Randall Honor (8 page)

“I can’t tell yet. Wait until we get something hot inside him and I can examine him.”

She made a cup of instant coffee and brought it to Russ just as Jon got him in the sleeping bag. Jon laid him on the mattress, then helped him sit up to drink the coffee.

Tori wasn’t going to let Jon give him the coffee. She knelt beside the bed and held the cup to Russ’s lips. “Drink, Russ. It’s coffee. It’ll help you get warm.”

He clasped two hands around the mug and sipped. When he’d had several drinks, she left him to Jon’s attention and went back to the stove to see if the stew had heated up.

She returned several minutes later with a bowl of stew and a spoon. “Here’s some stew, Russ. Open up.”

“Wait, honey, and let me listen to his chest.” Jon had his stethoscope pressed to Russ’s chest. He frowned and Tori tensed.

“What’s wrong?”

“He doesn’t sound good. Labored breathing. I think he’s running a high fever,” Jon whispered. “Can you hold him and feed him at the same time? I need to get some medicine out of my bag.”

She did as he asked, but she kept her eyes on Jon also. Here was the part where Jon would earn his merit badge. She had brought him here for his medical skills, not his value as a lover. She was going to forget what had happened.

With that idea in mind, she spooned some of the stew into Russ’s mouth even as she watched Jon.

Russ didn’t even appear to be awake, but he swallowed the liquid. So she gave him another spoonful.

In the meantime, Jon took his temperature.

She looked at him, a silent demand for information.

“One hundred four.”

“Maybe part of it is the stew being hot.”

Jon shook his head. “I took it in his ear, not his mouth.” He pulled out his stethoscope and listened to Russ’s chest again. “I don’t like the way he sounds. I think he may have contracted pneumonia. I’ll give him something for his fever and some antibiotics. By the time we get him home, maybe he’ll be better.”

Tori stared at him. “He won’t be able to sit on a horse. How are we going to get him home?”

“Would Devil be able to hold both of us? I could try to hold him in the saddle.”

“No, I don’t think so. I’ll figure out something. Can he have anything but the liquid from the stew?”

“Yes, but keep it in small pieces. We don’t want him choking.”

“He’s still shivering. Bring my sleeping bag over here.”

There were a couple of blankets she could use. It wouldn’t be as comfortable, but she wanted Russ’s fever broken.

After Jon had followed her orders, he stood looking at Russ. “I’m going to give him the aspirin now. Then I want you to stop feeding him for half an hour. We’ll try again then. He probably hasn’t eaten since yesterday.”

Tori did as he said. After all, he was the medical expert. But that left her with nothing to do. She certainly wasn’t going to talk to Jon about what had happened before Russ had arrived. She had no reading material and no television.

She walked around the room, unsure what to do.

“We never got around to eating our desserts,” Jon reminded her. He picked up one of the packages and tossed it to Tori. She put it back on the table. “I’m saving mine for Russ. He likes them.”

“Then we’ll share mine.”

“No, thank you.”

Jon stood there holding the package of cupcakes, staring at her. “I said the wrong thing.”

She ignored him.

“Tori, I was shocked that I would be so irresponsible. I shouldn’t have—it was great, but—”

She spun around and glared at him. “If you are talking about what happened before Russ came back,
I do not want to discuss it ever again. We will forget it ever happened!” Then she turned her back to him.

“Honey, I know I didn’t handle—Tori, we can’t just forget about it. You may be pregnant!”

“Hush! Russ might hear you!” She grabbed her jacket off the drying rack and put it on.

“Where are you going?”

“Outside on the porch. I need some fresh air! And don’t come after me! I’ve had enough of you, Dr. Wilson!” She slammed the door behind her.

Once she was outside, alone in the dark, she let her defenses down. The tears that had been trying to claw their way out of her eyes did so now.

She’d never found sex too appealing. She’d thought that, as she was different from other Randalls in her looks, so too did she have differing opinions about sex. She knew boys liked it, but it seemed several of her girl cousins found it incredible. She never had.

Now,
now,
she finally discovered what everyone was talking about. She had found a man who made her feel loved, complete, perfect, and he just wanted to get lucky. All he wanted was to be sure he didn’t have to pay for his fun! Oh, no, never. If paying for his fun meant having to be responsible for
her
child, he didn’t have to worry.

She’d rather be a single mother, raising her child alone, than try to live with a man who didn’t want her, in Chicago of all places.

No, he didn’t have to worry. She didn’t think she was pregnant anyway, but whether she was or not,
she wasn’t going to have anything to do with Jon Wilson.

If only she could stop crying.

J
ON DIDN’T GO OUTSIDE
. He feared Tori would run off into the forest if he came out. But he had to talk to her. He had to explain everything. If he knew what everything was. He knew he should not have reacted so quickly, so alarmed, about no protection. He should have explained that his anger was with himself, not her.

He knew he was the responsible one. He was the one who’d said he wouldn’t be staying in Rawhide, that he had no intention of getting involved with anyone. He was returning to Chicago. His father and great-aunt were there, alone. His mother had died. She’d been selfish and demanding, but his father had loved her.

He’d also worked very hard to help Jon with medical school. He owed his father everything. He was going back to Chicago.

But if Tori had a child, he’d certainly marry her and take them both back to Chicago with him. Chicago was a good city for children. There were the beaches, all the parks, museums and theaters. He’d convince Tori. It wouldn’t be a disaster.

In fact, he’d be very happy in Chicago with Tori. The sex had been—incredible. And he wanted a family.

Yeah, everything would be all right. He’d talk to Tori and explain everything. Surely she knew he’d
been stunned by the pleasure of their loving. She couldn’t think he hadn’t. And he was a responsible man. He’d even explain to her father.

Everything was going to be fine.

He fed Russ some more stew, because Tori hadn’t come back in.

Then he paced the floor, waiting for her.

Finally he opened the door. “Tori, aren’t you coming in? It’s cold out there.”

“Go away.”

“Russ was asking for you.” He figured the lie was justified, because she was going to get sick if she didn’t come back in. And then what would he do?

As she came into the cabin, he asked, “So you think we have enough food to stay here until Russ is better?”

“No. We’re leaving in the morning.”

Jon heard Tori when she first stirred the next morning. Though there was a hint of light in the east, it was at least half an hour before the sun would show itself.

Had she, like him, not slept well? He’d tried to get her to take his sleeping bag, leaving him with those blankets, but she had stiffly refused. They were still in a cold war, and he didn’t see any relief in sight. He just hoped she’d let him follow her off the mountain.

Even more he wished they had a way to contact the ranch. But before they’d made love, she’d explained that a cell phone wouldn’t work up in the mountains. He would have been thrilled to have a helicopter pick them up, but there was nowhere to land. So he was stuck with a ride back down. And somehow they had to get Russ down the mountain, too.

Tori had gone into the bathroom to dress. Now the door opened and she slipped back into the main room.

“Tori? What can I do to help?”

“Nothing,” she whispered tersely. Then she picked
up an ax, its blade gleaming in the limited light. Just for a second he wondered if he should take cover, then sanity returned. He watched her gather up some rope and then go outside.

He got out of his sleeping bag and grabbed his jeans. Whatever she was going to do, he needed to be there. That ax looked lethal.

He had tried to talk to her last night about staying another day, but she refused to discuss anything except to ask if it would hurt Russ if she could get him down the mountain flat on his back.

He wasn’t sure how she was going to do that.

He checked Russ again before he went out. He’d gotten up at two and at six to do the same thing and given him water and another pill. But it wasn’t time yet for his next one.

Outside, he couldn’t see Tori. Suddenly he heard the sound of metal meeting wood and he moved to the side of the porch. He could see movement near a stand of aspen. Tori was chopping at the base of a young aspen, almost twelve feet tall.

He waited until the ax met the wood again. Then he interrupted. “I’ll do that.”

She glared at him, but, to his surprise, she nodded and handed the ax to him. Then, while he chopped the tree down, she looked around the area. When the tree fell, giving him an urge to shout “Timber,” she pointed out another tree about the same size. “That one, too.”

“Okay. Er, how many are we going to cut?”

“Just two.”

When he moved to the second tree, she dragged the first one to a clear area next to the porch. When he brought the second one over, she’d tied a rope about six feet from the top. “Cut the small end off so it’s about ten feet long,” she ordered.

Jon watched as she zigzagged the rope from pole to pole, wrapping the rope around twice. When she’d finished, she had a rope frame. “I’m going to tie Russ and one of the mattresses to this frame, with it tied between two horses.”

“That’s brilliant, Tori.”

Just then, raindrops began falling. She grabbed the ax and got under the porch roof. “We need to get out of here as soon as possible. Do you have a T-shirt Russ can borrow?”

“Sure.”

“If you’ll put that on him, I’ll gather what we need to take with us. When will he need to take medicine?”

“At ten.”

“Okay. Get him to the bathroom. Then make some instant coffee while I bring the horses up here to the porch. We’ll want to load Russ last.”

She hurried outside and he couldn’t help but grin. She sounded like a no-nonsense general this morning. But she was taking the most difficult work herself. He made the coffee first. Then he unzipped Russ’s sleeping bag and put a T-shirt on him. After that, he walked Russ to the bathroom. Then he sat him at the table with his coffee cup and a blanket around him.

He scattered the coals in the fireplace, rolled his
sleeping bag and stowed the last of the supplies in the satchels that had carried them. He had one empty satchel, into which he put Russ’s boots. Then he stuffed their dirty clothes into a trash bag. He looked around to be sure everything was tidy.

Tori came in, solemn and intense. He wanted to kiss her, ask if everything was all right, but he didn’t dare get near her. Instead, he silently handed her a coffee mug.

“The cookies are—”

“I have them here, but I didn’t know if you wanted any now.”

“Yes. Russ, how are you doing?”

“Fine,” he mumbled, not raising his head.

“Take some cookies, but be sure to chew them. There are raisins and pecans in them. We don’t want you to choke.”

She picked up the neatly folded tarp. “Thank you for packing. Can you come help me saddle up?”

He slid into his warm coat, grateful they’d dried the outerwear last night. Outside, he threw the saddle on Snowflake and then Devil, Tori securing them on the horses. He put the pack carrier on Snoopy. “What do we do about Russ’s horse?”

“Go ahead and put Russ’s saddle on him. He’s coming, too, of course.” After she secured the bridle on Russ’s horse, she tied the reins together and looped them over the saddle horn. “Come hold him while I load him.”

“Won’t he stay, like the others?”

“Not when the reins aren’t on the ground, so don’t let go.”

He watched as she tied the end of the stretcher she’d made on each side of the saddle.

Then she did the same to Snoopy, leaving his reins on the ground. Now that Russ’s horse was held by the stretcher and Snoopy, he wouldn’t leave.

Then they loaded the supplies onto Snoopy and Russ’s bag of dirty clothes and even his Stetson onto his horse. “By the way, this is Jack. He’s Russ’s favorite.”

“I put Russ’s boots in one of the satchels.”

“Good. Let’s go get Russ.”

They found Russ wandering aimlessly around the big room. “I can’t find my jeans,” he complained, clutching the blanket around him.

“We packed them. You’re traveling in a sleeping bag,” Tori said matter-of-factly, as if that were normal.

Russ looked confused and started his search again.

Jon threw an arm around him. “Come on, Russ. You need to lie down again. Did you eat any cookies? They’re good.”

Tori looked at the table as Jon helped Russ back into his sleeping bag. “He took one bite and hardly drank any coffee. I’m going to give him some water to keep with him. I’ll leave the cookies with him, too.”

She did a visual sweep of the cabin, her hands on her hips, before she nodded. “Okay, let’s load him.”

“You take his feet. I’ve got his shoulders,” Jon
said softly, hoping to get things under way before Russ realized what was happening.

It only took a minute to get him and his mattress out the door and onto the litter. It was still raining, but Tori had carried the tarp under her arm. She quickly spread it out over Russ, even covering his head.

The she gathered up the rope and zigzagged it over her cousin from his chest to his knees, including the mattress, so that he was firmly tied to the litter.

Jon marveled. He probably wouldn’t have thought of that, but as rugged as the land was, he knew it was necessary. “His head—” He stopped as he watched Victoria pull the tarp back. Then she grabbed a pillow from the porch that he hadn’t even noticed and slid it beneath Russ’s head. She pulled out the flap of the bedroll and stuck two sticks through the eyelets at the end of it to make a porch effect on the litter that shielded him from the rain or the sun but allowed him to see.

Without thinking, Jon leaned over and brushed Tori’s lips with his. “You’re brilliant, Tori!”

“Don’t touch me!”

She went back inside without waiting for his response. She immediately returned with two small canteens and plastic bags of cookies. “Here’s your water and cookies.”

Then she tucked her canteen and cookies into Russ’s sleeping bag. “Russ, here’s your water and some more cookies. Try to eat a little.”

“Where’s your water?” Jon asked sharply.

“I have a bottle of water and cookies in my coat pocket. Okay, I think we’re ready. I’ll go first, leading Snoopy. You’ll come last. Your job is to let me know if anything slips or goes wrong. Or Russ needs attention. Okay?”

He had his orders. And like a good soldier, he nodded and got on the horse. His muscles protested…a lot. But he said nothing. Now that he knew Tori, he wasn’t surprised that she took care of him as well as Russ. She would deny no one her care whether she was happy with him or not.

After making sure the door was firmly closed, Victoria mounted Snowflake and took Snoopy’s reins to lead them down the trail. Jon imagined her shouting “Wagons, ho!” as they always did on television. He’d ride in her wagon train anytime. Not that he’d say that. He knew he wasn’t supposed to say—or do—anything other than what she ordered. But maybe that stolen kiss would ease the pain he felt in his legs and butt from yesterday’s long ride.

Something needed to.

A
T TEN O’CLOCK
, Tori found a level, grassy area to stop for a break. She wanted Russ to get his medicine when he needed it. So far, things had gone without a hitch, thank goodness.

She swung out of her saddle and walked to the litter. “How are you, Russ?”

He’d been asleep, and he looked at her blankly. “Tori?” he asked in a whisper.

“That’s right. It’s time for you to take your medicine and maybe take a break. Is the ride too bad?”

By that time, Jon had dismounted and he joined her at the litter in time to hear her question.

“If it is, I’ll trade with you, buddy. My rear is going to be black and blue for a month, at least.”

Russ almost managed a smile.

“I’m going to untie the litter, so keep him balanced until both sides are untied.”

“Why are you untying it? I can get him out without doing that,” Jon protested.

“But Jack can’t eat with the litter in his face,” she explained, continuing to untie the first side. Jon grabbed the pole as it came loose. Then, as she finished untying the second side, he lowered it to the ground, leaving Russ at a slant.

“Do we untie Snoopy, too?” he asked.

“Nope. Okay, Russ, we’re going to get you up. Here are your boots.” While he’d lowered the litter, she’d opened the bag and gotten Russ’s boots

Jon unzipped the bag so he could find Russ’s sock-covered feet.

“I don’t have on jeans,” Russ fretted.

“We thought you’d ride more comfortably without your jeans. I’m sure all the deer will blush, cousin, but I won’t,” Tori told him, hoping to see a smile. No such luck. She tossed him the blanket he’d been wrapped in that morning. She’d slipped it onto the litter under the tarp. “Preserve your modesty with that. But hurry up. We can’t rest too long.”

Jon helped him up once the boots were in place,
holding the blanket to shield him from Tori’s eyes, then wrapping it around him. In the meantime, Tori untied Jack’s reins and put them on the ground so the horse could graze.

“Do we have anything for lunch today?” Jon asked in a low voice.

“Yes.” She didn’t explain it was only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Any kind of meat would’ve spoiled by now.

She stretched out a little. Then she passed around the sandwiches. Russ showed no interest in his.

Jon gave Russ his pill. Then he asked, “How come the jelly hasn’t bled through on the sandwiches? Mine always do.”

“I coat both sides of the bread with peanut butter. Then I spread the jelly on and smash the sides of the bread together so the jelly can’t get to the bread.”

“Good thinking, Tori. I’ll remember that.”

She frowned at him and shook her head. Really! It wasn’t rocket science. He was a doctor for heaven’s sake. And a very patient one. He hadn’t complained about anything the entire trip.

Once again they started down the trail. She had saved her sandwich for a late lunch. She planned to stop again at two. Unless everyone was doing well. Jon could give Russ his pill from the saddle and they’d only be a couple of hours away, maybe even less. She toyed with the idea of not stopping again. She’d have to wait and see.

There were a few level places where they could
pick up speed, but not many. The rain had stopped before their break, which helped matters.

When two o’clock rolled around, she stopped Snowflake and turned him halfway around. “Jon, how are you doing?”

“Fine.”

She could tell he was lying, but she hoped he meant he could manage. “Is Russ awake?”

The trail was wide there, so Jon edged Devil forward a little. “No.”

“Do you think you can make it without stopping?”

“Sure. How much farther?”

“We’ve gone a little faster than yesterday, so I think we can be down the mountain in about an hour. When we get to the top of the last ridge, I’ll call the house. They can bring one of the SUVs and get you and Russ to the clinic quickly…with a much softer seat.”

“What about the horses? They deserve—”

“They’ll be taken care of. It’ll be oats for all of them tonight.” Snowflake nodded his head and whinnied, as if he understood.

Jon laughed. “Okay, I’ve been saving my cupcakes, but I think I’ll have them now. Want me to give Russ his pill now, or let him sleep?”

“You’re the doctor,” she replied.

“Let’s let him sleep. I’ll start the antibiotics intravenously when we get him to the clinic.”

Tori sighed. She paused, then looked him straight in the eye. “I want to thank you for your help. You haven’t complained once and I know you’re hurting.
I’m sure it’s made a difference to Russ. And I want to forget everything else about this trip.” She hoped she’d made herself clear.

He didn’t say anything. And why should he? It was a guy’s best dream, wasn’t it? Free sex and no responsibility? Okay, so he didn’t act that way now, but she wasn’t going to discuss it ever again.

She turned away and started down the path to home.

They stopped one more time at the top of the last ridge. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the ranch. “Red? It’s Tori.”

Before she could say anything else, Pete spoke. “Tori? Did you find Russ?”

“Yes, Uncle Pete. He’s with us. But…he’s not doing so well. Dr. Wilson wants him in the clinic at once. Can you pick Russ and the doctor up at the bottom of the mountain and take them into town? It’s been a long two days.”

“How is he?”