Rock and A Hard Place (Cascade Brides Series)

by Blythe, Bonnie

  He shook his head, his face a grim mask. “I don't think so.”

  She approached him with a stick and flung the snakes one by one into the pile of twigs.

  “They must've come out of the dead wood to sun themselves,” Shane said in a hollow voice. “And they were probably so close to the water because of the lack of rainfall.”

  Faith ignored his rambling and grabbed his hand, leading him away from the bank toward a tree surrounded only by bare dirt. No place for snakes to hide.

  She dug in her pocket and pulled out her phone, desperate to stifle the panic mushrooming within her. When she opened the phone, the display told her what she already suspected. No signal.

  “Get my backpack,” Shane said, now beginning to perspire, whether from shock or fear she didn't know. He leaned against the tree.

  Faith ran to his pack. “Don't sit down, Shane. You've got to stay still and standing for the moment.” She unzipped his bag and pulled out the first aid kit. Inside was a snake bite kit but the small plastic pieces looked futile against the venom from a double bite now coursing through his veins. Unless the bites were dry. She scrutinized Shane's face. It was by turns pale, then red, all covered in a sheen of perspiration. “Shane, you need to stay calm. If you panic, it will only increase the speed of the venom in your circulatory system.”

  He nodded. “It sounded a lot easier when I read in it my first aid manual.”

  Faith hurried to his side and rolled up his pant leg. Two already inflamed wounds, one in his calf, the other near his ankle, leaked blood.

  Oh, God. She closed her eyes for a brief moment. God, God, God...amen.

  She looked up at him. “We're going to handle this, okay? I know we're both scared, but between your uber-bravery and my baby steps, we'll handle this.”

  He smiled in acknowledgment but there was no humor in his eyes. What she saw was something she'd seen too often reflected in her own.

  Worst-case scenario.

  With trembling fingers she pulled off his boot and begin the slow process of suctioning the venom with the plastic bulb. Her mind raced with implications of her each and every action. Why hadn't they heard the warning rattle sound? The wind sighing through the trees wasn't silent by any stretch, and maybe they'd been too distracted.

  Summer, not spring, was the breeding period. Rattlesnakes didn't tend to congregate. This just had to be pure dumb luck. And being next to a primo snake hiding place.

  I have to get him back to the trail head where there's a chance of a signal to call an ambulance. But activity would make the venom spread. And yet there was no getting around that. And even though she knew death from snakebites was rare, it was absolutely plausible to lose a limb.

  Faith mashed her lips together when she realized the swelling was increasing up Shane's leg. She pulled out the constrictor cord and gently tied it above his knee, then swabbed the wounds with antiseptic. It was all she could do for now.

  “I gotta sit down,” Shane said.

  She looked up at him, hoping the abject fear she felt did not appear in her eyes. “We have to get back to the trail head.”

  He stared at her, then blinked heavily. “I know.”

  Faith replaced the kit in his backpack, then hoisted it and hers onto her shoulder. She nudged him away from the tree. Torn between wanting to run up the trail or breaking down in tears, she put her arm around his waist, more for emotional support than physical, and together they walked as fast as they dared.

  As the trail ascended at a steep incline, Shane's heart had to pump all that much harder. She was relatively familiar with the effects of a single snake bite on a grown male, but two? It must be so much worse because now and then, he stumbled heavily against her. She gritted her teeth and urged him onward, all the while knowing the activity sped the poison toward his heart. Step by step they slogged, over roots and branches, pushing tree limbs out of the way. Faith gulped oxygen as silent prayers sped heavenward. The trail head was only about a hundred feet away when Shane collapsed, pulling her down with him.

  Breathing hard, she scrambled to her feet and grabbed at him. “You have to get up! We're almost there!”

  Shane's head sagged back, his eyes drifting closed. “Everything's spinning too fast,” he rasped, sweat pouring off his forehead.

  Faith retrieved her phone. Still no signal. Biting back a scream, she grabbed him under his arms and pulled with all her might until he was upright. In fits and starts, muscles straining, made it the last hundred feet, the trip frantic and surreal. When she saw the Jeep, she cried out in relief. One more check of her phone.

  Service!

  With Shane leaning hard against her as he struggled to stay upright, Faith dialed 911. When the operator answered, she gripped the phone hard. “I have a snakebite victim—Pacific rattlesnake. I need an ambulance at the Strawberry Lake Basin, trail head 375. Hurry, please, and make sure the ambulance has antivenin!” She wasn't even sure they would have such a thing on the emergency vehicles, but every second counted.

  The operator asked her a few more questions, then ended the call. Faith marshaled the last of her strength and pulled Shane the rest of the way to the Jeep. She couldn't lay him down—the wounds had to stay below his heart as much as possible, but her arm muscles were in agony from her burden.

  Once she opened the door and got him propped up on the floorboard of the Jeep, his body leaning against the seat, she checked his pulse. Despite his labored respiration, it only fluttered under his fingers. No doubt he was in shock, which could be more deadly than the venom. Faith found a blanket in the cab and covered his body, grinding her teeth for every moment that passed without the sound of an ambulance in the distance.

  Shane groaned suddenly and struggled to open his eyes. He took in his surroundings, confusion etched into his features. He turned his bleary eyes on her. “You're so beautiful.” Then he leaned forward and vomited.

  Luckily the blanket took most of the hit. Faith folded it inward when she was sure he was done, and after balling it up tight, tossed it into the back of the Jeep. Was it the double dose of venom or shock that affected him worse? She wracked her brain for first aid knowledge.

  If it was shock, he needed to be covered. Faith dug through the first aid kit and found a space blanket. She spread it over Shane's prone form as he watched her with bloodshot eyes.

  “If that was your attempt at comic relief, then you failed,” she said, desperate to keep the anxiety out of her voice.

  Poor Shane couldn't even muster a smile. She wrung her hands and fought back desperate tears.

  Finally she heard the wail of the sirens, but whether they were near or far, she couldn't tell by the way the sound ricocheted off the mountains. Faith checked her watch. It had been approximately ninety minutes since Shane had been bitten. They still had a long trip to the hospital. Would her efforts be in vain?

  It was now obvious there was something a whole lot worse than contemplating a serious relationship with the man.

  ***

  Faith watched the ambulance speed in front of her, the numbers and letters on the back blurring as she struggled to keep pace in Shane's Jeep. What were the EMTs doing inside? How was Shane? A dozen different scenarios played out in her mind, from paralysis to heart failure. Had the medics administered the antivenin in time? Was Shane still unconscious? Had she done all she could? The details were as fuzzy as the writing on the back of the ambulance.

  At long last it pulled into the parking lot of the local hospital. Faith knew she couldn't follow it into the emergency bay, so she swung around and took the nearest parking spot to be found and lunged from the cab. The bright sunlight and clear blue sky felt like a jarring contrast compared to the dark fear swirling within. After hurrying into the hospital lobby, it was time to wait. She'd already
passed on Shane's information to the EMTs. At this point, she could only find a chair and sit. But she couldn't.

  Pacing the waiting area, she pulled out her phone and called Merle. It took forever for him to answer. But after giving him the information, it seemed only moments later he was striding into the lobby and pulling her into a hug.

  “How are you holding up?” he asked, his blue eyes full of concern.

  “I'm fine,” she said, anxiety making her tone sharper than she meant. “How soon do you think they'll let me see him?”

  “Depends on how serious his injury was.”

  “Two snakes, Merle,” she said grabbing his arm. “Who gets bitten by two snakes at the same time?”

  “I'm sure you did everything you could. And he's receiving excellent care.”

  “But what if—?”

  He took her hand and pulled her to a chair. “Sit, and then we'll pray.” Settling next to her, he bowed his head. After a long pause, he spoke in a low voice. “Father, your word says that whether we're in the depths or heights, we cannot flee from your presence, that your right hand holds us fast. Please hold Shane in your hands, heal him, and allow him to feel your presence. Give the doctors wisdom. And help us hold onto You as fast as You hold onto us.”

  Faith opened her eyes and stared at him, wondering if the prayer was more for her than Shane. “Amen,” she whispered.

  Merle squeezed her hand before dropping it. She curled up in the chair, trying to remember the moment Shane had kissed her by the lake. Instead, his perplexed expression as he stood next to the branches had seared itself into her memory. She should've said something about avoiding piles of wood which were a favorite hiding place for snakes—had she been thinking about their surroundings instead of being solely focused on him. And so her thoughts went round and round as the hours passed.

  A nurse approached them about three hours later. “Miss Conrad?”

  Faith nodded, studying the woman's face for any clues of the news to come, but she hid any hints well, no doubt due to long years of practice.

  “The doctor has stabilized Mr. Zadopec and he needs to rest now. But he's been asking for you, so we can allow you a few moments.”

  Faith was already on her feet, followed by Merle, as they hurried after the nurse. After traversing a maze of shiny halls, the nurse ushered them into a room. Faith's breath hitched in her throat when she saw Shane's usually tall, strong form diminished under yellowish lights and a thin blanket. She ventured close to his bed and wrapped her fingers around his hand. At the contact, his eyes opened.

  “Hey,” he said, his voice weak.

  “Hey you,” she replied, squeezing his hand, her heart in her mouth. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better now.”

  Faith glanced up at the nurse. “What's his prognosis?”

  “According to the doctor, they were able to administer the initial dose of antivenin in time, and barring any complications from infection, he's expected to make a full recovery.”

  “How long will he be here?”

  “Two or three days most likely.”

  Looking back at Shane, she choked back the threat of relieved tears. “Two snake bites, Shane. You just can't do anything halfway, can you?”

  A slight smile pulled at the corner of his lips. “I just always want to impress you.”

  “Well, you did, in a way.” She squeezed his hand, blinking hard. “But don't ever do that again.”

  “I'll only try if you're there to help me when I screw up.”

  She stared at him, moisture filming her eyes despite her best efforts.

  Shane's attention flicked to Merle. “Faith saved me,” he said, a tremor of humor in his voice. “She did everything right. That's what the doctors told me.”

  “Doesn't surprise me a bit,” Merle said, a worried smile peeking from under his mustache. “Faith is the thing that does saving the most, I expect.”

  She measured her breathing, seeking some control over her emotions. “So,” she said to Shane, her voice squeaking slightly, “you're really going to be okay?”

  “That's what they tell me.”

  Finally the dam broke against the mounting pressure of having to hold it together for so long. Hot tears cascading down her cheeks and a muffled sob escaped her lips. Merle's hand touched her shoulder as she struggled to regain control.

  “We'll be praying for you, Shane,” he said.

  It was time to leave? She wasn't ready!

  “Can you stay for a bit longer, Faith?” Shane asked.

  She swallowed. “The nurse said—”

  Shane held her hand tighter. “I'll ask her extra nice when she comes back in.”

  Faith turned to Merle, but before she could speak, he gave an understanding smile and left. When she looked back at Shane, the tears only increased, her respiration becoming labored as she ineffectually tried to stem the tide.

  “Pull up that chair,” Shane said softly.

  She turned blindly and grabbed the arm of the chair, dragging it over to the bed.

  “Now sit down and put your head down.”

  Stifling a hysterical laugh, she did what he said, knowing if she couldn't calm down, she'd end up passed out on the floor. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on reining in her runaway emotions. But every time she thought of the alternate scenario for Shane, she began to panic all over again.

  “Do you want me to call the nurse?”

  Shane's gentle question finally had an effect. She looked up from her streaming eyes to see his smile. “You could've died,” she said, her voice breaking. “You could've lost your leg. You could've had a heart attack—”

  “But I didn't,” he said quietly. “Think about that instead.”

  She stared at him, as the words sunk in. After a moment, her tears began to dry. Faith got up and went into the bathroom. After mopping at her face with a wad of tissue, she looked at her wan, streaky reflection. I look like I'm insane. No wonder Shane worried I was losing it.

  She blew her nose. I would lose it if anything happened to him. But he's a ranger and sometimes his job is dangerous. Just one more reason why I shouldn't open my heart to him.

  Except it was too late and she knew it. She'd gone over the cliff long before she contemplated the edge. And under an anemic hospital bathroom light she was forced to acknowledge a truth she'd been denying for some time now. She was in love with Shane Zadopec.

  Faith allowed the truth to be fully absorbed. Her red-rimmed eyes stared back from her reflection. Would've been nice to realize this in a slightly more romantic moment. She blew her nose one last time, washed her hands, and took a cleansing breath before returning to Shane's bedside.

  He appeared to be asleep, but when she sat down and took his hand in hers, his eyes twitched slightly. She wanted him to rest, so she didn't speak. There would be time for words...or whatever came next, later. Right now it was enough to be near him.

  Hoping to avoid detection by the nurse for as long as possible, she pressed her cheek to the back of his hand, curled up in the chair, and closed her eyes.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “I'm starting to think you might have a crush on me.”

  Shane watched Faith's reaction to his words with sleepy amusement as she walked into his hospital room. To his surprise, she didn't contradict him. She settled in the chair next to him, her face shiny and her clothes not rumpled. She must've gone home and changed while he was asleep.

  “I just went home to grab a shower,” she said, her cheeks darkening. “Wanted to freshen up for your homecoming.”

  “I can't believe I've been here for three days. I wouldn't have made it without your company.” Here he'd had her by his side for seventy-two hours and he'd been unable to do more than sleep or complain a
bout his Jell-O. Must've been riveting.

  She smiled, her expression tremulous. “I can't get any details from anyone around here, and I'm curious how many vials of antivenin it took.”

  “Six, I think. I'm already dreading the hospital bill.”

  The news seemed to wind her. “Oh my goodness, Shane. Yes, that bill will be a doozy.”

  A nurse walked in. “All ready to be discharged, Mr. Zadopec?”

  Shane looked down at his street clothes—he wouldn't bother telling Faith how difficult it had been to get dressed with a gimpy leg. “All ready.”

  The nurse went over a checklist of treatment care and had him sign the discharge form. She handed him his prescription meds with a smile. Finally he was on his feet and allowed to leave the hospital room. He stifled a grin when Faith's arm slid around his waist. Allowing his arm to rest along her shoulders, he leaned on her a little bit so she felt like she was helping. He grabbed his bag and they were soon heading down several hallways and out the main doors.

  The sunlight hit him full force and he inhaled deep, craving fresh air after the stuffy hospital conditions. “Ah, that feels good.” He looked down at Faith.

  She merely smiled and led him to her Nissan that she had parked near the front. “I thought my truck would be easier to get into since it's a little lower to the ground—unlike you ranger types, who always seem to have four wheel drives.”

  “Good thinking,” he said, wondering if he should act infirmed longer than necessary in order to keep her so close. Did she plan to just drop him off at home? She'd been by his side every day at the hospital, but perhaps she was motivated more by guilt than affection. However, pretending wouldn't get him any closer to the truth. Maybe, just maybe, her feelings for him had grown a little.

  Once he was settled in the passenger seat, she climbed into the driver's seat and fired up the truck. Sending him a misty look, she pulled away from the hospital and headed in the direction of his house. Shane wished he had the guts to ask her outright how she felt. Would it be taking an unfair advantage to ask while he was in this condition? He'd almost rather hear her answer after a rousing argument. She wouldn't hold back then. He looked out the window, gaining perspective in the sun-washed sights around him.