“It’s gonna hurt.” Hud tried to dissuade him.
“Well, yeah, but it’s Fumanchu,” Tag said. “This ain’t a kitty cat, brother. He weighs more’n a ton.”
“And he ain’t that buckin’ barrel Daddy built us when we were kids, or like any other bull you’ve ever ridden,” Hud said.
“Don’t expect him to be.” Tag tucked his hand under the rope around the bull’s massive body, raised the other one, and nodded toward the guys to open the gate. “Be nice to me, boy. Give the folks a little something to brag about.”
The gate opened and Fumanchu came out with his head practically on the ground and his hind feet doing their damnedest to reach the stars. Tag moved with the bull, keeping his balance and waving his fist in the air. His butt hurt like hell when the bull came down with a thud and then twisted his hindquarters to one side as they shot for the moon again.
“Three seconds,” the guy in the press box yelled.
Tag had made it past his goal, but now he wanted more. He concentrated on the ride and managed to stay on through the bull’s next twist. The crowd was on their feet chanting his name.
“Five seconds!”
He thought he’d figured out the old boy’s next move, but he had misjudged it, and suddenly he was flying through the air. The breath was knocked out of him when he landed square on his back. Fumanchu must not have appreciated someone sticking to him that long because he decided to do a victory kick. Hind legs up, front legs firmly on the ground, and then one of the animal’s hooves came down—right on the end of Tag’s cowboy boots. The clowns rushed out to draw the bull away, and Tag managed to stand up and wave at the crowd.
“Six point seven seconds!” the announcer yelled into the microphone. “It’s the longest anyone has ever stayed on this bull. Congratulations to Taggart Baker.”
Tag took a bow and threw his hat into the noisy crowd, and then did his best not to limp on his way back to the chute where Hud, Maverick, and Paxton waited.
“How bad is it?” Hud asked.
Maverick patted a wooden box. “Hand or foot?”
Tag sat down and held up a foot. “Hand will be bruised and sore, but a ton of bull on toes doesn’t work.”
Paxton pulled off his boot and jerked off his sock. “Big one looks good, but we’d better take you to the hospital and get the others X-rayed.”
“Hell of a thing to go through to see your woman,” Maverick said.
“But I stayed on more’n two point seven seconds.” Tag tried to smile but it came out a grimace.
“You’re not going to lay up on the sofa because of this,” Hud told him. “You already took three days off to go rescue your woman, so you can work with a busted foot.”
“Just get me to the hospital,” Tag said.
Maverick pulled on his arm. “Stand up. Me and Paxton will be your crutches. Don’t put any weight on it until we see what’s goin’ on. Looks like we might get there at the same time as Nikki checks in for her shift. Don’t she go on at midnight?”
“Yep.” Hud threw his brother’s saddle up onto his shoulder. “The things my brother does for a date.”
“Rejection is tough.” Paxton grinned.
“He’s proven her right, hasn’t he?” Maverick said. “She told him she’d be waiting for him in the ER.”
“Didn’t want to disappoint her. I’m sure she had her heart set on seeing me tonight.” Tag’s toes throbbed with every beat of his heart. Who’d have thought that toes could hurt even worse than his jaw did when it was laid open with a broken beer bottle? And as much as he wanted to see Nikki, he wished he could stroll into the hospital with the news that he’d stayed on the bull’s back for the full eight seconds, then pick her up and twirl her around like he had in Tulia.
It was only ten minutes to the hospital, but it seemed to Tag like it took an hour. Maverick and Paxton helped him inside while Hud parked the truck, and the first face he saw was Nikki’s. She looked so damn cute in her scrubs and her dark hair pulled up in a ponytail that he almost forgot the pain in his foot.
“Where’s the blood?” She grabbed the nearest wheelchair and rolled it toward the three guys.
“Bull trampled his foot,” Paxton said.
“But I stayed on for more’n six seconds,” Tag told her. “Almost went to the full eight.”
“Almost only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes,” she said as she pushed him toward the doors. “Y’all can come on back if you want. It’s startin’ off to be a slow night, so there’s no one else here.”
“Nikki, I’m dyin’.” Sue Ann’s voice cut through the air.
“I’ll get the pretty cowboy.” Rosemary took the wheelchair from her. “Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle with him. You’re the only one who can talk Sue Ann down. Thank God you’re here.”
Nikki turned around and barely caught Sue Ann as she ran past the check-in desk and fell into her arms. The woman reeked of booze, and her eyes were completely glazed over.
“I tried to be good for Mama, but I got bored,” she whined.
“Okay, let’s get you back to a bed and talk about this.” Nikki kept one arm around her so she wouldn’t collapse and took her to the second cubicle, right next to where Rosemary was examining Tag’s foot.
Sue Ann stretched out on the bed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell them to bury me in a dress and granny panties. Mama will be really mad if she sees these.” She pulled down the waist of the fake black leather leggings to show a bright red lace thong. “But if they can, they could put a pint of tequila in the edge of the coffin just in case Mama don’t let me into heaven. I might as well have a drink or two if I got to go to the other place.”
“I thought you were in rehab getting some help,” Nikki said.
“I was, darlin’.” Sue Ann pushed her hair back out of her eyes. “But that place wasn’t no fun. So me and Gilbert, we escaped.”
“Who’s Gilbert?” Nikki asked. “And can you tell me what you’ve drank tonight and did you take pills with it?”
“Gilbert is my buddy. He’s been my friend since I was a little girl. Mama says he’s not real, but he is. And I had a lot to drink, but I didn’t take any pills. No, ma’am, I did not.” She giggled. “But me and Gilbert smoked some stuff. He wouldn’t eat the worm but I did. You got to get it out of me.”
“We can fix you right up.” Nikki patted her bony arm. If she had to compare Wilma to someone, it should be Sue Ann, not the Fab Five, she thought. Then her mother didn’t look bad at all. “I’ll get in touch with the on-call doctor, and we’ll get you a bed.”
“I knew you’d know what to do. When I die, promise you’ll tell them about the panties?” Sue Ann whispered. “And don’t call Darla June. Mama said she’s dead.”
“You got my word,” Nikki said as she picked up her tablet and stepped out into the hall. When she found Dr. Richards, he told her to do exactly what she thought he would. Send Sue Ann back to the psych ward and tell them to watch her closer this time.
She poked her head back into the room to find Sue Ann curled up in the fetal position and snoring like a hibernating bear. She made the phone call to the right people and sat with Sue Ann until two orderlies arrived. They released the brakes on the bed, and she awoke with a start.
“Nikki, where are they taking me? Am I dead like Darla June?” Sue Ann asked.
Nikki held up a hand for the orderlies to stop. “No, you’re not dead, and who is Darla June?”
“Shhh…” Sue Ann put a finger over her mouth. “Don’t tell Mama I said her name. Darla June is dead to us. Mama said so when she got pregnant and she wasn’t married. We can’t say her name.”
“Do you have a sister, Sue Ann?” Nikki asked.
“I did have, but Mama says she’s dead now.” Sue Ann pulled the sheet up over her and closed her eyes. She was snoring before they were out of the exam room.
Nikki stepped out of the cubicle to find Dr. Richards coming straight at her. “Guess our cowboy has had a run-
in with a bull this time rather than a beer bottle. I heard he rescued you from a kidnapper this past week. Reckon you might talk some sense into him.”
“Don’t think I’m that much of an influence on him,” Nikki answered.
“Honey, if he rode a motorcycle all the way to the panhandle in this unbearable heat to get you, surely you have some kind of influence on him. Let’s go see what he’s done now.”
“Rosemary is taking care of him this time,” she said.
“She was. You are now. She can have the next one,” Dr. Richards said.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.” Dr. Richards pulled back the curtain. “Rosemary, there’s a little guy coming in with a bean up his nose. You take that one since it’s your son. The rest of you cowboys can go to the waiting room.”
“Good God.” Rosemary rushed out with Maverick, Paxton, and Hud behind her.
“I always thought God was pretty good myself.” Dr. Richards examined Tag’s foot. “The two smallest toes are broken. We’ll get an X-ray to see how badly and to prove I’m right. Also to be sure none of the other small bones in your foot are fractured.”
“What happens then?” Tag asked. “A cast?”
“I’ll tape them to the toe next to them, and you’ll have to wear something other than boots for about a month until they heal. Takes four to six weeks. Ice packs help and elevation does wonders,” Dr. Richards said. “What’s it going to take for you to stop punishing your body like this?”
Tag shot a look toward Nikki.
“Maybe he will stop once he’s gone skydiving.” Nikki frowned.
Chapter Twenty-One
What’s the verdict?” Hud asked when Nikki pushed Tag out in a wheelchair.
“Ice, elevate, and stay off it as much as possible for four weeks,” she answered. “He’s got a follow-up appointment with the doctor in a month, and he can’t wear a cowboy boot on that foot until it’s healed.”
“Well, that’ll keep your ornery ass in the house.” Hud grinned. “You can use the time to get acquainted with the bookkeeping program Matthew set up for us. This settles the argument about who’s going to do the paperwork for the ranch.”
“It’s my left foot, so I can still drive,” Tag protested.
“Good.” Maverick nodded. “When we need posts or wire or stuff to work with, you can go get it, and we’ll keep working.”
“I’ll bring that shoebox full of receipts and the laptop over to your cabin in the morning,” Hud told him.
Tag groaned. “I hate computers. You know anything about them, Nikki?”
“Not me.” She shook her head. “I’m lucky just to run the little patient tablet that I use.”
The doors swung open, and a nurse pushed a wheelchair with Retta in it down the hall. Nikki stopped in her tracks and asked, “Is it time?”
Retta grimaced and laid a hand on her bulging stomach. “I thought it was false labor all day, but I was wrong.”
“Has everyone been called? Does Emily know? Have you talked to the doctor?” Nikki was so excited that she forgot all about Tag for a minute.
“No one has been called yet. Would you please…” Retta moaned. “The pains are less than a minute apart now.”
“I’ll get a hold of Emily and the rest of the family,” Nikki said.
“Might as well turn around and take me back to the baby waiting room,” Tag said. “Where’s Cade?”
“Parking the truck. He’ll be here real soon,” Retta panted.
The hall was wide enough that Nikki and a nurse’s aide pushed the wheelchairs side by side toward the maternity area.
“You ready to have this baby?” Hud asked. “I bet Cade is a nervous wreck.”
“I’m so ready,” Retta said. “And you’re right about Cade. Knowing y’all are here for him means the world to me.”
“I can’t believe that we’re going to have a new baby in the family. This is beyond exciting, Retta. She’s going to be here before long,” Nikki said.
Retta brushed away a tear. “But she’s a little early.”
“Not enough to hurt her,” Nikki assured her. “She’ll be fine.”
“This is where we part company.” The nurse pushed the button to open the doors into the maternity part of the hospital. “Nikki will show the rest of you to the waiting room.”
Nikki rolled Tag into a large room with sofas and chairs grouped into several seating areas. “I have to get back to the emergency room, but I’ll run by and check on things every chance I get.” She pulled a chair over and propped his leg on it. “I’ll send an ice pack up with Cade.”
“Thanks for everything,” Tag said.
“Hey, I’m not anywhere near even with you for rescuing me,” she told him.
“Then you’ll come over through the week and do all that book work for me?” He looked up at her with those mesmerizing blue eyes.
“I don’t owe you that much.” She blew a kiss as she left the room.
On her way back to the ER, she met Claire and Emily almost jogging down the hall. “Are we too late?” Emily asked.
“I was just fixin’ to call you,” Nikki said. “How did—”
“Cade called Justin about a minute ago. We were all on our way home after the ranch rodeo, so we just whupped a U-turn in the middle of the road and came right back. Can you believe it? We’re getting the first Maguire grandbaby tonight,” Emily said.
“It could be tomorrow if she decides to make an entrance and hold out until after midnight,” Nikki told them, and then gave them directions to the waiting room. They rushed off in that direction, and Nikki turned to find Cade, Justin, and Levi coming around the corner.
“How is she?” Cade looked like he might faint any minute.
Nikki laid a hand on his arm. “She’s fine, but I bet she’ll be glad to have you in the room to hold her hand.” She pointed to the signs on the wall leading to the maternity section and returned to her post in the ER.
Rosemary jerked the curtains back on a cubicle and startled Nikki so badly that she jumped. “Didn’t mean to scare you. We just now got that bean out of my kid’s nose. Damned thing had swollen up and filled his whole nostril. It’s a wonder he didn’t have to have surgery. How’s your cowboy?”
“He’s got two broken toes that’s going to keep him off bulls and out of boots for a month or more. Retta Maguire just checked in to have her baby, so the maternity waiting room is going to be full all night.” Nikki helped Rosemary straighten up the room.
Through the week, nurses’ aides did that kind of work, but weekends were a whole different matter. Not that Nikki minded. She liked staying busy.
“And Sue Ann?”
“Was high and drunk, and Doc sent her right back to the psych ward. Trouble is that she signs herself in, so she has the authority to sign herself out. She said that she had a sister. I wonder where she is. I feel so sorry for her, but I realized something tonight. Mama has plenty of problems, but at least she’s not as bad as Sue Ann,” Nikki said.
“I’ve known Wilma my whole life, and you’re right. But, honey, that don’t make it any easier on you to deal with, just easier to accept. You know it seems like I remember Sue Ann’s older sister. She was maybe sixteen when Sue Ann was born, so she was quite a bit older than me. I wonder if she’s on any of the social media sites.” Rosemary piled the dirty linens into a bin and pushed it out into the hallway. “Now tell me more about this cowboy and the kidnapping. We haven’t had a free minute since we got here. Let’s get a cup of coffee and wait until the next round hits. Bars close at two, so you know we’ll have some business then.”
“It’ll be a miracle if we don’t.” Nikki followed Rosemary to the break room. They’d each poured a cup of coffee when Rosemary’s phone rang.
“I told Steven to call me when they got home. Be right back.” She stepped out into the hallway to take the call from her husband.
Nikki’s thoughts went to the real miracle that was going on in the maternity sect
ion of the hospital that night, not in the ER. A baby was coming into the world. One who would be so loved that the waiting room was packed with people who could hardly wait to see her for the first time. Nikki wondered if there’d be that many people supporting her if and when she had a child.
“Hey, that lady out there said I’d find you here.” Tag rolled his wheelchair through the door. “Cade just came to tell us that Retta is ready to push. I don’t know how he’s keeping his cool. If my wife was having a baby, I’d be spinnin’ around on my head.”
“Holy smoke! She must’ve been in labor all afternoon and didn’t tell anyone until the last minute.” Nikki set her cup down. “I figured y’all would be here until morning.”
“Emily swears that Retta knew exactly what she was doin’. If they’d called her mother-in-law this afternoon, she’d be here already and she would be tryin’ to take over the whole show. I saw how bossy that woman can be when we were moving Emily into her new house, so I don’t blame her a bit.” Tag maneuvered the chair around and started back out the door. “I’ll come back and let you know when the baby arrives.”
“I’m not busy right now. I’ll push you.” Nikki grabbed the wheelchair handles. “So you’d be spinnin’ on your head, huh? That brings up a pretty funny picture in my mind.”
“How about you? What if you were the one in Retta’s shoes?”
She slowly shook her head. “I don’t let myself go there.”
“You ever go down to the nursery and look at the newborns?” Tag asked.
“Yep. Especially if it’s been a hectic night and I can’t settle the adrenaline rush of running from one patient to another. Sometimes I even volunteer to rock a baby if there’s more of them than the pediatric nurse can take care of,” she said.
“How does that make you feel?” he asked.
“All warm and cuddly,” she answered.
He reached over his shoulder and covered her hand with his. “You’ve got so much kindness in your heart, Nikki, that you’ll make a great mother.”
“How can you know that—not just say it, but know it?”
Cowboy Rebel--Includes a bonus short story Page 20