“I’m wearing the ring, though. For now. But I’m going to give it back to him.”
“A ring? He gave you a ring? Is it big?” Carly asked.
Lila laughed at her friend’s goofiness. “Yes, it’s big.”
“Hang on, Lila. Chance is asking me a question.” Lila heard the phone muffle and murmured voices in the background. “Okay, I’m back.”
“Please don’t tell Chance about the date. The last thing I need is for him to torment me over this.” Although Lila’s relationship with Chance had improved over time, they still had their moments of discord, which didn’t mean she disliked Chance. In fact, she had a lot of respect for him, although she’d never told him.
Carly and Chance had been through a lot. They were married, and when their first child died, Carly had suffered depression and eventually divorced Chance. A few years ago, when Carly had fallen, gotten amnesia and believed that she and Chance were still married and in love, he hadn’t told her the truth because he didn’t want to hurt her. During Carly’s memory loss, she and Chance found one another again. Eventually, Carly had gotten all of her memory back and now they had a new family. Chance was a great husband and father, and Carly loved him.
“Don’t worry, you know he doesn’t listen to our talks about men and engagement rings,” Carly said.
“I’m not going back to the clinic, Carly. I’ve decided Ava needs me here on my days off.” Lila glanced down at Ava who was happily playing with a button on Lila’s pajama top.
“I understand, honey. Duke doesn’t know you’re there, but Ava needs her mommy.”
“Thank you, Carly. I needed to hear I have your support.”
“Okay. We’ll talk soon. I hear my wee one waking up.”
Lila hung up the phone and looked at Ava, “Ready to eat, little one?” Lila kissed Ava’s plump, rosy cheek as the telephone rang again. “Hang on, Carly must have forgotten something.” Hitting talk, she said, “I knew you’d call back out of curiosity. It’s a two-carat princess cut. I’m still not keeping it.”
“Hello, Lila. This is Janette from the rehabilitation clinic.”
Lila felt her cheeks turn hot from embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
“No problem,” Janette said.
“Did the doctor get the test results back for Duke’s blood levels?” Ava whimpered and grabbed for the phone. Lila gently pushed her hand away.
The phone line went eerily silent for what seemed a long time. “No, the test results aren’t why I’m calling.”
The panicked tone in Janette’s voice alarmed Lila. Impatient, Ava pounded the phone with a balled fist. Lila set her on the carpeted floor and handed her a toy off a nearby shelf. “What is it, Janette? Is Duke okay?” Her heart skipped a beat. Her grip tightened on the handset as she prepared herself for the nurse’s response.
“I...I think you should come here ASAP.”
“Janette, you’re scaring me.”
“I called you as soon as I could. There’s something you should know.”
“Spit it out,” Lila swallowed back the tightness in her throat.
“Duke…well, he’s awake,” Janette said.
“What?” All the air deflated from Lila’s lungs. “I thought I heard you say Duke is awake. I must have heard wrong.”
“No Lila, you didn’t.” Janette’s soft voice soothed her. “He’s awake. I came in at seven to start my shift and while I was checking his vitals, his hand moved. I called Dr. Scott in and during the examination, he woke up.”
A mixture of pain, happiness, and disbelief coursed through Lila’s veins. She couldn’t form words on her trembling lips as her brain raced, searching for a logical answer. Dizziness washed over her, turning the room dark. She leaned against the wooden table as her legs grew weak. The phone slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor. She didn’t bother reaching for it. She stared down at Ava, her darling child with Duke, and tears flooded her cheeks.
“Oh, my God.”
An hour later, Lila rushed through the doors of the clinic, still buzzing from the adrenaline high of hearing Duke was awake. She pushed away her anger at the traffic jam that had kept her from getting here quicker.
She’d been crying when she’d called the babysitter, Margaret, to come sit with Ava. The sobs had continued as Lila threw on clothes, careless of what she wore. During the drive it took to the reach the brick building, which housed the eighteen-bed clinic, she’d finally managed to gain control of her frantic emotions. The last thing Duke needed was to see her bawling and hysterical.
What would Duke’s reaction be at seeing her? Would he even remember her?
“You okay?” Janette’s voice pulled Lila out of her thoughts. Concern etched wrinkles around the other woman’s eyes. Lila moistened her trembling lips and swept her clammy palms down thighs. Over the course of time, Duke had been at the clinic, Lila had grown close to all of the nurses. She was grateful for their compassion when it came to Duke’s care, and they’d always listened to Lila’s concerns. “Ask me that same question in about an hour, Janette.”
“Dr. Scott checked Duke over again and he’s got a clean bill of health,” Janette said as she slipped out from behind the counter and came to pat Lila’s shoulder. “Now, I’m not sure about you, my dear. You’re as pale as a ghost. I’m sure this must be a lot to digest.”
Lila nodded. “Is he talking? Does he have his memory? Does he know he’s been in a coma for a year and a half?” She swept her gaze down the corridor to the open door at the end of the hall. Her heart raced in anticipation.
Janette smiled. “He’s talking and Dr. Scott explained the injuries he’d received in the fire and the coma. He’s a little shell-shocked it seems, but it appears he’s fine for a man who has been in a sleep-stage for this long.”
“Can I see him?” Worry dashed through her body and she tried to control the shakiness in her limbs. She wrapped herself in the comfort of her own arms, but nothing could settle her nerves.
“Dr. Scott thought you should be the first to see Duke since he asked for you.” Janette said.
Lila blinked back the sting of tears. “He asked for me?”
The nurse nodded and squeezed Lila’s hand. “Can I get you a cup of coffee? Water? Some alone time with Duke?” Janette wriggled her brows. “I’m sure you two have a lot to catch up on.”
Lila managed a smile. “For now, I’ll take it slow. I’m just afraid I’ll wake up and find that this is a dream. Or what if he falls back into the coma?” Her throat constricted.
“It is a dream, girl. Duke is awake. It’s what you’ve hoped for. Whatever you said to him last night after I walked out of the room must have done the trick.”
Lila knew she needed to push aside her fear. Gaining her composure, she refused to see Duke after all this time with a tear soaked face. One last deep breath, she headed toward his room.
Outside his room, she hesitated. What would she say to him? What would be the right words? Were there wrong things to say? This would be trial and error, and she’d never know until she gave it a shot. She stepped through the doorway and reminded herself to stay positive.
Duke was sitting up in bed, his back propped with pillows and it seemed surreal. His attention was out the window. She took the time to absorb him with a starving gaze. What had she been expecting? He was the same. Maybe a little scarred, longer hair and skinnier, but still the man she’d loved. Hearing the news had felt like a figment of her imagination, but now as she stood here and saw him with her own eyes, it felt real and so right.
A new confidence uplifted her mood and she crossed the room to his bedside. “Duke?”
He slowly turned his head and the vulnerability in his eyes tore into her soul. Seconds ticked by like centuries as he stared at her. Finally, one corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m a little late for our date, sweetheart.” His unused voice came out gruff and weak, and yet it sounded like a harmonic tune to her.
“Just a tad.�
� Her own voice shook in emotion. Wishing she could wrap her arms around him and never let go, she denied the craving, reminding herself that she needed to follow his lead. Rushing him could make him shut down, and that was the last thing she wanted.
He reached up, scrubbed his chin with his palm and sighed. “I didn’t have time to get all spiffed up for you. My hair’s a little too long. I need a shave and shower to wash away eighteen months of dust.”
Lila cleared her throat as some of the tension eased from her shoulders. “Ask me and I’ll tell you Duke, you’re one of the best things I’ve seen in a long time.”
His warm gaze lowered over her and her insides twitched. It’d been a while since she’d felt butterflies in her stomach and a quivering in the apex of her thighs. The man still, after so long, had an unbelievable affect over her. She’d fantasized many times over the last months, remembering how he’d brought her to levels of unbelievable passion—sensations she hadn’t known existed until Duke McGraw.
“You look different,” he said.
“I do?”
He nodded and raked his fingers through his hair. “I guess I do too. I remember bits and pieces of that night...the fire...falling.” His eyes narrowed as if his mind wandered back to that night. “I walked into the barn and it was on fire. That son-of-a-bitch Kincaid ran off when he saw me. I had a choice to either chase him down or put out the flames.”
She stepped closer. “You don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do. I tried to put it out but it spread faster than I could imagine. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground and I couldn’t breathe. How did I end up in a coma?”
“You went in for emergency surgery on your burns and you never woke up from the anesthesia. The doctors couldn’t find any reason because your vital signs were fine and tests came back okay. They believed it was from the head trauma,” she said.
“I’m not dreaming am I?” One brow curved.
“No, this is real. Although, it seems like a fantasy to me too.” She couldn’t count how many times she’d prayed and hoped he’d come awake. No words could describe how she felt.
He shrugged and shook his head. “I’m alive. I guess I have someone to thank.”
Lila nodded. “Chance saw the smoke coming from the barn that night and raced in to save you. Martin Kincaid was caught the next day when he went into a hospital for the burns on his hands. He’s in prison for attempted murder.” She nervously played with the lace trim of her shirt.
“Is everyone okay? You? Chance and Carly?”
“They’re great. They had a baby boy. He’s a little over a year old.”
A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I bet Chance is a proud father.” His blue eyes twinkled but his pallor didn’t change.
“Yes, he’s swollen with pride. His already inflated ego grew to the size of Texas.” She laughed, but couldn’t deny he made Carly happy beyond words. Chance had stayed at Duke’s bedside during the first few months after the injury and he still came to visit twice a week. Lila knew Chance was loyal to Duke.
“And you, Lila? How are you?”
His intense gaze seemed to search her hidden thoughts. Lila swallowed the tightness in her throat. She wanted to open up and tell him everything, but she couldn’t burden him with the pain she’d lived through. “I’m okay.”
“Your eyes say differently.”
“I have a mixture of emotions—confusion, insecurity…and fear. I’m guessing you have the same feelings and, under the circumstances, that’s normal.” Although he’d been away involuntarily, it didn’t change the fact he’d been gone. Time couldn’t rewind to before the coma. It was selfish of her to wish things were the same, and yet how could she not hope? The last time she’d spoken with him awake, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, they talked about everything and she knew Duke had planned to ask her to marry him.
Lila needed to keep things in perspective and not put too many expectations on her or Duke. Her life had evolved with the responsibility of being a single mother. Maybe that’s what scared her the most. How would Duke respond to the idea of having a child? That she was pregnant at the time of the accident? It was too soon to tell him. Piling too much information on him could be detrimental to his recovery and she wanted nothing more than to see him grow stronger every day.
“We have a lot of catching up to do,” he said as the door opened and Dr. Scott bustled into the room followed by a staff person rolling a gurney.
The doctor looked from Duke to Lila. “I’m sorry, Lila. I scheduled Duke for a CT and the techs are ready for him.”
Lila stepped out of the way as the aide started prepping Duke to be transferred out of bed. His gaze remained on her. She smiled and he smiled back. He’d get better, she’d see to that, but it’d take time. Having worked with cataleptic recovering patients, she knew he would need months of therapy, possibly years, to rehabilitate his muscles and ligaments. His mind would also need to recuperate.
And this was only the beginning of a new chapter. Rushing wasn’t necessary.
Duke’s gaze dropped and narrowed. What was he looking at? She followed his stare and her heart skipped a beat. Oh no! She’d forgotten to take off the engagement ring. He closed his eyes and kept them shut as they moved him out of the room.
CHAPTER THREE
NIGHT FELL AND the dim light over his bed didn’t help in keeping the shadows at bay. Duke compared the small dreary room to a tomb and the confinement smothered him. He wanted to get out of the hard bed and run like the wind. If only his body had the same ambition as his mind. He’d be damned if he’d allow a bastard like Martin Kincaid to take away another day of his life. Eighteen months was all the maggot got.
He was wide-awake now. Duke planned to stay that way. He had plenty of time to sleep later.
Lila had left a few hours ago. He’d wanted to ask her to stay, but he’d been out of the room most of the day getting tests run. He’d gotten the distinct feeling she was keeping something from him. And he hadn’t missed the mountain-sized diamond she wore on her fourth finger. That’s where things got confusing. Had he gotten as far as asking her to marry him before the accident? He couldn’t remember everything, but he recalled putting a ring in his pocket, yet his thought pattern was vague. Hell, he couldn’t be sure about anything. Damn! A year and a half of being out of the picture was a long time.
He laid his head back into the pillow and ran his fingers down his face. He was scruffy—and lonely, but mostly he ached for Lila. Months may have passed while he lay comatose but it did nothing to douse the flame in the pit of his stomach. He still wanted Lila like a cowboy needed his rodeo. The area below his waist hardened and his boxers stretched. He lifted the cover from his legs and lowered his gaze to the pajama bottom tent. He chuckled. Pleasure soared within him. Good to know some muscles still worked on his body and he wouldn’t need therapy in that part of his anatomy.
Dropping the sheet, he thought back to Lila.
Their relationship had faced many challenges, from breaking up, getting back together and then the coma. Before the accident, he’d known what he’d wanted, and that was her as his wife, for the rest of his life.
He’d had another surprise he’d wanted to tell her. After Carly’s dad died, she was left with the McAllister Ranch and wanted to sell. He’d made an offer and Chance and Carly had accepted his proposal, which Lila probably knew by now. After years of working alongside Chance as ranch supervisor and saving every penny, Duke had been ready to venture out on his own, to plant some roots. For a man who’d always loved his freedom, he’d finally wanted nothing more than to settle down beside the woman he loved on a ranch he could take pride in. He’d found himself wanting to experience life, and to start a family.
Hearing a soft knock on the door, his heart raced. Could it be Lila returning?
It wasn’t Lila, but it was the next best thing.
“Well, well. You look like shit, but you’re awake.” Chance Taylor came in and fi
lled the room with his brawny frame.
“I see life’s been treating you kindly,” Duke said. “You’re even smiling.” Chance had been an angry son-of-a-gun until Carly came back into his life. The scowl Duke remembered was gone from his best pal’s features and he looked happy. Once upon a time, Chance had been the most wanted bachelor in Texas. He was Carly’s now, but Duke guessed women still swooned over him. Chance was a rough and tough cowboy, but would gladly help a man out when needed. His honest character and hard work had earned him a golden reputation among ranchers, businesspeople and anyone he met.
Chance grabbed the small wooden chair from the corner and carried it next to the bed. He sat down and smoothed his hands down his jeans. “Damn, McGraw.”
Lines of distress marred Chance’s forehead and Duke shook his head. “Don’t go there, buddy. The last thing I need is your pity. What’s done is done and Kincaid is behind bars.”
“That day, I’d tracked Kincaid down, but he was quicker and made it to the Swift Wind before he could be caught. His intention was to hurt Carly to get to me but she wasn’t at the ranch. I’m sorry, buddy.”
“Your family is safe. That’s what matters.”
Chance raked a hand through his coal black hair. “I want you to know, nothing’s changed. The McAllister is still yours. Carly and I didn’t want anyone else working her father’s land but you.”
“I’ve gotta say I’m a bit surprised, you and Carly saving the ranch. It could have been sold ten times over in eighteen months. I appreciate the vote of confidence that I’d wake up.” Duke narrowed his eyes. “Some things have changed, though. You going to be honest with me, pal?”
“Are you thinking there’s something I’m hiding?”
“Tell me the truth about Lila.”
Chance shrugged. “What’s there to tell? She came here and sat by your bedside every chance she got. She was torn up over the accident. I’d say she’s been thrown for a loop, like all of us.”
“You paint a picture of a woman who waited steadfastly by my bedside.” Duke blew a breath through his tight lips. “Today, she looked as uncomfortable as a two-legged horse.”
Second Ride Cowboy (Second Chance Series) Page 2