"Well, I'm here. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I was being a coward." Lizzie wanted to cry, instead she cleared her throat and straightened her spine. "I see you're still in this hospital bed instead of cutting it up with Ryan on the dance floor." She sighed. "I'm starting to think you're not really unconscious, just on vacation from the hassle of life, and I have to tell you, as your best friend, I find that totally unfair. I've had to deal with all kinds of crap lately, this cast being the biggest pain in my ass."
Lord, she was rambling. Well, maybe that's what Katie needed. Just to hear about anything and everything. It was worth a try. "Oh and get this. The other day Jake dumps a box of invoices on his desk in front of me. He knew I couldn't resist the temptation or challenge. What a nightmare! The man runs a lucrative ranching business and leaves three weeks of invoices in a shoe box. Can you believe it? A shoe box. As someone who has a minor in accounting, you'd have freaked for sure. It was a nightmare of a mess. I sure could have used your help with it though. You could have entered the information because it was a real bitch with my hand in this cast." This was so hard. No matter what she said or did, she couldn't help Katie.
"Katie, I want you to wake up. No. I need you to wake up. I need to know you're alright. I need my best friend. Do you hear me? I need you to wake up. Now. Fight Katie. Fight."
She felt a faint movement of Katie's fingers against hers and her heart leapt in hope. Tears blurred her vision. "That's it! Fight hard, Katie. You can do it. I know you can. You're the strongest person I've ever known. Come on, Katie. Just a little harder."
Tears ran down her cheeks as she willed her best friend to wake up, with body, mind and soul She fueled that will with words. "Come on! You're almost there!" She didn't realize she was shouting until Jake, Brand, and Mrs. Maguire burst into the room.
"She moved her fingers. She moved them! She can hear us!" She sobbed openly and Katie moved her fingers again. Lizzie laughed between her sobs and turned to where the men stood next to her. "Did you see it? Did you see her fingers move?"
Jake pressed the "call nurse" button, and Mrs. Maguire reached for Katie's other hand. Brand beat her to it. "Come on, Katie. Wake up and show us those baby blues."
Mrs. Maguire spoke next. "Come on, sweetheart. Come on."
Jake covered Lizzie and Katie's hands with his larger one. "Katie, you better be coming back soon because Lizzie's been driving us all crazy. You know how she is when she can't fix something."
A weak, "Uh-huh," spilled from Katie's lips and Lizzie laughed with glee.
Lizzie watched her brother's joy turn to determination. "Katie, if you wake up, we'll go to that Italian restaurant you like so much. Hell, we can go anywhere you want just so long as you wake up."
Katie's eyelids fluttered, then they were still. Brand squeezed her hand, leaning forward so his mouth was right next to her ear. "Open those eyes, Mary Katherine," he ordered.
Katie's eyes fluttered open. She blinked once, twice before her eyes stuck open in a squint. Katie licked her lips, then turned to Brand and whispered, "I liked… it better… when… you… called me… Katie."
"But the 'Mary Katherine' got you to open your eyes." Brand chuckled.
Katie smiled, then coughed, and winced. Dr. Whitaker came rushing in and asked them all to leave the room. Lizzie squeezed Katie's hand to get her attention. "I'll be right outside. Welcome back."
Before Lizzie could let go, Katie gently squeezed back. "What… took you… so long?"
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
"Sure feels like it's my fault. I was driving."
"Not. Your. Fault." Katie managed to get out before the doctor interrupted.
"Okay, Miss Thomason, I need to examine her and run a few tests. You can come back when we're done."
With one more squeeze, Lizzie relinquished Katie's hand. In the hallway, Lizzie found an elated and sobbing Mrs. Maguire being soothed by Brand. Lizzie made her way to Jake who immediately put a reassuring and comforting arm around her shoulders. Lizzie laughed out loud.
Jake looked at her, curiosity lining his features. "What's so funny?"
"Well, I can't help thinking that all she needed to wake up was an invitation for Italian food and a very firm and direct 'Mary Katherine' from my big brother."
Brand stepped forward and hugged Lizzie. "Funny, but I was thinking the only thing she needed to wake up was you."
43
Lizzie
"You ever desert me like that again and I'll kick your ass."
Lizzie smiled at Katie's sass. The woman was lying in a hospital bed, weaker than a baby, and she was spouting off threats. Katie looked like death warmed over with her fiery hair sticking up every which way, bruises shadowing her cheek and forehead, bandages in more places than not, and IV's and tubes running in a steady drip. It hurt Lizzie's heart to see her best friend in so much pain, and it made her angry that someone had nearly killed her. She wanted to hurt someone, something. She wanted to howl out loud in anger and rage, but more than that she wanted to wrap her best friend up in her arms and keep her safe forever.
"I'm sorry, I just felt so responsible, and I was being—"
"A coward?" Katie supplied.
Lizzie let out a humorless laugh. "That's putting it mildly, but coward will do."
"You know it's not your fault and you're a dumb ass if you think it was. The bastard that ran us off the road is the one to blame. Not you. Don't let him win, Lizzie."
A deep, "My sentiments exactly," echoed from across the room and both women turned to find Sheriff Brooks standing by the door. He was tall, dark, and handsome with a hint of danger around the edges. Had she not been totally gone over Jake, she might have given the sheriff a second look.
"Can I come in?"
Katie smiled. "You're already in, Gavin."
Gavin? When had they gone from Sheriff Brooks to Gavin? And did Brand know?
When Sheriff Brooks reached the edge of the bed, he bent forward and brushed a kiss across Katie's forehead.
Lizzie stood there thinking they were awfully intimate with one another for being just friends. Her brother better step it up a notch because it was starting to look like he had competition.
"How are you doing, Little One?"
"I'm doing okay." Katie reached for his hand. "Thanks for coming."
He took her hand in his, then kissed the knuckles. "Nothing could keep me away."
"I know. You kept me company a lot while I was sleeping."
Sheriff Brooks brushed a wayward strand of hair out of Katie's eyes. "I wouldn't necessarily call a coma sleeping."
"I just needed to sleep off the trauma, or so Dr. Whitaker says. But you're here on official business this time."
Lizzie wasn't sure how Katie could tell that from just looking at him, because he was still wearing his jeans and brown t-shirt rather than the official khaki uniform. Lord, the man could fill out a pair of denims.
He nodded. "Only if you're sure you're up to telling me what happened."
"I'm up to it. All I've been doing is rolling that information around in my mind the whole time I was unconscious. Drove me nuts not being able to talk about something that was on my mind."
The sheriff sat on the bed next to Katie and unwrapped a pudding pack from her dinner tray before handing her a spoon. "Imagine that."
Lizzie continued to stare while Katie tried unsuccessfully to playfully swat at the sheriff, then winced and lay her hand across her abdominal incision.
"Easy. You might want to save that for when you have a few less bruises." He took the spoon from her hand and set it back on the tray, then waited a minute until Katie caught her breath. "Better?"
Katie nodded.
"Good." He pulled out a pad of paper and pen from his shirt pocket and instantaneously went from relaxed and casual to professional and authoritative in the blink of an eye. Lizzie sure as heck hoped she never ended up on the wrong side of the law because Gavin Brooks in his official Sheriff m
ode was an intimidating and formidable presence. "What do you have for me?"
"I remember the truck being red, very shiny. And a Chevy from the emblem on the grill. I remember Brand saying to get a look at the license plate if I could, and when I looked there was none."
He looked up, his face expressionless. "No license plates? No dealer plates or temporary plates?"
Katie shook her head, then reached for the pudding pack and spoon. "No. Where the license plates usually are, there was nothing. No plate of any kind."
"Okay. Did you get a look at the driver?"
"The sun was in my eyes. Then I had to quit trying when Lizzie was telling me to get in my seat because we were going to get rammed again. It all happened so fast."
"What exactly were you doing out of your seat and seatbelt?"
"Don't go all He-Man on me, Gavin. I needed to turn in my seat to try and see who and what was behind us."
"And almost got yourself killed because of that reckless streak you've got."
"I had the belt on again before we got hit."
He reached out and handed Katie a napkin. "You were damn lucky. Were there any passengers?"
"I only saw one silhouette." Katie sighed. "That's not much help, is it?"
"It's a start."
Lizzie got the impression if more could be made of it, he was going to see it done. There was an edge to the sheriff she'd never seen before. An edge that wasn't evident when he reached out and squeezed Katie's hand. All there was in that touch was gentleness. "You did good, Little One."
Katie set the pudding and spoon back on the tray, then cut him a glance from under her lashes. "I heard you, you know. It's true what they say. You really can hear what people say loud and clear while you're in a coma. You just can't answer back."
Sheriff Brooks smiled. "If that's the case why didn't you listen to me when I told you to wake up?"
Compelled to defend Brand's interest, Lizzie blurted out, "It was Brand who got her to open her eyes."
He chuckled. "No real surprise there."
"With the promise of a meal like that, who wouldn't?" Katie added while fidgeting with the blanket covering her legs.
"Had I known that pizza and beer would have brought you back, I'd have offered it from day one."
Lizzie looked at the sheriff. "It was for Italian."
His brow furrowed. "Pizza and beer are Katie's favorite."
Katie smiled. "That they are."
Lizzie smirked. "So your waking up had nothing at all to do with Brand, huh?"
Katie peered from beneath her lashes and for the first time said something that truly shocked Lizzie. "No. It was because of you."
Lizzie's, "Oh," was hushed.
Sheriff Brooks cleared his throat then returned his pad of paper and pen to his pocket. "Okay Ladies, I've got to get back and get this information into the file." He leaned forward and gave Katie a kiss on the cheek. "You take care."
"I will. I'm not up to anything else."
"Good. I'll be back tomorrow." Shifting his attention to Lizzie, the sheriff continued, "I'll be calling Kramer later tonight with an update. You're still staying there, right?"
Katie's eyes widened in shock as Lizzie nodded at the sheriff. "What? You're staying at Jake's?"
The sheriff smiled. "Looks like Lizzie's got some explaining to do. I'll talk to you soon." He gave Katie's hand a final gentle squeeze, then turned and left the room.
The door hadn't even closed before Katie rounded on Lizzie. "Spill it. How on earth did you end up staying at Jake's?"
"Since Mom and Dad are on their cruise, Jake and Brand decided I'd be better off at Jake's because Amy would be there to help me during the day and then Jake later on."
"At night."
"Yes. At night." Oh boy, here it comes.
"Well that sure is interesting."
"Not really. I haven't been up for anything other than sleeping." Lizzie raised her casted arm and then touched the bandage on her temple.
"And entering invoices."
"You heard me?"
"Yeah. I could hear everyone when they talked to me, but I just couldn't get to the surface to answer." Katie sighed and leaned back against the pillows. Lizzie could see she was tired. God, she'd have to be after being operated on so extensively and then being in a coma for over a week.
"You need to rest."
Katie's eyes drifted closed. "Just for a little while." She turned her head and her eyes opened and met Lizzie's. "Will you stay?"
Lizzie couldn't stop the tears filling her eyes and one lone tear rolled down her cheek before Katie's eyes drifted shut again. "For as long as you want."
"Good." There was a moment of silence, then Katie spoke again. "So you're over your idiotic guilt?"
"Yes. I think it was just the helplessness that made me think it was my fault. That and the fact that I couldn't steer us clear of that asshole."
"You drove a hell of a lot better than I ever could have. Now, instead of letting whoever it is win by talking about his stupid ass, why don't you tell me a nice little fairy tale to help me fall asleep."
Just like when they were little and one of them would get hurt, one would make up a happily-ever-after tale to help the other friend fall asleep.
"Okay." Lizzie pulled Katie's covers up, then settled into the chair next to the bed. "Once upon a time there was this lovely fair-haired beauty named Katie. She was very attracted to a dark-haired God who wouldn't admit that he was equally smitten, but that didn't deter Katie one little bit. She wanted him and she had her sights set on having him."
"Damn straight."
Lizzie giggled, then continued. "What she didn't plan on was the dark-haired God being so difficult to seduce. So, Katie put on her best smile and flirted outrageously with everyone but him in an effort to make him jealous. She wasn't sure that her plan was working until one day the dark-haired God invited her out to dinner. Over wine and candlelight, the fair-haired beauty got more than she bargained for. She realized she was falling in love with the man of her dreams." Lizzie paused wondering if Katie was sleeping.
"Don't stop at the good part."
Lizzie smiled. "I wasn't sure if you were sleeping or not."
"No way. Not when you're about to tell me whether or not I'm going to live happily-ever-after."
"After the romantic dinner, they went back to the dark-haired God's house and made wild passionate love. He made sure their first time making love was one she would never forget by pleasuring her endlessly throughout the night."
"Now that's what I'm talking about. Bring it on, baby."
Lizzie could tell by the softness of Katie's voice and slurred speech that she was close to sleep. "When morning came, the fair-haired Katie awoke and thought it all a dream until she opened her eyes and found herself mesmerized by the gaze of her dark-haired lover. He whispered a 'good morning' and gave her a brief kiss before pulling her into his arms. They spent the day learning of one another's lives and found they had more in common than either had suspected. When it came time for the two lovers to part, the dark-haired God realized he couldn't imagine his life without his fair-haired beauty and declared his love for her before asking for her hand in marriage. The fair-haired Katie hugged him tightly to her and wept with happiness and told him she loved him too and would be more than honored to be his wife. From that day on, the two were inseparable. They lived a long, happy, healthy, prosperous life together and were blessed with many children. They lived happily ever after for eternity in one another's arms."
Lizzie paused to look at Katie and wondered out loud, "Is Brand your dark-haired God? Or is it Sheriff Brooks?"
Katie's breathing was shallow and her lips slightly parted as she whispered, "I'll let you know."
44
Lizzie
The next day Lizzie finished up entering and organizing a few stray invoices. She'd also finished reading Jake's file with her name on it and she wasn't pleased. She didn't mind that he kept tabs on her while she
had been away as she had done the same, but she didn't like the fact he was hiding things from her.
Jake's sister Amy had been kind enough to volunteer to drive her to the hospital to visit with Katie. As they were driving back toward the Rocking K, Deputy Rivers following closely behind them, Lizzie looked over at Amy and smiled. Amy had a lot of her mother's features. Her long mahogany hair, pert nose, and full lips made her a very beautiful woman.
Amy glanced over. "What?"
"Nothing really. I was just thinking how much you look like your mother."
Amy beamed. "You really think so?"
"I see so much of her in you Amy. You're as beautiful as Martha was."
"Thanks Lizzie. That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. My Mama was perfect."
"That she was." Even while sick with cancer, Martha Kramer was stunning and as lovely on the inside as the outside.
As they neared Joe's Bar and Grill, Lizzie spotted a line of trucks and her good mood fizzled to annoyance. From the makes and models it looked as if Jake, Logan, Brand, Todd, and the sheriff were inside. Lizzie would also bet that Ryan and Matt were present as well. "
Well, they're all there."
Amy looked puzzled. "I wonder what going on."
"I know exactly what's going on. What do you say we stop off at Joe's and get a burger?" And maybe confront an egotistical male or two.
"Sounds good." Lizzie got out of Amy's car and headed toward the entrance to Joe's.
Amy caught up to her and caught her by the arm. "What is it, Lizzie?"
Lizzie stopped and looked at Amy. "The gentlemen inside are meeting up to talk about my life and not including me in the discussion."
"Oh. Lord help them, they're really in deep shit now."
As they walked into the bar, they spied Matt, Brand, Jake, Logan, Ryan, Todd, and Sheriff Brooks all sitting at the bar engaged in conversation. The conversation stopped abruptly when Matt spotted Lizzie and Amy and signaled the others. That was annoying. Control her life, would they? Keep things from her? Oh, she didn't think so.
When Petals Fall: A Cowboy, Second Chance Romantic Suspense (Chance Creek Book 1) Page 22