Dakota Love Me: Tiller Brothers Book 2

by Lee, Judith

  Everyone was gathered at the tree. Everyone opened their presents to lots of ohhs and ahhs and much kissing and thanking everyone. In the rotation of gift opening, he had opened the large narrow fifty-by-fifty inch but narrow box from Georgia. It was a picture Georgia had taken of him riding a bull at the highest point of the buck, several feet off the ground, and his hand was held high, his legs tucked back against the bull and his cowboy hat snug tightly on his forehead. His expression was one of concentration and pure joy.

  “I wanted a picture of you to capture how much you love bull riding,” Georgia said.

  Everyone loved the picture and asked her to send them a copy for their scrapbooks. Dakota was choked up and he could hardly talk. Someday their children would look at that picture and know that their father had once been a great bull-rider. At the bottom of the large frame, the two buckles they had given to each other were inset into the frame.

  He pulled her close and hugged her. “It’s amazing. You captured everything about bull riding and how I feel. It’s perfect,” and he kissed her.

  Cody said, “Looks like that’s all the presents.”

  “Nope, there is one more,” Dakota said. He reached into his back pocket as he kneeled in front of Georgia. He pulled out a small box which she opened quickly, tore off the tissue paper and inside was a tube of superglue. While she was laughing, he pulled a ring out of his pocket. Georgia’s eyes went wide and he noticed they were already tearing up. She put her hands to her mouth.

  “Georgia, this superglue will keep us stuck together but with this ring, I give you all my love and hope for our future. I was going to wait to give this to you at the Denver Stock Show in front of all the fans, and then I realized I wanted to share this moment of love with you and all of our families. You came into my life and have stolen my heart, and I want you to be my wife forever. Will you marry me?”

  She said “yes” as she flew into his arms. He kissed her and then grabbed her left hand and slid the ring on her finger. “Oh Dakota, it’s beautiful. It’s so me.”

  Everyone was either clapping or crying, and Georgia’s father had even put his arms around his mother who was openly weeping.

  “This was my mom’s engagement ring. When I told her I was going to be looking for an engagement ring, she said she just knew you would love the antique setting of diamonds. If it’s not what you want…”

  Georgia pulled him close. “It’s exactly what I wanted and the fact that it was given to your mother with such love and now to me with so much love, makes it even more special to me.” Georgia took his hand and pulled him over to his mother. His mother still wore her wedding band, that was all she wanted, she had told him. “I will honor and cherish this ring with Dakota for the rest of my life. Thank you for making me feel like such a special part of this family.” She kissed his mother. Then she was hugged and kissed by her father. He had an I-knew-it-was-going to happen look on his face.

  “Dakota asked me for your hand in marriage before we left the ranch. I couldn’t be more pleased. Dakota, I know this will always be your home, but I hope you’ll also consider our ranch your home, too, and when I’m gone you and Georgia will take over, along with the half dozen kids my daughter wants to have. God, help us all. If they’re all boys that look like you and your brothers I’m going to die happy. Of course, a beautiful granddaughter like you,” he turned to Georgia, “would be a special treat and a little part of your mother.”

  “Here, Here!” everyone shouted.

  Dakota knew Cody wanted to give him and Georgia their special time, but he had already asked him if he could also make a special announcement.

  “Well,” Cody announced, “I’d like to add to the joy of this day; Tammy and I are having a baby in eight month.” Cody hugged Tammy and just beamed with happiness.

  That news made this one of the best Christmases he could ever remember. Of course, he wished his father and Georgia’s mother were here for the celebration, but he was convinced they were indeed there in spirit.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Everyone had decided they wanted to see Dakota compete in Denver. So they were all sitting together in the bleachers. Georgia had been quite stressed out since the beginning rounds as several of the cowboys had received bad injuries enough to have them carried off the stadium dirt floor. One with a busted arm, another had a gore to the leg, and a third one with a bad sprained ankle. The last one tried to walk it off, but he couldn’t put any weight on his foot. Then one of the bulls had been so angry that it has lunged it’s back hide quarters sending one of its wild legs high over the fence connecting with another bull rider who was trying to help keep the bull under control. He had flown back into the ground. From where she was sitting, she couldn’t see if he had been badly hurt.

  Georgia had barely made it through Dakota’s ride. He had managed to hold on for the eight seconds before he flew and smashed his hurt shoulder into the ground, and he had received a seventy-eight score. He jumped up and just briefly held his elbow. Damn why were bull-riders so macho and so afraid to show their pain. He pushed Dr. Witting away and walked off on his own accord.

  Dakota had made the finals, and Georgia wanted to cry. She wished he’d not made the finals, worried that the shoulder that held his hand in the air would make him off balance. He was too stubborn not to ride though. He’d rub a little dirt into it, as he had told her a million times. Bull-riders knew how to handle pain. The pain was part of the price for all the glory. Glory be damned, she had yelled at him in her mind.

  He always told her he would know when he couldn’t ride anymore. Oh stupid man.

  She was near a panic attack, and decided she needed to take her mind off the final round which was coming up. Turning to Jenny, she asked her something that had been bothering her since the engagement. “Jenny, I know Tammy got your mother’s heirloom pearls she had worn at her wedding, and I had gotten her engagement ring but I’m feeling guilty that it should have gone to you.”

  Jenny laughed and took Georgia’s hand, “Jared is too proud not to buy me a ring on his own. He has fought too hard in life to be his own man and not be like his father. Buying my ring, which I love, was like the first step to his independence. Kind of hard to explain, but I knew why he wanted to give me a ring of his choosing. I got to wear my mother’s wedding dress and we got the crystal glasses she used for her wedding and that they used every year to celebrate their wedding anniversary. I am so happy for you and Dakota. The ring is perfect for you, and what Dakota didn’t tell you was that it was also his grandmother’s ring. Very special.”

  “Sometimes I don’t feel like I deserve it. I’ve tried so hard to accept his bull-riding, but I’m close to losing it tonight. If he gets hurt I will just die.”

  She shook her head. “I know the inherent risks that come with bull-riding. I was so glad that Jared gave up being a bull-rider to become a full time rancher with me. I wish I could tell you that Dakota was at that stage, I just don’t know. You saw the joy he had in the picture you took of him. Believe me, you are more important to him than the bulls, but bull-riding is in his blood. I wish he’d quit before he gets hurt and the injuries cause him to stop before he’s ready. But he has to do it on his own time or he might resent you for making him give it up. Am I making any sense?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. I’m scared to death, Jenny. I don’t know if I can take this. Maybe I should just let him do his thing and when it’s out of his system, he can come back to me.”

  “Now Georgia, don’t think that way.”

  “Jenny you just don’t understand the depth of my fear.”

  Just then the final round began. Jenny held her hand, offering her comfort and support.

  The first rider didn’t make it two seconds out of the chute and was thrown to the ground only to land on his butt before he scurried off. Dakota was next. Georgia had a terrible foreboding feeling that things were going to go bad. It seemed to be taking longer than normal for Dakota to get the grip he wanted
and the bull kept banging against his leg. It took three other bull-riders to push the bull off Dakota’s leg.

  She didn’t think she could breathe and thought she might pass out. Why was he doing this to himself? It wasn’t worth the risk. He could barely put his hand above his head telling her how much pain he was already in. They’d probably had to put it back into place at the Sport’s Center. God she was glad she was no longer working there.

  Finally, they pulled the ropes and the gate flew open. As the bull exited it reared back and Dakota slammed into the bull’s hump. His head whipped back. Even with the safety vests, she could see him trying to take a breath, barely able to keep his arm in the air. Then the bull spun around in a tight circle several times too close to the gate, and Dakota was thrown head first into fence. Somehow the bull fighters had gotten the bull away, but not before he had gored Dakota near his neck. Georgia’s eyes had gone blank. All she could see was how Dakota’s body had slumped down to the ground like a rag doll and blood pouring out of his body. She passed out.

  When she came to, she was in a little room in the hospital. Her dad and Dakota’s mom were both holding her hand. Cameron was pacing the room.

  She sat up, “Where’s Dakota?” She started crying as she tried to get out of bed.

  Justin grabbed her shoulders and laid her gently back down. “He’s in surgery. We’re all waiting for the doctors to come tell us how he’s doing.”

  She felt almost comatose. She knew her voice sounded flat. Dead.

  “Is he going to be alright?” She blinked back tears.

  “We’re praying little girl, we’re praying. We know he’s in a coma. Swelling in his brain.”

  She cried out. She couldn’t take it anymore and she started sobbing. Gut-wrenching screams came out of her mouth, but it didn’t feel like it was her. It was like she was watching someone else have a break down. God, not like mom. No more. She was done. Checked out. He could take his bull-riding and if he recovered she was running as fast as she could away from this pain.

  After a long period, the tears had finally dried up and she wanted to get out of the room they had her resting in. She walked with her dad and Cameron on each side of her as they walked into the waiting room. Everyone came over and hugged her. All their eyes were as red as hers were. Jenny was so upset she couldn’t talk.

  Cody was holding Tammy. Cameron sat by Georgia and held her hand. “He’s tough, you know. He’ll be alright,” she believed him and it only cemented in her mind what she was going to have to do.

  After three hours of surgery, he was finally wheeled into ICU. Only a few people at a time could see him. He was still unconscious. Georgia told everyone else to go see him. She didn’t want to watch him die like her mother had died. They remained in the waiting room for twenty-four hours, each taking little breaks except Georgia. She had sat gripping the arms of the chair stress seeping out of her in waves.

  Dear Lord let him live and I promise I’ll give him the freedom to do what he loves doing. She knew he’d be back on a bull again, only next time she wouldn’t be with him. She knew she was a coward but as soon as he was conscious she was running away. She just had to get out of there.

  The next day, they had told them the swelling in his brain was sufficiently and safely down enough that they were going to take him off the medicine that had kept him in a coma. The area by his right clavicle had been sewed with twenty-two stitches and didn’t look to be infected. Tests and scat scans had revealed he hadn’t broken his back. Small miracle, they had told her. He had needed a blood transfusion and all his brothers with the same type of blood type had donated their blood. She could only sit and shake. She hadn’t eaten and didn’t want to talk to anyone.

  Finally he had woken and was asking for Georgia. For the first time, she went into the room and held his hand. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. His eyes opened enough to see it was Georgia and he studied her for a long time before his eyes closed.

  The doctors assured her and the others that he was going to have a full recovery. After hearing that, which was all she had been waiting for she asked Cameron to go out with her into the hall. He looked worried.

  “Darling, he’s going to be okay,” he whispered to her.

  “I know and that’s what I have been waiting for. She removed her engagement ring and took his hand and put the ring into it. “Please give this to him and tell him I’ll always love him and I’m sorry. I just can’t go through this again. Not again!” She said her voice sounded dull, emotionless.

  Cameron held her, “Wait and talk to him again, he’s going to be okay. Don’t run from him. You’ll break his heart.”

  “I’m so sorry, I can’t. I just can’t.” Her limit for pain had come and she couldn’t hide from the pain anymore. She stepped back and ran down the hall.

  “Georgia,” he yelled at her and started after her, but she had slipped into the elevator.

  All she knew was that she was going to get as far away from the pain as possible even if it meant checking into a mental hospital.

  Staggering into the parking lot, she was running and not paying attention to anyone. Suddenly a vehicle screeched to a stop beside her, a door was flung open and she was yanked into the truck.

  ***

  “Finally, at last. It’s been a long wait. Revenge is going to be so sweet.” Sharon cackled.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  When Dakota woke and saw all his family gathered in the room looking gloomy, he knew.

  “She’s gone, isn’t she?”

  Cameron grabbed his arm. “I think she was in too much mental pain. She said she loved you and she’d never forget you. She said something about not being able to go through the pain again. I told her you were going to be alright but she was out of it. She was white as a sheet and her eyes were void of emotion. She gave the ring back. I have it. You can give it back to her later.”

  “I knew it. When I woke earlier, I saw it in her eyes,” he looked and found Justin slumped next to the bed. “She’s reliving her mom dying isn’t she?”

  “I’m afraid so. Plus Jenny said she was almost out of it because of the bulls. I’m sure she was remembering her near misses with death. We’re trying to find her now. We’ve got the police looking for her, although honestly they aren’t taking it very seriously because she’s only been gone for six hours.”

  Just then Cody entered the room, “They’re taking it seriously now, I had the hospital security recheck the film to see which way she went.”

  Dakota closed his eyes. He knew it wasn’t good news before Cody told him. “Sharon got her didn’t she?”

  “Damn, I think it was her. They could see two people in the truck, one male and one female before they hauled her in and sped off.”

  Justin stumbled backwards and Matt and Cameron caught him. “Oh my baby.”

  Dakota sat up gingerly in bed and tore out his IV needles, shaking, and sweating from the effort he staggered to get out of bed.

  Everyone tried to get him to stay down.

  “Do. Not. Touch. Me! I’m going after the woman I love,” his voice was loud and determined. He didn’t care he’d just had surgery to repair his shoulder and his head was splitting. The pain actually helped propel him out of the bed, albeit quaking like a man with a concession and one who had just had a blood transfusion the day before, but he got up. He reached for Cody’s arm and gripped it tightly. “Let’s go. I want to see the film first.”

  Dakota knew that Cody would understand the desire to push his limits of pain to go after his woman. He had done the same for Tammy. Cody grabbed him under his arms and helped him get dressed.

  Dakota turned to Matt, “Can you take Mom and Justin to the hotel? After we meet with the police, we’ll ask them to call in the FBI and we’ll meet at the hotel. Sharon will be calling or texting like she has done the last few months. I know it, and when she calls, I want us all to be prepared to take action. Justin if you need to call your bank to give them a head’s u
p on the money we’re going to need, call them, and I’ll call my bank. Together we should be able to come up with any amount of money she demands.”

  After seeing the video and speaking with both the police and FBI telling them everything they could about Sharon, they finally made their way to the hotel room. Dakota was even angrier, if that was possible, after he had seen how they had manhandled Georgia to get her in the truck. It had been easy because she looked like the walking dead. He was sure she had been in the throes of a break down. He was kicking himself for doing that rodeo. He knew how she hated bulls and he had already planned to give it up for her. If he hadn’t been so greedy for one more night of fame with the possibility of winning another one, he’d have withdrawn. How damn hard would it have been for him to withdraw before she witnessed him being in a coma like her mother had been? Not hard at all. He had made a huge mistake that could cost him his life which was Georgia. She was cowgirl tough but she was also scarred in her heart and that made her fragile. He had shattered her into a million pieces.

  On the way to the hotel Dakota said to Cody and Cameron, “Jenny told me that she felt guilty because she had told Georgia she didn’t think I was ready to give up bull-riding and if Georgia forced me, I might resent her later on. But I told her it wasn’t her fault.”

  Cody nodded his head, “She told me the same thing. I’m glad you realize it wasn’t her fault.”

  “There was a time, I felt that way. I had planned to ride until I was too old and decrepit to walk, but in December I had decided that all I needed was Georgia. If only I had told her, if only I hadn’t had to do one last rodeo. Damn! Damn! Damn!” he hit his good hand on the dashboard. Cameron, who was sitting in the back seat, put his hand on Dakota’s shoulder.

  “Why the fuck does our family have to have two kidnappings? What are the odds of that? Hell, we could win the lottery with those kind-of-odds.” Dakota said as he stared out the window.