Boomer's Saving Grace: Mercy Springs Heroes Series Book 2

by Bliss Carter

  Ash was exhausted, leaning against the ER waiting room wall, willing the doctors to come out and give an update on Francie. He had phased out all the voices around him and was standing there, praying for Francie. He sensed her before he opened his eyes. Birdie stood before him, her head barely at level with his upper chest. He didn’t say anything, just waited for her to pop off at the mouth. Then she surprised the hell out of him. She hugged him.

  Birdie wrapped her arms around Ash’s waist, giving him a tight hug, squeezing him for a moment. Then she stepped back and bumped into Killian, who was standing at her back. She felt him put his hands on her waist to steady her. “Ash, I have a million questions for you. I have a million offensive words to say to you. I have a million things I need to yell at you for how Francie has felt the past two months. But for now, I’m going to wait. All I’m going to say to you right now is thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my sister. I don’t know what happened, I don’t know where you’ve been, but I’m glad you were here. She may be mad, she may be hurt, but she has mourned every day since you’ve been gone. She missed you. Don’t let her push you away. Fight for her.” She patted his chest gently, then punched him as hard as she could in the arm. Turning around, seeing Killian so close, she frowned. “Killie, you can back off now. I’m okay. I’m not going to go postal in here or anything.” She narrowed her eyes when Killian just chuckled. The room soon turned solemn again as they waited for updates on their loved ones. This was a surrealistic nightmare.

  ∞∞∞

  Grace sat on the side of the bed, staring at her husband’s still form. Walker had his eyes closed, dozing from the pain meds they had given him earlier in his IV. She gently stroked his hair back from his forehead, unable to stop touching him in some way. She thought she knew what fear was. She thought she had felt fear on a deep level when she was young, being beaten by her father, her brother being a predator towards her, being locked in a closet in the dark, having a baby by herself without anyone for support. She thought fear was real for her then. She was wrong. So, so wrong. Fear, real fear, was when she found out her husband had been shot in the line of duty. That was real fear.

  Grace closed her eyes, willing the tears to stay back. She was so thankful that Walker was going to be okay. That he was in good spirits. He was trying to support her and placate her more than she was him. But that was Walker. Her gentle giant. The doctors had given them the good news that the bullet had missed anything vital. His femur bone was fine. No ligament or tendon damage. The bullet had hit muscle and lodged there. It had been extracted and gathered up for evidence already, and the doctor had said he wanted to keep Walker overnight to administer antibiotics and some fluids, along with pain management, but they would be able to go home tomorrow. Home. It had new meaning for her right now. Home was wherever Walker and Jaxson were. She leaned over and kissed Walker’s face gently, lingering to smell his pine forest scent. When she sat back, she saw that his eyes were open.

  “Hey, baby.” Grace said softly. Her hand was on his bare chest, the sheet sitting halfway down his abdomen. She couldn’t keep her hands from stroking him. “How are you feeling?” Grace asked as she stared at the Superman logo on his bicep.

  “Drugged up. Sleepy. A little pain. Happy to see your beautiful face. I love you, angel.” Walker flexed his shoulders and arms, trying to get the sore feeling out of them.

  “I just talked with Jaxson. I haven’t told him what happened yet. I think we’ll wait until we go home, then talk to him. I know he’s a strong little boy, but I don’t want to traumatize him. He and Sara are playing video games and making hand turkeys to put on the fridge.” Grace smiled, but it wasn’t her brilliant smile she usually gave him.

  Walker pulled her towards him. Grace tried to resist, not wanting to hurt him. Walker pulled harder and growled, “Come here baby.” When she gave in, he cuddled her to his chest, and Grace laid on the bed with him, her arm over his abdomen, hugging him tightly. “Baby, I promise you, I’m okay. I know this was scary today and I’m not treating it any less seriously than it should be. But I don’t want you to get super stressed out and cause any flash backs or bad dreams. Okay? I’m good. What happened to me wasn’t because I wasn’t doing my job properly. It wasn’t because I was an inept cop. It happened because evil people decided it was okay to shoot at an innocent person. Then me, the cop, shows up and want them to explain and surrender. It was their choice to act on impulse and decided the cops who were there needed to die. I need the shadows leave your eyes, Grace. Or it’s going to upset me further.” He tilted her head up to his eyes again and she sighed, but some of the shadows had lifted. She leaned up, asking silently for a kiss. Walker gently touched his lips to hers, keeping the kiss light and sweet.

  “Now, since I’m awake, can someone go get me some food? Maybe a Whataburger or something? I’m starved. Oh, and any word on Francie yet?” Just as Walker was talking, Gertie and Braxton walked in together. Gertie immediately went to the side of the bed where Grace was laying down.

  “No word yet on Francie. The rest of us are out in the ER still, waiting for an update. Birdie’s here. You know how that went, but Killian calmed her right down, according to Kresley. Ash is still out there, too. It looks like he’s not going anywhere. Boomer, I can go get you something to eat. Grace, text me what to order him and I’ll go grab it and bring it back.” Gertie smiled at Boomer, squeezing his hand.

  Grace slowly sat up, blinking the cob webs from her mind. “Okay, yeah that would help out a lot. I’m on pins and needles waiting to hear about Francie. Also waiting to hear where Ash has been for two months.”

  “Ash is staying here. He asked the chief and I for another few days off so he could concentrate on Francie. He just got back into town this afternoon and was put to work filing in for someone immediately. Killian and I are going back to work in a few. Boomer, I’m glad you’re okay, man. You scared the shit out of me when I saw you on the ground. Glad you landed such an amazing nurse to help you heal.” Braxton grinned as Walker laughed out loud and Grace blushed. He turned to Gertie and squeezed her shoulder.

  “I’ll see you in a few days when I’m off shift, okay Gertie?” Braxton smiled warmly at her.

  “Sure Braxton. That sounds good. We can work on more training for Rocco.” She blushed as he smiled widely at her. The man was gorgeous. “Okay, I’m off to get you some food. Don’t forget to text me, Grace.” Gertie disappeared into the hallway.

  “Braxton, seriously. Do you know where Ash has been or what he was doing? This has all been so strange and so stressful on Francie.” Grace asked, her eyes narrowed in concentration on Braxton’s face.

  “Grace, I promise you that I don’t know the reasons for his leave request. All I know is that he said he didn’t have a choice and he couldn’t stop for explanations.” Braxton shrugged his shoulders. “But if I knew, I wouldn’t say because it’s not my story to tell people.”

  Walker squeezed Grace’s hand. “Baby, let it go for now. Let’s concentrate on Francie and how she gets through this, on me so I can get home to my son and my wife and heal, and to our future. Thanksgiving is next week and it will definitely be a time to be thankful, don’t you think?”

  Grace smiled lovingly at her husband and nodded her head. Thankful didn’t begin to convey what she was feeling towards this man. “I love you Walker ‘Boomer’ Collins.”

  “I love you, Grace Collins. So much. Now get me home and get me healed so I can show you how much.” Walker wiggled his eye brows and listened to his wife’s giggles. He would never tire of hearing them. Life had bumps along the way and wasn’t promised to anyone, but while he was here, he was going to soak in every minute he was given with Grace and Jaxson. His family. Grace may not realize it, but he would always think of her as “Boomer’s Saving Grace”.

  Epilogue

  I don’t care what you think is best. I’m not leaving her bedside. Period, Birdie. Get off my ass. I have to be here if she wakes up. It nee
ds to be me she sees first. It has to be,” Ash stated angrily.

  He scowled down at the miniature, snarky guard dog he knew to be the youngest Anderson sister and Francie’s greatest protector. In most siblings, the opposite would be true. The oldest would protect the youngest. But there was nothing normal about the Anderson girls. Especially Birdie. Brat extraordinaire.

  Ash stretched to his full 6’2 height and stared at Birdie’s petite frame for a few moments more, then turned back to the hospital bed where a fragile and deathly still Francie lay, tubes running into her body from everywhere it seemed. Breathing tube down her throat. IV administering all kinds of drugs. A pulse ox indicator on her finger. Catheter, which he knew would embarrass Francie. Coma. His beautiful, vibrant Francie was in a freakin’ coma. Ash made a painful grimace of anguish, his hands going to rest on the top of his head. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, asking for divine intervention to help Francie. It wasn’t fair that she’s in this room, fighting to live. And as horrifying as it was to even think it, Ash knew that he’s the one that put her there. His fault. He groaned out loud, cursing.

  “Ash, she’s in a medically induced coma for her own good. The doctors want her body to fight and heal from all the smoke she inhaled. Her lungs needed the rest. I see you standing over there with that look on your face. It’s not your fault. You didn’t put her here. You got her out as soon as you could. Give yourself a break,” Cade firmly stated to his friend from across the room. “If you can’t calm down and control yourself, I’ll be forced to make you leave. And you know I don’t want to do that. But I’ll protect Francie from everything that I can. Even you.”

  Ash looked over to him and saw Cade holding a glowing, pregnant Kresley on his lap, rubbing her stomach and cradling her in his arms. But Cade’s face said it all. It was stern, fierce and protective. Ash appreciated that. If he couldn’t be there to protect his woman, then he knew that Cade would, no questions asked. Ash then turned his attention to Francie’s sister. Kresley’s face was full of worry and he knew she was feeling lost on how to help her sister. Feeling so much emotion that he couldn’t contain it, Ash pounded his chest with his open hand, saying with anguish in his voice, “If I could, I’d take her place right now. I’d rather it be me laying in that bed than her. She doesn’t deserve this.” He slumped against the wall and slid down it, closing his eyes, with knees drawn up and his arms and head resting on them.

  “What, like you do? Get over yourself. Francie doesn’t need a martyr. She needs a hero that’s going to step up to hold her when she wakes up. She’s going to need it longer than a day or two. Is that hero going to be you or are you going to bail again?” Birdie asked Ash. She was never subtle.

  Ash rapidly raised his head abruptly from his arms. “Well it sure as hell isn’t going to be any other man. I don’t care how mad at me she is. She won’t get rid of me. I didn’t fight my way through hell for the last two months to get back here to her, just to lose her because she’s angry. I’ll make her understand. She has to forgive me. And no, dirty bird, I’m not going anywhere ever again. Not without Francine. I didn’t bail on her. I missed her every damn day I was away from her.”

  Birdie snorted. “Dirty bird. Lord I hate that nickname. I’m going to pay Killian back for dreaming it up.”

  Kresley spoke for the first time in a while. “Ash, first of all, I have no clue what you mean by fighting through hell to get back here, but we’ll follow up with that in a sec. Second, Francie isn’t really mad at you. She’s hurt. And those two emotions can be confusing and actually blend into the same thing sometimes. She was finally opening up to you. Things were progressing. And then you take a leave of absence for 2 months and don’t say goodbye or tell her anything. Braxton nor Killian will talk about it. Hell, Cade and Boomer may know, but they aren’t saying a word either. None of us have a clue where you’ve been."

  She continued, eyeing Ash carefully. "Now, you suddenly show back up as if you never left, start shifts at work, and then happen to be one of the crew fighting a fire my sister was in the midst of, fighting for her life. When you left like you did, it made Francie feel like she wasn’t good enough to be told anything. Like she had no value. She feels abandoned. And she has every right to feel that way.” Kresley’s voice became hard at this point, and she looked at Ash with fire in her eyes. “So, before she wakes up, and yes, she will wake up, you need to have your story ready to share and it better be a good one that she can hop on board with. Otherwise she will shut you out quickly, no matter that you saved her life. I know my sister. Once she’s done, she’s done for good.”

  Ash took a deep breath, looking around the room. He knew he didn’t have a choice but to open up and talk about the last few months. He just didn’t think it would be in a hospital room with his favorite woman in the whole world oblivious to what he was about to say. He knew these people would need to be his allies once Francie woke. That he would need them to help convince her he was a good guy. “No one knows the real reason for my absence. I couldn’t tell anyone why I took leave for two months. I was ordered not to. I couldn’t even tell Francie goodbye, wasn’t given a choice in that. And that just about killed me.”

  Cade, being the intuitive cop that he was, narrowed his eyes at Ash. “Ordered? By who?”

  Ash cleared his throat. “By a Superior Court judge in Tennessee. The day I left here I was escorted by law enforcement there, where I turned myself in. I was arrested and placed in jail without bond.”

  Birdie could do nothing more than gawk at him in astonishment.

  “For what?” Kresley asked, dumbfounded. Cade gripped her tightly, his hand protective around her belly.

  Ash took a deep breath and looked at each of them. “For murdering my sister.”

  About The Author

  Bliss Carter

  Bliss Carter is a 2020 debut author with a flare for the sarcastic, funny and flirty. She is southern to the bone and a straight shooter, saying what she thinks without hurting feelings. Bliss grew up in South Georgia and just never left to explore other areas. She didn’t feel the need to. Living close by to her parents and other family is the most important thing.

  Bliss fell in love with an alpha male and has managed to wrangle him in for more than a decade of marriage. With step-children, grandchildren and two cats that have no boundaries, Bliss tries to write in a way that’s mimics the way she loves to read. With total abandon.

  Being an avid reader, almost to the point of becoming obsessed with an author or series, has helped Bliss understand the book she is writing and the characters she creates. She takes writing a story very seriously, wanting to make sure that both her characters and her readers are both completely satisfied when the story is finished.

  Bliss may or may not have a thing for men in uniform. If her stories are heavy with law enforcement, fire fighters, and military men, well, you’ll just have to learn to enjoy it. Bliss won’t apologize for it, but will try to keep you entertained with enough sarcasm and humor to last you a lifetime. If ever there was a book character that fit Bliss and her personality most, it would have to be Grace from her Mercy Springs Heroes Series. Sugar and spice, the ultimate female package. Hard as steel on the outside and a marshmallow on the inside.

  If you enjoyed this book, or any book that an author puts time and effort into creating, please consider leaving a review. All reviews are appreciated by authors. It helps them to know how to write the next book.

  Books By This Author

  Big Sexy - Book 1 of Mercy Springs Heroes Series

  Mercy Springs is a sweet, southern town in Georgia that is full of secrets, sass, laugh out loud moments and unique towns folk that you will love. In this first installment (Book 1) of the Mercy Springs Heroes Series, we meet our heroine Kresley and hero Cade, who don't start things off on the right foot when meeting for the first time. But soon sparks fly between them, then murder happens, and Cade is introduced to the crazy world of the Anderson girls and Grace.

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