Forever Santa
Page 11
“Where’s the creative designer gone? I thought you’d be in your truck and across town before I got the chance to take another breath.”
“She disappeared after we’d seen our fourteenth property.” Emily sighed. “I can’t stay here, but I can’t afford to go anywhere else. And before you mention it again, I’m not coming out to your ranch, or mom and dad’s either.”
“You won’t need to, not after you see this building. It’s got potential with a capital P. Now put those scissors down and come with me.”
Emily looked around her spare bedroom. Rolls of fabric lined one wall, and the shelves she’d made were full of everything she needed to create the clothes her clients loved. Space was so tight that she usually set her cutting table up in the kitchen. Except the kitchen was full of boxes ready to mail to her online customers.
She thought about what Tess had done with Angel Wings Café, how Kelly had transformed the bookstore. They’d turned the old musty buildings into successful businesses. Maybe with some careful planning she could do the same. As long as the careful planning came with an equally careful budget.
Nicky took a bright blue coat out of the closet and held it toward Emily. “If you don’t come and take a look you’re going to regret it.” When she didn’t answer, Nicky added, “I’ll have you back here in under an hour.”
Emily left the scissors on her table. “Okay, I’ll come with you. Just give me a couple of minutes to tidy up.”
“You’ve got three minutes.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re bossy?”
“All the time.” Nicky grinned. “It runs in the family.”
Alex buttoned his shirt and frowned at Doc Johnson’s back. “You can’t be serious?”
The gray-haired doctor turned around. The scowl on his face didn’t look promising. “I’ve never been more serious. I’m not giving you a medical clearance so that you can get pummeled by another bull.”
“It’s been four months. The doctor in Vegas said I should be good to go in a few months’ time.”
“He’s not here now and I’ve just seen your latest specialist’s report. If you don’t stay off the circuit for a few more months you’re going to end up with a permanent injury.”
“I’ve already registered for the Livingston Roundup in July,” he said stubbornly.
“Well, I suggest you unregister yourself,” Doc Johnson said in an equally stubborn tone. “If you go anywhere near that rodeo without my clearance you’ll be banned for half the season.”
“It’s three months away.”
“Makes no difference. You’re not ready now and you won’t be ready then.”
Alex worked his way off the bed and swallowed the pain that shot through his leg. “I’m a bull rider. It’s what I do. I need to get back on the circuit.”
Doc Johnson’s face softened. “I know it’s been hard, but you’ve got to give your body time to heal.” He scribbled something on a piece of paper. “I want to see you in four weeks’ time.”
Alex jammed the paper in his pocket without looking at it. When he got home he’d throw it in the same drawer with the other prescriptions he hadn’t filled.
“And this time make sure you take the drugs.”
Alex thought he was too old to blush, but a rush of heat hit his face. “How did you know?”
“I’ve been looking after you since you were knee high to a grasshopper. I can tell when you’re in pain. There’s still too much inflammation in your leg to be anything but uncomfortable.”
That had to be the understatement of the year. Some days the pain was so bad, Alex felt as though his leg was on fire. And it didn’t seem to be getting any better.
“Tell your mom I’m looking forward to sampling her sweet cherry pie at the Wildflower Festival.”
For a man in his early seventies, Doc Johnson seemed to have an ear to every conversation and event in town. “I’ll tell her. She’s got some stiff competition this year. Doris Stanley’s entering her lemon meringue pie and both of them want to go home with the blue ribbon.”
“Between you and me, my money’s on your mom.”
Alex glanced at Doc Johnson before picking up the metal crutch leaning against the bed. He hoped Doc was right, otherwise they’d be eating cherry pie for months while his mom perfected her recipe.
He gripped the crutch and took a tentative step toward the door. The metal rod felt flimsy in his hands. As if it would snap if he leaned too heavily against the armband. He hated using it, but after spending more than an hour riding this morning, his leg wasn’t up to holding any more of his weight than it had to. “I’ll make an appointment with the receptionist.”
“You do that,” Doc Johnson said. “And remember what I told you. No bull riding. If I hear any stories about you parading around an arena, I’ll get in my truck and find you.”
Alex left the hospital feeling like a hangman had just tightened the noose around his neck. For the last five years he’d ridden as a professional bull rider, notching up more prize money than his father or grandfather combined. Being relegated to sideshow status wasn’t easy, but then standing up for more than a couple of hours didn’t go down too well either.
He limped across to the red truck parked under the shade of a tree. Gracie, his happily married half sister, had a book propped open between the steering wheel and her pregnant body.
For the first time that afternoon he smiled. “What are you reading?”
Gracie jumped. “You’re going to send me into labor if you sneak up on me like that.” She took a deep breath and closed the book. “Mom used to read me this story when I was little. It’s called, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. How did your appointment go?”
“Not good.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Nope.”
She stared at him long and hard. “You’re going to get ulcers if you keep everything bottled up inside that head of yours.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He threw his crutch on the backseat and walked around to the passenger side of the truck.
Gracie frowned at the grin he sent her. “You’re limping worse than when I dropped you off.” When he didn’t answer she pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes. “Okay. I get the message. But next time I’m going to keep pestering you until you tell me what’s going on.”
That’s what Alex liked most about Gracie. She never pushed him further than he was prepared to go. Well, hardly ever, and never about things that cut deep.
Gracie wiggled back in her seat, trying to get comfortable. Only he didn’t know if that was possible. At five-foot-one, there wasn’t a lot of spare room for the baby that was filling her stomach to overflowing.
“Are you ready to go home?” she asked.
He shook his head. He’d been staying with his parents on their ranch outside of Billings for the last couple of months. Gracie and Trent’s ranch was halfway between his parents’ ranch and Bozeman. As soon as his mom saw him she’d want to know what Doc Johnson had said and he wasn’t ready to talk about it.
Before he spoke to anyone he needed to work out what he was going to do for the next few months. He sure as hell didn’t want to limp around his parents’ ranch, getting in everyone’s way.
“In that case,” Gracie said, “I vote for hot chocolate and cake. It’s Mud Cake Monday at Angel Wing’s Café and if we hurry Tess should still have some left.”
And that was the second thing he liked about Gracie. She knew the way to a man’s heart.
Forever Cowboy - Available Now!
Enjoy Other Novels By Leeanna Morgan
Montana Brides:
Book 1: Forever Dreams (Gracie and Trent)
Book 2: Forever in Love (Amy and Nathan)
Book 3: Forever After (Nicky and Sam)
Book 4: Forever Wishes (Erin and Jake)
Book 5: Forever Santa (A Montana Brides Christmas Novella)
Book 6: Forever Cowboy (Emily and Alex)
Book 7: Forever Together
(Kate and Dan)
Book 8: Forever and a Day (Sarah and Jordan)
* * *
The Bridesmaids Club:
Book 1: All of Me (Tess and Logan)
Book 2: Loving You (Annie and Dylan)
Book 3: Head Over Heels (Sally and Todd)
Book 4: Sweet on You (Molly and Jacob)
* * *
Emerald Lake Billionaires:
Book 1: Sealed with a Kiss (Rachel and John)
Book 2: Playing for Keeps (Sophie and Ryan)
Book 3: Crazy Love (Holly and Daniel)
Book 4: One And Only (Elizabeth and Blake)
* * *
The Protectors:
Book 1: Safe Haven (Hayley and Tank)
Book 2: Just Breathe (Kelly and Tanner)
Book 3: Always (Mallory and Grant)
Book 4: The Promise (Ashley and Matthew)
Book 5: Coming Home (Mia and Stan)
Book 6: The Gift (Hannah and Brett)
Book 7: The Wish (Claire and Jason)
* * *
Sapphire Bay:
Book 1: Falling For You (Natalie and Gabe)
Book 2: Once In A Lifetime (Sam and Caleb)
Book 3: Before Today (Brooke and Levi)
Book 4: The Sweetest Thing (Cassie and Noah)