"You sure you want that horse's tail to be blue?" Wade asked, his voice low.
"Do you think I should change it?"
"I guess it's your horse so you can do whatever you want. If you want it to be pink with purple polka dots, have at it."
"It's for Caroline, not for me, and she likes blue. She told me. It reminds her of the ocean in the summer. She lives by the ocean, did you know that?"
"I did."
"I asked her if she could go swimming anytime she wants and she said the water is kind of cold where she lives but she still likes to walk on the beach and look for seashells and sand dollars and take her shoes off so she can jump over the little waves."
"That sounds fun."
"And she said we could come visit her sometime in California and she would take us to find starfish and stuff. Can we, Dad?"
"We'll see," Wade whispered, an odd look in his eyes. "Looks like you're about done there."
"Yeah. It's a get-better card. Grandma and me made one for Molly Johnson when she had the chicken pox. You think Caroline will like it?"
Before she could answer that of course she would, she saw Wade give a slow smile then kiss the top of Tanner's head. "She'll love it because you made it for her," he said in that same low voice.
As she studied those two male heads so close together, one so masculine and dark and strong, the other small and darling, Caroline's pain faded for just a moment, overwhelmed by a stunning realization.
She was in love with him.
It poured over her, through her, an inexorable, undeniable wash of emotion.
In love with Wade Dalton. Of all the idiotic things for her to do!
Her chest hurt, but she was certain the pain had nothing to do with her cracked ribs and everything to do with her cracked head. She had to be crazy to let things come to this.
What was she thinking? Why hadn't she protected herself better? Made some effort to toughen her spine, her mind, her heart?
She tried to tell herself that was just the painkiller talking, giving her all kinds of weird delusions, but she couldn't quite make herself buy that explanation.
The worst of it was realizing she'd been sliding down this precarious path a little more each moment since she'd arrived at the Cold Creek. Surely she could have switched direction at some point along the journey if only she'd been awake enough to see in front of herself.
She had ignored the signs along the way, unwilling to face the truth until she'd been literally knocked off her feet.
Oh, this was bad. Seriously bad. She was going to end up more battered and broken by loving Wade Dalton than just a few paltry cracked ribs and a gouged thigh.
She thought of the article Darci Perez had mentioned earlier in the afternoon, another lifetime ago, it seemed. "Top Ten Best Ways to Guarantee a Happy, Fulfilling Life."
She had written it several months ago and couldn't remember everything in it but she was fairly sure that nowhere in there did she mention that one of those ways to guarantee happiness was to fall head over heels for a workaholic rancher who didn't trust her, didn't like her, and who was still grieving for his late wife.
She must have made some sound of distress—she wasn't entirely sure but she must have done something to draw attention because both of the males at the writing table swiveled their heads in her direction at the same time.
"Caroline! You're awake!" Tanner beamed with delight.
Wade studied her intently and she flushed, praying her emotions weren't exposed somehow for all to see. He approached the bed and she dug her fingers into the quilt.
"Did we wake you?" he asked. "We tried to be quiet but I'm afraid that was a losing battle."
Her mouth suddenly felt as if she'd been chewing sandpaper in her sleep and she could do nothing but shake her head.
He instinctively seemed to sense her need. From the bedside table next to her, he picked up a pitcher and ice rattled as he poured a glass of water and handed it to her. She took it gratefully and sipped until she thought she might be able to squeeze out a word or two.
"Thank you," she murmured and her voice sounded rough, scratchy.
How long had she been sleeping? she wondered. It was dark and Tanner was in pajamas, so it must have been more than a few hours.
"How do you feel?" Wade asked when she lowered the glass.
"Like I should have tire tread marks somewhere on my person."
He gave a sympathetic smile. "No tread marks that I can see. Maybe a hoofprint or two."
She winced and tried to move to a more comfortable position. She realized as she moved that she was wearing her nightgown. She frowned trying to remember how she had changed out of the clothes she'd been wearing when she'd been gored, but she couldn't grab hold of it.
She had worn what was left of her clothes home from the clinic, hadn't she? Much of the afternoon felt like a big blur. Someone here at the ranch had to have helped her change into her nightgown. Wade? she wondered and flushed at the thought.
"Where are the others?" she asked to distract herself.
"Cody didn't have much of a nap so he crashed right after dinner. And Nat's in doing homework."
"What time is it?"
"Almost eight. I gave this one a few more minutes but it's just about bedtime for him, too."
Tanner walked to the side of the bed, his picture in his outstretched hand. "I made you a get-better card."
He set it carefully on the quilt and she picked it up, touched by his effort. "It's beautiful. I especially like the blue tail on the horse."
He grinned at his dad. "See? Told you she'd like it!"
Wade rubbed his hair. "So you did. Maybe Caroline would like us to tape it up somewhere that she could see it all the time. How about there by the bed?"
"Perfect," she said as Tanner rummaged in the desk and emerged triumphant with some tape. The next few minutes were spent watching him hang it crookedly on the wall.
"Thank you so much," she exclaimed when it was done. "You know what? It's working! I feel better already."
He beamed and fluttered his hands. "Hey, guess what? Uncle Jake took off my bandage when he came to check on you a while ago and he said I could leave it off since it's looking good."
"Great news!"
"Yeah, and I can get it wet and everything! I had a bath and I could play with my boats with both hands."
Wade stepped in and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Okay, bud. Time to hit the sack. We've got a big day tomorrow."
Something important was happening the next day. She knew it but she couldn't seem to grab hold of what that might be.
"We're gonna play basketball and clean out the toy box and maybe make brownies if Dad can figure out how."
No, that wasn't it. She closed her eyes but still couldn't figure it out.
When she opened them, Wade was watching her, his blue eyes dark with concern.
"Go on up and find a book and I'll be up to read to you in a minute," he told his son.
The boy nodded, then smiled. "Night, Caroline."
She reached out and squeezed his fingers. "Good night."
Tanner hesitated for a moment by her bedside then, before she knew what he intended, he bent over and kissed her cheek, leaving behind the sweet smell of just-washed little boy.
"Thanks for helping me save the kitten. I would have been sad if a cow stepped on her but I'm real sorry you got hurt."
"Me, too. But I'm glad you were safe."
After Tanner left, Wade pulled his chair to her side, watching her with a strange, inscrutable expression on his face.
"You need another pain pill. I'm on strict orders to make you eat something before you take one. I can't claim to be a great cook but Mom left some soup in the freezer and I can heat you some. Beef barley."
She didn't want to eat and she certainly didn't want another pill. But already the pain was building and she knew it would only get worse if she didn't take something for it.
"I'm sorry to be a bothe
r," she said. "I know you have so much to do…."
Suddenly it hit her and she remembered the scene with the TV crew that had led up to her accident. "The interview. You've got the news interview tomorrow. You don't have time to babysit me."
"It's all under control," he assured her.
"How?"
"Don't worry about it. I'm going to go in and warm up some soup for you then you can take a pill and rest."
She laid back on the pillow, too weak and sore and heartsick to argue.
Chapter Thirteen
Twenty-four hours after leaving the clinic, Caroline felt as if that blow to the head she'd taken had permanently jostled her brain.
Either that or she had somehow slipped through the rabbit hole into some alternate universe.
She studied Wade standing in the doorway with a tray of more of the ubiquitous soup and scarcely recognized him. Who was this man and what had he done with the distant, taciturn rancher she'd come to know since arriving at the Cold Creek?
Wade had been nothing but solicitous and concerned since her accident. All day he had played nursemaid, fetching and carrying and even just sitting with her.
She had awakened in the night from a terrible dream where a vast herd of cows with glowing red eyes chased her down the beach, their heads down and their horns swinging until she had no choice but to dive into the surf to evade those vicious horns.
When she jerked her eyes open, gasping for breath, she found Wade dozing in the chair, his stocking feet propped on the bed beside her and a ranching magazine open across his chest.
She found him surprisingly vulnerable in sleep, without the hard edges and harsh lines on his features during the day.
Without the burdens and cares he carried when awake, he looked young, relaxed, and she grieved for this man who had lost so much and who could only release the load of his responsibilities while he slept.
She watched him for a long time, wondering how many opportunities she would have to share this kind of quiet moment with him. Her feelings for him were a heavy ache in her chest and she wondered what she would possibly do with them after she left the Cold Creek.
Sometime during her scrutiny, his eyes opened and she was completely disarmed when his cheeks colored and he dropped his stocking feet to the carpet.
"Sorry." He rubbed a hand through his hair. "Guess I fell asleep."
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
He shrugged. "You've had a concussion. I'm supposed to check on you through the night."
"I don't think that requires an all-night vigil, do you?"
"I promised Jake I would follow orders. He said to keep an eye on you through the night, so that's what I'm doing. Or that's what I'm supposed to be doing anyway. I won't fall asleep again."
Completely astonished, she stared at him, not knowing how to respond. "You can't stay up all night! I'm sure that's not what Jake meant. Tomorrow's a big day for you, with the TV interview and all. You need your sleep."
He closed the magazine and set it on the desk, not meeting her gaze. "Seth and I decided he would take care of the interview. He knows as much as I do about ranch operations. They shot plenty of footage of me spouting off today before your accident. I told Darci the reporter will just have to use that if he wants me included in the story."
Maybe if her brain weren't so fuzzy from the pain and the pills, she could figure this out. As it was, nothing he was saying made sense. "So you're not going to do the interview?"
"No. Seth is."
"But why? This is an important opportunity for you to showcase the Cold Creek and the improvements you've made."
"Yeah, and Seth can do that as well as I can. Better, probably. He's young, good-looking and has a hell of a lot more charm. All that will play well on camera."
She wondered if Wade had any idea that while Seth was extremely good-looking and probably flirted in his sleep, he reminded her of a young, playful pup compared to his older brother.
Wade was rugged, masculine, compelling. No woman who saw him on or off camera would ever be able to forget him.
Why had Wade suddenly decided to delegate the important interview to his brother?
While she tried to puzzle it out, she shifted to find a better position and wanted to smack her forehead when the answer came to her.
Her. He was doing this because of her. "You think you need to stay here and babysit me. That's why you're having Seth do the interview."
"Don't worry about it. We've got everything worked out."
"I will worry about it. I can't let you make that kind of sacrifice for me. I can take care of myself, Wade."
"You can't even get out of bed by yourself right now."
"You don't have to feel responsible for me!"
"I am responsible for you."
"Since when?"
He met her glare with a level look. "Since you nearly died saving my son's life."
She let out a breath, embarrassed by the depth of gratitude in his eyes. "Don't be silly. You don't owe me a thing."
"I owe you everything." His voice, low and intense, sent shivers down her spine. "If you hadn't been there, Tanner would have been trampled or worse in that corral."
"Wade—"
"No sense arguing about it. Seth is going to take over for me for a few days while the kids and I get you back on your feet. That includes doing the interview."
A few days? Wade Dalton was taking time off work during what she had quickly come to learn was his busiest time of the year for her?
"I…You can't do that."
"It's done." Suddenly he gave her a disarming smile. If she weren't already in bed, he would have knocked the pins right out from under her with it. "Besides, my mother—your new stepmother—would never forgive me if I didn't take proper care of you, especially with the circumstances of how you were injured. I can hear her now lecturing me all about bad karma and all that. Now let's get you something for the pain I can tell is coming back nastier than a one-legged dog with fleas."
She hadn't known how to answer him the night before and she still didn't know what to say as she studied him in the doorway, the boys on either side of him. Tanner held a pitcher in his hand and Cody had what she assumed was an empty plastic cup.
"Lunch time." Wade smiled.
"Hi, Caroline," Tanner chirped. "We made soup and a cheese san'wich. My dad made it and everything."
Wade shrugged, his cheeks suspiciously ruddy. "I opened a can and threw a piece of cheese and bread under the broiler. Sorry, but that's about the best I can do unless I'm standing in front of a barbecue grill."
"I'm sure it will be delicious," she said.
"Sit by Care." The youngest Dalton beamed, holding his arms up for her.
"You'll have to have your dad help you up," she told Cody.
Wade set the tray on the table by the bed. "Better not. He might bump your ribs or your leg."
"Then I'll scream bloody murder and hand him back to you."
He shook his head. "It's your funeral."
He lifted the toddler up and Cody gave her a big, toothy smile like he hadn't seen her in months. He held out his arms and hugged her, tucking his head beneath her chin. It did hurt but she decided a little pain was a small price to pay to hold a sweet, loving little boy who smelled of sunshine and baby lotion.
"Hey Dad, can I sit up there with Caroline, too?" Tanner asked.
"You'd better not. You're a little bigger and tougher than your brother."
Tanner's heart didn't seem to be broken by that news. "Well, can I go back and watch Blue's Clues then?"
Wade considered. "Stay by the TV, though. No wandering around outside and no going in the kitchen."
"Okay," Tanner promised and hurried out of the room with a quick wave to Caroline.
"Can you eat like that?" Wade asked.
Caroline settled the boy next to her, on the other side from her injured leg. "We'll be just fine, won't we, Cody?"
The toddler nodded and cuddled
closer. To her surprise, Wade pulled up a chair while she tackled her lunch.
"You don't have to stay," she murmured, a little uncomfortable at him watching her eat.
"I'd better, just so I can keep the kid there from giving you a judo chop to the leg."
"He's fine. I think he's going to be asleep in a minute."
Sure enough, before she even tasted her soup, his eyes were half-closed and a moment later he was out for the count. He moved a little closer, bumping her leg, but she wasn't about to complain.
"He's a beautiful boy," she said with a smile. "All three of your children are. You know, I can see bits of you in Nat and Tanner but Cody is his own little man."
She paused, debating the merits of pressing forward, then took the plunge anyway. "From what I can tell, he resembles the pictures I've seen of your late wife."
Wade said nothing for a long moment, then he nodded slowly. "He does. If you looked at baby pictures of Andrea, you would swear you're looking at Cody. She had the same brown eyes and blond hair, the same dimples, the same full bottom lip."
He paused. "And you know, their personalities are similar in a lot of ways. He's got the same sunny disposition and same easygoing attitude toward life. I'm sure you've noticed Cody is a cuddler and Andrea was happiest when we were all sprawled together on the couch watching a movie."
She smiled, touched that he would share this piece of his past with her. "What a wonderful blessing that you've been given these three beautiful children so you can remember your wife whenever you look at them. Especially this one."
"They are a blessing. Every one of them." He paused, a faraway look in his eyes. Not pain, precisely. Just memories.
When he spoke, his voice was low and she sensed instinctively he was telling her something he didn't share easily.
"I couldn't even look at Cody for a week or so after Andi's death," he said slowly. "It was such a crazy time and I was…lost inside. Totally messed up. My wife was gone and here was this bawling newborn baby who needed so much, along with Tanner who wasn't much more than a baby himself and Natalie who was old enough to know what was going on."
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