Montana Wild (26 page)

As Derrick staggered toward him, Kevin could now see the gun he pointed in his direction. However Jamie saw the gun first and ran to Kevin’s defense.

“No, Derrick! No!” She screamed, trying to talk some last minute sense into the crazed man. Facing Derrick, Jamie ran in front of Kevin just as Derrick pulled the trigger. Ben rushed into the room a second too late. Throwing his body at Derrick, he grabbed his hand with the gun to point it upward but it had already fired.

“Noooooo!” Kevin yelled in anguish as Jamie took the bullet in her side and went down.

Chapter 30

Kevin just knew this wasn’t happening. He prayed his eyes were lying to him.

“Jamie! Oh Jesus!” He ran to her lying on the floor, horrified to see the pool of ruby red blood already spreading across her white tee shirt. Dropping to his knees, he pressed his hands on her side to stop the bleeding, and felt the warmth of her life leaking through his fingers.

Noah rushed in and saw Jamie on the floor. He went pale.

“Noah! Call 911! Get them up here now! Go!” Noah turned and ran.

Ben’s eyes were wide with horror. Even Derrick looked like he didn’t believe what he had done. “Sweetie, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you! I’m sorry! I didn’t . . .”

Ben’s anger boiled over. “You fucker!” He knocked Derrick out cold with his fist then kicked the gun across the room.

As Jamie lay on the ground, Kevin kept pressure on her wound, trying to contain her life with his fingers. An eternity later, an EMS tech with a bag followed Noah into the room. Hart tailed right behind looking somber as he headed over to Ben and Derrick who began to wake. “I’m sorry, sweetie . . .” He started again and Ben cold clocked him a second time.

Hart shouted at Ben, “No!” As he cuffed the now unconscious shooter, Ben pointed to the gun across the room.

“Fill me in,” the EMS tech instructed Kevin.

“She took a gunshot to the side.” The tech opened his bag, set out some gauze and motioned for Kevin to move so he could see the wound. Noah knelt down next to the tech and Kevin moved to kneel beside Jamie’s head.

The EMS tech looked at the wound and the massive bleeding. He placed a thick wad of gauze over the wound and instructed Noah to apply pressure. The tech spoke into his radio on his lapel.

“I need a stretcher. She’s bleeding bad. I need to get her out of here now! Fourth floor.” He looked at Kevin seriously. “I need to get a line in her for some fluids.” Working quickly and efficiently, he got an IV line started.

“Kevin! Kevin!” Jamie called weakly. She stared straight up, rarely blinking.

“I’m here, babe.” He could barely talk.

“Kevin. Kevin . . . I’m scared,” she whispered and searched for him with her eyes.

Kevin bent over her face so she could see him.

“It’s okay. I’m right here. It’s going to be okay. You hang on. You’re going to be okay, you hear me? You’re gonna be okay.” Jamie looked pale and her eyes were starting to close. “Jamie, don’t you quit, you hear? Don’t quit on me. Stay with me, baby.” He held her head between his hands and moved his face even closer.

She started to close her eyes again. Kevin was scared. She didn’t look good. He kept talking, he had so much to say. “Jamie. Jamie, listen to me. I just got you back and I’m not about to lose you now. I will not let you go. Do you hear me? Stay with me.”

He gently laid his forehead on hers. “Don’t leave me, babe, I need you. You fight, hear me? You fight, Jamie, please fight, fight for me. I love you.” Kevin’s lips were directly on her forehead now and tears were dropping from his face onto hers. “I love you.”

She smiled faintly.

“Don’t quit. Promise? You promise me right now because I know you keep your promises. Hear me? Promise?”

“I promise. I love you too.” Jamie responded in barely a whisper.

Kevin swallowed his fear as tears streamed down his face.

The other tech with the stretcher came and they transferred Jamie’s now limp body onto the stretcher. The IV fluids were running but the first tech wanted a second line.

“She’s bleeding pretty badly. We need another line but we can do that in the truck. We’ve got to get her out of here.” Jamie’s eyes were closed. Once they got her on the stretcher, Kevin followed, not wanting to let her out of his sight or touch. The EMS techs loaded Jamie’s stretcher into the truck and one tech climbed in. Kevin went to follow him but the driver stopped him.

“No sir, sorry but you’ll have to follow in your car.”

“No. I’m staying with her.” The other tech nodded to his partner. He let Kevin in and closed the door.

The inside tech started working on a second IV line. “Talk to her. Keep her with us,” he instructed Kevin, making eye contact. Kevin knew he was trying to tell him that he could lose her but he would not let this happen.

Kevin took hold of Jamie’s cold, limp hand and brought it up to his mouth and kissed it. “Jamie. I’m here and I’m waiting on you. I love you sweetheart, you know that. I should have told you sooner. And I know you love me. Forget all that crap about us trying to figure things out. I love you and you love me and we’re going to be together from now on. That’s it. No more discussion. Once we get you all mended up and strong again, you’re coming back to Montana, where you belong. I know that and deep down you do too. Everyone there loves you. You fit in so perfectly with the whole ranch family. I noticed that right away and I should have told you. I should have told you.” He paused to steady his voice.

“And Jack . . . Jack needs you. Hell, he’s not my horse anymore, he’s your horse. And that’s okay. I wouldn’t give him up to anyone but you. Actually it wasn’t my choice, Jack chose you. I was a little hurt at first but when I saw you together I knew it was right.” Kevin knew he was rambling but he had to pour his heart out. He should have told her all of this long ago. Both his hands surrounded hers tightly.

“You stay with me, Jamie. You stay with me. I-I would be lost without you. Now that you’re in my life, I can’t imagine it without you. Stay with me, please.” And Kevin broke down. “Please, please.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

The EMS truck pulled up to the ER and the hospital staff took control. The EMS tech filled them in on her injury, her vitals, and what had been done. They wheeled Jamie away from Kevin and through closed doors. He stood in the waiting room not moving. Minutes later, Ben and Noah rushed in, asking about Jamie. Kevin shrugged, not trusting his voice. Ben put his arm across his bud’s shoulders and steered him over to a seat. The three sat there in silence, all deep in thought with
what ifs
and
if onlys
, which, of course, served no purpose other than to torture them even further.

One of the physicians came out to the waiting room.

“Family of Jamie Harcourt?” he asked. The three stood up.

“I’m Dr. Boyer, one of the trauma surgeons. She’s lost a lot of blood. The bullet hit the spleen. That’s why she’s bleeding so badly. She needs surgery. We won’t know until we get in there, but we may have to remove the spleen. Who’s next of kin? We need authorization to operate.”

Without a second’s hesitation, Kevin stepped forward. “I am. I’m next of kin. Where do I sign?”

Both Ben and Noah looked at Kevin but did not speak. Kevin followed the physician to give his signature. “Can I see her?” Kevin asked the ER doc.

“For only a minute. Time is our enemy here. I won’t lie to you, she’s in bad shape.”

Kevin gave his quick signature then followed the doc to Jamie’s stretcher where they were prepping her for surgery. He bent down and whispered in her ear.

“I’ll wait for you, Jamie. Don’t forget your promise. I love you, I love you.” He kissed her forehead.

Kevin returned to the waiting room, his heart in his throat. He felt numb. Jamie’s blood still covered his hands and shirt. Ben asked Noah to go to the gift shop and get Kevin a clean shirt and Ben took Kevin into the rest room and helped his friend clean up.

Kevin watched as Jamie’s blood mixed with the water then circled down the drain. The symbolism not lost on him. He shook his head in denial of it all. Never had he ever felt such fear before in his life. He looked in the mirror.

“How did this all happen, Ben? Yesterday we were at that little restaurant, laughing and having so much fun. How did this happen? Jamie told me he was crazy dangerous but I thought she was exaggerating. Twice. Twice she protected me from him. And look where it got her. I’m supposed to be the protector, me, the man. Not her. I should have killed him when I had the chance. I . . .” He broke down.

Noah returned with a new shirt and Ben helped Kevin put it on. They escorted him to the surgical waiting room, which had a nicer atmosphere.

Hours later, the operating physician came into the waiting room.

“She made it through surgery, and I don’t mind telling you now that I didn’t think she would. She’s lost a lot of blood. We did have to remove the spleen, it was pretty damaged, but it’s not a vital organ. She’ll do fine without one.

“It’s still touch and go. Her blood pressure is very low and we have her on some medication drips for that. We had to transfuse quite a bit of blood and she’ll probably need more. She’s being transferred to the surgical ICU as we speak. I must be honest, she’s not out of the woods yet, but I think her will is strong or else she wouldn’t have made it this far. Go to the ICU waiting room on the 5
th
floor and once they get her settled, you can go in and visit.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Kevin couldn't trust his voice to say more and shook his hand with both of his.

Ben put his arm across Kevin’s shoulder and the three headed to the surgical ICU waiting room. In about a half hour, the staff called them in to visit.

Approaching her bed slowly, no one spoke. It didn’t look like Jamie. Tubes were coming out everywhere, her normally rosy complexion was pale, and her lids were closed, hiding her sky blue eyes.

“Oh Jesus,” escaped from Kevin’s lips as he reached for her hand. Taking a seat in the chair next to her bed, he laid his forehead on her forearm, still holding on to her. Ben and Noah stayed a few minutes then returned to the waiting room. Regaining his composure, Kevin raised his head to look at her then began talking, rambling on about anything and everything.

“I love you, Jamie. I love you and I will wait for you. I told you that before and I still mean it.” He laid his head down on her bed. Still holding her hand, he toyed with her slender fingers and gently rubbed the skin of her forearm, which felt silky soft. He’d wasted so much time.
Rick warned me not to waste time, and I should have listened
.

“If, I mean when you come out of this, we’re not going to waste time ever again. We’re going to come clean with our feelings. We know it, we feel it. We have to make sure we say it to each other. I’m going to tell you how much I love you every day, every single day. I promise.” He put his head down on her bed again. He needed to stay with her, it was the least he could do.

After a few hours, Ben came in, trying to convince Kevin to come out for something to eat.

“No. I’m not leaving her,” he stated firmly.

“Kev.” Ben knelt down to face his friend. “She’s gonna be in here for a while. You need to eat so you can be here for her. Just for a few minutes, come on. They won’t let you eat in here. Noah will stay with her so she won’t be alone.” Reluctantly he agreed and left the room, but not before he kissed her forehead.

Noah came in and Kevin patted his shoulder. “Thanks, Noah. Jamie would appreciate you being here, though it wouldn’t surprise her. You two are tight.”

“Yes we are. I’ll keep an eye on her while you eat something.” He put his hand on Kevin’s shoulder. Noah looked like hell too.

Ben led Kevin down to the hospital cafeteria, which was almost empty at this time of night. They ate lightly but at least Kevin ate something. He returned to her room and hours went by without any change. Her condition had not worsened and this was a good thing according to the medical staff. They asked Kevin to leave the room for a few minutes so they could work on Jamie.

Returning to the waiting room they sat in silence. Suddenly the door opened and Rick burst in. He stood there for a moment taking in their solemn faces.

“How is she?” His rugged face was furrowed with worry.

Kevin stood up and his eyes welled in appreciation at the sight of his friend who had traveled so far so quickly. Rick threw his big arms around Kevin and hugged him.

“How is she?” Rick repeated as he looked at Kevin.

Kevin shrugged, finding it difficult to speak.

Ben looked at Kevin and answered for his friend. “Doc says it’s still touch and go.” Rick reached for Ben and hugged him too. He shook hands with Noah as the nurse came into the waiting room and announced that they could resume their visits with Jamie.

“Come on, Rick.” Kevin found his voice and nodded for Rick to follow him.

The big guy followed Kevin and stood next to Jamie’s bed, his eyes moistening. No doubt this brought back painful memories of Roseanne’s illness.

Rick bent down to Jamie and kissed her cheek. “Hey, Jamie, it’s me, Rick. Everyone at the ranch sends their love. All the guys are expecting you to hurry up and get better because you still owe them some dance lessons.” Kevin chuckled at this.

Then Rick took a folded piece of paper from his pocket and opened it in front of Jamie. The handmade card was covered with hugs and kisses from Tommy.

“Tommy misses you. I won’t lie, he took it hard when you took off without saying good-bye, but once he learned that you left to protect all of us, he called you his hero.” Rick choked on this and so did Kevin.

“So we need you back real soon, okay? Someone needs to look after Kevin and frankly, I just can’t look after two kids.” He winked at Kevin. Rick walked over to Kevin and patted his shoulder a couple of times. He left him alone with Jamie and headed back to the waiting room.

Kevin stayed by her side for hours on end. He took Jamie’s hand and caressed it with his. Bringing it to his mouth, he kissed it tenderly then laid it back down but didn’t let go. The night proved to be the longest night of his life. Nodding off a couple of times, the nightmare played over and over in his head. Trying to come up with a different outcome, the brutal reality of Jamie’s comatose body cut deep every time he opened his eyes. With his head on her bed, sleep finally provided him temporary relief from the hurt.

In the morning, Ben mandated that he go down and get breakfast with him while Rick and Noah stayed with Jamie. Worry and stress began to take their toll on the handsome quartet who now appeared haggard.

Soft voices outside the waiting room grew closer. Kevin’s ears perked up as the hospital volunteer escorted the graceful gray haired matron in.