Love Me Tender

by Wendy Vella

  “Rory!” He dropped to his knees beside her. Luke was on the other side, pressing his fingers to her neck.

  “She’s breathing, but cold. We need to get her to the car now.”

  Jack lifted her into his arms and starting running back to the Jeep. Rory’s head was cradled on his shoulder. Please let her live.

  Luke sprinted ahead to start the Jeep. Getting in the passenger side, he got his first good look at Rory.

  Pale, she had a cut on her forehead and a bump the size of an egg.

  “Come on, Princess, open your eyes for me,” Jack pleaded as the heat from the car slowly warmed her.

  Joe grabbed the emergency blanket out of the back and tucked it around her, and Jack hugged her close, giving her his warmth.

  “I don’t know how hurt she is.”

  “I’m hoping not too bad, if she ran that far,” Luke said checking the cut on her head. “Here come the paramedics.”

  She was taken from him, but he stayed at her side as they strapped her on the bed and wheeled her inside the vehicle.

  “Why is she not waking up?”

  “Could be many reasons, but I’d say cold and that knock to the head,” one of the paramedics said.

  “She’ll be all right then?” Jack demanded.

  “We’ll know more when we reach the hospital.”

  “Let the man do his job, brother.” Joe appeared in the doorway. “We’ll follow you.”

  He gripped the hand Joe held out to him hard.

  “She’d going to make it, Jack.”

  “I’ll hold you to that.”

  He held her hand while they drove to the hospital. She was warmer now, which meant she should be awake as far as Jack was concerned.

  “Princess Aurora May Haldane, wake up,” he said into her ear, and she twitched. “Come on, Rory, open your eyes and stop scaring me.”

  A few minutes later her eyes fluttered open.

  “Hey, you.” He leaned down and kissed her softly.

  “Jack?” Her voice was croaky.

  “You’re safe now, baby. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

  Her eyes closed again.

  “I love you,” he whispered in her ear. The smile on her lips told him she’d heard.

  They took her away from him in the hospital, but he was allowed to see her after the doctors had checked her over. She had a concussion and some scratches and bruises, but was otherwise okay.

  Jack found her in a hospital bed with a big white bandage on her forehead. He touched her hand softly and her eyes opened. They were bloodshot and filled with pain.

  “How did you find me?”

  “You answered my call, and we heard Harvey talking. Dylan had his friend Mickey track your location from your cellphone.”

  “He did it all, Jack.”

  “I know, love.”

  “Patrick is my brother.”

  “I know, we had June Harvey in the car with us, she came clean.”

  “What a mess,” Rory closed her eyes on a sigh. “All of that happened because he wanted to keep his wife.”

  “He’s alive much to my disgust.”

  She sighed again.

  “How’s the head?”

  “Throbbing.”

  “Did you hear what I said to you in the ambulance, Rory?” Jack braced his hands beside her head.

  “Princess Aurora May Haldane, open your eyes.”

  “After that.” He kissed her lips.

  “You’re safe now?”

  “I’m trying to work out if you’re playing me here or not.”

  “I love you, Jack.”

  He kissed her again.

  “I love you, Princess.”

  Chapter 41

  “I’m nervous about seeing Patrick again, Jack.”

  “Why? You’ve already talked to him. Sure, he was upset, and considering his father’s going to prison, he has every right to be. But given time I think he’s going to love having three more older siblings.”

  “Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas,” Rory and Jack replied to the Robbins sisters and Mrs. L, who were also walking up the main street of Ryker Falls.

  Jack tucked Rory under his arm. They’d woken on Christmas morning wrapped in each other’s arms, a fact Jack was more than happy with. He would be quite happy to wake that way for the remainder of his days.

  “I know, it’s just so hard for him. I mean, he thought he knew what his life was all about—well, his family at least—and now that’s changed.”

  “Like yours did?”

  “Yes. What June and my father did was wrong. I understand the pain that’s been caused by all of this, but I still feel sorry for the Harveys, because I know what we went through when Dad was convicted.”

  “I hope Mr. Harvey is not included in that? He was going to kill you. If I had my way, he’d be hanged.” Jack could still remember the fear he’d felt that night he’d found her cold and unconscious.

  “I get why he did it, but it’s hard to forgive the man after what he put my family through.”

  “Then don’t forgive him.”

  “Did I tell you Aby came to see me yesterday when you went to the stables, Jack?

  “You didn’t.”

  “She said she hoped I could forgive her for the way she treated me. I told her if she needed to talk about anything to come and see me. I can help with what she’s experiencing.”

  “You’re nicer than I am.”

  “I also had some of the locals call by. They wanted to apologize too. I told them I’d accept as long as they didn’t turn on the Harveys.”

  “Like I said, you’re nicer than me.”

  “I even had a visit from Cindy. She was nice too, and I think that’s because she’s realized you’re off the market now”

  “Am I? Off the market, that is?”

  Rory elbowed him in the ribs. “And don’t give me that rubbish about not being a nice guy, Jack Trainer. You’re a pussycat underneath that don’t-mess-with-me exterior.”

  “Don’t go spreading that about the place, I have a reputation to uphold.” Jack placed a kiss on her cheek.

  “Thanks, Jack.”

  “For what?” He ushered them toward A.S., where this morning they were meeting the Harveys for breakfast. June had suggested it, and to her credit had decided to stay in Ryker while they waited for Geoff’s trial so Rory and her brothers could spend time with Patrick. Matt and Leo were up ahead of them. Matt had arrived yesterday, and Leo hadn’t left yet.

  “For being there when I needed someone. For believing me, and not giving up on me. For putting up with me.” She stopped in the street to look at him. “For loving me.”

  Cupping her cheeks, Jack kissed her softly. “Loving you was the easy part.”

  Her smile was sweet.

  “I didn’t realize until I came here how lonely I was. I’d shut myself off from people, but you and the others kind of invaded my heart.”

  “Like a disease?” he teased.

  “I don’t want to leave here again, Jack.” Her blue eyes were suddenly serious. “This is my home now.”

  “Well that suits me, because I don’t either. But I was thinking maybe we could do some traveling?”

  “Oooh, yes, I’d like that.”

  “So you’ve kind of forced my hand here. I was going to leave this till later, but hell, why not? There is no privacy in this town anyway.”

  Jack pulled the box out of his pocket and went down on one knee on the icy sidewalk.

  “Is he proposing to her?” he heard Miss Sarah say.

  “Looks like it, Marla, and we have a front-row seat.”

  “Jack!” Rory tugged the sleeve of his jacket to get him upright, but he wasn’t moving until she said yes.

  “I love you so much, Princess Aurora May. Will you marry me?”

  “What did he say?”

  “Shut up, Mrs. L.,” Miss Sarah said. “I want to hear her reply.”

  “I’m getting a cold knee h
ere, sweetheart, can you hurry that answer up?”

  “Oh God, I can’t believe you did it here. Yes!” she laughed, tugging him upright.

  Jack caught her as she launched at him. Wrapping her in his arms, he kissed her right there on the main street of Ryker Falls, with several of its inhabitants watching on.

  He heard sighs, and claps, and thought it was probably the most perfect moment of his life. They’d fight, Jack knew that, and there would be challenges, but he couldn’t think of anyone he wanted to face them with but his Princess.

  * * *

  THE END

  THANK YOU!

  * * *

  Thanks so much for reading book three in my Ryker Falls series, LOVE ME TENDER, Jack and Rory’s story.

  * * *

  • Would you like to know when my next book is available? Sign up for my new release mailing list at www.wendyvella.com or visit me on Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyVella

  • Reviews help other readers find books. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.

  • For a sneak peek of book one in my Lake Howling series, A PROMISE OF HOME please read on.

  A PROMISE OF HOME- available now

  * * *

  Knocking on the door, Jake spent a few minutes surveying the weatherboards. They looked in good condition, just in need of a coat of paint. When no one answered, he knocked again, this time louder, but still no reply. Then he made the wooden door shake on its hinges as he pounded it with his fist. If she didn’t open soon, he’d see if he could find a window to get in through. Seconds later, he was rewarded with the sound of it opening.

  “Why are you pounding on my door?”

  He’d always liked the gruff little burr of her voice. Maybe it was because he’d not had much contact with anyone else from Ireland. Whatever the reason, her accent had always made him smile.

  “Hey, Branna, remember me?”

  Her focus wasn’t great, but the green eyes eventually settled on him. “Jacob McBride.”

  “Penny told me you hit your head, and she thought you may need to visit the doctor?”

  “No… thanks.” It sounded as if she tacked on the last word reluctantly, and then she started to close the door.

  Bracing a hand on the wood, he leaned in a little. “Your head looks like it’s hurting you, Rosebud.”

  “It’s fine, now go away.” Her words didn’t pack too much of a punch because she was whispering; obviously, the effort of speaking was not helping her condition.

  “You still got that attitude working for you, O’Donnell.” Jamming a foot in the door to stop her shutting it further, he gently pushed it open, sending her back a step.

  “Please, leave my house.” This time, her words had a bit more force, even though they were said through her teeth.

  “Yeah, give me a minute and I’ll do just that, Rosebud.” He watched as she staggered backward and then lowered herself into a chair, the effort making her wince.

  “Branna or Miss O’Donnell, my name is not Rosebud.”

  “Your fault. You introduced yourself that first day in class as Branna Rose, and it stuck.”

  “We’re not in school anymore, McBride.”

  “Tell me about the pain in your head, Branna,” Jake said, ignoring her words as he pulled out his cellphone and switched on the flashlight app before moving to squat before her. Once there, he pried open the eyelids she’d recently closed and shined the light into them. Her pupils didn’t react as they should as he flashed the light across them. In fact, the pupils weren’t constricting at all. “Vision blurred?”

  “What are you doing?” She tried to bat his hands away, but he didn’t move. Instead, he eased her forward to inspect the cut on the back of her head. “Take your hands off me.”

  “I don’t go for skinny, belligerent women,” Jake lied, regaining his feet to walk around the back of the chair to get a closer look. Penny had said her legs were fine, and he couldn’t disagree; they were long and shapely coming out of those ragged cutoffs, and she filled that shirt out nicely too. “You have way too much hair,” he muttered, parting the thick mass of black curls until he saw it. Not huge, maybe an inch, but it was matted with blood and may need a stitch.

  “Ouch! Stop, that hurts.” She tried to push his hands aside again.

  “Surely you’re not still pissed with me for reshaping your eraser into a phallic symbol?” He moved over her body, checking for other injuries. Reaching her left wrist, her breath hissed.

  “Why are you doing this to me, McBride?”

  “Because Penny asked me to, and while I’m not big on interacting with anyone much these days, here in Howling, when a friend asks you to do something, you usually end up doing it, no matter how reluctant you are,” Jake added. “Does your wrist hurt to move it?” he questioned. It was definitely damaged, but he didn’t know how badly. The most common wrist bone to break or fracture is the carpal bone. Symptoms sometimes include pain and swelling around the wrist. Okay, fuck, will you let up?

  “Yes, now leave.”

  “But you’re such good company.” He moved around the house until he found one of Georgie’s scarves hanging from the coat stand. He quickly fashioned a sling for her, then slipped her arm through it. When he finished, she made a gagging sound.

  “You going to be sick, Rosebud?”

  She pushed at his chest and tried to rise, but he simply lifted her into his arms and took her to the bathroom. Raising the toilet seat, he lowered her to the floor, then stood back as she threw up.

  “Is there no end to this humiliation?” she whispered when it was over. Sitting back on her heels, she tried to glare up at him, but failed miserably. She was shaking and pale, and he didn’t want to feel sorry for her, but he did.

  Rinsing a washcloth, he then wiped her face.

  “Now, I want you to listen to me, Rosebud, because you were an intelligent girl in high school, and unless you did drugs or some other substance abuse, I can’t imagine your brain capacity has dimmed too much.” Jake squatted before her so their eyes were on the same level.

  “I was an English professor,” she whispered.

  “There you go,” Jake added, wiping her face again. “So, you should get that you need to see a doctor because you have a concussion, and while I don’t think your arm is broken, it sure as hell is not right.”

  “You a doctor or something?”

  “Or something.” He lifted her into his arms, which wasn’t too hard as she didn’t weigh much.

  “P-put me down.” Her words were weak, and he ignored them. “Where are you taking me?”

  “I think we just covered that.” He gave her a quick look as he walked back out through the door he had just entered.

  Her eyes were the color of fresh cut grass, so bright they’d always given him a jolt, and he remembered that her jet-black hair had always been plaited in a long, fat braid down her back. No ribbons or clips, just a plan black band had secured it at the bottom. She’d had no soft edges in school, just a belligerent girl with a serious attitude and that air of sadness that had clung to her. Of course, everything changed when she had a microphone in her hand. The girl had sung like an angel.

  It had always amazed Jake that she chose to join the school band, yet avoided communicating with other students whenever possible. He’d watched her once, being dragged in by Newman because he had the hots for some girl doing backup vocals and playing the tambourine. Jake had been shocked when Branna had stepped up to the microphone. Seeing Annabelle playing keyboards told him who was responsible for her appearance, but nothing had prepared him for her voice; all the hair on the back of his neck had risen when she sang her first note.

  “No, I won’t go to the doctor.” She was trying to get out of his arms now, but he was bigger, so he just tightened his hold. “I don’t like them.”

  “Don’t be foolish, Branna.”

  She squinted up at him as they walked out into the sunshine. “How did you know about my fall?”
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  “Penny told me.”

  “She had no right. Now put me down.” She squirmed against him.

  “You’re starting to annoy me now, so quit it.”

  “I don’t know the doctor here, and I don’t want some quack touching me.”

  “I’ll be sure to tell my mother that.” Jake pulled open the passenger door.

  “Your mom’s still the doctor here?”

  “Sure is,” Jake said, as he put her on the seat and did up her seat belt. Closing the door, he sprinted around the truck to get into the driver’s seat, because he couldn’t rule out the fact that she might try to get out. Starting the car, he backed out just as she got the door open.

  “What are you going to do, jump?”

  She slammed it shut, then moaned.

  “I bet that hurt your wrist?”

  “Go to hell.”

  “What’s your problem with doctors, O’Donnell?”

  “I don’t like medical people.”

  Jake shot her a look as he backed out of the driveway. She was huddled against the door, shivering and pale. Sighing, he pulled the blanket out from beneath the seat and laid it over her.

  “My mother’s a good doctor, Rosebud, and I can personally guarantee she has no rusty needles or thumb screws in her rooms… and she’s got a great bedside manner.”

  “I don’t remember her place. Does it have that bad smell?”

  Pulling out of her street, he headed back into town before answering that strange question.

  “No, it smells clean and has nice beige walls and magazines dated before 2010.”

  “I don’t want to go.”

  “But you need to,” he added.

  Jake reached Howling and lifted his hand to acknowledge Ben Tiller, who stood at the curb waiting to cross. He watched the man’s eyes flick from Jake to the top of Branna’s head and back. Frowning, Jake drove on. By tomorrow, there would be questions, and he was fairly sure by the end of it he’d be sick of fielding them… such was life in a small town. He’d have to lay low for a few days until something else fired up their thirst for gossip.