Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Oh God! Her head—
Hannah moaned as she tried to sit up, realizing two things. She was still dressed. She’d been threatened last night.
Ben.
Taft.
And Jolene’s margaritas.
What a night. Her friend must have made them extra strong because four had knocked her on her back and given her a headache. And Ben… He must have thought it was presumptuous to undress her, which was kinda sweet.
The envelope Taft had given her was at the end of the bed, and she picked it up and read it again.
The apology for her work visa being canceled was as much a shock as the language welcoming her back to live and work with a coveted visa that could lead to citizenship.
Taft had to have powerful connections, which made his threats all the more real.
She clenched her eyes shut.
What am I going to do?
If it were only her safety at risk, would she stay? But now her parents were being threatened, and despite their troubled relationship, her mother wasn’t well, and her father didn’t deserve to be dragged down.
Tears filled her eyes, and she rubbed her temples.
God, she was tired and achy and confused.
Everything seemed like an uphill battle.
Was that its own sign? Her heart clenched even thinking about leaving Ben when they’d only just begun to give each other a second chance.
And the opportunity to work here with Will and have the school Ben wanted to build for her? She’d been so excited about it.
What if she did leave? Her return felt straightforward.
Sure, she had to find another flat to live in and furnish it, but that wouldn’t be difficult.
She could rejoin Neil at the practice. They’d done everything they could to keep her.
Except for a few conservative doctors threatened by the growing wellness community, people had considered her a hero for helping that young girl.
She might even have more clients now than she did before.
She could live a safe, predictable life there, one that fulfilled her on most levels.
But she’d have to say goodbye to the hometown she was coming to love again—and Ben most of all. She swiped angrily at her tears.
Damn that Taft guy!
Oh, she needed her head to stop hurting so she could think.
After taking a shower and dressing, she slowly made her way down the stairs with the envelope. Neil looked up from his laptop when she handed it to him on her way to the kitchen.
“Heard you had an interesting evening and a special visitor. Hangover tea is in your favorite cup, lass.”
“Who told you what happened?” she called.
“First, Jolene, and then Ben when he carried you inside.”
Taking a tentative sip of her tea, she found it only warm. “Read it and be amazed at what money and power can do.”
He made room for her on the couch when she returned, although he took up half the space with his large body. She sipped her tea while he read.
Whistling softly, he set the envelope aside. “Aye, I see what you mean. Taft must want you gone badly. I also heard he threatened your parents, lass.”
She clutched her mug. “He did. I don’t know what to do. Taft is no different from Owen. He just has more money and less of an ick factor. I’ve never given in to bullies my whole life, but it’s different with my parents involved.”
“I can see how you would think that.” Neil folded his hands, staring at her contemplatively, looking as torn as she felt.
“Ben thinks you should seriously consider leaving, given the threats, which I thought was big of him. Then again, Jolene told me she wanted me to do my best to encourage you as well.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to stifle the tears that wanted to come. “They both want me to leave?” Just as she was starting to dream about making that home with Ben here in Sanctuary Springs at the Triple M.
Neil took her hand, his broad forehead furrowed with concern.
“Lass, they’re worried about Amber hurting you or Taft hurting you through your parents.
My guess is you’re more worried than you’ve been letting on after those margaritas knocked you off your feet.
I’ve seen you drink whisky with the best of them, myself included, and not have any aftereffects. ”
“It was the sugar in the berries,” she answered hoarsely, knowing she was full of it.
“Whatever you decide, I’m behind you.” He took her free hand. “But I’m worried too. When you accepted that investor’s business invitation, all you were looking for is a new and exciting job that would fulfill you.”
“Neil, it hurts to think of going,” she said, “and I don’t like the idea of running and letting his asshole win.” Man, I’m croaky this morning. I’m blaming Jolene for that.
“That isn’t the root issue here. Amber is gunning for you—now Taft seems to be.”
But how can I just leave when they’re trying to hurt the people I love and this ranch and Will’s project? Amber would love for me to go, and won’t Taft still be gunning for the Triple M and Ben and his family?
“Even after construction goes through, have you thought about the continued hurdles Taft might throw at you and Will?” he asked with his usual insight.
“Yes, and that makes me angry to even consider running off with my tail between my legs. Won’t that make them think they’re winning? Dammit, all we want to do is help people.”
Neil nodded as someone knocked at the door. “Aye, of course you do. We heal the people who get hurt because of destructive people like these two. We’re not supposed to be part of the damage, lass. Ah…do you want me to get that? If it’s another ranch hand needing help, I can take care of him.”
She stood and headed to the front. “No, healing someone always makes me feel better. Maybe it will cut through all this anger and confusion I feel.”
When she opened the door, she gaped at the Prentice boys, all standing on the porch with worried expressions. They stood beside her mother, who was only wearing a white nightgown. Tears were running silently down her pale face.
“Hannah, she made us bring her.” Luke had a protective arm around her mother. “She was crying and saying she had to talk to you. We couldn’t get her back to the house, and neither Ma nor your father were answering their phones at work.”
She pushed down her wild emotions. “It’s okay, Luke. I’ll take care of her now. Mother…”
Recognition flared in her weary eyes and she padded forward in bare feet and took her hands. “Hannah…I had to come. Sarah came home this morning, and she told me you couldn’t leave. If you did, you’d never come back home again. We’d lose you forever.”
A chill ran over her. Had Sarah finally appeared to her mother because she was thinking of returning to Scotland? Oh my God!
“Don’t leave, Hannah.” She wrapped her arms around Hannah’s neck and cried. “Please stay. We need you.”
The Prentice boys were looking on, stricken. Biting her lip, she willed herself not to cry as she held her mother’s frail body. There was no denying how ill her mother must be.
Neil appeared at her side, compassion softening the hard planes of his face. “The poor dear.”
She continued stroking her mother’s back. “Can you call my father and tell him to come?”
He nodded with troubled eyes. Leading her mother inside gently, she drew her to the couch and held her as she cried, calling out pleas for her to stay and tortured mumblings about how she couldn’t lose both her girls.
Neil must have taken care of the Prentice boys after he’d called her father.
In the quiet living room of Will’s house, Hannah clenched her eyes shut in agony from all the pain inside her.
Would I ever not feel devastation from losing my sister?
But it wasn’t only that. It was the traumatic ripple effect her death created…
losing a mother and father she used to look forward to coming home to.
And then there was Ben. Could I survive losing him again? It was an agonizing thought.
And leaving Sanctuary Springs...
Because Sarah was right. If she left, she wouldn’t be coming back.
When the door opened sometime later, she looked over and swallowed thickly. Her father’s silver spectacles were askew as if he’d been in a rush to reach the ranch. His face was lined with suffering. As their gazes locked, all she could think was, how had it come to this?
He stiffened his spine and walked over, and she then realized he had his medical bag with him. When he opened the bag and pulled out a syringe, she wanted to fight him.
No, not this. Please no.
But she wouldn’t win. She’d seen him give her mother a sedative like this after Sarah had died and had yelled at him to stop as it continued.
Do something! Stop drugging her. Make her cry. Make her…be like Mom again.
They sat there, not looking at each other, as she continued to hold her mother. Soon her crying stopped. Her small body went limp, and Hannah had to fight tears as she laid her back and smoothed her hair back from her face.
It’s not right. She doesn’t deserve this. All she wants is her daughter back.
She fought back tears. Damned if she was going to cry in front of her father. All he was doing was holding her hand, his face its usual stoic mask.
Why can’t you do more?
Neil appeared suddenly and put his hand on her father’s shoulder. “Let me take her out to the car, Dr. Montgomery. I promise I’ll be gentle.”
Her father nodded curtly, but he didn’t follow Neil after Hannah kissed the side of her face softly and said goodbye.
The snap of her father’s medical bag brought her up. “Your friend explained why your mother wanted to see you this morning,” he said in a voice tight with repressed pain. “When I asked him what Taft had given you last night, he filled me in.”
Leave it to Neil, she thought, to do his best to build a bridge over the vast expanse separating her and her father. “I—”
“Let me finish.” He let out a harsh breath. “I don’t need you turning noble and leaving town because that meddlesome billionaire threatened your mother or me. I can take care of myself and her. If you leave town, you do it of your own accord.”
He finally drilled her with his gaze.
“I won’t have that on my conscience.” He took off his glasses and began to clean them.
“I have plenty enough about you and your mother and sister as it is. I told Ben last night that Amber was a serious threat to you, and that’s true.
But I’d rather you face her down than give in to Taft.
Someone clearly needed to make a stand, and even though we’re estranged from each other… I think you’re strong enough to do it.”
She had to press her lips together to hold back her tears. He stood slowly and walked over to her. “Even more so, I’d be proud of you for doing it.”
A softness flickered in his eyes, and her breath froze in her chest.
“You should also know your mother hasn’t had a spell this bad…for a long time. If the thought of you leaving caused her this much pain, then perhaps you should stay. I know you don’t believe it, Hannah, but I don’t like seeing your mother in pain.”
A tear slipped down her face before she brushed at it. Oh, Daddy.
“Thanks for taking care of your mother.” He patted her arm and took a step, pausing, his throat moving before he continued out of the house.
For the first time in…years…her father not only said something positive to her, but he was also kind and…well, human. I can’t remember the last time I experienced that from him.
“I told Ben last night that Amber was a serious threat to you, and that’s true. But I’d rather you face her down than give in to Taft. Someone clearly needed to make a stand, and even though we’re estranged from each other, I think you’re strong enough to do it.”
“Oh, Dad, you have no idea how much I needed to hear those words.”
And then the ones she knew had cost him the most to say.
If the thought of you leaving caused her this much pain, then perhaps you should stay.
She needed a hug and a quiet place to think. Grabbing her phone, she dialed the one man she desperately needed right now.