The Reluctant Rancher (24 page)

The throbbing in his head intensified.
 
H
e retrieved the first aid kit
and
rummag
ed
through it until he found a packet of aspirin.
 
Throwing the small white pills in his mouth, he swallowed
without any water,
grimacing at the bitter taste.

“
The drinking isn’t going to work, you know.
 
You can’t forget her.
”

Luke didn’t answer but
grabbed the wire he had abandoned earlier.
 
Too late, he remembered stripping off his gloves.
He cursed a
s tiny drops of blood appear
ed across the palm of his hand. His grandfather just kept looking at him with those wise old eyes.

“
There’s not enough whiskey in the whole state of
Wyoming
to keep you separated from what you really want, son.
 
And you want Mary.
”

“Shut the hell up,
”
Luke snarled through gritted teeth
and fought the pain in his hand –
and his heart.
 
He leaned on the fence post and
buried his pounding head in his arms.

Joseph swatted at the fly buzzing around his head
. “
You are the most arrogant son-of-a-bitch I have ever known.
”

“
Mind your own business, Grandpa.
”
He saw the pity in the other man’s eyes and refused to meet the green gaze again.

“
Are you going to throw away your chance of happiness because of pride?
 
Mary wanted nothing more from you than your love, Luke.
 
Can’t you give her that?
”

“I don’t know how.
I just don’t know how.
”

“Damn it to hell and back.
I could string your parents up by their heels.
 
They didn’t appreciate one thing in life, Luke, especially not you.
 
I’m proud you’re my grandson, boy, real proud.
 
And your prissy ex-wife wouldn’t have kn
own love or loyalty if it’d bit
her on her scrawny little butt.
”

Luke had to s
mile at his grandfather’s tirade. He
wholeheartedly
agreed with his
opinion of Debbie.
He’d know his parents had never loved him, but he’d been lucky enough to have known that kind of love from his grandfather and grandmother.
But the love between a man and a woman? His whole adult life had been filled with women he’d bought and paid for. In one way or another.

After several moments, Joseph spoke again.
 
“
I saw Mary this morning.
”

His male pride rear
ed its ugly head and
Luke refused to ask about her.
 
If she wasn’t as miserable as he was, he didn’t want to know.

“
She seemed to think you didn’t want her because of her looks.
”

“
What!
 
She actually said that?
”
he shouted
. He regretted
the action as soon as he spoke.
 
The little drummers in his head worked overtime.

“
Not in so many words, but I’m old enough to know what women think by now.
 
You went sniffing around her like a dog in heat, then you backed away.
 
What else was she supposed to think?
 
That does something to a woman, Luke.
 
Even a strong, independent woman like Mary.
 
It eats away at her self-esteem, especiall
y coming from the man she loves.
”

“
That’s ridiculous.
 
She’s perfect
.” He ached to hold her in his arms again.

“
That’s what I told her
.”

He an
d his grandfather both turned as
another truck approach
ed
.
 
”
Hell, this is turning into grand central station,
”
Luke grumbled.
 
As he spoke, the truck roared to a stop and Hawk exited the cab.

“
What’s wrong?
”
A
cold chill of dread shiver
ed down Luke’s
spine.
 
His heart stopped beating for a fraction of a second then slammed violently against his ribs.
 
A busy man like Hawk didn’t make the twelve-mile trip over rough terrain for just any reason.

“
Doc
Logan
called from the hospital.
”
He wasted
no time on preliminaries.
 
“
Mary’s been in an accident.
”

Luke’s body shut down at the other man’s words.
 
His mind went numb, his eyes refused to focus and he couldn’t speak.
 
Visions of Mary mangled from a car wreck flashed through his mind.
 
He cou
ldn’t lose her now, not when he’d just realized what a fool he’d been. He
loved her beyond reason and needed to tell her.

“
I told her
that damn car was a death trap.
”
He came ou
t of his fog
and
retriev
ed
his shirt and hat.

“
We’ve got to go,
”
Joseph’s
gray brow furrowed with worry.
 
”
She’s going to need us.
”

The men jumped in t
he cab of Hawk’s truck. Luke knew the foreman would take care of the fence repair, but it didn’t matter. T
he whole damn herd could go missing and he wouldn’t care.
 
His thoughts centered on Mary and how much he loved her.

*
*
*
* *

The long narrow corridor of the hospital closed in
on
Luke as he made his way to
the
nurse’s station at the far end of the emergency room.
 
Almost immediately he spotted
Logan
coming his way.

“W
here is she?
”
 
His words were rough and low.

“W
hat happened?
 
Was she badly hurt?
 
Luke and I both told her that car should be scrapped.
”
 
Joseph stood by Luke’s
side
and voiced
the qu
estions fear had frozen in hi
s throat.

“Ma
ry’s cond
ition is stable at the moment. J
ust a little fender bender, but I thought it best to admit her.
 
They’re moving her to a room now.
”

Luke felt himself relax,
the overwhelming
flood of wo
rry reced
ing slightly
.
She was fine.
 
She was fine.
 
“
Tell me what’s wrong with her.
 
Why does she have to be admitted?
”

“
I’m not sure I should
tell you that
, Luke.
 
When
is
the last time you saw, Mary?
”

“
About
six weeks
ago, right after the flood.
 
Was she injured at the levy?
 
Damn, I knew I should have made you check her out then.
”
 
He searched his pockets for a cigarette than saw the no smoking sign at the end of the hallway.
 
He leaned against the wall
and shoved
his trembling hands into his pockets so the other men couldn’t see.

“
She’s fine, physically.
 
But mentall
y,
I have my doubts.
 
Are you in love with her, son?
”
 
The doctor’s question was blunt and to the point.

“
Yeah,
”
Luke snarled.
 
“
I am.
 
If it’s any of your damn business.
”

“
Well, I suggest you put a little more enthusiasm into that response when you tell her.
”
 
A smile split the other man’s face but Luke just frowned.

“
I couldn’t agree more,
”
Joseph
 
echoed
Logan
’s words.

“
Who says I’m going to tell her?
”
 
Even though he desired to do nothing more, the doubts still lingered.
 
Even with his considerable fortune, he was still an ordinary man, set in his ways, ornery to a fault and no prize in the looks department.

“
I do,
”
Joseph’s smug voice answered for him.
 
“
Because if you don’t, you lose her.
 
She’s already sold her business to Sara and is planning on moving any day.
”

“
What?
 
She can’t move.
 
She loves it here.
”
 
He remembered their conversation that day at the corral about wanting roots, someplace to call her
own.
 
She’d f
ound that here in
Fiddler Creek;
he knew she had. And now she would leave it all behind.
 
Leave him behind.

“Just go see her, boy.
”
Joseph slapped his grandson on the back
. “
Tell her you love her and you’ll be the happiest man in Fiddler Creek.
 
And I’ll be the second happiest.
”

Luke straightened from his slouched position against the wall.
 
“
Alright, I’ll go
see her now.
 
If that
meets with everyone’s approval?
”
 
His voice dripped sarcasm, revealing his resentment at being ordered about by the two older men.

“
That’ll be just fine.
 
Logan and I will just go have a cup of coffee.
 
I’ll catch up with you later.
 
Give my best to Mary.
”
 
Joseph grin
ned again as he
and the doctor headed down the hallway.

Luke hesitated before going to the nurse’s station and asking for Mary’s room number.
 
What would he say? That he loved her until it hurt?
 
That he wanted her in his life for the rest of his days?
 
That if she walked away, she’d take his broken heart with her?

He drew a deep breath
to gather
his courage before entering her room.
 
This
was going to be harder than
facing down an enraged bull or breaking a wild mustang.
 
For once in his life, Luke knew the true meaning of ‘stark terror’.

Mary lay in the middle of hospital bed with her eyes closed and the white sheet pulled up to her waist.
 
She turned as the door opened.

“Luke.” E
xcitement sh
one
in her eyes for one brief moment before she closed herself off to him.
 
“
I didn’t think you’d come.
”

“
Why?
”
 
Luke moved until he stood at the bottom of her bed
. He didn’t miss the revealing
shiver that raced through her body.
 
It gave him hope.
 
It gave him courage.