Heartbreaker

by Diana Palmer

  “I need to go back and check on Marge,” J.B. interrupted, visibly uncomfortable.

  “I’ll stay with Tellie for a while,” Grange said, moving back into the examination room before the other two men could object.

  J.B. stared after him with bridled fury, his hands deep in his pockets, his eyes smoldering. “He’s got no business in there,” he told Coltrain. “He isn’t even family!”

  “Neither are you,” the doctor reminded him.

  J.B. glared at him. “Are you sure she’ll be all right?”

  “As sure as I can be.” He studied the other man intently. “You said something to her, something that hurt, didn’t you?” he asked, nodding when J.B.’s high cheekbones took on a ruddy color. “She’s hiding in the past, when you were less resentful of her. She’ll get her memory back, but it’s going to be dangerous to rush it. You have to let her move ahead at her own pace.”

  “I’ll do that,” J.B. assured him. He drew in a long breath. “Damn. I feel as if my whole life crashed and burned today. First Marge, now Tellie. And Nell quit,” he added angrily.

  “Nell?” Coltrain exclaimed. “She’s been there since you were a boy.”

  “Well, she wants to leave,” J.B. muttered. “But she’ll stay if she knows Tellie’s coming to the house. I’d better phone her. Then I’ll go back to Marge’s room.” He met Coltrain’s eyes. “If she needs anything, anything, I’ll take care of it. I don’t think she’s got any health insurance at all.”

  “You might stop by the admissions office and set things up,” Coltrain suggested. “But I’ll do what needs doing, finances notwithstanding. You know that.”

  “I do. Thanks, Copper.”

  Coltrain shrugged. “I’m glad she’s rallying,” he said. “And Marge, too.”

  “Same here.”

  J.B. left him to go back to the admissions office and sign Tellie in. He felt guilty. Her wreck was certainly his fault. The least he could do was provide for her treatment. He hated knowing that he’d upset her that much, and for nothing. She was only trying to help. Frustration had taken its toll on him and driven him into Bella’s willing arms. The last thing he’d expected was for Tellie to walk in on them. He’d never been quite so ashamed of himself. Which was, of course, no excuse to take his temper out on her. He wished he could take back all the things he’d said. While her memory was gone, at least he had a chance to regain her trust and make up, a little, for what he’d done.

  Tellie felt drained by the time Coltrain had all the tests he wanted. She was curious about the man who’d told her that he found her in the wrecked car and called the ambulance. He was handsome and friendly and seemed to like her very much, but she didn’t know him.

  “It was very kind of you to rescue me,” she told Grange when she was in a private room.

  He shrugged. “My pleasure.” He smiled at her, his dark eyes twinkling. “You can save me, next time.”

  She laughed. Her head cocked to one side as she studied him. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember your name.”

  “Grange,” he said pleasantly.

  “Just Grange?” she queried.

  He nodded.

  “Have I known you a long time?”

  He shook his head. “But I’ve taken you out a few times.”

  Her eyebrows lifted. “And J.B. let me go with you?” she exclaimed. “That’s very strange. I wanted to go hiking with a college boy I knew and he threw a fit. You’re older than any college boy.”

  He chuckled. “I’m twenty-seven,” he told her.

  “Wow,” she mused.

  “You’re old for your age,” he said, evading her eyes. “J.B. and I know each other.”

  “I see.” She didn’t, but he was obviously reluctant to talk about it. “Marge hasn’t been to see me,” she added suddenly. “That’s not like her.”

  Grange recalled what J.B. and Coltrain had discussed. “Her house is being remodeled,” he said. “She and the girls are on a vacation trip.”

  “While school’s in session?” she exclaimed.

  He thought fast. “It’s Spring Break, remember?”

  She was confused. Hadn’t someone said it was May? Wasn’t Spring Break in March? “But graduation is coming up very soon.”

  “You got your cap and gown early, didn’t you?” he improvised.

  She was frowning. “That must be what happened. I’m so confused,” she murmured, holding her head. “And my head absolutely throbs.”

  “They’ll give you something for that.” He checked his watch. “I have to go. Visiting hours are over.”

  “Will you come back tomorrow?” she asked, feeling deserted.

  He smiled. “Of course I will.” He hesitated. “It will have to be during my lunch hour, or after work, though.”

  “Where do you work?”

  “At the Ballenger feedlot.”

  That set off bells in her head, but she couldn’t think why. “They’re nice, Justin and Calhoun.”

  “Yes, they are.” He stood up, moving the chair back from her bed. “Take care. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Thanks again.”

  He looked at her for a long time. “I’m glad it wasn’t more serious than it is,” he told her. “You were unconscious when I found you.”

  “It was raining,” she recalled hesitantly. “I don’t understand why I was driving in the rain. I’m afraid of it, you know.”

  “Are you?”

  She shook her head. “I must have had a reason.”

  “I’m sure you did.” He looked thunderous, but he quickly erased the expression, smiled and left her.

  She settled back into the pillow, feeling bruised and broken. It was such an odd experience, what had happened to her. Everyone seemed to be holding things back from her. She wondered how badly she was damaged. Tomorrow, she promised herself, she’d dig it out of J.B.

  Seven

  Tellie woke up early, expecting to find herself alone. But J.B. was sprawled in the chair next to the bed, snoring faintly, and he looked as if he’d been there for some time. A nurse was tiptoeing around to get Tellie’s vitals, sending amused and interested glances at the long, lean cowboy beside the bed.

  “Has he been there long?” Tellie wanted to know.

  “Since daybreak,” the nurse replied with a smile. She put the electronic thermometer in Tellie’s ear, let it beep, checked it and wrote down a figure. She checked her pulse and recorded that, as well. “I understand the nurse on the last shift tried to evict him and the hospital administrator actually came down here in person to tell her to cease and desist.” She gave Tellie a speaking glance. “I gather that your visitor is somebody very important.”

  “He paid for that MRI machine they used on me yesterday.”

  The nurse pursed her lips. “Well! Aren’t you nicely connected?” she mused. “Is he your fiancé?”

  Tellie chuckled. “I’m only seventeen,” she said.

  The nurse looked puzzled. She checked Tellie’s chart, made a face and then forced a smile. “Of course. Sorry.”

  Tellie wondered why she looked so confused. “Can I go home today?” she wondered.

  “That depends on what Dr. Coltrain thinks,” she replied. “He’ll be in to see you when he makes rounds. Breakfast will be up shortly.”

  “Thanks,” Tellie told her.

  The nurse smiled, cast another curious and appreciative glance at J.B. and left.

  Tellie stared at him with mixed emotions. He was a handsome man, she thought, but at least she was safe from all that masculine charm that he used to such good effect on women he liked. She was far too young to be threatened by J.B.’s sex appeal.

  It was easy to see why he had women flocking around him. He had a dynamite physique, hard and lean and sexy, with long powerful legs and big hands. His face was rugged, but he had fine green eyes under a jutting brow and a mouth that was as hard and sensuous as any movie star’s. But it wasn’t just his looks that made him attractive. It was his voice, d
eep and faintly raspy, and the way he had of making a woman feel special. He had beautiful manners when he cared to display them, and a temper that made grown men look for cover. Tellie had rarely seen him fighting mad. Most of the time he had excellent self-control.

  She frowned. Why did it sting to think of him losing his temper? He’d rarely lost it at Tellie, and even then it was for her own good. But something about her thoughts made her uneasy.

  Just as she was focusing on that, J.B. opened his eyes and looked at her, and she stopped thinking. Her heart jumped. She couldn’t imagine why. She was possessive of J.B., she idolized him, but she’d never really considered anything physical between them. Now, her body seemed to know things her mind didn’t.

  “How do you feel?” he asked quietly.

  She blinked. “My head doesn’t hurt as much,” she said. She searched his eyes. “Why are you here? I’m all right.”

  He shrugged. “I was worried.” He didn’t add that he was also guilt-ridden about the reason for the wreck and her injury. His conscience had him on the rack. He couldn’t sleep for worrying about her. That was new. It was disconcerting. He’d never let a woman get under his skin since his ill-fated romance of years past. Even an unexpected interlude with Tellie on the sofa in his office hadn’t made a lot of difference in their turbulent relationship, especially when he realized that Tellie was sexually unawakened. He’d deliberately pushed her out of his life and kept her at arm’s length—well, mostly, except for unavoidable lapses when he gave in to the passion riding him. That passion had drawn him to Bella in a moment of weakness.

  Then Tellie had walked in on him with Bella, and his whole life had changed. He’d never felt such pain as when Grange had walked into the emergency room with an unconscious Tellie on a gurney. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. The only thing worse than seeing her in such a condition was dreading the day when her memory returned, because she was going to hate J.B.

  “I’m going to be fine,” she promised, smiling. “Do you think Dr. Coltrain will let me go home today?”

  “I’ll ask him,” he said, sitting up straighter. “Nell’s getting a room ready for you. While Marge and the girls are away, you’ll stay with Nell and me.”

  “I wish Marge was here,” she said involuntarily.

  He sighed. Marge was improving, too, but she was worried about Tellie. Dawn had let it slip that she’d been in a wreck, but J.B. had assured her that Tellie was going to be fine. There was this little problem with her memory, of course, and she’d have to stay at the house with him until it came back.

  Marge was reassured, but still concerned. He knew that she’d sensed something was wrong between her brother and Tellie, but she couldn’t put it into words. He wasn’t about to enlighten her. He had enough on his plate.

  “I’ll be in the way there,” she protested.

  “You won’t,” he replied. “Nell will be glad of the company.”

  She studied her hands on the sheet. “There’s something that bothers me, J.B.,” she said without looking at him.

  “What?”

  She hesitated. “What was I doing at your house, at night, in the rain?”

  He sat very still. He hadn’t considered that the question would arise so soon. He wasn’t sure how to answer it, to protect her from painful memories.

  She looked up and met his turbulent green eyes. “You were mad at me, weren’t you?”

  His heart seemed to stop, then start again. “We had an argument,” he began slowly.

  She nodded. “I thought so. But I can’t remember what it was about.”

  “Time enough for that when you’re back on your feet,” he said, rising up from the chair. “Don’t borrow trouble. Just get well.”

  So there was something! She wished she could grasp what it was. J.B. was acting very oddly.

  She looked up at him. “You leaving?” she asked.

  He nodded. “I’ve got to get the boys started moving the bulls to summer pasture.”

  “Not on roundup?”

  “Roundup’s in March,” he said easily.

  “Oh.” She frowned. It wasn’t March. She knew it wasn’t. “Is it March?”

  He ignored that. “I’ll talk to Coltrain on my way out,” he said.

  “But it’s not time for rounds…”

  “I met him coming in. He had an emergency surgery. I expect he’s through by now,” he replied.

  “J.B., who is that man Grange?” she asked abruptly. “And why did you let me go out with him? He said he’s twenty-seven, and I’m just seventeen. You had a hissy fit when I tried to go hiking with Billy Johns.”

  He looked indignant. “I don’t have hissy fits,” he said shortly.

  “Well, you raged at me, anyway,” she corrected. “Why are you letting me see Grange?”

  His teeth set. “You’re full of questions this morning.”

  “Answer a few of them,” she invited.

  “Later,” he said, deliberately checking his watch. “I have to get to work. Want me to bring you anything?”

  “A nail file and a ladder,” she said with resignation. “Just get me out of here.”

  “The minute you’re fit to leave,” he promised. He smiled faintly. “Stay put until I get back.”

  “If I must,” she sighed.

  He was gone and she was left to eat breakfast and while away the next few hours until Dr. Coltrain showed up.

  He examined Tellie and pronounced her fit to leave the hospital.

  “But you still need to take it easy for a week or two,” he told her. “Stay out of crowds, stick to J.B.’s house. No parties, no job, nothing.”

  She frowned. “I thought it was just a mild concussion,” she argued.

  “It is.” He didn’t quite meet her eyes. “We’re just not taking chances. You need lots of rest.”

  She sighed. “Okay, if you say so. Can I go horseback riding, can I swim…?”

  “Sure. Just don’t leave J.B.’s ranch to do them.”

  She smiled. “What’s going on, Dr. Coltrain?”

  He leaned forward. “It’s a secret,” he told her. “Bear with me. Okay?”

  She laughed. “Okay. When do I get to know the secret?”

  “All in good time,” he added, as inspiration struck him. “Keep an eye on J.B. for me.”

  Her eyebrows arched. “Is something wrong with him…?” she asked worriedly.

  “Nothing specific. Just watch him.”

  She shook her head. “Okay. If you say so.”

  “Good girl.” He patted her shoulder and left, congratulating himself on the inspiration. While she was focused on J.B., she wouldn’t be preoccupied with her own health. Far better if she licked the amnesia all by herself. He didn’t want her shocked with the truth of her condition.

  J.B.’s house was bigger than Tellie remembered. Nell met them at the door, all smiles and welcome.

  “It’s so good to have you back,” Nell said, hugging the younger woman. “I’ve got a nice room all ready for you.”

  “Don’t think you’re going to get to wait on me,” Tellie informed her with a grin. “I’m not an invalid.”

  “You have a concussion,” Nell corrected, and the smile faded. “It can be very dangerous. I remember a cowboy who worked here…”

  “Remember us something to eat, instead,” J.B. interrupted her, with a meaningful look.

  “Oh. Of course.” She glared at J.B. “You had a call while you were out. I wrote the information on the pad on your desk.”

  He read through the lines and assumed it was from Bella. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Who’s bringing Tellie’s suitcase?” Nell asked.

  J.B. stood still. “What suitcase?”

  “I’ll have to go over to Marge’s and get my things,” Tellie began.

  “I’ll go—!”

  “I can do that,” J.B. interrupted Nell. “You look after Tellie.”

  “When haven’t I?” Nell wanted to know belligerently.
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  “You two need to stop arguing, or I’m going to go sit on the front porch,” Tellie told both of them.

  They glared at each other. J.B. shrugged and went into his den. Tellie’s eyes followed him past the big sofa. The sofa…She frowned. Something about that sofa made her uneasy.

  “What’s wrong?” Nell prompted.

  Tellie put a hand to her forehead and laughed faintly. “I don’t know. I looked at the sofa and felt funny.”

  “Let’s go right up and get you settled,” Nell said abruptly, taking Tellie by the arm. “Then I’ll see about some lunch.”

  It was almost as if Nell knew something about the sofa, too, but that would be ridiculous, Tellie told herself. She was getting mental.

  She’d wanted to watch television, but there wasn’t one in the bedroom. Nell told her that there was a problem with the satellite dish and it wasn’t working. Odd, Tellie thought, it was almost as if they were trying to keep her from watching the news.

  She had to stay in bed, because Nell insisted. Just after she had supper on a tray, J.B. walked in, worn and dusty, still in his working clothes.

  Tellie was propped up in bed in pink-striped pajamas that made her look oddly vulnerable.

  “How’s it going?” he asked.

  “I’m okay. Why is the satellite not working?” she added. “I can’t watch the Weather Channel.”

  His eyebrows arched. “Why do you want to?”

  “You said it was March, but Nell says it’s May,” she said. “That’s tornado season.”

  “So it is.”

  She glowered at him. “Grange said it was March and Marge and the girls were away on Spring Break.”

  He pursed his lips.

  “I know better, so don’t bother trying to lie,” she told him firmly. “If it’s May, where are they?”

  He leaned against the doorjamb. “They’re around, but you can’t see them just yet. Nothing’s wrong.”

  “That’s not true, J.B.,” she said flatly.

  He laughed mirthlessly and twirled his hat through his fingers. “No use trying to fool you, is it? Okay, the concussion did something to your head. You’re a little fuzzy about things. We’re supposed to let your mind clear without any help.”