by Rye Hart
“Can I help you?” the woman asks as we approach.
“Yeah, my brother Luke Parker was brought in by helicopter just a little bit ago,” Cole says and I can see his strength begin to waver. He is terrified.
The woman types a few things into her computer and then rises from her desk. Coming around the corner, she takes Cole gently by the elbow and ushers us toward a private waiting area.
“If you can just wait here, I’ll have someone come in and talk to you as soon as they can,” she says sympathetically.
“Can’t you tell me anything?” Cole nearly begs the woman. “Is he still alive?”
The woman looks at Cole and smiles sadly. “He was when he came in, that’s all I know,” she says before leaving to fetch someone who can tell us more.
Cole paces the room like a caged animal and I try to offer what comfort I can. I know the ugly scenarios that are going through his head and I wish I could take them away. After a few moments, a young doctor enters the room and asks us to take a seat. I do not like the sound of that.
Cole’s ass barely touches the cushion and his grip is enough to nearly rip the armrests from the chair. “What’s happening with my brother?” he asks.
The doctor clears his throat. “He was brought in by helicopter and taken immediately to surgery. He has several broken bones, including his lower spine, and some damage to his lungs and liver. If he survives, he will have a very long and very painful recovery ahead of him.”
Tears begin to well in my eyes and I stifle a cry with the back of my hand. I need to be strong for Cole, he doesn’t need to worry about me breaking down.
“You said he has a broken spine,” Cole is asking. “Does that mean he’s paralyzed?”
“It is too early to know,” the doctor says. “The level at which the break is, is low enough that it might not impact his ability to walk, but a lot will depend on the swelling around the spinal cord. I will be back in when there is more news to share.”
The doctor leaves and Cole swings his haunted eyes in my direction. In that moment, all of his strength leaves him and he slides to his knees on the floor. I quickly gather him in my arms and hold him as he weeps.
Chapter Twelve: Cole
I sit on the floor in this damn waiting room, bawling like a baby in Sydney’s arms. I have never been so scared in all my life; not even when my parents died. I knew we had each other and Aunt Nora then, now all Luke has is me.
I quickly pull myself together and get to my feet, pulling Sydney up with me. I don’t know what I’d do if she weren’t here. I am about to tell her just that when I catch a glimpse of something that nearly shakes me to my core. There, out at the reception desk stands Ben. He is gesturing wildly and the woman at the desk is trying to calm him.
Finally, he looks toward where the woman is pointing and our eyes lock. My emotions are at war inside me. Part of me wants to grab him in a fierce bear hug and weather this storm together. The other part of me wants to beat his ass to a bloody pulp. Sydney follows my stare and places her hand on my arm. Her touch grounds me and I look at her and smile.
“Looks like you are about to meet the infamous Ben,” I say, my voice wavering.
Ben walks into the room and stands in front of me, hands shoved in his pockets, staring at his boots. He is only an inch shorter than me, but he is broader of chest and shoulder. We have the same black hair and dark eyes but his skin in much paler. That’s what comes from working in an office like a pussy instead of out in the sun, I tell myself.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I ask him.
Ben looks at me, surprised, and I notice for the first time that he’s got the beginnings of a good shiner. “He’s my brother too, you know,” he says.
“No, I mean, how did you know to be here?” I try again.
Ben looks at me a long minute before answering. “I ran into him at the bar,” he starts.
I point at his eye. “Did he give you that?”
“Yeah.”
I can’t help but smile. “Good,” I say.
“Jesus Christ Cole, Luke is in there fighting for his life and you want to start with me too?” Ben whines.
“The way I see it, he wouldn’t be in here ‘fighting for his life’ if it weren’t for you and your bullshit lawsuit,” I say, getting heated now. “What the fuck happened?”
“I tried to talk to him but you know what he’s like when he’s drunk. He hauled off and clocked me, the little shit. He took off and I tried to go after him and get his keys but he knocked me on my ass and beat me to the truck. I followed him to make sure he was ok but he was all over the road and the next thing I know, he loses control and his truck is rolling. I tried to get to him but I couldn’t get him out. Jesus Cole, if you could see his truck-” Ben stops, clearly upset by the memory.
I take a deep breath and instinct drives me into ‘big brother’ mode. I wrap my arms around Ben and clap him on the back. “Well it’s a good thing you were following him. Who knows how long he’d have laid out there before someone found him,” I hear myself say.
Ben wipes at his face and looks over my shoulder. I turn to see Sydney standing quietly by, watching our interaction. I reach my hand out to her and she takes it, coming to stand against my side.
“Ben, this is Sydney,” I say. “Sydney, this is my little brother Ben.”
Ben holds out his hand and Sydney takes it, giving him a firm shake. Then she surprises us both by pulling him into a hug. Once the shock wears off, he looks genuinely thankful for the gesture. Again, I find myself awed at her instincts and actions. She seems to know just what we need and gladly gives it.
“Why don’t I go get us all something to drink and let you two talk for a minute?” she says. Adding, “But only if you promise not to fight. You have a lot to work out but here is not the time or the place, we need to be focused on Luke right now. Got it?”
I can’t help but smile at her toughness and nod my head. “Yes ma’am,” I say and Ben echoes.
Once alone in the room, Ben shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. I almost laugh at how absurd it looks for such a big dude to be so cagey. I sigh and take a seat.
“Little brother, I think it’s past time we had a good long talk.”
Chapter Thirteen: Sydney
I leave the two Parker boys alone, hoping that I won’t come back to body parts and security guards. Seeing Cole so torn up has me feeling powerless. I wish there was something I could do for him. I know sex takes his mind off of his troubles, but it’s not like we can just fuck in the waiting room. Not to mention, I wouldn’t mind finding other ways to connect with him.
Don’t get me wrong, I will ride that cock as often as I can, but our entire relationship can’t be based on it. Too bad.
I begin to realize that the thought of going back to Chicago isn’t as appealing as I would have thought. Yes, I am successful there. Yes, I have friends there. Yes, I make really good money there. But there is one thing that Chicago cannot offer me: Cole Parker. I know there is no way he would leave his ranch, even if he does love me. I also realize that I would never ask him to. Montana is where he belongs. The fields are in his blood. What the fuck am I going to do?
First things first, I need to get coffee. After that, we see what happens with Luke and deal with Ben’s lawsuit. Hmmm. We. It’s been a while since I’ve thought of myself as part of a ‘we.’ I like it. I just hope Cole feels the same.
As I come back to the room with a tray full of horrible hospital coffee, the doctor enters behind me. Both Cole and Ben shoot to their feet, holding their collective breath.
“Luke is out of surgery. He has some severe bruising on his lungs and his liver but no artery damage to either organ. We had to put pins in his left forearm and a rod in his left tibia. We have stabilized the spinal fracture and will have to monitor the swelling around his spinal cord before we can know what, if any, effects the fracture will have. For now, he is still in critical but stable condition. If he does ok for
the next twenty-four hours, his chances of survival and recovery will more than double.”
Both Cole and Ben exhale and begin peppering the doctor with questions. Once they are satisfied with his answers, they thank him and he leaves. The two men look at one another with relief plain on their faces and embrace once more.
I prepare for the long haul, knowing that neither of them is going to leave this hospital for at least the next twenty-four hours. Cole gathers me in his arms and I can feel the cautious optimism in his touch. I hold him close and tell him that Luke is going to be ok.
“From your lips to God’s ear babe,” he says, kissing me lightly on the lips.
We settle in and I curl up in one of the big leather chairs with my head on Cole’s shoulder. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep for a few minutes here and there. In between my short naps, I listen to the two brothers talk for just about the first time in almost fifteen years.
“So how long have you two been together?” I hear Ben ask.
Cole chuckles. “Going on a whole five days now,” he says.
“Really? Wow, you two really look like the real deal man. The way you are with each other, I would have thought you’d been together for years,” Ben remarks.
“Well if I have any say in it, we will be,” Cole says softly.
I feel my pulse quicken but I keep my eyes shut. I don’t want him to know I’m awake and stop talking.
“Actually, Aunt Nora sent her here,” Cole says. “She’s a friend of hers.”
A long silence follows. “How is Aunt Nora?” Ben finally asks.
“She’s good. And she’d love to hear from you,” Cole says, his tone softly chiding.
“I know. I just don’t think she’d be very proud of how I’ve turned out,” Ben says, sadness plain in his voice.
“Yeah, about that,” Cole clears his throat. “What’s this bullshit about you suing us for a third of the ranch? You haven’t given a shit about the place in damn near twenty years.”
Ben sighs deeply. “Look Cole, it’s not that I don’t give a shit. It’s just that it was hard for me to be around there after mom and dad died.”
“You don’t think it was hard for Luke and me too?” Cole asks. “Shit Ben, Luke was only fourteen when you left and he was so damn lost. But we stayed and we worked our asses off, and we turned the place into something mom and dad would be really proud of.”
“I know,” Ben says softly. “It’s just that, well, I made a really bad investment and-”
“For fuck’s sake Ben, is that was this is about? You need money? Why didn’t you just come to us and ask for help?” Cole asks.
“I’ve been gone for fifteen years Cole, I didn’t exactly think you’d be chomping at the bit to help me out.”
“No, you thought trying to take what Luke and I have worked for those fifteen years was a better idea? Jesus.”
I finally open my eyes and sit upright, clearing my throat. I don’t want them to know how much I’ve heard so I play it up with a fake yawn and stretch.
“What’s going on?” I ask innocently.
“What’s going on is that my brother is an idiot,” Cole says.
Ben is again looking down at his boots with his hands stuffed in his pockets. It is clear how much his big brother’s opinion of him still matters after all of this time and distance.
“We all make mistakes Cole,” I say softly, touching his arm.
“Yeah well this was a pretty colossal fucking mistake,” he says and Ben nods his agreement.
Just then, a nurse comes in to inform us that Luke is awake and asking to see Cole. Cole looks to me and I nod. He rushes out of the room after the nurse, leaving Ben and I alone.
“So, Cole says that you are a friend of our Aunt Nora’s?” he asks.
I nod my head. “Yes. She thought I needed some time away from my job back in Chicago and suggested I come out here for a bit. I have to say I think she was spot on.”
“What do you do in Chicago?” he asked.
I clear my throat and shift my weight from one foot to the other. “Um, well. I’m a lawyer,” I say, watching the color nearly drain from Ben’s face.
“Ah,” he says.
“Look Ben, you don’t have to go through with the lawsuit. It seems to me that Cole would be more than willing to help you out if you need it. But you can’t take the ranch.”
Ben sat down heavily in a chair and put his head in his hands. “I know,” he said quietly. “I just didn’t know what else to do.”
“You’ll come home and we’ll figure it out together,” came Cole’s voice from the doorway.
“Home?” Ben asked.
“Yeah, home. Where you belong. Where we all belong. Luke’s asking for you. He said not to worry, his good arm is in a cast,” Cole said, slapping Ben’s back on his way out the door.
I stood and went to Cole, wrapping my arms around him and laying my head on his chest. “How’s Luke” I ask.
“He’s pretty banged up but I think he’s gonna be ok,” Cole said, relieved.
“Good, I’m so glad,” I said, looking up at Cole.
“You know I meant what I said,” he says.
“About?”
“Home being where we all belong,” he says.
I look deep into his eyes and find my absolute truth there. “Then let’s all go home.”
THE END
Best Seller: Rock Hard Mountain Man
Rock Hard Mountain Man: A Billionaire and A Virgin Romance
CHAPTER ONE: MAGGIE DEAN
I hated going to the mailbox. Nothing good ever came in the mail addressed to me. Some days the box was just crammed full of junk mail that I could toss in the trash without ever opening. I loved those days. I longed for them.
Then there are days like today; the first few days after the first of the month. The days when most of our bills came and I was reminded how close to the poverty line we really lived.
Today was November 3rd, so I knew even before I opened the mailbox flap what would be waiting for me on the inside. I wished I could have just ignored the mail altogether. I mean, would it be so bad for me to miss a payment or two? Really? Give a girl a break, will you Citibank and Capitol One and Wells Fargo? You can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip and you can’t squeeze money out of Maggie Dean.
Then I remembered that I was already ninety days behind on the things that I could let skate a month or two or three. The credit card people loved it when you let the balance float ninety days past due. I was paying more in late fees and interest that in principal.
Hard to believe that five dollar McDonald’s lunch that I charged to my credit card will cost me a hundred bucks or more before I get it paid off.
That’s how economics work in Maggie’s world.
Oh well. There was no need to prolong the pain any further. “Rip that Band-Aid off”, as my mom would say. I took a deep breath and opened the mailbox.
Stacked neatly inside the box was the gas bill, the phone bill, the electric bill, three credit card statements, and three threatening letters from the same credit card companies letting me know that I was ninety days behind.
No shit, Sherlock.
The hole I kept digging every month just kept getting deeper.
Gee, thanks for the reminders, guys. I mean, I had no idea I hadn’t made a payment in three months. Tell you what, let’s trade places for a week and see how you do in my shoes because I’m doing the best I can, but obviously, it isn’t good enough.
I’m one straw away from breaking the camel’s back.
And when that happens… shit, I don’t know what I’ll do.
The one bright spot of this morning’s trip to the mailbox was the thick pack of coupons at the bottom of the stack.
I tucked the bills under my arm and tore into the coupons as I walked back up the gravel drive to the house I shared with my best friend and cousin, Jackie, and my two younger brothers. Coupons were a necessity of life in Maggie’s world.
When you’re a college dropout, a chef-in-training, and a full-time replacement mom to two brothers, you need to save every penny you can.
If Jackie didn’t live with us to help cover the bills, this ship would have sunk months ago. That’s what my life felt like most days; like I was standing on the deck of the Titanic, watching the last of the lifeboats drift away, knowing there was nothing I could do but hold my breath until I finally went under.
Damn you, Rose, there was room on that door for Jack, too, you selfish bitch.
I made a grocery list in my head as I looked over the buy-one-get-one-free offers from the FoodMart.
We were almost out of milk (we were ALWAYS almost out of milk).
We needed bread, eggs, cereal, apple juice, fruit, frozen pizzas, laundry detergent; the list went on and on. How do four people consume so much? I suppose I shouldn’t be too shocked, given that two of those people are fifteen and seventeen-year-old boys.
We were constantly almost out of everything at the Dean house.
Jackie often said our last name should have been Hubbard because our cupboards were always bare. That would make me Old Mother Hubbard I suppose.
No thanks. That’s a title I do not want or need.
Although my current title wasn’t much better.
Hi America, I’m Maggie Dean, Queen of the tough breaks. I’m 24-years-old and I work as a chef-in-training at a small family restaurant in Mountain View, Colorado.
I love to cook, but had to drop out of culinary school when my mom died of cancer last year to take care of my younger brothers: Jimmy, fifteen, and Robbie, seventeen. They spend most of their time pushing my buttons and screaming things like “I hate you!” and “You’re not my mom!”
Okay, they aren’t total monsters all the time. Jimmy is a smart kid who works hard to keep his grades up and Robbie has a gig delivering pizzas at night and on the weekends. He puts most of his pay into the family kitty to help cover the bills. They’re good boys, they’re just in a lousy situation.