The Gift (The Protectors Book 6)

by Leeanna Morgan

  Claire glanced across the cab. “I’ll drop you off at the entrance. I’ll find you after I’ve parked the truck.”

  Hannah nodded. The drop-off and pick-up zone was packed with vehicles. “Stop here. It will be quicker than waiting for someone to move.”

  “Are you sure? It’s snowing outside.”

  “I’m sure. Here’s fine.”

  Claire pulled to the curb. “I’ll see you as soon as I can.”

  “Okay.” Hannah unbuckled her seatbelt and followed the path toward the hospital.

  The large, glass entrance doors opened with a swish. She rushed toward the main reception desk and stood behind two groups of people waiting for help.

  Hannah looked around the ground floor and saw the doors to the Emergency Department. If she left this line, she could end up in another one, and still not know where Brett had been taken. She frowned at the people standing at the front of the line. They were still talking to the receptionist. Hopefully, they wouldn’t take all night to figure out what they wanted.

  Finally, they moved away and the next people stepped forward. She unzipped her jacket and watched a toddler run across the room. A man raced after her. The little girl giggled and tears filled Hannah’s eyes. Brett had talked about being a dad, about giving his children all the love and time he’d never had from his parents. She just hoped he would be able to make that dream come true.

  “Can I help you?”

  Hannah stepped closer to the receptionist. “I’m looking for Brett Forster. He was involved in a motor vehicle accident tonight.”

  The woman behind the desk tapped her keyboard. “Mr. Forster is still in the Emergency Department. If you go through the double doors straight ahead of us, a nurse will help you.”

  “Thank you.” Hannah walked across the foyer. As soon as she was through the doors, she looked for a nurse.

  “Hannah!”

  She spun around.

  Pat was pulling himself out of a chair.

  She rushed across the room and helped him to his feet. “Have you seen Brett?”

  “He’s in the Radiology Department having chest, neck, and head X-rays. He’s got a concussion and some bruising and cuts. The doctors think he might have broken his ribs, but they won’t know for sure until they see the X-rays.”

  Hannah’s legs buckled.

  Pat grabbed her arm. “Sit down. I’ll get you a glass of water.”

  She sat in the closest chair and took a deep breath. Brett was still alive and that was all that mattered.

  “Here you go. You’ll feel better after you’ve had this.” Pat sat beside her. “Mary-Beth and I were having dinner in the hospital’s cafeteria when the police called. We came downstairs and saw Brett when he arrived. He didn’t look good.”

  Hannah closed her eyes, trying hard not to imagine what Pat must have seen.

  “The doctors wouldn’t let us stay with him for very long. He wanted Mary-Beth to tell you what had happened. She couldn’t contact you, so she called John Fletcher, Brett’s friend. I said I would wait out here until you arrived.”

  “Is Mary-Beth with Brett?”

  Pat nodded. “I don’t know how much longer they’ll be.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  Claire walked into the Emergency Department. “There you are.” She sat beside Hannah. “Hi, Pat. How’s Brett?”

  “He’s having some X-rays taken. At the moment, he has a concussion, possibly some broken ribs, and a few nasty cuts and bruises.”

  “That’s better than what I thought you were going to say.” Claire looked closely at Hannah. “You look a little pale.”

  “I’m okay now. Where’s Jason?”

  “He had to go back into town. It’s busy here tonight.”

  Hannah watched people come and go from the waiting area. “Friday and Saturday nights are probably the worst. Do you know how the driver of the other vehicle is, Pat?”

  “No. The police wouldn’t tell us anything about him.”

  “How is Ida? Brett said the doctors have reduced her medication.”

  Pat sat forward in his chair. “She’s doing so well. Tomorrow, the doctors are going to wake her from her coma.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Hannah said. “I hope it all goes well.”

  “So do I. It has been a stressful few weeks. And now with Brett’s accident…”

  Hannah patted his hand. “He’ll be okay. Thank you for meeting us here.”

  “I didn’t want you worrying about what was happening.”

  Claire found some magazines and offered them to Pat and Hannah. For the next hour, they sat in the plastic hospital chairs, waiting for any news of Brett.

  Hannah flicked through another magazine, then handed it to Claire. “It’s no use. I can’t concentrate.”

  “Would you like a hot drink?” Claire asked. “There’s a coffee machine on the other side of the waiting area.”

  “Not for me,” Hannah said. “But Pat might like one?”

  “No. I’m all right.” He glanced at his watch. “They can’t be too far away.”

  Claire left Hannah’s magazine on a table. “I suppose it depends on how busy they are in radiology.”

  Another set of doors opened and Brett’s sister walked into the waiting area. Mary-Beth’s face was as pale as the moon.

  Hannah hugged her close. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m better now. I thought Brett was going to die. His truck’s side impact bars and airbags probably saved his life.”

  Mary-Beth looked at Pat. “He’s going to be okay. He has two broken ribs, but no other broken bones or internal injuries.”

  “That’s good news.” He took a shaky breath. “This reminds me so much of when Stevie had his accident.”

  Shocked by what had happened, Hannah had forgotten about Pat and Ida’s son. It must have been terrible when Pat heard that Brett had been in an accident.

  “Brett’s nearly ready to be transferred to a ward,” Mary-Beth said. “His doctor wants to admit him overnight. Even though it’s late, we can go upstairs with him.”

  Pat didn’t need to be told twice. He stood and walked through the Emergency Department doors with Mary-Beth.

  Claire walked beside Hannah. “Breathe. He’ll be all right.”

  She took a deep breath and tried to imagine that everything was okay. But it wasn’t. Her whole world had tilted on its axis, sending everything she believed into a chaotic mess. And she didn’t know how to make it better.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  If Hannah thought the hospital’s waiting area was busy, the emergency room was even busier. Nurses and doctors moved back and forth from a large, circular desk as they treated their patients. Different machines were being wheeled between cubicles, and the sound of pumps, monitors, and groaning people filled the air.

  “This is like triage hell,” Claire muttered.

  Hannah looked at the tired staff. “I bet it gets worse after the bars and clubs close.”

  Claire stepped back to allow a nurse to pass. “You’re probably right.”

  Mary-Beth stopped beside a cubicle and looked at Hannah. “Brett’s a little battered and bruised. Are you ready to see him?”

  “I’m ready.”

  Mary-Beth nodded and pulled back the curtain. “Hi, Brett. I brought Pat, Claire, and Hannah with me.”

  Hannah’s eyes filled with tears.

  Brett looked exhausted and sore. A row of black stitches ran across the left-hand side of his forehead. His face was swollen and bruised and his lip was split open.

  Brett’s gray eyes focused on Pat. He reached for Pat’s hand and held on tight.

  “How are you feeling, son?”

  “Sore,” Brett mumbled.

  “Do you need more pain relief?”

  He nodded.

  Mary-Beth touched Pat’s shoulder. “You stay here. I’ll tell the nurse.”

  “Don’t worry,” Pat told Brett. “In a week or two, you’ll be back to your normal
self.”

  “I hope so.” Brett turned to look at Hannah.

  Tears fell down her face when she saw the longing in his eyes. Her heart pounded as the words she’d fought against threatened to overwhelm her.

  She loved Brett, loved him with a force that crushed every excuse she’d made to leave Bozeman.

  Claire nudged her. “Go and say hello,” she whispered.

  Hannah remembered their last conversation and hesitated. “Hi.”

  Brett winced as he tried to move.

  “Stay where you are,” Hannah said quickly. “You’ll hurt yourself if you move.” She sat on the chair beside his bed and wiped her eyes.

  Pat cleared his throat. “I don’t know about you, Claire, but I could do with a walk before Brett goes to his ward.”

  Claire smiled. “What a great idea. We’ll find Mary-Beth on our way out.” She gave Hannah a hug. “Be brave.”

  “You found your sister,” Brett said after everyone had left.

  “Claire was buying milk at Safeway.”

  “Milk?”

  Hannah sighed. “We’d run out. She saw a friend and talked for longer than she realized.”

  “I overreacted.”

  “No, you didn’t. It could have easily been something else.”

  Brett looked down at his hands. “I asked Mary-Beth to let you know I was in the hospital. I was worried that you might be wondering where I’d gone.”

  Hannah wanted to tell him it was all right, that he didn’t need to worry about her. “I tried calling you after Claire came home, but you must have been at the hospital by then.”

  “I was about to call Fletcher Security when someone hit my truck. I don’t remember anything else until I woke up in the hospital.” He patted the edge of his bed. “Sit with me.”

  Hannah moved onto the bed and held his hand. “The nurse should be here soon with your pain relief.”

  Brett nodded and looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry, Hannah.”

  “What for?”

  “I was angry when I left your house. I wanted…I want to be part of your life. I acted like an idiot.”

  “I’m the one who should apologize. On the way to the hospital, I realized that I love you. But I’ve been too caught up in what I thought I wanted to let you close.”

  “Does that mean we can still be friends?”

  Hannah’s heart pounded. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to be more than friends.”

  Brett swallowed. “How much more?”

  “As much as you can manage.”

  He smiled, then groaned.

  The curtain swished open and a nurse stepped into the cubicle. After saying hello to Hannah, she checked Brett’s chart. “Your sister said you need more pain relief. Where are you sore, Brett?”

  “It’s mostly my ribs and my mouth.”

  The nurse handed him two tablets. “These should help with your ribs. Your mouth is more tricky. The only advice I can give you is to not to smile so much.”

  Brett clamped his lips together.

  “That’s it.” The nurse’s lips twitched. “We’ll give you more pain relief during the night.” She handed him a cup of water and glanced at Hannah. “I’ll be back in five minutes to take Brett upstairs.”

  Hannah nodded. “Thank you.”

  After sending Brett another reassuring smile, the nurse left.

  Brett looked into Hannah’s eyes. “I might need lots of pain relief when I go home.”

  “For your broken ribs?”

  “No. For when I’m driving between Bozeman and Pat’s ranch. I can’t be more than your friend if we don’t see each other.”

  Hannah grinned. “You won’t be able to drive for at least a couple of weeks. I’ll have to travel to you.”

  “Or I could come into town with Pat. I need to make the most of our time together before you leave for Vancouver.”

  Hannah bit her bottom lip. “You won’t have to worry about that. I’ve decided to stay in Bozeman.”

  “But it’s an amazing opportunity.”

  “It is, but I have other opportunities I want to explore.”

  Brett sighed. “Are you flirting with me, Hannah Williams?”

  “I’m trying to,” she whispered. “But I’m a bit rusty.”

  “Don’t worry. We can practice on each other.”

  That sounded like a wonderful idea to Hannah. She leaned forward and kissed the side of Brett’s face that wasn’t battered and bruised.

  The curtain swung open and Pat, Claire, and Mary-Beth came into the cubicle.

  “Thank goodness,” Mary-Beth said with a deep sigh. “I thought you’d never kiss each other.”

  Hannah grinned at Brett’s sister.

  Mary-Beth’s eyes widened. “You mean you’ve already kissed?”

  “You’re my sister,” Brett said. “And a sister doesn’t need to know everything about her brother’s life—especially when that little sister is going to Vancouver.”

  Mary-Beth’s smile vanished. “There has been a small change to my plans.” Her bottom lip trembled. “Liam and I broke up. I’m not moving.”

  Hannah wrapped her arm around Mary-Beth’s shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s probably for the best. But I won’t be able to spend time with you when you’re at the university.”

  “There’s been a small change to Hannah’s plans, too.” Brett started to smile, then groaned. “Don’t ever cut your lip.”

  Mary-Beth looked at Hannah and then her brother. “What’s changed?”

  “I’m not going to Vancouver, either,” Hannah said. “I want to stay here with Brett.”

  Claire gave her a hug. “Yeah. I get to spend more time with you.”

  “And I’ll have my favorite nurse visiting me,” Pat said proudly.

  Hannah smiled at the people who had changed her life. She would work something out with Claire, find some kind of balance between their event staging company and her painting. But for now, spending more time with Brett was her number one priority.

  Two months later

  Tomorrow, Daniel O’Sullivan would be marrying Holly Miller in a three-story barn overlooking Emerald Lake. Hannah and Claire had been planning the wedding for months and, thankfully, the weather was perfect for what they had in mind.

  Brett didn’t know how they were going to decorate an entire barn in one day, but everyone else was sure it could be done. Even with the whole bridal party giving them a hand, it would be a big job.

  He walked into the barn and frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. In fact, it’s downright dangerous.”

  Hannah dangled a carrot in front of an alpaca’s nose. “Impulse is a perfect gentleman. He hasn’t spat at me once.”

  “That could be because Impulse is a female and she’s addicted to carrots.”

  She peeked at the underside of the animals belly. “Oops.”

  Brett leaned against the rail surrounding Impulse’s stall. Claire had just told him that Hannah was trying to coax the alpaca out of the barn. “Why don’t you stand behind her and shoo her into the horse trailer?”

  “Because you can’t shoo these lovely animals. They have delicate personalities.”

  Holly, Hannah’s friend and the bride-to-be, walked into the barn. She stood beside Brett and grinned. “I don’t think delicate is the right word. Impulse is cute but crazy.”

  Hannah turned away from the stubborn animal. “Why do you have them if you think they’re crazy?”

  “A friend of Daniel’s helps at the animal rescue center. She needed someone to look after two alpacas, and Daniel had some spare barn space. Impulse and Sparkles came to visit and never left.”

  Hannah frowned. “Where has Sparkles gone?”

  “We’ve already moved her to Jacob Green’s property. The horse trailer could only take one animal at a time.”

  Brett looked around the barn. There was more than enough room for the wedding guests without moving Impulse out of her stall. “Do you really
need to move her? It might give your wedding guests something to talk about.”

  Holly laughed. “Impulse would bat her incredibly long lashes at everyone, then eat their hats and spit in their faces. Even leaving her in here while we decorate the barn is risky.”

  “In that case…” Brett undid the stall’s gate.

  “What are you doing?” Hannah asked.

  “I’m about to show you how to move a lonely alpaca.”

  Holly laughed. “Good luck with that. I’ll be back in ten minutes to see if Impulse has listened to you.”

  Brett watched Holly leave. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were working in the yard while Hannah moved Impulse. Or tried to.

  He walked into the stall and held out his hand. Impulse lifted her nose, sniffing the air for any treats he might have brought with him.

  Hannah gave him her carrot. “Watch your ribs. They’re still healing.”

  “Impulse won’t nudge or kick me. She’s going to follow me into the horse trailer like a baby lamb.” He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

  Impulse turned her head and looked at him.

  “Who’s a good girl?” he crooned. “Let’s show Hannah how a polite alpaca behaves.” He took a step backward, and Impulse stepped forward. “That’s it, girl. One step at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be eating fresh hay in another pen.”

  Brett wiggled Hannah’s carrot.

  Impulse tilted her head to the side, stared at him with her big brown eyes, then took another step.

  “Good, girl. That’s it. Take another step for me.” He walked backward, coaxing a very confused animal out of the barn.

  As soon as Impulse’s back foot was in the horse trailer, he closed the gate and gave her a pat. “Good girl. You’ll be with Sparkles soon.”

  “I don’t believe what I just saw,” Hannah said with a touch of awe in her voice. “You’re like an alpaca whisperer. Impulse did exactly what you wanted her to do.”

  Brett enjoyed thirty seconds of adoration before showing Hannah his secret weapon.

  “Why are you carrying an old T-shirt in your jacket pocket?” she asked.

  “Daniel gave it to me. He rubbed Sparkles’ scent on an old T-shirt before she left. He thought it might come in handy in case Impulse wouldn’t move.”