Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10)

by Laylah Roberts

  “I could have done something and now she’s in the hospital!” she wailed.

  “You can’t think like that. None of us knew this would happen.”

  “You two want me to give you privacy?” Remy asked gruffly.

  Ed stared at him in confusion and Kiesha drew out of his arms to frown at Remy. “Why would we need privacy?”

  “Just being polite.” Remy shrugged.

  “Oh God, he thinks we’re together too!” Kiesha frowned up at Ed. “This is your fault.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know. But everyone keeps thinking we’re a couple. It’s gross. Where’s the vending machine? I need sugar.”

  “You don’t need sugar,” Ed told her, drawing her over to a chair and making her sit. Her legs bounced up and down nervously. He crouched in front of her, taking her hand in his.

  Yeah, she definitely didn’t need more energy.

  “I do need sugar!” she cried. “When I’m anxious, I eat. And right now, I need to eat chocolate and candy.”

  “She’s going to be fine, Kiesha. I promise.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked, looking lost. He knew being in the hospital had to bring back bad memories for her.

  “I promise,” he said firmly. “Now, you’re freezing. I’m going to go get you a blanket, all right? Maybe something warm to drink.”

  He stood and turned to Remy who watched them with interest.

  “We’ve known each other a long time,” he said. Shit, why was he explaining himself to a stranger?

  Remy just gave a chin lift in response.

  “Look, thanks for helping, man,” Ed told him. “But don’t feel like you have to stick around.”

  “Where is she? What happened? What’s going on?”

  Ed turned to see Isa walking in. She was dressed in a long-sleeved dress and high cowboy boots. Unlike the rest of them, she wasn’t wet at all.

  “Don’t you ever wear a jacket?” Remy snapped at her.

  Ed stared at him in surprise. And Isa’s gaze narrowed in on him. “You! Did you have something to do with Georgie ending up in the hospital? Because if you did . . .” She stepped forward, her hands in fists.

  “Whoa, spitfire, I didn’t have a thing to do with your friend ending up here. I was helping her.” Remy stepped forward as well, until they were inches apart.

  “Hey! What’s going on here! Why are you glaring at my friend? Isabelle, get over here.”

  Fuck. That’s all he needed. Loki had walked in after Isa. Unlike Isa, he was drenched. Ed guessed that he’d dropped Isa off then parked. Loki was a good guy. But he was far more reasonable when he was Lachlan and not Loki. Which, at the moment he seemed to be.

  “Who are you?” Remy asked belligerently.

  Loki stepped forward and gently moved Isa behind him, crossing his arms over his huge chest. “None of your business. Who the fuck are you? And why were you yelling at Isa?”

  “She yelled at me first,” Remy told him.

  “Isa, Remy was helping me search for Georgina. That’s why he’s here now. He had nothing to do with what happened.”

  “Oh,” Isa said.

  “You sound displeased,” Remy rumbled. “You got an apology for me, spitfire?”

  “Don’t press your luck,” Isa muttered and moved around Loki towards Kiesha. Loki gave Remy a once-over and followed her.

  “Think I’ll just sit over here and wait,” Remy said, moving down to the opposite end of the room.

  Isa glared at him, while he just stared back at her calmly.

  Ed nodded at Remy then went out to find a blanket for Kiesha. Over the next half an hour, more people trickled in to wait to hear how Georgina was. Ed thought it might shock her, how many people were in the waiting room. Cleo had arrived with O’Ryan, a scowl on her face. Juliet was there, soon after, wearing a rain jacket and a bike helmet.

  Ed had wanted to lecture her on riding her bike in the storm. But frankly, he didn’t have the heart. But Jesus, all he needed was Juliet ending up in the hospital. Not only because she was one of his, and he didn’t want her hurt. But also, because her brother would likely sue the entire town. Reuben Jones was fiercely protective of his sister. Ed was still shocked that Reuben hadn’t forced her to move out to Boston with him. It was the one time Juliet had stuck up for herself. She’d refused to leave her town and friends.

  He thought it was just as well she had. Reuben would likely keep her locked up in a safe room.

  Maybe he should lock Georgina up in a safe room. He eyed Kiesha. So maybe he understood Reuben’s point of view. It would definitely give him fewer headaches if the people he cared about were safe.

  Fuck. Did he care about Georgina? Still? Sure, he’d felt something for her when they’d kissed. But it had just been a kiss. And she obviously didn’t feel anything in return. Or she wouldn’t have just left without a goodbye. Or returning his calls.

  Unless she was scared . . .

  Fucked if he knew and the one person who did know couldn’t tell him. He just hoped she was all right.

  “Who is here for Georgina James?”

  Ed turned and looked over at Xavier. Good, he’d hoped he was on duty tonight.

  “We all are,” Kiesha said, standing. She had mascara tracks down her face and she looked drawn. He’d tried to convince her to go home, along with everyone else. But none of them were budging.

  Yeah, he thought Georgina might be shocked by how many people were concerned for her.

  “Is she okay?” Isa asked.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Cleo snapped. “Is it cancer? Is she dying? I think we need a second opinion.”

  “Whoa, okay, Cleo. Let’s not jump to conclusions or put aspersions on my skills as a doctor, okay?” Xavier said calmly.

  “Just tell us,” Kiesha cried.

  “What’s going on, Xavier?” Ed demanded, his heart racing.

  Xavier sighed. “Guys, I can’t tell all of you what’s going on. There’s a thing called doctor-patient confidentiality.”

  “So let me go ask her if you can tell us all,” Kiesha said, taking a step towards the doorway, looking determined to track Georgina down.

  “Kiesha, stop,” Ed said firmly.

  Kiesha froze and glared at him.

  “You’re not going back there right now,” Xavier told her. “At the moment, Georgina is resting. Something she desperately needs. And I won’t have any of you waking her up, understand?”

  At Xavier’s stern tone, everyone nodded.

  “Ed, speak in private?” Xavier asked.

  He followed Xavier into a smaller examination room.

  “What’s going on? What’s wrong with her?” Ed demanded.

  “Are you asking as the sheriff? Or something more?” Xavier asked him.

  He stiffened. “What makes you ask that?”

  “You just seem worked up.”

  “A woman in my town just collapsed on the side of the road and was basically unresponsive the entire drive to the hospital. Of course I’m upset.”

  “Okay, just checking. It would have helped if you knew her better.”

  “Why? Is something seriously wrong with her?”

  Xavier hesitated. “You know I can’t go into details . . . “

  Ed let out a blast of breath. “Xavier! Just tell me something.”

  “She’s not great. Looks like she was running for a long time, and I don’t think she should have been running in the first place. We’ve taken blood and we’re monitoring her heartbeat. And I’m telling you all this as the sheriff. All right?”

  “Shit. Fuck.” He ran his hand over his face.

  “Do you know who her next-of-kin would be?”

  “Next of kin? What the fuck are you saying?” He actually felt himself growing dizzy.

  “Whoa, fuck, man. I thought you said you weren’t involved with her?”

  “I’m not. I just . . . is she dying?”

  “No. But I am worried about her and I’m not happy with disch
arging her until I know she has someone to take care of her. Do you think you can track down her family?”

  “Ahh, yeah, sure. I can. What kind of care?” For her heart?

  “Look, I’m not going to say more without her permission. Just find some family, okay?”

  “Can I see her?”

  Xavier gave him an assessing look. “I don’t want her upset if she wakes up.”

  “Jesus, man, what do you take me for? Look, Georgina and I worked on a case a while ago. I do know her. I’m not sure about her family situation, but I don’t want her to wake up alone.”

  “Right,” Xavier said doubtfully.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “You just sound like a man who is emotionally invested in a woman. That’s all.”

  “Just show me where she is.”

  “Oh no.” Xavier shook his head. “You don’t get to see her until you clear the waiting room.”

  “They’re just concerned about Georgie.”

  “And I am sure she will appreciate that support. In the morning. At a decent hour. You know that if Mary-Lee learns they’re all here that there will be hell to pay.”

  Ed grimaced. Mary-Lee was the head nurse. Xavier was right. She wouldn’t appreciate a bunch of non-family members camping out in the waiting room all night.

  “Fine. I’ll get rid of them. Then show me where she is.”

  10

  What was that noise?

  It sounded like there was a train going past. But that wasn’t right. Her apartment wasn’t near train tracks.

  “Stupid train, hush. I’m trying to sleep.”

  It must have been the longest train ever. It just kept going. And sometimes it grew louder. Then quieter.

  “Quiet, train.”

  To her surprise, the train did quieten.

  “Good train, you get a reward. Gold star for you.”

  “What? Georgie? Are you awake?”

  Huh, that sounded like Ed’s voice.

  “That’s because it is Ed’s voice, honey,” he said gently.

  “Honey? I like that. It’s cute.”

  “You are cute,” he told her.

  “Now I know you’re not Ed. Because Ed doesn’t think I’m cute. He thinks I’m a bitch.”

  “He does not. I mean, I do not.”

  “I must be dreaming. Because Ed only comes to me in my dreams.” She yawned. “Why is my bed so hard? And these sheets are scratchy. I don’t like them. Dream Ed, get me new sheets,” she ordered imperiously.

  There was a huff of laughter. “Does dream Ed always do as you order?”

  “Of course. It’s my dream, why wouldn’t he?”

  “Well, seems to me that you might get a bit spoiled and bratty if he did everything you said.”

  She huffed out a sigh. “It’s my dream. Just for once, I should get something my way. Where I don’t have to do what everyone else tells me to do.”

  There was a beat of silence. Dream Ed was being weird tonight.

  “Who’s everyone?” he asked.

  “Huh?”

  “Who is everyone? Who tells you what to do?”

  “I already told you. Were you not listening? You’re starting to sound more like real Ed.”

  More silence.

  “And what did you want him to do that he didn’t do?”

  “I thought he was with Kiesha, and I thought he was a dirty, nasty cheater. Then she asked me out and I thought I was going to have to tell her what I’d done. Because Ed was a pansy-assed, lying cheater. And then when I did tell her, she laughed. You know, because Ed is gross.”

  “So he’s a dirty, nasty, lying, pansy-assed, gross cheater?”

  “Are you coming down with a cold, dream Ed? Because that’s going to ruin my plans for later.”

  “What plans did you have for later?” he asked.

  “I’m getting tired again.”

  “But you’re dreaming. How can you be tired if you’re in a dream?”

  “Urgh, if I wanted logical Ed, I would go find real Ed.”

  “Dirty, nasty, lying, pansy-assed, gross, cheater Ed?” he asked in a funny-sounding voice. What was his problem? He already knew all of this.

  “Yeah, him.”

  “But I’m . . . he’s not with Kiesha.”

  “Yeah, I know. She told me. It seemed like he was.”

  “Did you really come to Wishingbone just to see me . . . umm, him?”

  She sniffled. “I’m so stupid.”

  “You are not stupid,” he said firmly. “And that’s the last time I want to hear you call yourself that.”

  “I am stupid.”

  “Georgina,” he said in a warning voice.

  “Now you’re being bossy Ed. I want dream Ed.”

  “Well, dream Ed doesn’t like you saying bad things about yourself, either.”

  “But it’s the truth. I was stupid to think that kiss meant anything to real Ed. He probably forgot about it as soon as it happened.”

  “What are you talking about? You’re the one that left town. Who didn’t answer my, umm, real Ed’s messages.”

  “I know, that’s because I’m a coward as well as stupid.”

  “Georgina, you’re going to be in big trouble if you keep calling yourself names.”

  “Ooh, what you gonna do, big daddy? You gonna spank me?”

  More silence. Dream Ed really needed to stop being so domineering and bossy. Even if she did kind of like it. Just a bit.

  “Just a bit, huh? And yeah, I might spank you if you keep disparaging yourself.”

  “Real Ed has big hands. I wonder if that means he has a big dick?”

  Dream Ed groaned.

  “Yeah, I always thought that big hands—big dick thing was a crock,” she muttered. “Another myth gone. Too bad, I’d have enjoyed seeing his big dick.”

  “Okay, let’s get this conversation back to you leaving after that kiss and not replying to my messages. Why did you do that?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” she replied. “Go away, dream Ed. And tell that train to go away too.”

  Ed sat back, frustrated.

  He tried to rouse her again, but it seemed she’d slipped into a deeper sleep. She’d appeared to be half-dreaming. He had no idea why she kept mentioning a train.

  Standing, he stretched and yawned. He’d fallen asleep for a few hours. He looked at his watch. It was close to midnight.

  His phone buzzed. Had she really come here because of that kiss? But why run in the first place? Why not return his messages? And why pretend she was just here about work?

  Seeing that it was Jimmy calling, he stepped out into the corridor. He’d asked him to see what he could discover about Georgina’s family.

  “Jimmy, what have you got for me?”

  “Got someone listed as her emergency contact. An August James.”

  August James?

  “Father?” he asked.

  “Nope. Looked him up. Turns out, he’s a cardio-thoracic surgeon. Lives in Boston.”

  “Good. Thanks. Send the details over to me. I’ll see if Xavier wants to call him or I should.”

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  He ended the call and waited for the information to come in. Jimmy even included a picture of August James. He looked to be in his early-forties. Who was he? Surely, she didn’t have a husband. There was no ring on her finger, but that didn’t mean anything.

  But no, her horror over the idea of being part of his supposed-cheating had been real. He grimaced. Her opinion of him had been pretty low. Had she really imagined that he would have cheated on Kiesha? Maybe it was an ex-husband. Or perhaps a brother? He was going to go with that.

  Leaving her room, he headed to the nurses’ station to have Xavier paged.

  So scared. Her teeth chattered. She knew he would find her.

  Help! Help!

  Screams.

  “Wake up! Hey, shut up. You’re going to wake the whole damn hospital up.”

&nbs
p; Someone touched her, shaking her. And she fought back. What was happening? Who was that? Where was she?

  “No! Get back! Stay away from me!” she yelled.

  “Calm down! I’m a nurse. I’m just trying to help you. Stop fighting me!”

  “No, get away from me! I won’t let you hurt me! Help! Help!” She fought, desperate to get away.

  “Fuck! Stop or I’ll have to sedate you!” someone yelled.

  There was pressure on her arm. No! They were hurting her. Bruising her.

  “Don’t tie me up! Don’t!” she screamed.

  “What the fuck is going on in here!” A deep voice roared. “What are you doing? Let her go! Now!”

  Help is here.

  She didn’t know why she thought that. But she found herself calming. The hands that had been trying to hold her down, disappeared.

  “Nobody is tying you up, Georgie-girl. You’re safe. You just need to calm down. Georgie-girl, you’re safe. Come on, wake up for me now. See where you are.”

  She forced her eyes to open. Her breath was coming in shallow, fast pants. It felt like her heart was racing so hard that it might just jump straight out of her chest. But she forced herself to focus. Looking around, she saw that she was in a sterile-looking room. An older male, dressed in scrubs stood off to the side. He moved his glare between her and Ed.

  Ed was here. He was standing by her side, half over her.

  Protecting her.

  Moving on instinct, she wrapped her hands in his T-shirt. She wasn’t letting him get far from her. Some small part of her whispered that she shouldn’t be so needy. But right now, she was fully ignoring that part.

  She needed him.

  “Sheriff, we have to sedate her! She was punching me. She could hurt someone.”

  “Look at her. Does she look like she’s going to fucking punch someone? I don’t know what you did, but you’re twice her fucking size and you’ve just terrified the hell out of her. Nobody is sedating her. Get the fuck out of here.”

  “You have no right to talk to me like that, sheriff. I’m going to make a formal complaint about your behavior. This is my patient, and I—”

  “What is going on in here?” another voice asked. A handsome, fit-looking man walked into the room. He was dressed in a shirt and pants. There was something calming about him. He had an air of authority, same as Ed.