A Helluva Man

by Sable Hunter

  When a massive buffalo waddled up to the fence to be petted, Tamara squealed. “What’s your name, big boy?”

  Storm chuckled, taking another photo of Tamara’s smiling face. “This is Gordon, he’s the official mascot of the Zapata Ranch.”

  “He’s not shy, is he?” Tamara petted him through the fence and the big animal cuddled up as close to her as he could get, pushing onto the wire netting as hard as he could. “He’s like a big puppy.”

  They stayed for a few minutes, before Storm decided it was time to leave. “We’ve got to go, Tam. Duty calls.”

  “Okay.” She sighed and waved to the buffalo. “Good-bye Gordon.”

  “Yea, goodbye, Gordon,” Storm joined her in the farewell. “Can you imagine what it would be like if all the other buffalo wanted to be petted?”

  “The fence would fall, for one thing.” Tamara settled herself in the car. “Thanks, for all of that. I loved every minute.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “I can’t believe all of that good stuff is so close to where you live. This is like a wonderland.”

  “Oh, and that’s not all. There’s plenty more and I’ll be glad to show it all to you the next time you visit.” He gave her a wink and a nod, then headed for home.

  “I don’t know when that visit will be. I have plans back home. Big plans.” She trembled with excitement. “Jaxson and I are taking a trip together when I get back.”

  “Lucky man.” Storm patted the steering wheel in time to the music on the radio. “A mighty lucky man.”

  * * *

  The next day promised to be as exciting as the one that came before it. Tamara was up bright and early. She wanted an opportunity to talk to Jaxson before they left. To her disappointment, he didn’t answer. This bothered her. They’d talked a little while the night before, but she’d been so tired from the sight-seeing trip with Storm, she couldn’t keep her eyes open, much less engage in pillow talk.

  “Dang it, I wanted to talk to you.” She had to settle for dropping him a text. Joseph had promised her there would be reception where they were going, but several times the day before she’d noticed her phone showed zero bars. “Oh, well. Maybe later.”

  “Tam, let’s go!” Joseph’s voice called up the stairs.

  She grabbed her bag and hurried down.

  “There’s food in the kitchen, grab you some to go.” Mad informed her. “This is going to be a long day, so fill up. I don’t know when we’ll get to break for lunch.”

  “Slave driver,” she teased him good-naturedly. Actually, she was excited to see how this all would go.

  Once they were ready, they caravanned in two SUV’s, along with the camera crew. Driving out to the location took over an hour and Tamara stood under a pop-up tent for nearly another hour while the crew set everything up.

  Storm was clearly in charge of the shoot, barking orders, and telling people where to go and what he wanted. Maddox mostly sat under the tent with Tamara and a makeup girl and made calls and answered emails.

  “This is a pretty elaborate set up for just a commercial. Is this your first product to produce and distribute?” Tamara asked the older of the brothers at one point while she was getting her makeup applied.

  “No, this isn’t our first, we have several ventures going. With all of the mountain springs on our property, coming up with a specialty drink seemed like a no-brainer.”

  “I’m excited. I think this is a great energy booster.”

  “I’m glad you’re involved. I think our association is going to be very profitable to us all.” He tapped his tablet. “You’d be surprised Tamara. This commercial won’t just be on television, it will be seen by millions of people online, millions who we’re hoping will feel compelled to rush out and buy a can of Fever energy drink.”

  Tamara suddenly felt uncomfortable.

  Maddox spotted the tension settle onto her shoulders. “Relax, you’re going to be great and we know what we’re doing.” They watched Storm out in the sun, fussing with angles and set-ups. He was demanding to his crew, but they quickly followed his orders.

  The noonday sun was in full-force when they finally start shooting. Tamara was nervous and made a few mistakes. Once, she forgot her lines, and another time she didn’t look at the right camera.” “I’m sorry,” she said after riding out of the frame too quickly in a shot that Storm had set-up right in front of an outcropping of rocks.

  “Don’t be, you’re doing great.” For all his bluster and barking orders at the crew, Storm treated her as kindly today as he had yesterday. He gave her breaks when Tamara seemed to be getting frustrated and reassured her she was doing fine. “We’ve got some good takes already. We just need a few more.”

  Two takes later, Storm pulled her to the side while the next shot was being set up. “Listen. Tamara. I know the drink is awful, but please try to keep it down.”

  He was referencing a failed take where she’d swallowed the drink wrong and coughed a bit up. “Oh no. It tastes great,” Tamara immediately answered back.

  A wink from Mad was all it took to tell her Storm was kidding and her nerves settled.

  After the next shot, Storm called, “Cut! One more and it’s a wrap!”

  The sun was on its way down and they would need to hurry to set up for the final shot a few miles down a winding path. “Everybody into the SUB’s,” Storm announced in a loud voice. “We need to get moving.”

  As they were loading up, Joseph got a phone call. “Hold up!” He held up a finger. After a few seconds of listening, he called to Tamara. “Is your phone off?”

  “Yea, I didn’t want to disturb anyone.”

  “What’s going on?” Maddox asked, coming over to join Tam.

  “Is something wrong?” Storm asked, slamming the back door of the SUV where he’d just stored his equipment.

  Joseph nodded. “Yea, I’m afraid so.” Coming to Tamara with a serious look on his face, he held out the phone. “It’s for you.”

  Tamara looked around, afraid of what she was about to hear. “Hello?”

  “Tammy. It’s me. Pepper.”

  Tamara’s heart skipped a beat. “Pepper?”

  Why would Jaxson’s sister be calling her?

  “It’s Jaxson.” Pepper said in a panicked voice. “There’s been an accident.”

  “Oh, God. An accident?” She walked a few feet away, feeling claustrophobic, as if she couldn’t get enough air when she took a breath. “Is he okay?” Worry filled her like a drowning wave, pulling her down into despair.

  “One of the ranch hands didn’t see him when he was backing up a truck with a trailer hitched behind it. He got pinned between the trailer and the fence.”

  “Is he okay, Pepper?” she asked again, her voice trembling.

  Pepper began to sob on the other end of the line. “He’s alive, but the truck crushed his leg, the one they just took out of the cast.”

  “Crushed?” She could barely say the word. “What do the doctors say?”

  There was a slight hesitation, then Pepper answered. “He just went into surgery a few minutes ago. Can you come home?”

  Tamara was in shock. She looked from Joseph to the Connelly brothers. They were all staring at her with sympathy in their eyes. “Of course, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Before Pepper could hang up, she gasped and sobbed. “Pepper, tell him I love him.”

  “I will,” she promised. “I certainly will. Just hurry. Okay?”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “You can take our jet,” Maddox told them. “I’ll call and have it fueled and ready while you’re on the way to the airport.”

  “Thanks, Mad.” Joseph took his phone from Tamara, who was just standing there with her mouth open in hopeless disbelief.

  Storm came to give her a hug. “Everything will be okay,” he assured her, then placed a hand on her shoulder. “If you ever need anything, call. Okay?”

  Tamara hugged him back. She was so scared. “Pepper’s voice sounded funny. I�
�m afraid they aren’t telling me everything.”

  “Don’t think that way,” Storm tried to comfort her. “I’m sure he’ll be just fine.”

  Tamara was trembling. “Thanks, you’re right, but what about the commercial?”

  “I’ve got everything I need,” Storm assured her. “It’ll be perfect. You just go take care of your man.”

  Tamara began to cry. He was her man and if anything happened to him, she didn’t know how she’d go on.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  The three-hour flight felt like a lifetime to Tamara. She kept praying he wasn’t hurt badly or in pain. Knowing how miserable and antsy Jaxson was to get the cast taken off, she couldn’t imagine how a setback like this would affect him.

  Joseph tried to talk to her, tried to console her, but nothing gave her much solace. She was too worried about Jaxson.

  As soon as the plane landed, her sponsor hailed a cab and they rushed to the hospital. When they arrived, Ryder and Pepper met her at the elevator. Joseph spoke to them, but saw Heath standing down the hall, and left to get his news from him.

  “Can I see him? Is he okay?” she asked, frantic, her voice trembling. Without waiting for a response, she just started down the hall, not even knowing if she was going in the right direction.

  “Wait, Tamara. We have to tell you something.”

  Ryder’s voice sounded so sad, Tam started sobbing. “Did he… Is he… Oh, God!”

  “No. no.” Pepper hugged her close. “He’s alive. It was just so much worse than we expected.”

  “What? Oh, no! Please let me see him!”

  Ryder rubbed her arms, trying to soothe her. “The doctor couldn’t save his leg. They had to amputate.”

  “Amputate?” Shock and grief slammed into her like a sledge hammer. “Oh, my god, poor Jaxson.” She knew how much competing and being active meant to him. This wasn’t to say he would lose these things, but there would necessarily be a long adjustment period. “I just don’t want him to be in pain. I love him so much,” she confessed to his sisters in a rush of tears. “Please take me to him.”

  “The doctor said the surgery was a success,” Pepper told her gently, putting a steadying arm around her. “He’s not in any danger but he’s still deep under the influence of the anesthetic. We can take you in, but I doubt he will be awake anytime soon.”

  “I need to see him.” Tam pulled briskly away from Pepper’s comforting embrace. She’d apologize for the rude action later, right now she couldn’t get to Jaxson fast enough. “Which way?”

  Pepper and Ryder walked her down the hall. As they passed the nurse’s station, she could see Joseph with Heath and someone else. As she moved closer, she saw it was Tennessee who’d joined them. Jaxson’s eldest brother came over to speak to her. “Glad you’re here. He’ll need you.”

  “Of course, I’m here. Where else would I be?” Her question went unanswered. She knew they all felt the same way.

  “Dammit!” Tennessee slammed the palm of his hand into the white brick wall. “Riding bulls, breaking broncs, and taking care of the ranch is his damn life, Heath,” he snapped.

  Heath whirled around and squared his shoulders. “Stop it. We have to be strong for him. He’s going to be just fine, dammit!”

  “How do you know that?” Tennessee seemed almost inconsolable.

  “Because I won’t have it any other way!” Heath shouted, drawing a cautioning look from a nurse who was passing by.

  “He’s going to be okay, Ten. We’re all going to be with him through this.” Pepper came to console her brother, but he drew back from her hug quickly and stormed down the hall, wiping tears from his cheeks as he went.

  Heath stopped Pepper from going after him. “Let him go. He’s dealing with a lot right now.”

  Ryder pushed Tamara’s hair off her shoulder and whispered in her ear. “Tennessee is going through something with his ex. He just learned the baby she’s carrying is his.”

  “I knew there was a possibility.” Tamara nodded. “I’m sure all of this together takes a toll.” As much as she felt for the family, she needed to see the man she loved. “Please take me to Jaxson.”

  “Come on, sweetie,” Ryder took her hand and they hurried down the hall to the second door on the right.

  As they moved away from the men, Tamara saw Cato Vincent hovering nearby. She knew the woman’s relationship with Heath was new and understanding the feeling, she took a moment to speak to her, making sure Cato could read her lips. “Hello, Cato. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I wanted to be here for all of you.” She took Tamara’s hand. “I feel so bad for Jaxson, but he has a wonderful family to support him.”

  “Yes, he does,” she agreed. “He has his family and he has me.”

  Cato joined them as they moved toward the recovery room where Jaxson was being monitored. When they came to the door, Ryder cautioned Tam. “Remember, he’s been through a lot.”

  Tamara braced herself, but seeing Jaxon laying motionless in the bed, tubes all over the place, scared her to death. “Oh, please no…” The blipping and binging of the machines surrounding his bed seemed so ominous and scary.

  Pepper was at her side, this time placing a hand on her shoulder. “I know it looks bad, but he’s going to be okay.”

  “He has to be. He just has to be.” Jaxson’s head turned slightly to one side and she rushed to him, taking his hand. “I’m here Jaxson.” She leaned down to kiss him on the cheek and whisper in his ear. “It’s Tamara. I’m here and I love you so much.”

  He stirred at her words. “Tam.” He muttered a few other words, but the one she hung on to with her heart and soul was the last one. “Love.” He loved her! His admission made Tamara cry harder. This shouldn’t be how they were sharing this moment. “I just want to wrap my arms around him and take away all his pain.”

  “I know, I know.” Ryder stood on the other side of Jaxson, holding his hand.

  Tamara kissed his cheek again. “Wake up, baby. I need you so.”

  “He’s under heavy sedation, as you can imagine,” Pepper whispered as their eyes scanned down Jaxson’s body. The hospital blankets were heavy and white, but there was no escaping the horrible fact that one of his legs was missing. Tamara’s heart ached at the sight. Not for herself, she would love this man with all her heart no matter what. No, she hurt for him, she knew how he loved to live and how this loss would affect so many things in his life. She knew there was nothing he couldn’t learn to do, but there was no question he would be devastated.

  A large hand placed on her shoulder made Tam glance around. Heath stood beside her. “There just wasn’t anything they could do to save it,” Heath said sadly. “He is going to whoop my ass when he wakes up for letting them take it.”

  “I bet he does.” Tamara tried to smile through the tears.

  “We gave him a hard time,” Heath continued his musings. “Called him Peg-leg a few times when he was on the crutches. Of course, he would’ve done the same thing to one of us.” He wiped his eyes. “I wish we hadn’t done that, though.”

  “He won’t think you were too hard on him, Heath,” Tamara said softly. “Jaxson knew it was all in good fun, he told me so himself. He won’t harbor any ill will to you or anybody else. This was an accident, a horrible accident.”

  The family watched as Tamara went to Jaxson one more time, kissing him on the forehead, then bringing her hand down to settle on what was now a stump where part of Jaxson’s leg had been removed. She didn’t recoil from the feeling or even flinch. This was Jaxson now. This change in his body didn’t make him any less of a man or change him one whit in her eyes.

  * * *

  No one wanted to leave. As the tedious hours passed, Tamara sat with the family in the waiting room, keeping vigil for the moment Jaxson would awaken. Other members of the clan came to keep watch too. Philip, of course, and Jaxson’s father, Christian with his faithful nurse, Olivia. The Tebow tribe arrived in full force, also. Aron and Libby. Jacob a
nd Jessie. Isaac and Avery. Noah and Skye. Tamara spent a few minutes with each of them. There was no doubt in any of their minds that she was a part of Jaxson’s life.

  The hour grew late and one by one, the family drifted home to catch a few hours sleep. Heath was reluctant to leave. “I need to be here.”

  Cato, who’d never left his side, urged him to go get some rest. “Go,” she told him. “I’m off tomorrow. You have some meetings you shouldn’t miss. I’ll stay here with Tamara.” Everyone understood that Tam was there for the long haul.

  “Are you sure? I could cancel everything, Jaxson’s more important than any damn business deal.”

  Tamara nodded her agreement. “You heard the doctor. He’ll be out for a while. If he comes to, we’ll call.”

  “I know.” Heath pushed his hat back on his head. “I thought Chelsea would be here by now. Did anyone call her?”

  “I don’t know,” Tamara admitted. “I’ll do it. She’ll want to be here.” She wasn’t surprised no one was thinking clearly, this had been one of the longest days of her life. First, the shooting in Colorado, then sitting on a plane for a three-hour ride after hearing Jaxson was in the hospital. The whole thing felt like a nightmare, she kept waiting to wake up. Stepping off to one side, she phoned Jaxson’s friend.

  “Hello.” Her voice sounded sleepy.

  Glancing at her watch, Tamara realized it was after midnight. “Chelsea, this is Tamara. I’m sorry to wake you. Jaxson’s been hurt.”

  After that announcement, little more had to be said. Chelsea promised to be in Austin soon after daybreak.

  …A couple of hours later, Tamara and Cato sat in the room with Jaxson. They’d passed tissues back and forth. Tam knew she’d shed a lake’s worth of tears in the hours since finding out about Jaxson’s accident. She leaned her head back against the wall, never taking her eyes off her beloved as he lay there sleeping. A gentle snoring drew her attention and Tamara saw Cato’s head tilted to one side on the edge of her chair.

  “Oh, my. She’ll have a sore neck when she wakes up.” Rising, she made her way around the bed, glancing at Jaxson’s sleeping face as she went. He was in the exact same position he’d been in since she got there. She knew he was just under sedation, but he looked so lifeless and still, a way she’d never seem him look before. Her heart ached for him.