Bullwhipped (A Cowboy Romance)

by Danica Chandler

  “What… what happened?” Talking made him lose his breath, and he ran his finger over the rubber contraption in his nose. There was a deep pain in his chest with every inhale and exhale.

  Before she could answer, a man in a white coat came in. “It’s good to see you awake, Cale. You’ve been out of it for three days now. We were starting to get worried about you. I’m Dr. Chambers.”

  Cale stared up at him, still confused about everything. “Cale Warren.” Of course he knew who he was, he was holding his chart for crying out loud.

  “Here’s what we know from the tests we’ve ran. Your brain function seems to look good. You waking up confirms it, but we are concerned about some short-term memory loss. Can you tell me the last thing you remember up until now?”

  Cale thought about the question for a moment, glancing at Olivia and back to him. “Hard to say. Everything is fuzzy. I guess watching Olivia take her ride at the rodeo.”

  “You don’t remember your ride?”

  He shook his head no and cringed. He had to remember not to do that. “No.”

  “You got beat up pretty bad by the bull. Broken rib, punctured lung, concussion, and some internal damage.”

  “I got bucked off?” Cale asked, lifting his head from the pillow. The room spun and he closed his eyes, fighting the vertigo.

  “You got hung up on the rope, Cale,” Olivia said, brushing her hand down his forearm.

  “When can I get out of here?”

  “We’ve still got to run some tests. Your lung could collapse if we jump the gun too soon. And I also need to keep an eye on your concussion. If there is short-term memory loss, we might have to look into that. The good news is that your internal bleeding has stopped and appears to be healing well.”

  Cale frowned and looked up at the ceiling. All he could think about was the rodeo and not finishing. His dad would have a field day with him, especially since he predicted this very thing about getting hurt and being stuck in the hospital.

  “Slow and steady, Cale. You’re recovering well, but we have to make sure you’re okay.” Dr. Chambers patted the bed. “I’ll be back in a few hours. Let us know if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Doctor.” Olivia smiled down at Cale, tracing her index finger over his hairline. “I was so worried about you.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening.” He was pissed, but he couldn’t take it out on her. “Did you stay here this whole time?”

  “Yeah. I can’t stomach the idea of leaving you here.”

  “How long has it been?”

  “Three days.”

  He remembered the doctor saying that, but it escaped him. Maybe his short-term memory really was shot. That could be a blessing and a curse, all at the same time. “Did you miss your rides?”

  “I did. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re awake now. It’s just a rodeo. They’ll be more.”

  “Another set back for your riding school,” Cale said, finally revealing that he knew about her plans.

  “How did you know about that?”

  “Oscar told me the night he tried to fight me. I shouldn’t set you back from your dreams, Livie. Killeen is a big check and here you are, stuck in a hospital with me. History repeats itself. This won’t be the last time I’m in this situation. Sure as hell ain’t the first time.”

  “I’m not stuck here, Cale. I want to be here. I can get the money some other time.”

  Her pained look made his heart break. “I’m sorry. I really do appreciate it.” He gripped her hand, squeezing it as hard as he could, but he had no energy. The woman really did love him, though he couldn’t figure out why. “What a surprise, my dad isn’t here either.”

  Olivia shifted her weight, her posture changing. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but since you brought it up, I’ll tell you.”

  “Tell me what?”

  “He is here. He’s in the waiting room. He’s also been here this whole time.”

  “Really? He must really want to lay into me this time. I screwed up and he’s chomping at the bit to let me know about it.”

  “No, Cale, there’s more you need to know. I confronted him. He claims that he’s thought about it. I don’t really know him, but I think maybe a light turned on. He’s kept his distance at my request so you wouldn’t get worked up, but I think we need to see if he really is being sincere.”

  “He’s not, Livie. He’s the same son of a bitch that he was before this.” All of the talking was making it even harder to breathe, and the nurse came in when his monitor started to beep.

  “Cale, your 02 is low. How about you rest some more? How’s your pain on a scale from one to ten?” she asked as she checked his IV’s.

  “About a seven.”

  “It’s time for another dose of pain meds. It’ll help you relax.”

  He felt the cool liquid gush in the port and it was an almost instant effect. His vision blurred and he felt great, like nothing else mattered in the world. Olivia faded, and he barely was able to mouth the words, “I love you,” before completely crashing.

  ***

  Olivia felt horrible for getting Cale riled up. He was so confused and worried about everything but himself, but at least he was resting again. She was relieved that he didn’t have any major damage, but the short-term memory loss was still worrisome. Walking back to the waiting room, she sat beside Dean who looked exhausted. The bags under his eyes were getting darker.

  “Hey Olivia. I hear he woke up.”

  “He did. But he’s sleeping again. I made him talk too much. He’s still struggling. It’s going to be a slow recovery, I think. He’s already wanting out of here. Probably wants to get right back on a bull.”

  Dean smiled and his laugh was so natural that for a second, Olivia forgot about his awful past with Cale. “He’s a stubborn ass. Always has been. I guess you can blame me for that.”

  “I told him you’ve been here. That’s what got him flustered. If you truly want to be here for him, I think you need to talk to him. Without sounding like a complete bitch, if you’re just all talk and you have no intention of mending your relationship with Cale, I suggest you walk right out the door and don’t look back.”

  “It’s sad that it took you reaming me for me to open my eyes, but yes, if I didn’t care and just wanted to point out his failures, I wouldn’t have waited around.”

  “You need to talk to him. And it’s going to take a lot more than just a conversation. You can’t mend years of damage you caused that fast. Cale is angry. Any time you’re brought up, he’s tense. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try, Dean. Life is too short to not try if you really want to recover what you’ve both lost.”

  “You’re right, Olivia.”

  “Let’s give him some time to rest and we’ll go from there. Don’t be offended if he’s not up to seeing you. Give him time. He’ll eventually allow it. He’s a stubborn ass, as you put it, but keep at it.”

  What was she saying? Would Cale get over what Dean had done to him? Would she be able to get over something like that if the tables were turned? She’d be pissed if someone shoved it on her, but that’s why they had to pace themselves. She didn’t expect it to happen over night. Even if it didn’t happen at all, at least they tried. She couldn’t judge Cale for keeping his distance. She’d never been in that kind of situation.

  “I’m going to go check on him. I’ll let you know if he’s up to it once he wakes up, or if we’ll need to wait until he gets out of here.” Olivia reached out, touching Dean’s arm. “I know you’re trying. I’ll vouch for you.”

  Olivia wanted off of this emotional rollercoaster. One minute she hated Dean and the next she was going to stand up for him? She really hoped she wasn’t making a huge mistake with this. The last thing she needed to do was overstep her boundaries with Cale and his father. When it came down to it, she really didn’t have much experience with either of them in this situation, but her gut was telling her she was progressing it in the right dire
ction.

  She smiled at the nurse, attempting to hide all of the turmoil brewing deep within her. Sitting beside Cale’s bed, she watched him sleep, relieved that his breathing had gotten back to normal and he was calm. Maybe rekindling the relationship with his father should wait. His physical recovery was more important.

  ***

  Cale tried to roll on his side, but the pain was excruciating. For a second, he wondered if he was having a heart attack. His chest felt heavy and when he finally maneuvered to his back again, it subsided. Adjusting the cannula in his nose, he felt the fresh air pour into his nostrils, aiding in getting his breathing under control. Olivia was leaned back and snoozing in a chair. He was glad to see her resting, but how good was the sleep in such an uncomfortable position?

  She must have felt his stare because she straightened and swiped her hand down her face, yawning. “Hey, Cale.”

  “You need to go get some sleep in a real bed, Livie. There’s no reason to stay up here all the time. It’s just a waiting game.”

  Standing, she offered him a cup of water and he took it, drinking it down like it was the last bit of water on the planet. The cold drink gave him an instant headache, and he scooted the cup across the table.

  “I wouldn’t be able to sleep being away from you, Cale.”

  “You’re worried.” It came out more as a statement than a question.

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “I hate seeing you so stressed. I’m going to be okay. Just another page added to my long medical record. Some guys have criminal records that stretch the length of a football field. Not me.” He laughed and fanned his fingers over hers. It was the first time he noticed the IV port in the back of his hand with several chords shooting out from under the medical tape. “Something tells me that you’re worried about more than just all of this.” He motioned his hands over his torso. “Talk to me, Livie.”

  She heaved a deep sigh and looked up at the ceiling, tears gathering in her eyes. “I debated on whether or not to tell you about this. I brought it up yesterday when you were awake and you got very upset. I don’t want you to get that way again, not when you need to relax and take it easy.”

  Cale tried to recollect what she was talking about, but his memory was failing him. He didn’t even remember waking up yesterday – just bits and pieces of the doctor coming in, but it was like a dream he couldn’t organize in his head. A bull had injured him and there was an issue with his lungs, but past that, he just knew he felt like crap and wanted out of the hospital.

  “Just tell me. What’s going on?”

  “Do you remember me talking about your dad yesterday?”

  He swallowed, craving more water. “No. What about him?”

  Olivia’s eyes widened. It was as if he had just responded in another language. “The doctor mentioned short-term memory loss.” Leaning over him, she kissed his forehead. “I guess I’ll tell you so you aren’t left hanging.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, she placed her hand on his thigh. Her touch through the thin sheet was soothing, but Cale’s pulse raced as he waited. The mention of memory loss scared the hell out of him, but her behavior was more terrifying.

  “Talk to me, Livie. Please.”

  “Your dad has been here since the day you were brought in. At first, Sammy and I were skeptical, but I confronted him.” She laughed and bit her bottom lip, looking down at the floor. “Hell, I laid right into him, Cale.”

  Cale propped himself up on his elbows, ignoring his body’s warning to lay back down. “What happened?” Had his father hurt Olivia? He’d kill him if he did anything to her.

  She went over everything she had said, right down to him staying around the waiting room this whole time, being patient. That wasn’t his father. Dean Warren would have rushed in here, ignoring Olivia’s warnings just to get to him and point out everything Cale had done wrong to land in the hospital bed. It was as if she was telling a fictional story. His dad wasn’t here out of concern. No way.

  “He wants to see you, Cale, especially now that you’re awake. I told him if he’s lying to me and if he says anything hurtful, I’ll make sure he gets escorted out of here. I expected him to lash out, but he didn’t. He understood. I think I really got to him.”

  Cale rested back into the pillow again, his body weak from just the small bit of exertion. “I… I’m not sure what to think.”

  “I know I don’t know your dad the way you do, and if you think he’s trying to pull a fast one on me, I’ll understand. Maybe I’m being naïve.” She began to pace. “When I told you this stuff yesterday, you got really upset. Today you’re reacting a lot differently than I thought.”

  “I’m just caught off guard. Yesterday is vague. It’s like I get flashes of memory, but I can’t tell what’s real and what I’ve just imagined, you know?”

  “The doctor thinks that will be temporary.”

  “I hope so, Livie. Is my dad here right now?”

  She nodded. “He’s only left a few times to check on the ranch and get food.”

  “Really?” Wow, that was something new. All of the other times Cale had been in the hospital, he only stuck around a few minutes at a time, just long enough to be hurtful and leave again. “He wants to talk to me?”

  “He does, but if you’re not ready, we all understand.”

  “Might as well do it. What better place than a hospital? Isn’t this where most people try to make things right?” He laughed, trying to find some humor in the confusing situation.

  “Okay, Cale. I’ll go tell him. If he does anything to make you uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to let the nurse know. They’ll get him out of here.”

  She left the room and Cale’s mind raced. How would this go? Did his dad really want to try? He’d find out shortly, and when he saw the older man approach the foot of his bed, his stomach dipped as if he had swallowed a brick. His mouth went dry and he didn’t say anything, hoping his father would break the silence first.

  Dean took his hate off, his eyes sunken in like he hadn’t slept much. “Hey Cale. How are you feeling?”

  It was awkward and Cale cringed. “Like I’ve been trampled by a bull, Dad.”

  The corners of Dean’s eyes squinted and he smiled. “I guess I should just cut to the chase. I’m sure you’ve got your skepticism about all of this and I don’t want to wear you out.” He spun his cowboy hat in his hand. It was a nervous twitch. This was definitely a different side of his dad. “That girl out there really opened my eyes to some things. You being in here has opened my eyes.”

  “She’s pretty amazing, isn’t she?” Cale asked.

  “She’s a good one, yes. I’m sorry I ever doubted her and said those things. And I’m sorry that I’ve been the way I have with you. I know it’s going to take some time. I don’t expect you to hop right up and forgive me for all of the hell I put you through, but I’d like to work in that direction if you’ll let me.”

  “You’re right. It will take time. I’ve got my own stuff to get over.” Cale tried to keep his emotions in check, but he couldn’t let go of all of the years of hatred and abuse his dad put him through. “I can’t just forget everything. I wish…” he stammered on his words, trying to search for the right things to say. “I wish that whatever the hell is going on in my head right now would’ve wiped out all of the memories of my childhood. All of those times you hurt me. Not just with your fists. Sometimes I preferred that to the painful words. Boys are taught not to cry because it makes us look weak, but you have no idea how many nights I cried myself to sleep, wishing you’d go away.” Cale’s eyes stung.

  “I’m truly sorry for all of that, Cale. If I could go back and change it, I would.”

  Cale swiped away the tears with the back of his hand, unable to look his father in the eye. “But you can’t. And I’ll have to accept that. All of this time, I wondered when things would change. I guess that’s why I had a hard time having a relationship with anyone. I figured I didn’t deserve it. You have me brainwashed. But then Oli
via came along and things were different. She’s a blessing I didn’t think I deserved and I really wondered when she’d eventually leave me too.”

  “She loves you, Cale. I don’t think she’s going away.”

  Cale let out a sarcastic laugh. “Not your usual response. Just a few days ago you were saying she was just a fast woman who would only pose as a distraction.”

  “You’re right. I did say that. I’ll apologize a million times for that if you want me to.”

  “I guess you were just going off of what you knew about me, just like everyone else who knows me. Cale Warren – big drinker, rambling troublemaker, one night stand kind of guy. Leave them crying in the rain like that country song says.”

  “There’s a future with you and Olivia. I’d like to be there for it. I’d like to be a grandpa. It might be too late to be a father to you, but I can try.”

  Finally making eye contact with him, Cale felt a genuine smile part his lips. “Better late than never, I guess.” He extended his hand and his dad gripped it. “Just give me time. Can you do that?”

  “Whatever you need, Cale. I’m here for you.”

  “First things first – I gotta get out of this damn bed.”

  Chapter Twelve

  A few more days had passed since Cale had talked with his dad. Olivia had seen quite the change in both men. Dean had been very helpful, bringing things to the hospital for both of them and Cale’s memory was slowly getting back to normal. He still had small lapses in things she had said to him, but it was nothing more than just having to repeat it a few times for it to finally click. The doctor was still concerned about the broken rib putting pressure on his lung, and talks of surgery had been passed around to try and get the bone set back where it needed to be. If Cale was in any pain, he was hiding it well – the only complaints he had were getting out of the hospital and back to riding.

  He had been moved out of ICU and into a more private room. Olivia stood at the window, looking down from the third floor at the city below. Rain pattered against the glass and lightning lit up the sky.