Cowboy Dreamin' (Thunder Creek Ranch Book 8)

by Lorraine Nelson

  She laughed aloud, and the doctor chuckled as he drew the curtain around the bed.

  “I need to check your injuries and the incision.”

  “I can take a hint,” Allison said as she stood and moved out of the way.

  “You’re not leaving, are you?” Jack asked.

  “No, I’ll just go for a little walk. Be back shortly.”

  He watched her leave the room, taking a piece of his heart with her.

  ****

  Allison took the elevator to the ground floor and browsed the gift shop. She hoped to find something special for Jack … something to cheer him up. He wouldn’t find it easy being immobile for the next few weeks.

  She found a helium balloon that showed a monkey in traction with a get well soon message. A truck that resembled Jack’s held artificial blue and white flowers that she couldn’t resist. In the magazine rack, she found a word search book and a Western magazine. At the cashier’s desk were an assortment of pens and pencils, so she picked out one of each. She also loaded up on snacks to share with him. Armed with her purchases, she stood in the Timmy’s lineup and bought them coffees.

  It was a good thing she didn’t see anything else to buy. She never would have fit in the elevator. She elbowed the button to call it to the main floor, then smiled and waited off to one side when the elevator doors opened and people streamed out. Most hurried right on by, but some glanced her way and smiled at the armload of goodies.

  “Someone is going to feel very loved,” remarked one elderly lady.

  “That’s the idea,” Allison replied as she stepped into the elevator and again used her elbow to punch the floor number. The corridor seemed much longer and her load heavier as she walked to Jack’s room.

  His curtain was open, and she found him with his eyes closed. He snored softly all the while she unloaded her purchases. Should she wake him? Undecided, she pulled a chair back over beside the bed. It scraped the floor and made just enough noise to startle him awake.

  “Sorry about that. I meant to let you sleep.”

  He smiled and sniffed the air. “Coffee?”

  “How could I come back without coffee? Unheard of.” She grinned, wondering when he would focus in on the rest of the stuff as she reached to the nightstand where she had set the tray. “Here you go.” Her hand tangled in the ribbon holding the balloon, and she jerked it forward.

  “Hey, what’s that?” Jack asked as he turned his head slightly toward it. She angled the balloon toward him so he could see the picture and read the message. Jack laughed out loud even as he grimaced and placed a hand to his head. Then he saw the truck and the magazines on his portable table. “You did all this?”

  “Yep, and I bought some munchies, too. What’s your pleasure? We have chocolate chip muffins, carrot muffins, chocolate bars, and chips.”

  “A muffin sounds good … chocolate chip to feed my sweet tooth.” His smile had the power to light up her world. “But you didn’t need to do all this.”

  “I wanted to see that smile of yours,” she admitted. “And I know how you hate to be idle.”

  “True enough. Thank you, Allison.” He reached out and she placed her hand in his.

  “No thanks necessary.” To cover her embarrassment, she grabbed a muffin. “I think I’ll have a muffin with my coffee. You want yours buttered?”

  “No, thanks. I’m glad you came back.”

  “I said I would. What did the doctor have to say?”

  “He said everything looks good except for the deep wound on my leg. It’s infected, so he’s arranged for the nurse to apply an antibiotic cream and change the dressing twice daily. So, I guess I’ll live.”

  “Jack! Don’t even joke about such things. I don’t know what I’d do without you now.”

  “Miss me?” he asked as he took a bite of his muffin.

  His sexy smirk did her heart good. She felt its impact clear to her overheated core. “Of course I do. I thought I’d go mad when I didn’t hear from you all weekend.”

  “Sorry about that, but there was nothing I could do. I wasn’t even conscious until Monday.”

  “I know that now, but I didn’t then. I thought I’d said or done something to turn you off.”

  “Lady, you couldn’t turn me off if you tried.”

  His gaze locked on hers as he said the words, and a feeling of overwhelming relief filled her soul. Should she tell him now? No, she’d wait until he was out of the hospital and truly on the mend.

  “Allison, is something wrong?”

  “No, why do you ask?” she said while reaching for her coffee.

  “You frowned and appeared concerned about something. You aren’t worried about me. Are you?”

  “Of course I’m worried. My boyfriend is broken and bruised and lying in a hospital bed.”

  “Not for long. At least, I hope not.”

  “Will you be coming to my place when they release you?”

  “I’d like to, but Mom has different plans. She intends to fuss over me and do a little motherly pampering, something she hasn’t had a chance to do for so long. After that mess with Roy landing in jail, I can’t refuse her. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s all right. It’s probably better than you being alone in the apartment when I’m working, especially when I’m out on a call. She won’t mind if I visit you, will she?’

  “Heck no. She likes you. I think she’ll be more than pleased. Mom already knows that we’ve been spending time together, so it shouldn’t come as much of a shock.”

  Their snack finished, Allison realized his eyes were drooping and dug a paperback out of her bag. “It’s time for you to rest. I’m sorry I disturbed your sleep.”

  “I’m not, but I am a little tired. Could you lower the bed, please?”

  She pushed the button that he couldn’t quite see. “Now sleep. I’ll just sit here and read for a while.”

  He closed his eyes and she kicked off her shoes and made herself comfortable.

  “Thanks for being here, Allison.”

  “No problem. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

  Jack fell asleep with a smile on his face. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy to know that he wanted her at his side.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jack woke with a headache that felt as if someone was pounding his head into the ground. He opened his eyes and saw that Allison had fallen asleep in the big chair. “Allison, are you awake?”

  “Yep, just closed my eyes for a few.”

  “Could you ring for the nurse, please?”

  She stood and pushed the buzzer. “Are you all right?”

  “Headache.”

  A nurse came rushing in. “How can I help you, Mr. Grayson?”

  “My head hurts.”

  She checked his vitals and noted them on his chart. “I’ll increase your morphine drip and then consult with the doctor. On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?”

  “Twelve.”

  She moved to increase his medicine. “That should kick in right smartly. I’ll be back to let you know what the doctor says.”

  “Thank you,” said Jack.

  “Would a cold facecloth help?” Allison asked.

  “Probably not. It’s not that kind of headache. Thanks anyway.”

  “Okay. Try to rest while the medication starts to work.”

  He closed his eyes against the light and the pain eased off some. “Could you close the blinds, please?”

  “Sure.”

  Jack heard her footsteps cross the room. He knew she stepped lightly, but it sounded like an elephant stomping around. Next came the rattle of the blinds followed by her returning steps. Every little sound pierced his skull.

  “Anything you need, let me know. I’ll be right here,” she said and the chair squeaked as she sat down again.

  “Thanks, honey. Just quiet time for now.”

  “You got it.”

  He heard pages turn and knew she’d settled in to read. Just knowing she was there was a comf
ort to him, although it couldn’t be much fun for her. The increased meds kicked in, and the pounding lessened to a dull roar. He dozed fitfully, waking only when an orderly came in and checked his wrist ID.

  “Mr. Grayson, Dr. Levy has ordered a CT scan, and I’m here to take you to Central Imaging.”

  “All right. Allison?”

  “I’m right here, Jack. Want me to accompany you?” she asked as the orderly attached Jack’s IV to the pole on the stretcher.

  “If you want. Beats sitting around here, I would think.”

  “I’m good either way, but a walk sounds good.”

  Allison smiled at him, grabbed her purse, and walked beside the stretcher as the orderly smoothly maneuvered it around corners and down the hall into an elevator. Once they reached the ground floor, it wasn’t far to the imaging area. The orderly left him in the corridor and took his chart in to the technician.

  “You must find it boring sitting around while I sleep,” Jack said.

  “Not at all. At least while I’m here, I know you’re getting your proper rest.”

  “Spoken like a doctor,” he said.

  She grinned. “No, more like the fiancée I’m supposed to be.”

  “Ahhh, there is that. I’ll be glad when I get out of here.”

  “Don’t worry. They’ll kick your butt to the sidewalk as soon as they can, especially since they know you have someone to care for you at home.”

  “Speaking of which, I wonder why Mom hasn’t been in today.”

  “It’s early yet. Want me to call her?” Allison asked.

  “No, she’ll arrive soon if I know my mother.”

  The technician came out and wheeled him inside. The scan didn’t take long, and he soon rejoined Allison.

  “That was quick,” Allison said as she stuffed her novel back into her oversized purse.

  “Come closer,” he said as she stood to face him.

  “What do you need?” she asked.

  “Just this.” He pulled her forward for a quick kiss, amused to see a rosy blush work its way into her cheeks as a young man whistled. “You looked so good, I couldn’t resist.”

  “Please try to behave. This is a public hallway,” she said.

  “Certainly a bedridden man can bestow a kiss on his fiancée,” he replied with a grin.

  “Hmmm, I think your headache must be better if you’re acting along those lines.”

  “What? You didn’t want to be kissed?”

  “Of course I did, but not out here.”

  He was still chuckling when the orderly showed up for the return trip through the hospital. When he arrived in his room, Michael was waiting.

  “Hi, Allison. Hey, little brother. How’s the head?”

  “Not sure. It started aching and I’m just back from another CT scan.”

  Michael frowned. “Feel up to answering a few questions?”

  “Sure, but I told you everything I remembered yesterday. Do you have anything new to tell me?”

  “Possibly. Our crime scene unit went over the yard and your truck. They found a few good boot prints they were able to caste. Some in the yard near the pool of brake fluid from your truck, and a couple good ones beyond the pasture bridge.”

  “They could belong to any of the wranglers. What’s your take?”

  Michael nodded. “They could, except that forensics ruled out our wranglers’ footwear. As you know, we all tend to wear cowboy boots. These prints stood out because a work boot made them. They have a very different tread. I know it’s not much to go on, but the team is trying to figure out the make and where that type of boot is sold.”

  “You’re right. It’s not much to go on,” said Jack. “There are probably thousands of work boots sold and worn around here.”

  “True, but not all would have traces of brake fluid on them. He stepped in the puddle. Probably happened when you startled him.”

  “No, he was already moving away from my truck when I jumped in it to go after him. And you still have to find the boot first.”

  “When we find the perp, this could be the evidence that ties him in. It all helps. Now, tell me what you remember about the man.”

  Jack closed his eyes and tried to form the image in his mind. “He was short, much shorter than my six-foot-four, anyway. Maybe six feet or so. Broad shouldered, yet stocky, as if he carried a few extra pounds. He dressed in black, or maybe a dark gray, and wore a baseball type cap, the same color as his clothes. His boots were black, too, now that I think of it. He ran when he saw me, but he wasn’t fast on his feet. I could’ve caught him if I’d had my boots on.”

  “Why were you outside without your boots?”

  “I was avoiding Loreena. Went out for some fresh air and ended up falling asleep.”

  “Could she have had something to do with the damage to your truck?”

  “I suspected her with the flat tire and again when it got keyed, but it wasn’t Loreena outside that night.”

  “She may have hired someone to cause mischief,” Michael suggested.

  Jack started to shake his head and abruptly stopped when the sudden movement caused pain. “No, she landed at the ranch broke because her father cut off her allowance when she got pregnant.”

  “I see. Do you know where I can find her?”

  “Not a clue, Michael, unless she went back to the dorm. I know her family has money, but she never did say where she was from. Anything else?”

  “Yeah, we lifted a partial print off the hacksaw he dropped. Most of the prints were smudged, so we believe he wore gloves while doing his dirty work.”

  “I never noticed, to tell you the truth. Sorry I can’t be more help.”

  “Not a problem, bro. You rest and get better. I’ll figure this out, and when I do, it’s not mischief he’ll be charged with but attempted murder. You don’t tamper with brakes unless you have murder in mind.”

  “Thanks, bro. I know you’ll give it your best.”

  “You bet. Mom said to tell you that she’ll be in later this afternoon. Lacey’s sick so she went to visit her.”

  At Allison’s confused frown, Jack explained. “Lacey is Lucas’s brother’s wife.”

  “Oh, then I guess I haven’t met all the Mannings yet.”

  “She’s also my wife’s mother,” Michael said with a grin.

  “Oh! Rena is so beautiful. I wish I had hair like hers.”

  “She’s a triplet, and all three girls resemble their mother right down to the curly red hair. You’ll get to know everyone before long,” Michael said.

  Dr. Levy walked in and Jack glanced toward his unsmiling face. He didn’t look like the bearer of good news.

  “Jack, if you ever want to get out of here, you need to get your rest,” said Dr. Levy as he approached the bed. “Having company at all hours is not good.”

  “I do rest. Allison, my lovely fiancée, makes me,” he said as he smiled at her. “And this is my brother, Michael, who is also Chief of the R.C.M.P. here in Fort Macleod. He’s investigating the vandalism to my truck that put me here in the first place.”

  “Fine, but no more questions today. The scan showed small amounts of fluid still, but the surgery is holding. I can’t stress enough for you to move around as little as possible during the next forty-eight hours. Your brain needs to heal, and it can’t do that if you keep it bouncing around in there.”

  “My brain bounces? I don’t understand.”

  “Think of shock absorbers on a vehicle. They help prevent the bang, bang, thump to the chassis when you go over a bump. The brain is protected in much the same way. It’s imperative that you lay still so the fluid can drain properly and get you back to normal,” said Allison.

  “Well said,” remarked Dr. Levy. “Otherwise, we’ll have to install a shunt, and you’ll have to live with it for the rest of your life.”

  “What’s the difference?” Jack asked.

  “A shunt will restrict your physical activities and ability. Trust me, you don’t want that.”


  “All right doctors. You’ve made your points. I may not like the enforced immobility, but I’ll be still.”

  “Now, about your visitors…”

  “I’m leaving,” said Michael. “I need to get back to work.”

  “I’ll take off when Jack’s mother arrives, but we all know what he’s been through and we don’t expect him to entertain us. I fetch and carry mostly to save the nurses extra work,” Allison stated.

  “Good. I see you have things under control. I’ll be back when I make my evening rounds.”

  Dr. Levy left the room, and all was quiet for a few minutes.

  “See you later, bro. I best take off.”

  “Okay, Michael. Thanks for stopping in.”

  “Anything you need?” he asked.

  “Not for forty-eight hours at least. Geez, I hate this. I hope you catch that son of a bitch.”

  “I will do my best. Don’t get all worked up about it. Wouldn’t want you to put undue stress on that brain of yours.”

  Jack grinned. “Keep me posted.”

  “Will do.” Michael gave a nod to Allison and walked out the door.

  Allison stood beside the bed. “The doctor is right, Jack. You need to rest as much as you can. I’m here if you need me, but as I told Dr. Levy, I don’t expect you to entertain me.”

  “Good, because I am tired.” He glanced up at her, hoping she’d lean forward a bit more. She did. Her soft lips touched his in a brief caress.

  “Sleep well. I’m just going to sit and catch up on my reading. I haven’t had this much time off since I took over the clinic.”

  “Sounds like you need a rest, too. I wish this bed was wider.”

  “Behave.” She turned the big chair around and moved it so he could see her before she sat and curled up to read. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

  He said, “Okay, darlin’,” but it came out as barely a whisper. The meds worked almost too good, and he drifted off to sleep.

  ****

  Allison sat and tried to read, but her gaze kept straying to Jack. All things considered, he was lucky to be alive. And she was lucky to have him in her life. She watched as a myriad of expressions danced across his face. He smiled, he frowned, he moaned and groaned, but he didn’t awake. He slept right through lunch, but as he was still hooked up to an IV, she didn’t wake him.