Back Where You Belong (7 page)

“I’m here, too, boss. Want me to bring Livvy and Miss Lacy to the hospital?”

His one good eye opened briefly and focused on her. “Yes.” His hand turned in hers, and for an instant, their fingers entwined before he was lifted into the ambulance. Once the rear doors slammed shut, the vehicle sped off.

“How bad is he hurt, Lacy?” Her grandpa clasped a hand on her shoulder. Polly was by his side.

“He spoke a few words and knew who we were.” She took a shuddering breath, blinking away the tears and struggled to tamp down fears.
He has to be okay. He just has to.

“Frank,” Pete said, “the boss asked me to bring Miss Lacy along to the hospital. I’ll see she gets home all right.”

Grandpa studied her for a beat. “Got your phone, girl?”

She nodded and swiped at a tear. When her grandpa pulled her in for a hug, she was surprised.

He whispered against her ear, “Stay with him as long as you feel the need. Your grandma, God bless her soul, woulda done the same for me. A man needs a good woman. I figure you and Tyler are a suitable match, and that little girl needs a momma.”

“It’s a little early for talk like that, Grandpa,” she whispered back.

“Huh, got eyes, girl. I see how you two look at each other. Like you’re both starved for somethin’ you’re scared to reach for. Go on, now. Call me later, ya hear?”

Chapter Eight

Lacy sat with Pete and Olivia in the waiting area of the emergency room. A little boy raced around the orange plastic chairs, his clueless mother more intent on her phone conversation than her child. An elderly woman silently wept. A sullen teenager sat with his swollen foot propped on a chair, texting and asking his mother, once more, how long it would be until he saw a doctor. The snoring next to her grew louder. Pete, who had fallen asleep nearly an hour ago, sat with his head against the wall and his hands clasped over his barrel chest. Olivia had her nose in an old travel magazine she’d found in one of the racks on the wall by the door.

“I’m going for some coffee from the vending machines. Do you want anything?”

“Orange soda, please, if they have it.” She barely glanced up from the article she was reading.

The girl acted more like a thirty-one-year old than a thirteen-year old. No whining, no grumping, no fuss at all.

Lacy stood, stretched and then approached the elderly woman she’d been watching. She couldn’t stand seeing her cry with no one to offer comfort. “Excuse me, do you drink coffee or tea?”

The lady dabbed at her eyes, surprise evident on her face. “Pardon?”

“I’m going for some coffee. May I get you a cup of tea?”

“That would be so kind of you, but I was so rattled when Ben had his heart attack, I didn’t bring my purse along to pay for anything. I just locked the door behind me and crawled in the back of the ambulance.”

The woman’s forlorn expression tore at Lacy’s heart.

“No problem. My treat. Do you take cream or sugar?”

A fresh dose of tears filled the woman’s eyes and she nodded. “Both, please.” She sniffed and gave a weak smile. “My name is Shirley. Yours?”

“Lacy, ma’am.”

Minutes later, after she gave Olivia her soda and a candy bar, she handed the older lady a cup of tea and a pack of shortbread cookies. She had no clue how long the woman had been there. Perhaps she was hungry.

“Oh, dearheart. How kind of you, but as I said, I have no money.”

“Don’t worry about it. Someday you can extend a hand of friendship to a stranger. That’s the only payment I ask.” Lacy sat next to the silver-haired woman and sipped on the cup of coffee she’d gotten for herself. “How long have you been here?”

“Over three hours. They took Ben for some tests, and I’ve been waiting.”

The two exchanged tales as to why they were there. Strangers sharing their fears. Lacy marveled over the ease at which she and Shirley could talk about the men in their lives.

A cool, age-spotted hand covered hers. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you? Your bull rider?”

Her gaze flitted to Olivia who seemed engrossed in the magazine she was evidently reading from cover to cover. “Yes, I guess I am. Do you think I’m terrible for the way I lusted after him as a teenager?” At this particular moment, she could identify the ache in her heart. She missed her grandma and the long talks they’d had. Reaching out to this lady was almost like having her here to confide in again.

Eyes clouded with cataracts regarded her. “Did you ever act on your attraction to him?”

“No. I was so shy back then. The only thing I could talk to him about was horses. Besides, he was married.” She drank the last of her coffee. “I do know right from wrong, even if my teenage heart didn’t.”

“What about Tyler? Did he know you were infatuated with him?”

Her hand flew to her cheek. “Oh, I’d have died from embarrassment if he had. He was always a perfect gentleman with me. Kind. Gentle. Full of helpful tips to improve my handling of Zeus, my horse.”

“Now he’s single and you’re grown up.” Shirley sighed. “Kismet. Just like Ben coming back to me after Viet Nam, even though we’d broken up before he shipped out.”

A few minutes later, a nurse came for Shirley to escort her to her husband’s room. The older lady placed a hand on Lacy’s cheek. “Thank you for your kindness toward me. I’ll pray for your bull rider and for a Christmas wedding.” She winked and bustled off behind the nurse.

Wedding? Where had that come from?
Certainly not from her. She glanced over at Olivia, hoping she hadn’t heard. Although the teen’s gaze was still on the magazine, she was smiling.
Oh, crap. Just like Grandma always said “little pitchers have big ears.”

Lacy moved to her chair beside Olivia. “How much of that conversation did you hear?”

A giggle erupted. “All of it.” She turned starry eyes on her, and pushed her glasses up on her nose. “It was the most romantic story I’ve ever heard. You’ve loved him since you were my age.” The girl was animated with the youthful gush of fabled romance. “I want my dad to get remarried. I want a real family with little brothers and sisters.”

Oh, my God!
“Whoa! Your dad and I haven’t even had our first date yet. We’re merely friends. Don’t go getting wild ideas.” She shouldn’t have poured her heart out to Shirley, especially within hearing distance of Tyler’s daughter. Would she ever learn to keep her big mouth shut?

“But you love him,” Olivia gushed. “You’ve always loved him. I bet daddy’s always loved you, too.”

“Honey, when I was a teenager, your dad was a married man.” She reached out to touch Olivia’s arm. “With a baby. You, my beauty. Any attraction to me would have been wrong. Your dad was always devoted to your mother and you.” She had to get this mess straightened out before Olivia started announcing some phantom wedding date.

The girl gave a wave of a hand to dismiss her remarks. “Mom never treated him right. Or me, either. She left us both.”

This conversation was getting so out of hand. Was Olivia merely an angry teen trying to get back at her mother? Was that why she was on her gotta-get-my-dad-married kick? “If there’s not a strong bond of love between two people, they shouldn’t think about getting married.” She continued, hoping to get her point across. “My parents never married.”

“Well, don’t you worry.” She hiked her pointy chin, determination set her jaw. “Cassidy and I will see you two are married before any babies come.”

“Cassidy?” Oh, she was so losing this argument.

“My BFF. She’ll love you, too.”

“Too?” She had to get a handle on this conversation. “I’m trying to say that romantic relationships have to move in a progression of steps. First, the attraction.”

“Which you and daddy already have. I see how he looks at you.” Olivia pushed her glasses back up, her expression eager with her get-daddy-married campaign. “He’s even started playing music again. After Mother left, he wouldn’t play music anymore. Said it was full of people crying about their broken hearts. Now, he’s listening and humming.”

“Your dad hums?”
Stay focused. Get this mess straightened out.
“Ah…then the dating starts. They slowly learn things about each other.”

“I can help with that. What do you want to know about Daddy? Just ask, I know it all.”

“I just bet you do. Slowly, feelings of love develop.”

“But what about love at first sight? Or unrequited young love?”

Unrequited love? How did a thirteen-year old know about that? “You can’t make someone love you. I’ve learned that.” She wasn’t making any progress with Olivia. “This conversation is not to be shared with your dad.”

To her relief, the girl nodded. “Right. It’s just between us women. Daddy won’t stand a chance.”

Oh crap.

A doctor stepped into the waiting room. “Who’s here for Tyler Desmond?”

Olivia stood, and Lacy elbowed Pete awake. “We are.”

He came to where they stood. “I’m Doctor Paulino.” He turned toward Lacy. “Are you Mrs. Desmond?”

“Not yet,” Olivia chimed in, grinning from ear to ear.

“Olivia, hush!” Was there no stopping her?

The girl raised herself to her full four-foot-nine height. “I’m his daughter. Tell me about my dad. How is he?”

“MRI and CT scans show he has a badly sprained left ankle and will be on crutches for a week or two. We had to operate to stop some internal bleeding. Removed his spleen. He has a concussion. Lots of scrapes and contusions. He’ll be here for a couple days. As soon as he’s out of recovery, you can see him. I suggest you go get something to eat. By then he’ll be in his room.”

Olivia extended her hand. “Thank you, Dr. Paulino. You’ve been most kind.”

The corners of the young physician’s mouth quirked as he shook hands with this child-woman. “It’s what I do, miss.” He turned and left the waiting room.

She turned, a starry-eyed expression beaming. “Isn’t he the most handsome thing?”

Lacy laughed. The girl might be petite, but her hormones were gigantic. She had romance on the brain.

Chapter Nine

Olivia didn’t seem so grown up when she saw her daddy asleep with wires and tubes hooked up to him. Her hand flew to her mouth and tears filled her eyes. “His face.”

A mass of bruises, one eye and his nose were swollen, there were stitches from his nose to his lip and someone had shaved his mustache, evidently so they could sew up the wound.

Lacy wrapped her arm around the girl’s narrow shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. “He’ll be okay, honey. He just needs time to heal. Why don’t you sit next to him and hold his hand. Even though he’s out of it, he’ll know it’s you. It’ll bring him comfort.” She slid a chair over for Olivia.

The young beauty slipped off her glasses to wipe tears from her face as she sat. “He’s always so strong. Now he looks weak.”

“He’s not though. He’s just battered. The strength is still there.”

Olivia nodded, seemingly accepting what she said. “Where will you sit?”

“I saw a chair in the hallway. I’ll get it for you, Miss Lacy.” Pete ambled out of the room and returned, pushing a chair. “I’m taking off for a while. Need to check on things at the ranch.” His gaze slid to Tyler. “Damn bull. Ought to go shoot it myself.” He ran a hand down his craggy face. “I’ll be back to take you two home in a couple hours.”

“Thank you, Pete. Don’t hurry on our account. Tomorrow’s Sunday, so it’s not a school night for Olivia. We’ll be fine here, won’t we?”

“I don’t want to leave Daddy. Can we stay all night?” She laid her head on her dad’s hand. “Please?”

Lacy turned to Pete. “Looks like we’ll be staying here for the night. Get some rest. I have the number at the ranch if I need to contact you.”

He nodded. “Suit yourself. Livvy, don’t you be showing any drama now.”

“I won’t,” she breathed on a sigh.

Lacy slid the chair on the opposite side of Tyler’s bed and settled into it. From the looks of things, it would be a long, uncomfortable night. Still, she was glad they’d decided to stay.

“Hold his other hand, Lacy. He’ll know it’s you.”

The girl was determined; she’d give her that. “I think it’s more important that you hold his hand.” She noted his vitals on the monitor. His temperature was slightly elevated, fighting infection, no doubt. His blood pressure seemed low. Hopefully, the worst was over. Now would begin his time of healing.

Over the next few hours, the two talked in hushed tones. They shared memories and hopes for the future. Likes and dislikes. Good times and bad. Olivia was a lonely child in many respects. Even with the attention Tyler heaped on her when he could, she yearned for a mother and siblings. Having grown up alone in a house with grandparents, she understood Olivia’s feelings of isolation.

When she asked the girl about school, her young features tensed. “It’s okay. Classes are good.” She lifted a narrow shoulder. “I’m on the newspaper staff.”

“Do you go to any of the dances or sporting events?”

Olivia shook her head and changed the topic to her dad. Lacy asked many questions. What kind of father was he? Strict? Indulgent? In return, Olivia wanted to know what he was like as a younger man. What things about her dad had Lacy found so appealing?

“Wish you two would quit talking about me as if I’m dead. ’Cause if I were dead, I wouldn’t hurt this damn much.”

“Daddy, you’re awake.” Olivia stood and kissed his swollen face. She burst into tears and rambled as only a teenager could. “I was so scared. No more bull riding. You hear? I forbid it.”

“Shh, don’t cry now, Angel. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll ring for the nurse.” Lacy pressed the buzzer, feeling as if she were intruding on a private father-daughter moment. Not that she would know what one of those was like. Still, she did have grandpa and knew how she’d feel if he were hurt as badly as Tyler.

****

The next time Tyler opened his eyes, Olivia’s head was next to his waist. He ran a hand over her hair, taking note of her gentle snoring. “Angel.”

“A very intelligent angel.”

He turned his head toward the voice in the dark. Lacy. “Hey.”

She shifted in her chair. “Hey, cowboy.” She leaned toward him. “How are you feeling?” Cool fingers brushed the hair off his forehead.