Emma chuckled and shook her finger at Charity. “That’s what you were planning, wasn’t it?”
“I plead the fifth.”
Emma turned her attention to Val and Ransome and said, “Lydia and I moved Jessica up to the ranch house today. That’s where I was when I got the call about the accident.”
Val nodded, glad that Jessica was closer to town now that it must be getting close to time to have her baby. “She doing okay?”
“She’s fine. She’s been a trooper.”
“I worried a little about her being so far out, even though it was the best place for her.”
“She’s done well. I think she enjoyed the peaceful environment. She’ll be having that baby sometime in the next week or two.”
“Good. Did she mention her plans afterward?”
Emma grinned. “Lydia wants to keep her, I think. They’ve become close, since she’s been visiting her regularly.”
Val nodded, unable to imagine having to make all the choices Jessica was going to be faced with soon. It was nice that the girls had taken a liking to her. She deserved happiness after what she’d been through.
Ransome got out of the way when Emma came closer to check Charity and ask her a few brief questions about how she was feeling.
When Emma was done, Charity asked, “Is there any word about Patterson Elder? The guys told me it was him behind me.” Her voice grew husky as she said, “We just saw him earlier today at Stigall’s, visiting Leah Woodworth. I can’t believe this has happened to him, and to Leah.”
Emma shook her head, her expression neutral. “It’s too soon to tell.”
“Emma, this is me,” Charity said, searching her face for a more solid answer.
Emma sat on the edge of the bed after a second. “I love practicing medicine in a small town but it’s hard when I feel so close to so many people in the community. I can’t really say much else.” She looked Charity in the eye and added, “Except to tell you to hold on to each other tight. And please don’t try to tough it out, ladies. Take the meds I gave you exactly as prescribed. You’ll thank me in the next few days. I’d better go. Make sure if you get up during the night that you have someone help you. I don’t want you falling and hitting your head again.”
The slump of Emma’s shoulders told Val what she was unable to. It didn’t look good for Patterson Elder. He vowed to never grumble about wearing his helmet when he rode his bike from then on.
After Emma left, Justin sat down on the edge of the bed, taking Charity’s hand in his. “We’re going to get some supper, baby. Can we bring you anything?”
Charity nodded and she and Justine told him what they wanted. The three of them took off and ate at Rudy’s then brought the girls their food back, complete with dessert and Rudy’s wishes for a speedy recovery. Val chuckled when he walked in the hospital room with the food and found Charity and Justine curled up in one bed watching The Voice, with Justine’s hard cast carefully positioned between them.
* * * *
Charity sighed as her eyes landed on Val standing in the hospital room doorway. Peace flowed through her at his warm look. She hated to be a baby about staying in the hospital, but she didn’t like it there. No matter how courteous and caring the staff was, it was still the place where both of her parents had passed away.
Evidently sensing her unhappiness with staying overnight, Justine had climbed into bed with her and cuddled up with her to watch their favorite television show. They’d had a quiet running commentary between them as the contestants auditioned until Val had walked in. Happiness filled her at the sight of him, because she loved him, but also because she’d been reminded of how fragile life was.
“How’re my girls?” Val asked as he brought the yummy-smelling food to the tray table and rolled it over where they could reach it. “You both look a little sleepy.”
“A little, but hungry, too,” Charity said, gazing up at Val as he stood over them. The man was seriously tall, almost as tall as Justin and every bit as broad at the shoulders.
Justine fiddled with the Styrofoam boxes with her left hand and Val helped her as he spoke to Charity. “I think since the two of you are sharing a room that I’ll stay home tonight with the guys.”
Justine waved her good hand and said, “Val don’t stay away on my account. I promise I don’t mind if you want to camp out with us.”
Val chuckled when Charity stuck out her lip but then she nodded in acceptance and said, “We should be okay on our own tonight.”
He leaned over and kissed Justine on the forehead and she smiled at him affectionately, and then he leaned in and gave Charity a tender, loving kiss and said, “I love you both and I’m so relieved you’re okay.” The love that radiated from his eyes, for both of them, spoke volumes as well before he said good night and departed.
Justine was quiet while they ate and for the rest of the show and then shut the television off after it was over. She cuddled up to Charity with her casted right arm between them and rested her head on her mom’s shoulder. “That friend of yours may die, huh?”
Disliking to even speak of it, Charity nodded. “There’s a possibility, yes.” Recalling how hard the impact from the rear end collision had been, Charity shuddered. The memory of the accident was going to give her the heebie-jeebies for a while.
“Thinking about that makes me worry about Beau…and Noah.”
While biting her lower lip, Charity considered her answer. Justine had always been one to keep her feelings to herself but she had a good idea of how much Justine liked Noah. She hadn’t dated much and as far as Charity knew, no other boy had gotten under her skin the way Noah had. But she also didn’t believe in sugar-coating the issue.
“I don’t like the idea of them going off into the sunset either, sweetie. But I can’t begrudge them taking that trip. Physically speaking, they’re both men now, and I think they view this adventure as a rite of passage. We can’t deny them the chance to test their strength and their wits just because we’re worried they’ll get hurt. Snakes, scorpions, sunstroke, bad people…I can’t dwell on those things.”
“I’m trying not to either. I understand all of what you’re saying, and I guess I agree as well, but…sometimes I wish I hadn’t agreed to date Noah until the school year ends.”
That was news to Charity but she wasn’t going to question Justine when it was obvious she had larger worries. It wasn’t like Charity would’ve told her she couldn’t go on other dates with him besides the prom.
“Is that because you don’t want to care and worry more than you already do if you get in any deeper? Honey, maybe it’s already too late. When you give your heart to a guy, regardless of your age, he owns it, in a way, until he breaks it or gives you your fondest dream. I like Noah. I think he’s a great guy and he’s going to grow into an amazing man, if he’s allowed to do what he needs to do. It sucks to think of them leaving. I know in my heart I’m going to cry when Beau sets out, but I wouldn’t stop him no matter how terrifying my worries become. He’s still my baby. Noah’s mom probably feels the same way. He and Beau have spent a lot of time in the outdoors so I’m sure they have the skills they need. And it’s only…three months,” she said, trying to ignore the pain in her chest at the thought of not seeing Beau’s sweet face every day. “I’m shutting up now before I turn into a blubbering wuss.”
Justine chuckled and hugged her with her good arm. Her voice sounded like she had a lump in her throat as she said, “That’s my badass mom fighting her inner hover-mother.”
Charity laughed out loud. “Am not. Just going to miss him.” With a sigh, she added. “My head aches and I’m getting sleepy.”
“I’m starting to get really stiff,” Justine commented, grimacing as the cast impeded her efforts to wiggle into a more comfortable position. “Ready for a night of being awakened every two hours?”
With a sigh and a grimace, Charity remembered again why she hadn’t wanted to stay overnight in the hospital. It would’ve been much nice
r to be awakened during the night by one of her guys. Not that they could do much. But it would be home at least.
* * * *
“Nice try, beautiful,” Noah said with a smirk on his handsome face.
Justine held up the clunky cast on her right arm and pointed at it and gave him a “like, duh!” look but he shook his head and kept on pushing her wheelchair in the direction of the exit.
“The prom isn’t for a month, Justine. And even if you still have the cast on your arm, I’ll want you to be my date.”
“So you say now, until I accidently conk you in the head with this thing while we’re dancing. Besides, my dress and all the stuff to go with it were in the back of Mom’s SUV which I heard is a total wreck.”
Noah snorted behind her as he wheeled her into the elevator and leaned down so his lips were next to her ear. “Your dad told me that Val and Ransome saved all of your stuff. Your dress is undamaged and waiting for you at home.” He rested his forearms on the wheelchair handles and wrapped them around her gently, careful of squeezing her stiff and achy body too hard. Heat raced into her cheeks as he pressed a light kiss to her temple, the first time he’d ever done anything like that.
Justine’s throat constricted in reaction to his touch. “I just wanted you to know you have an out if you wanted it. I wouldn’t hold it against you.”
“Why would I want an out? And the only thing I want to hold against me is you.”
She gasped as he chuckled behind her and wheeled her out of the elevator as the doors slid open. She was about to reply when she saw her dad in the hallway.
He handed the truck keys to Noah and said, “Will you help her into the truck, son?”
“Sure,” Noah said with a nod. Her stiff neck probably wouldn’t allow it but Justine wished she could see Noah’s reaction to being called son. Then she remembered that her dad had been calling Noah “son” for years. It just seemed to mean more somehow.
“Sweetie, I’m on my way up to get your mom. She told me she was going upstairs to see Grace for a minute before leaving, so just sit tight.”
Justine half expected her dad to give Noah “the Intimidator look” but he didn’t. He just stepped into the elevator and reached for the button. He gave her a wink as the doors slid closed.
A little surprised, Justine laughed and said, “Have you been sucking up?”
“Me? No. Your dad—sorry dads—are cool. And I still want to know why you think I’d want out of our prom date.”
Biting her lip, Justine murmured, “I don’t know why I said that.”
The automatic doors opened as they approached them and he rolled her to a stop beside the four-door truck and keyed the remote to unlock it. “Justine, you’ve never struck me as the kind of girl who doesn’t say exactly what’s on her mind.”
Her head ached where she’d hit it as she frowned and said, “Hey, I do not—”
“I didn’t mean that the way you think I meant it,” he said as he squatted down so they were eye level, which she appreciated, given her sore neck. “You obviously thought I meant you talk too much but that’s not it at all. You’re not yappy, like some girls I know. You’re careful about what you say but I can rely on you to say what you mean, mostly because you’ve thought it out.”
She frowned again, wondering how he’d drawn that conclusion. She’d have thought until the last few weeks that she’d barely even registered on his radar.
He smiled at her and raised an eyebrow as if he was waiting.
“Oh. Well…I figured that you might’ve reconsidered about dating me and I just wanted you to know that I’d understand…” Oh, shut up. He obviously had a high opinion of your reasoning skills and now you’re sounding more and more like you don’t know your own mind. Just shut up.
Judging by the look on his face, he wasn’t satisfied with her answer as he stood and opened the rear door to the truck and then moved to her side. She braced herself to stand and yelped softly as he put his arm around her back and under her thighs. “What are you doing?”
“Sorry. I should’ve warned you first. Relax and let me lift you.”
Oh, hell no!
“No, no, no, you don’t have to do that,” she said with skyrocketing trepidation. “I don’t want you in a back brace for the prom.”
He relaxed his hold at her words, made a disgusted noise, and then moved around in front of her. “I am perfectly capable of lifting you.” He looked offended.
“I’m not skinny like Maggie. Okay? Okay?” she asked, exasperation rising up in her for having to explain.
His frustration showed in the way he gritted his teeth but he didn’t bark back at her. He just gazed at her for a few seconds and then that slow sideways smile that always made a warm knot form in her stomach crossed his lips. Instead of speaking, he took action.
Returning to her side, he curled his arms around her again and lifted her with seemingly little effort and gently placed her in the seat. Now that they were nearly at eye level with each other, he said, “When I think about Maggie, I don’t think how little she weighed. I think about how she talked too much, and too loud, and how controlling she was, how she threw fits for attention. When I’m with you, I’m not worried about how much you weigh. I’m always wondering what you’re thinking behind those beautiful blue eyes. I’m wondering what it would feel like to put my arms around you. And how it would feel to kiss you. I’m not trying to figure out ways to not date you or trying to figure out how to get out of taking you to prom. Tell me what’s really bothering you.”
Noah’s words disarmed her. Her heart pounded as she reached for words to explain and then realized there was no need to sugarcoat it. “I’m going to miss you when you leave after graduation.” She looked down because her eyes stung and she prayed that the tears didn’t form. Don’t be a ninny!
He tipped her chin up with his index finger and mesmerized her with his warm chocolate-brown eyes. “I didn’t brave the gauntlet with your dads to back out on you now, beautiful.” He looked aside for a second and she saw the tension of a fleeting emotion cross his face and then he looked back at her. “And I’ll miss you, too.”
Standing so close to her, his masculine scent—a somehow comforting combination of fresh laundry and his own clean skin—teased her senses and made her heart flutter. He leaned closer, still holding her gaze, and she wondered for a split second if he could hear her heart pounding.
His warm lips brushed across hers, tentative as the touch of a butterfly, as if giving her the opportunity to pull back before returning. He stroked her cheekbone and kissed her once more, his lips brushing against hers with slight pressure and the barest teasing flick of the tip of his tongue. The warm sensation of his touch lingered as he drew back and smiled at her. There was no teasing in his eyes, only sincerity as he said, “I wish we’d had more time.”
Just then she caught a glimpse of her father wheeling her mom out of the first set of automatic doors. “Yeah, my parents are coming,” she whispered breathlessly.
“No, beautiful. I meant I wish we had more than just this spring together before I leave. I’ll be right back.”
“Uh…oh,” she replied, placing a hand to her lips as he backed the wheelchair away from the truck, closed her door, and turned the wheelchair to take it back into the hospital.
Her dad helped her mom into the front passenger seat, lifting her in the same manner Noah had just lifted her. Noah accepted the wheelchair from her dad and took it back in for him before jogging around the truck to the other rear door. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he climbed in and sat beside her.
He had my first kiss all this time.
* * * *
A couple of days after the accident, Ransome waited with Charity and Val as their friend Vincent Elder had a brief, quiet conversation with a nurse in the ICU department. Ransome felt funny about being there, like he was intruding, but Vincent gave them a reassuring nod and led them to the curtained, glass-walled cubicle Patterson was currently in. Vin
cent’s eyes were bloodshot and tired-looking as he paused and listened through the curtain barrier.
A soft, female voice filtered through the thin fabric, the sound of someone reading aloud. Vincent lowered his eyes and smiled and then he looked up at them. “She’s reading his favorite Zane Grey novel to him.”
Looking ready to start crying, Charity put a hand on Vincent’s forearm as he reached for the opening in the curtain and she whispered, “Vincent, we don’t want to interrupt Leah if she’s spending time with him.” Ransome agreed, especially knowing that Patterson might not make it. He didn’t know Leah well, but the last thing he wanted was to cut into her remaining time with him.
Vincent shook his head with certainty and said, “I need to get her out of here for a little while and see if I can’t get her to eat something.”
Ransome felt a bewildering mix of discomfort and sympathy for the little brunette who looked up from her seat beside Patterson Elder’s hospital bed. With one hand she was holding open a tattered paperback on the bed, while holding his hand with the other.
Looking exhausted, she glanced at the three of them and then gave her attention to Vincent as he went over to her and squatted down. “Doll, let’s take you to get you something to eat, okay? You remember Charity, Val, and Ransome? They want to visit Patterson for a few minutes.”
“Of course,” she said, her voice sounding weary and somehow older than her years. “But I don’t want to leave for very long and I don’t want to go very far.”
“You got it. Don’t forget your purse,” he said as she followed him.
“Oh,” she whispered. “Yeah. Silly of me.” She smiled at Charity when she reached out to pat her shoulder but the smile didn’t reach her sad eyes.
Charity’s chin was trembling as the curtains swung closed and then the three of them turned back to the man lying in the bed. The sounds of the equipment monitoring his vital functions was a backdrop to the discomfort of watching his friend slipping away by slow degrees.
Divine Charity [Divine Creek Ranch 18] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 19