On the sidelines, Gran and Trent hollered louder than anybody. Blakely could hardly wait to get to them and share her excitement.
“Your aim was perfect,” Taryn all but yelled as they walked out of the spotlight.
“Only by the grace of—”
Thud!
The crowd gave a collective gasp before falling silent.
Blakely shook her head trying to get her bearings. Baskets of red, white and purple flowers dangled from light poles. Asphalt, hot beneath her.
She was on the ground.
Glancing behind her, she realized she’d tripped over the fire hose. How embarrassing. She could hold a hose with five hundred pounds of pressure flowing through it, but she couldn’t walk.
She slapped a hand over her face.
“You okay, Blakes?” Taryn looked down at her.
“Yeah. Just get me out of here.”
Taryn extended her hand and helped Blakely to her feet. Pain shot up her leg and the next thing she knew she was back on the black top.
Groaning, she reached for her right ankle, trying not to writhe.
Jack dropped beside her, followed by two more firefighters.
“Blakely.” Trent pushed into the group, worry etching deep grooves in his brow. “What happened?”
“My ankle.” She winced as his skilled hands moved over the already swollen area.
“Somebody get me a cold pack.” He straightened her leg, then removed her shoe. “Can you wiggle your toes?”
She did but not without a great deal of pain.
A hand reached through the group, holding what she surmised was an ice pack.
Trent squeezed it a couple of times, breaking the chemical packets inside before laying it atop her foot. “We better get an X-ray.”
“There’s an ambulance on standby,” said Jack.
“No.” She bristled. “No, ambulance.” She looked into Trent’s troubled eyes. “Will you take me?”
He nodded. “I can treat you at the clinic.”
She raised her arms slightly, assuming they’d all help her to her feet. Instead, Trent scooped her into his arms and carried her away like some hero in an action movie. Whoops and catcalls littered the air.
She buried her face against his neck. “Trent?”
“What is it?”
“Just shoot me.”
* * *
An X-ray had confirmed Trent’s suspicions. Nothing was broken, but a nasty sprain meant Blakely would be laid up for at least two days. Something she wasn’t the least bit happy about.
“I don’t see why he even brought the stupid crutches if he’s not going to let me use them.” Her childish behavior made him chuckle.
“Stop whining.” Rose lifted a bouncing Jethro and set him on Blakely’s belly. “He’ll let you have them as soon as he feels you’re ready.”
“This is one of my busiest weeks of the season. What am I going to do?” The sheen in Blakely’s blue eyes revealed more than her words.
“Now, dear—” Rose laid a hand on Blakely’s shoulder. “I’m sure Dan and Lisa will be more than happy to help out.”
“I can take care of some office work, if you need me to,” Trent added.
“I’ll help, too, Mom.” Austin spread an afghan over his mother’s legs and perched beside her.
“For now, you simply need to be still.” The old woman tightened her grip.
“If you prefer, we can tie her down.” Trent stood behind the sofa, glancing at Rose.
Blakely glared at him. “I’d like to see you try.”
Her grandmother chuckled and strolled toward the motel’s office. “I think I’ll let you deal with her, Trent.”
“My pleasure.” He rounded the sofa, realizing how true his words were. He was falling in love with Blakely all over again.
“Here, Mom. You can have the remote.” What a kid. He’d make a great big brother. Maybe to a little sister with strawberry-blond hair and melt-your-heart blue eyes.
“Thank you, honey.”
“Austin, would you mind checking the coals for me?” Blakely’s injury meant a change in plans, so Trent seized the opportunity to grill up some rib eye steaks he’d been saving to treat the Daniels.
“Okay. Come on, Ellie Mae.” He patted his thighs. “Come on, girl.”
As the door swung closed, Trent knelt next to Blakely. “How you feeling?”
Jethro reached over and licked him.
“Not too bad.” She tucked the dog between herself and the back of the sofa. “I just hate being at everyone’s mercy.”
His gaze held hers as he brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek. Sparks flashed between them. “You’re used to taking care of everybody else.”
Her gentle blush, followed by a hard swallow, told him she felt the connection, too. “That’s what I do.” The words were barely above a whisper.
“Well, I happen to like taking care of you.” He leaned closer.
“They’re ready.” The screen door burst open, and Austin stepped inside.
Disappointment sifted through Trent over the missed opportunity. He sent her a parting smile as he stood.
“Then dinner will be ready soon.”
* * *
“How’s the patient?”
Trent held the front door open for Taryn. “Defiant, despite a severely sprained ankle.”
“Don’t listen to him, Taryn.” Blakely leaned back in her chair. He had agreed to let her join them at the dinner table, with the provision her leg remained elevated.
“Actually, your timing is perfect.” He grinned at the cute brunette. “Now maybe she won’t argue with me about going back to the couch.” Skirting the table, he stopped behind Blakely’s chair. “Finished?”
With a tilt of her head, she looked up at him. “You’re going to act like my personal chariot again, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
She pushed her plate away, and he lifted her into his arms, savoring her warmth and the sweet aroma that was uniquely her. He could hold her like this forever and die a happy man.
“Gee, Blakes, must be rough to have some good-looking guy toting you around.” Taryn joined them in the living room.
Trent ignored the heat creeping up his neck and settled his favorite patient once again. “See. Now stop complaining.”
Taryn perched on the loveseat. “What are you going to do about work?”
“Dad and I are gonna help her.” Plate in hand, Austin hopped up from the dinner table and started toward the kitchen. The kid was so proud to be able to help his mom. And Trent couldn’t be more proud of him.
“Dan and Lisa and each of her drivers have offered to keep things running for a couple days.” Trent cleared his, Blakely’s and Rose’s dishes.
“Of course they did,” said Taryn. “That’s what friends do. You know that, Blakes.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Over the back of the couch, Trent watched Blakely toy with the fringe on the green afghan. Saw the uncertainty in her eyes. Despite the offers of help, she was still worried. No one paid attention to detail quite like Blakely or had a knack for perceiving what a guest wanted before the guest even knew.
And Ross Chapman thought he could buy her out? Trent almost laughed.
Taryn cocked her head and studied her friend. “But you’re not comfortable being on the receiving end?”
“I think you hit the nail right on, Taryn.” Rose settled into her rocker. “Sometimes we simply have to let go and let God.”
“And since Blakely has a hard time letting go, God is forcing her hand.” Taryn grinned.
Trent tried to contain his laughter. She had Blakely pegged.
“All right. I get the point.” Blakely threw her
hands up in the air. “Sheesh. You guys act like I’m not even in the room.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, Blakes, I’m sorry this happened.” Pulling the pillow from behind her, Taryn leaned back, keeping the pillow in her lap. “I guess you’re out of commission for the rest of the night, huh?”
Austin dropped into the second rocker. “Yeah, no torchlight parade, no fireworks.... Stinks.”
“Yeah, stinks.” Blakely’s pout matched that of their son. “I mean, what’s the Fourth of July without fireworks?”
Trent couldn’t bear to watch the disappointment on their faces. Turning, he snagged the remaining silverware from the table and went into the kitchen to load the dishwasher. Austin and Blakely had been looking forward to this day. Rinsing the plates, Trent wished he could figure out a way for them to participate in tonight’s festivities.
As he turned off the water, an idea sparked in his brain.
And maybe, with Rose’s help, he could actually pull it off.
Chapter Nineteen
Trent would do almost anything to make Austin and Blakely happy. He could only hope she was up for a little adventure.
“Where’d you go?” Austin looked up when Trent walked in the door. With Rose’s approval, he’d made his getaway through the motel’s office. He should have guessed Austin would notice he was missing.
“I had to run a quick errand.”
“Oh.” Austin again faced the TV. “Miss Taryn left us a DVD of their win today. Wanna watch?”
“Sure.” Trent settled in on the loveseat. He’d have to wait for the right moment to set his plan into action.
Opposite him, a smiling Rose peered over the tops of her reading glasses, her knitting needles moving. She’d loved his idea and provided him with everything he needed.
“Whoa!” Austin pointed at the TV. “You really blasted her good, Mom.”
“We did look pretty good out there, didn’t we?”
Trent glanced at Blakely. “Must seem kind of surreal watching your victory when only a few hours ago you were in the midst of it.”
“A little. Yeah.”
The telephone rang and Austin paused the TV. “I’ll get it.” He rushed to the old rolltop desk. “Hello?”
Trent moved between the sofa and coffee table and knelt down. “How’s it going?”
“Hi, Zach.” Even from across the room, the dismay in Austin’s tone was hard to miss.
“Good.” Blakely set a finger to her lips as she concentrated on Austin’s conversation.
“No. I can’t.” He paused. “Yeah. See ya.” The frown on his face when he flopped onto the chair was one for the record books.
Blakely turned to look at him. “What did Zach want?”
“He invited me to go with them to the torchlight parade and to watch the fireworks.”
She craned her neck to see him better. “Why did you tell him no?”
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t feel right leaving you.”
“Honey, you don’t have to miss out on all the fun just because your mom is a klutz.”
Austin smiled at her. “I know.” He was something special, all right. Not many kids would ditch their friends for their mom.
This was the moment Trent was waiting for. He pushed to his feet. “Austin, you’re going to see the fireworks.”
Their gazes collectively landed on him.
“We all are,” he continued.
Blakely narrowed her gaze. “Just what do you have in mind?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out. Now do you think you’ll be warm enough in those?” He gestured to the pink sweatpants and T-shirt her grandmother and Taryn had helped her change into before he took her to the clinic.
Suspicion sparkled in her subtle glare. “Warm enough for what?”
“It’s getting kind of chilly outside. You’ll probably want a jacket.” He snagged her gray hoodie off the rack by the door.
“I don’t know if this is such a good idea. I mean, I have an ice pack on my foot.”
“Aw, come on, Mom.” Austin was on his feet, his mood considerably improved. “Dad’s not gonna let anything happen to you.”
Trent saw her indecisive expression. Her pursed lips. “If you’re not feeling up to it—”
“Oh, all right. Maybe some fireworks will cheer me up.” She pushed up on her elbows. “Austin, better grab your hoodie, too.”
“That’s the spirit.” Rose removed her glasses.
“What about you, Mrs. D?”
“Oh, as much as I would love to join you...” The old woman tucked her needles and yarn into the bag beside her chair. “I plan to be in bed long before those fireworks get started.”
“Are you sure?” The last thing he’d want is for Rose to feel unwanted or left out.
“Oh, yes.” She stood. “You all have fun, though.” Her gaze settled on Blakely. “And tomorrow, I’ll want to hear all the details of our sneaky doctor’s plan.”
After helping Blakely get a running shoe on her good foot, Trent lifted her into his arms, afghan and all. She was so light. Amazing how she was able to hold up against those fire hoses.
“Austin, will you get the door for me?” He carefully maneuvered down the steps and through the front gate.
“Look at the alpenglow.” Arms around Trent’s neck, Blakely peered over his shoulder. “It’s beautiful.”
He turned so they could both have a better look.
Sure enough, the gray barren rock of the Amphitheater was painted the most beautiful, yet indescribable, color.
“God has such an amazing way of blending red, orange, amber and violet all at the same time.” She let go a contented sigh. “I could never duplicate that with my paints.”
He glanced down at her. “Have you tried?”
She smiled. “More times than I care to admit.”
He situated her in the passenger side of his pickup while Austin piled into the backseat, then claimed his spot behind the steering wheel. The pink bandanna Blakely had worn this afternoon still sat atop the center console.
“You know, this is supposed to be a surprise.” He fingered the thin fabric. “I’d hate to give anything away too soon.” He handed it to Austin. “You think we should blindfold your mother?”
Her eyes went wide. “Blindfold? Oh, no you don’t.”
“Come on, Mom. I won’t make it tight.”
She searched Trent’s face, likely hoping for some indication that he was joking.
He quirked a brow. “You don’t trust your own son?”
She huffed and leaned back. “You two sneaks are determined to try my patience tonight, aren’t you?”
Austin tied the bandanna around her head. “How’s that? Can you see?” He waved a hand in front of her face.
“Not a thing.”
“Good.” The boy dropped back into his seat.
Trent shifted the truck into Reverse. “Operation Fireworks is under way.” Gravel crunched under tires as he backed out of the parking lot. Blakely knew her way around this town like the back of her hand. Even blindfolded, she’d be able to determine where they were pretty quick.
That is, unless he mixed things up a bit.
He moved forward. Made a left. Drove a few blocks, then made another.
“I may not be able to see, but I still know you’re on Fourth Avenue.”
As he suspected. She had her senses trained on every movement, speculating as to where they were going. Well, he was up to the challenge.
Uphill. Downhill. Slow. Slower. And always the sound of gravel. Aside from Main, Ouray was a series of gravel streets that perpetually moved either up or down hill, so that wouldn’t give away much.
He stopped. Turned again. Right. Left. Right.
In the backseat, a grinning Austin sent him a thumbs-up. The kid was loving this.
“That toe-tapping, ragtime piano music tells me we’re close to The Outlaw Restaurant.” Blakely straightened as though pleased to have something tangible.
Let her keep guessing.
The music faded as he headed away from Main Street into some of the quieter areas of town.
“Mom, we sure are going to be surprised.”
“We? Then how come you’re not blindfolded?” The smells of a backyard grill wafted through the window.
“Well—” Trent shot Austin a glance as he made another turn “—we only had one bandanna.”
“Yeah.” Austin was right behind her. “And it was pink. Guys don’t do pink.”
“That is not true.” She held up her index finger. “What’s our motto at Adventures in Pink?”
“Real men aren’t afraid of pink.” He and Austin rolled their eyes.
Blakely squirmed and fidgeted until he finally pulled into the alley alongside Adventures in Pink and turned the engine off. She started to reach for the blindfold.
“Oh, no you don’t.” He grabbed her hand, running his thumb over her soft skin, and set it back in her lap.
“You guys are enjoying this way too much.”
He watched her, unable to stop smiling. “And it’s killing you to be at our mercy, isn’t it?”
He hopped out of the cab, his excitement growing by the second. Blakely deserved to be treated special. And he liked being the one to do it.
Meeting Austin at the front of the vehicle, Trent handed him his keys. “I’m going to need you to unlock and hold the doors for me while I carry your mom.”
“This is so cool.” His boy snatched the keys and rushed for the door.
“Can I take this thing off now?” Blakely turned in Trent’s direction when he opened her door.
“Not yet.” He lifted her to him, the sweet smell of her shampoo, the way her body melded with his wreaking havoc with his senses.
He really could get used to this.
He whisked Blakely up the stairwell and through his apartment before settling her atop the pillow and blanket-laden pool chaise he’d borrowed from Rose and now sat on his balcony.
The Doctor's Family Reunion Page 15