The Davenport Christmas Chronicles
Page 16
“Uh-huh, right.”
I sighed. “I should get going. My flight leaves early and I still need to pack.”
“Okay, honey. Text me when you leave and when you get there—”
“And text you the room number and everything else,” I interrupted. “I know the drill.”
She chuckled. “Good.”
“Don’t say anything to Mouse, okay?”
“Just let the record reflect I’m doing that under duress.”
“So noted,” I said.
“Okay, have fun and be safe.”
“I will,” I promised, then hung up and finalized my packing, grateful that the next two weeks would be biker-free.
Mouse
Monday morning, I woke up with the hangover from hell. After leaving Kennedy’s place, I’d walked into the barn to find Olivia and a couple of the old ladies attempting to add yet more decorations to the tree. Drunk.
Their husbands were trying to help, but by the time Olivia started giggling, it was like a domino effect, and their feminine guffaws lasted long enough for the men to tap a keg and join them. I grabbed a solo cup, filled it to the brim, and partied with my club, trying my damndest not to text Kennedy to make sure she was okay.
Last night, I’d come to the conclusion, in my beer haze, that I had to give her space, not because I believed she really wanted it, but because she’d asked for it.
Today, however, I’d decided all of it was bullshit. The last thing Kennedy needed was space. She spiraled when she was alone, and I’d made a promise to Remington I’d keep an eye on her.
I dragged my ass outta bed and made a pot of coffee as I tried to figure out what to do about Kennedy.
“...yeah, honey, no problem,” Olivia said, speaking with someone on the phone. “I have your key, it’s all good. Go, have fun.” She glanced at me. “Lips are sealed. Promise.”
Well, shit.
I raised an eyebrow at my president’s woman and crossed my arms.
“See you when you get back.” She hung up and smiled at me. “Morning.”
“Who were you talking to?”
“Nobody.”
I shook my head. “Jesus, you’re a shit liar.”
She shrugged. “Not really my problem.”
“Everything okay with Kennedy?”
She poured herself a cup of coffee. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Liv, seriously.”
She sighed. “She went skiing.”
“That wasn’t until next week.”
“She left early.”
I sighed. “Right. You checkin’ on her place?”
“Yes.”
“I’d be happy to do it.”
Olivia grinned. “I’m sure you would. But she asked me to do it, so I’m going to do it.”
I nodded “Where’d she go this year?”
“Nope. If she didn’t disclose her location, there’s no way in hell I’m going to.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“Mama!” Doc and Olivia’s toddler, Chloe, came running into the room, followed closed by Doc who was holding her twin brother, Phoenix.
“I was hoping you’d sleep in, baby girl,” Olivia said, picking her up and kissing her neck.
“She woke Nix,” Doc said with a sigh. “I could hear her babbling to him through the monitor.”
“Lord, the two of them together are gonna be hell on wheels when they get older.”
“They’re hell on wheels now,” Doc said.
Olivia smiled. “This is very, very true.”
“I’m gonna head out unless you need me,” I said.
“Go before the mayhem really starts,” Olivia suggested, and I grinned.
“You still plannin’ on being here tonight for family night?” Doc asked.
“I think so.”
He gave me a chin lift, and I made my way back to my room, sending Kennedy a text on my way.
Which she ignored.
In fact, she ignored every text I sent her, and it was beginning to piss me off, so Tuesday afternoon, I did something desperate. I called Remington.
She answered immediately. “How did you hear? Jesus, she didn’t want you to know.”
“Know what?”
“Um. Shit. Nothing,” she stuttered.
“Remington, you need to fuckin’ spit it out,” I hissed.
“Hold on.”
“Mouse?”
Remington had handed her phone to her old man, Finch.
Fuck me.
“Jesus, Finch, how fuckin’ bad is this?” I growled.
“Bad enough that Rem’s been sworn to secrecy.”
I dragged my hand down my face. “What?”
“Kennedy’s been in an accident.”
“What the fuck?” I hissed.
“She broke her leg skiing.”
“Jesus,” I hissed. “When?”
Kennedy was a crazy good skier, and she and a few friends took a trip every year somewhere she could do just that. Last year it was Tahoe, but she hadn’t filled me in on the plan this year, probably because she was trying to break it off with me.
“A couple hours ago,” Finch said. “She was scheduled for surgery this afternoon, but they postponed to tomorrow, because they wanted to wait for the ortho specialist.”
“Where is she?”
“Breckenridge,” he said. “St. Anthony Medical Center.”
“Colorado?”
“Yeah.”
I frowned. “Is her family with her?”
“No. She went alone.”
“What the fuck do you mean she went alone?” I growled.
“Yeah, I hear ya, brother.” He sighed. “Remington just confessed that little nugget of information.”
“Right. I’m gonna let you go,” I said, and hung up, vibrating with rage and fear. I stopped by Doc’s office on my way up to my room to pack. Knocking on the door, he bid me entrance, and I pushed the door open. “I need to head out for a few days.”
“Where and why?” he asked.
“Colorado. Kennedy’s had an accident.”
“Fuck, seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Go, brother. Take all the time you need.”
I nodded and headed up to my room. I found the last redeye and paid, then packed a bag, and made my way downstairs.
“Hey,” Rabbit said, smiling. “Heard you’re heading to Colorado.”
“I am.”
“I’m your ride to the airport,” he said.
“Yeah? Thanks, man.”
“When do you need to be there?” Rabbit asked.
“Flight’s in three hours,” I said. “But if you wanna take me now, that’d be good.”
“Yeah, brother, let’s go.”
I nodded and followed him out to his truck.
* * *
Kennedy
“Close the door, brother,” Mouse said, and Shadow nodded, sliding the door closed.
“Mouse—”
“Shut it,” he growled, cutting me off.
“Oh my god,” I breathed out. “Do not ever talk to me that way. I’m leaving.”
He grabbed my arm gently again to stop me from sliding my butt toward the door. “Lace, I’m about to lose my religion, and you’re not leaving this goddamn van until you hear me out.”
“What?” I snapped.
“Look at me.”
I took a minute to steel myself, then met his eyes.
“No one will ever understand your proclivities like I will,” he said. “No one will ever fulfill those proclivities, while protecting you, body and soul, like I will.
“Mouse—”
“Remember when I tied you to the bed and slid that vibrator into your ass while I fucked your pussy? Remember how safe you felt, and how many goddamn orgasms I gave you?”
I squirmed. Yes, yes, I did remember that. He’d tied my wrists in a manner that gave me the ability to escape if I needed to. It was his way of erasing the Seth tape and replacing
it with a good memory. As I recalled, he also attached clothespins to my nipples, and they’d stung in the best of ways. I was wet just thinking about it.
“I love you,” he said, and it was such a shock to my system, I broke a little.
But there was no way in hell I was going to let him see that.
“Take it back,” I rasped.
“No,” he said, smiling gently. “I’m not goin’ anywhere, Kennedy. I love you and I’m in this. Forever.”
“You’re going to make yourself miserable.”
“And that’s my choice.”
I let out a quiet hiss. “You’re choosing to love someone who has no intention of loving you back?”
“Baby, you already love me and I’m willin’ to wait until your brain catches up with your heart.”
“Well, that makes you an idiot,” I retorted.
“Maybe. But I’m willing to take the risk.” He squeezed my hand. “Word of warning, though, baby. You dance with anyone in there who has a dick, I’m gonna break his fuckin’ legs.”
I let out a series of curses and jumped out of the van. “Fuck you, Declan Schneider. You’re an asshole.”
He laughed in response.
I awoke in excruciating pain and cried out even as I pushed the pain pump button. God, I couldn’t believe I was here. I’d skied my ass off, had the time of my life, then rode the lift back up the mountain and hit a fucking tree on the way down. My leg broke my fall. Compound fracture which required surgery.
My door opened and light filtered in from the hallway as a woman walked in, pumping hand sanitizer into her palm. “Kennedy, honey, you okay?”
The morphine worked almost immediately, and I nodded. “I am now.”
“I’m Sawyer. I’ll be your nurse for the next twelve hours,” she said. “Can I get you anything?”
“A burger?”
She chuckled. “After your surgery, you can negotiate a burger.”
I licked my lips. “How about water?”
“I’ll ask the doctor,” she said. “Is there anyone we can call for you?”
I shook my head. “My parents are on a cruise so they’re not reachable right now, but I’ve left messages for my brothers. I’m just not sure how soon they’ll be able to get here.”
“Well, I’ll be here before surgery and after, so I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Sawyer, I appreciate that.”
“No problem.” She checked my vitals and then left me to sleep.
Kennedy
A quiet, deep voice broke into my oblivion and I groaned. I had no concept of what time it was, just that I was in pain again. I pressed the pump, but it was too soon, so nothing happened.
“I’ll call you back,” Mouse said.
Wait.
“Mouse?” I rasped.
“Hey, baby.” I felt his hand slide into mine. “Can you open your eyes?”
“No,” I said.
“How come?”
“Because this is obviously some twisted dream, and you’re not really here.”
He chuckled, and I felt the tickle of his beard as he kissed my palm. “Open your eyes, baby.”
I forced them open and forced back tears. “What are you doing here?”
“We’ll talk about that after your surgery.”
“No, we can talk about it now,” I countered. “If we talk now, you won’t yell at me for not telling you where I was going and what I was doing.”
“Yeah, well, you got that fuckin’ right.”
“How did you know I was here?” I demanded. “Did Rem blab?”
“No, Remington did not ‘blab.’ Finch did.”
“Same diff.”
He sighed. “Why the fuck would you ski Devils Crotch, alone, Kennedy?”
“I wasn’t exactly alone.”
“Swear to Christ, woman, you better stop fuckin’ with me and start talkin’.”
I pulled my hand out of his, but he pulled it back, kissing the palm again.
“It’s not like I’ve never skied it before, Mouse,” I pointed out.
“Babe, I know you can ski your ass off. But you’ve been here for barely a day. You don’t think you might want to warm up to it?”
“Yeah, well, my bad.”
“Jesus,” he hissed. “You seriously fuckin’ makin’ light of this?”
“No. I’m high.” I groaned. “Obviously.”
“Are you in pain?”
“No.” I blinked back tears. “I’m just really scared.”
He sat on the edge of the mattress, making sure he didn’t jostle me, and leaned over to meet my eyes. “Why are you scared?”
“Because it’s major surgery. They said if I hadn’t gotten airlifted off the mountain when I did, I could have lost my leg. Skeeter saved my life.”
“What the fuck is a skeeter?”
“Chip Reed,” I said. “I met him a few years ago when we came on our family trip. He’s an instructor who works the circuit in the winter so he can surf the rest of the time.”
“You close?”
“We’re friends,” I said, squeezing his hand. “We’ve never been anything more.”
Mouse sighed and I could tell he was relieved, but I could also tell he was holding back.
“What?” I pressed, wrapping my hand around his wrist.
“Nothin’.”
“I’m really sorry,” I whispered. “I should have told you what I was doing.”
“I woulda come with you, baby.”
I tried the pain pump again and felt instant relief, as my eyelids drooped. “You can’t ski.”
“So?”
I smiled, unable to keep my eyes open. “I love you.”
* * *
Mouse
My heart soared and I grinned wide as Kennedy fell into oblivion. She probably wouldn’t remember her declaration of love, but I would, and it meant we had a fuckin’ chance.
I leaned over and kissed her cheek gently, smoothing the covers over her before settling into the chair by the bed. Her surgery was in two hours and to say I was nervous was an understatement. Her break had been significant enough that they’d called in an ortho specialist who was driving down from Denver. Waiting a few hours wasn’t going to kill her, but she wasn’t going to be able to fly for a while.
Luckily, I had a plan.
I stepped out of the room to let Kennedy sleep just as my phone buzzed in my pocket. I slid it out and saw it was Doc calling. “Hey.”
“Hey, brother. How’s Kennedy?”
“Okay, I think. We’re just waiting on the surgeon.”
“I hate to say this, but it’s a damn good thing she broke her leg in Colorado, Mouse,” he said. “Dr. Warren’s the best orthopedic surgeon in the country, if not the world.”
“So they keep telling me.”
He sighed. “She’s gonna be good, bud. Swear to god.”
“I hope so.”
“Talked to Sundance. You’re welcome to stay at the cabin as long as you need, but Aero and Violet have also said you can both stay with them. They built on the property.”
“I’ll talk to Kennedy. I have a feeling she’s gonna want me to stay somewhere she’s not, so we may need to negotiate terms.”
“Been there,” Doc grumbled.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“Right. Sundance said you can come any time,” he said. “You don’t need to give him a heads up. Let Kennedy know that I’m available to answer any questions she has. If she wants me to look over her chart, she can sign a consent form there and Dr. Warren will share everything with me.”
“Thanks, brother. I appreciate that.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
“I will, Doc. Thanks.”
I hung up and stepped back into Kennedy’s room as quietly as I could. She was restless, but she didn’t seem to be awake, so I slid her hand into mine and she quieted. I kissed her palm gently, then took the seat next to the bed, keeping our connection.
Kennedy nodded, then glanced at me. I took her hand again and leaned over her. “You got this, baby. I’ll be right here when you get back.”
“She’ll be in recovery for a while after the surgery,” the nurse said.
“You tell me what you want, Lace,” I said, and Kennedy sniffed.
“I want you to be there when I wake up.”
“Then I’ll be there when you wake up,” I promised, leaning down to kiss her gently. I nearly fell over when she kissed me back. It was technically our first kiss and I relished it.
She broke our connection and tugged on my beard. “Don’t get excited. That was an ‘I might die’ kiss.”
I smiled. “You’re not gonna die, and I plan to continue this conversation when you’re feeling better.”
“Well, don’t hold your breath,” she retorted, but she did let me kiss her again.
The nurse wheeled her away, bed and all, and I headed down to the café for something to eat.
Kennedy
My head was killing me, and I heard myself groan, almost like an out of body experience. A strong, rough hand squeezed mine, and then whiskers tickled my palm and I knew Mouse was kissing it.
“Hey, Lace. Open your eyes, honey.”
Another hand rubbed my arm. “Kennedy, wake up, honey.”
Remington?
I blinked my eyes open and found Mouse and Remington leaning over me, their faces hopeful as they smiled down at me. “Hey, baby,” Mouse said, squeezing my hand again.
“Hi.” I focused on my best friend. “What are you doing here, Rem?”
“Like I was going to stay home when my best friend in the world is hurt.”
I licked my lips. “Can I have some water, please.”
“Yeah, baby,” Mouse said, and a cup with a straw appeared in front of me. He guided the straw to my mouth, and I took a long pull. “Sip, baby. You don’t want to puke.”
Doctor Warren walked in, pumped hand sanitizer into his palm, and covered his hands as he walked to me. “Hi, Kennedy. Your surgery was textbook perfect.” He smiled, settling his fingers at my wrist to take my pulse. He then moved to my leg before pulling up my x-rays. “You’ll see you’ve got several pins and screws, plus the titanium rod to stabilize everything. We’re going to keep you for a couple of days, watch for infection, then evaluate you from there. If all goes well, you should be able to go home on Saturday.”