother said he loved her, and right now, Colette believed it.
There was also a chance he was just being a great guy. Marshall was used to caring for people, animals, and the ranch. This would be no different.
“Coco, we spoke to the cardiologist, and he says your heart shouldn’t affect your recovery at all after the surgery.
Everything looks good on that end. The doctor wants you to stay here a few more days for observation, but you’re healing well.
” Her mother stroked her leg as Marshall fussed all around her and gave her more water.
Colette sighed with relief. She hadn’t even considered what impact the stabbing would have had on her heart. Though it hurt to breathe deeply, she would recover. Hopefully, with a few remaining side effects besides the scar from the stitches, she was afraid to see.
Her eyelids began to feel heavy, and Colette nuzzled into her pillow.
“You know, I think you’re in good hands now,” her mother said as Colette began to drift off.
“Marshall will let us know when you’re awake again.
You need to rest. Your dad and I will come back later.
Aurora too. We’ll bring back dinner for our son-in-law.
” Frankie stifled a giggle as she spoke the last words.
Her mother and father both came to the bed and leaned over her.
Each parent dropped a kiss on her forehead and left her with a quiet “I love you.”
“I love you. See you later,” she mumbled.
Marshall rose to see them off, their voices trailing from the hallway.
Though she wanted to hear what they were saying, she didn’t have the energy to focus.
She wiggled in the bed trying to get comfortable, which was a mistake.
Maybe for a while, this would be the norm.
The soothing sweep of a hand over her brow made her aware that Marshall had returned.
“I love you too, Marshall,” Colette mumbled, turning to gaze at him.
She blinked to stay awake, but she was losing the fight.
The words had been tucked safely in her heart and after everything she had almost lost, it was impossible to hold on to them any longer.
“Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
“Always,” he said, his voice thick. “Anything for my wife. I love you, Colette.”
She smiled in her drowsy sleep, the words heating her like the blankets he had wrapped all around her body.