Wild Rekindled Love (20 page)

“Baby, don’t cry,” he murmured against the top of her head.

Tears choked the words in her throat. She squeezed his waist momentarily and then her hand returned to the muscles beneath her cheek.

The hospital room door squeaked open as Doctor Melton poked his head inside. He cocked a questioning eyebrow in their direction and Wyatt sat up and moved to the chair. “Anyone awake in here?”

“Yeah, Mark. Come on in.”

“How is our patient today?”

“Scared out of my mind,” she answered, and Wyatt squeezed her hand.

Doctor Melton took the chair on the other side of the bed, and opened her chart. “Well, let’s see what we can figure out. I’ve looked at your CAT scan and truthfully, I don’t like what I see.”

She gasped as terror rolled down her back in a shiver. Wyatt grasped her hand between both of his.

“You need to know, Jamie, I won’t be able to tell anything without doing surgery.”

“Surgery? What do you mean surgery?”

“I need to do a biopsy on the tumor in your head.”

“It is a tumor?” Wyatt asked.

“Appears to be. Now whether it’s cancerous or not—I can’t tell without a biopsy.”

“Is that what’s been causing her headaches and dizzy spells?”

“Yes. It’s pressing on her spinal cord, so more than likely we’ll have to remove it whether it’s cancerous or not.” He turned his attention back to her. “We can do it all at once if that is what you want, Jamie.”

Oh God! Surgery? Cut my head open?
She started to shake, her hand trembling inside Wyatt’s and he moved back to sit beside her on the bed.

“Are there any other options, Mark?”

“Afraid not.”

“When?”

“Soon. Like in a day or two.”

“Wyatt?” Her voice cracked with unshed tears.

“It’s okay, baby. Everything will be fine.” His focus returned to the other man as trepidation ran down her back. “We have to discuss this with her family before any decisions are made.”

“Of course.” Doctor Melton stood. “Page me when you’ve decided.”

Wyatt stroked her arm for a few minutes while they let the silence envelope them. “We need to call your family.”

She nodded and he reached beside him to pick up his cell phone.

What will Samantha say?

The sound of his voice telling her family they needed to come to the hospital faded from her ears as she thought about their daughter.

How is Sam going to deal with this?

Wyatt set his phone back on the nightstand and wrapped his arms around her. “They’ll be here in about an hour.”

Neither of them moved as they waited.

Chase burst into the room, with Abby on his heels and Jeremiah on her hip. Charles and Bonnie weren’t far behind.

“Where is Samantha?” Jamie asked.

“She’s at Ashley’s. I didn’t think we should bring her here for this.”

“So…what did the doctor say?” Bonnie asked.

Jamie took a deep breath. “It will require surgery.”

“What! Surgery?” Chase yelled.

“Chase, please. Keep your voice down. There are other patients up here,” Jamie reprimanded and her brother slumped in the chair.

“We need to get the rest of the family on the phone and talk about this,” Chase said, grabbing his phone and dialing Justin, Katrina, Cole and Carrie before he put them all on conference call on his phone.

“What do mean a tumor? What the hell is going on there?” Justin’s voice growled into the phone.

“Let Wyatt explain. He knows better than anyone,” Jamie said, then scrunched her face as her other two brothers yelled simultaneously into the phone.

“What the hell is he doing there?”

“I’ll explain later, but just know this. He’s here to stay, so forget trying to kill him. That goes for all three of you,” she said as she pinned Chase to the chair.

“You didn’t bother to tell us this little piece of information, Chase? How long have you known?” Justin asked.

“Long enough,” Chase answered.

“Listen,” Wyatt began, “we can stand here all day and argue about my relationship with Jamie or we can discuss the problem at hand. Jamie has a tumor in her brain that is pressing on her spinal cord. She has to have surgery to remove it. We won’t know until they take it out and do a biopsy on the tissue whether there is more to worry about.”

Jamie cleared her throat. “This is my decision. The surgery will happen as quickly as Doctor Melton can schedule it.”

“But Jamie…” Cole started to argue.

“No, Cole. I have to do this. He basically told me there was no other option.”

“I don’t believe this,” Cole murmured. “Carrie and I will be there tomorrow, then.”

“You don’t have to come,” Jamie replied, but deep inside she wanted her family with her.

“Yes, we do, Jamie. We’ll leave this afternoon and be there by tomorrow morning. I need to go. I’ve got to make arrangements for the store. I love to, sis. Hang tough, okay?”

“I love you too, Cole. See you tomorrow.”

She heard one click.

“Jamie? Katrina and I will catch the first plane we can.”

“Okay,” Jamie whispered tearfully. “Make sure you bring that nephew of mine. I haven’t seen him yet.”

Justin chuckled. “Of course. Like Kat would come without him.”

Jamie laughed. “I know. I love you, big brother.”

“I love you too, Jamie. See you in a little while.”

“Bye, Justin.”

Chapter Fourteen

The hospital room was filled to the brink with bodies. Justin, Katrina and their small son, Max, sat in the left corner. Cole was in the other corner, with Carrie next to him and Anne on her mother’s lap while Cole held onto a squirming Robert. Charles and Bonnie had taken two chairs next to Jamie’s bed. Chase and Abby stood against the wall, with Jeremiah in Abby’s arms.

Wyatt sat next to Jamie on the bed with Samantha standing next to him. He didn’t like the looks he was receiving from Jamie’s brothers as they shot daggers at him from their respective corners. He had an agenda today and they were just going to have to accept it.

“So, what’s the plan here?” Justin asked.

Jamie looked at him before she turned her attention back to her brother. “Surgery will be day after tomorrow. They’ll remove the tumor, biopsy it and hopefully, it will be benign.”

“Speak English here for us non-medical personnel, Jamie,” Cole said.

“Non-cancerous, Cole.”

“We’ve already made room for everyone at the Rocking W,” Chase told the group. “I’m assuming all of you are staying until after the surgery.”

“Of course,” the group said in chorus.

“How long will it take to get the results of the biopsy?” Carrie asked.

Jamie looked up at Wyatt and he replied, “It could take several weeks, but I know Dr. Melton pretty well. I’ve already asked him to push the pathologist for an emergency result. Hopefully, we’ll have some good news the day of the surgery.”

“They can tell that fast?”

Wyatt wasn’t sure who the question came from, but he answered, “Yes. In some cases.”

Silence prevailed in the room as each person absorbed the ramifications.

“There is something I need to say to all of you, so please hear me out. I know you all were very angry at how things went down between Jamie and me when she got pregnant with Samantha. Chase knows what actually happened and I’m sure he’s shared it with you, Justin and Cole. You all must know that even with how things happened, I don’t fault Jamie for it and I take responsibility, to some extent, for the mess as well.”

“You should,” Justin growled.

“That’s enough out of you, husband of mine,” Katrina told him.

Wyatt ignored Justin’s words and stood. Samantha moved slightly to his left as she watched with tears in her eyes and he winked at her. Their daughter had been instrumental in helping him with the arrangements.

He went down on one knee and took Jamie’s hand in his as he reached inside his shirt pocket. “I know this isn’t probably the best time and it certainly isn’t moonlight and roses, but it’s something I should have done a long time ago. You know I love you with all my heart and I know you love me too. We had that conversation the other night.”

A watery chuckle escaped from between her lips as she shook her head and whispered, “Yes, we did.”

He held the diamond ring in front of her that he and Samantha had picked out the day before and asked, “Jamie Marie Wilder, will you marry me?”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as a huge smile rippled across her lips. “I love you, Wyatt.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Say yes, Mom.”

Jamie laughed at Samantha’s words before she leaned over, kissed him on the lips. When she finally lifted her mouth from his, she said, “Yes.”

He slipped the ring on her left hand and she kissed him again. Lost in the feel of her lips on his, it took a moment for it to register in his brain that her family still stood nearby.

“There’s one more thing, Mom.”

“What’s that baby?”

“Tell her, Dad.”

He smiled at Samantha before his attention returned to Jamie. “I’ve made arrangements for us to get married in the chapel downstairs if you want. I want you for my wife before the surgery, if you’ll have me. If you want a big wedding, we can have one after you are better.”

“I want to marry you right now, right this minute, but will tomorrow work?”

A smile spread across his face. “It’s perfect.”

Jamie’s eyes moved to Abby and she held out her hand. “Abby? Will you stand up with me?”

“Me?”

The surprise on Abby’s face made him laugh as Jamie said, “Yes, you.”

“I’d be happy to, Jamie.”

Wyatt looked at Chase. “I know you don’t like me much, Chase, but I don’t have a lot of friends here in town yet. Will you be my best man?”

“As long as Jamie is happy, I wouldn’t stand in your way. Yeah. I’d be honored to be your best man.”

Wyatt’s attention moved back to Jamie. “Baby, I know you’d like to pick out flowers and all that, but Samantha has already taken care of it and even picked out a dress for you.”

“She did, did she?” Samantha’s head bobbed up and down in affirmation. “Well then, I’m sure it will be perfect.”

* * * *

The wedding went off without a hitch and even some of the staff members of the hospital attended. They had a small reception in the hospital doctor’s lounge and invited anyone and everyone to the party. Jamie was stunning in an off-the-shoulder white gown as she carried a bouquet of white and pink roses. Wyatt stood proudly at the altar in a black tux. They said their vows in front of her family and his. He had called his parents and siblings after he had asked Jamie to marry him and most of them actually made it to the wedding.

Wyatt held her in his arms as they swayed to the music playing softly in the background. “I love you,” he whispered softly against her ear.

“I love you, too.”

“You have no idea how much I want to make love to you right now.”

“Oh, yes, I do. I want that more than anything. I wonder if the staff would say anything if we blocked the door to my hospital room.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “You don’t have to wonder.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve convinced Doctor Melton to let you out, just for tonight, so we can have a proper honeymoon, or at least a wedding night, anyway.”

“Are you kidding? Really?”

“Uh-huh. We have reservations in a pretty swanky hotel downtown. Honeymoon suite and all.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled softly down her cheeks. He brushed them away with his thumb. “Why the tears?”

“Because I love you so much and I’m so scared this will be our last time together.”

“Don’t say that, baby. Everything will be fine.”

“But what if it’s not, Wyatt? What if I don’t make it through the surgery? What if…” He put his finger on her lips to stop her words.

“No more ‘what ifs’. We’ll deal with whatever happens—later. Tonight is our wedding night and as such, I plan to enjoy your body immensely until the wee hours of the morning.” He stepped back and took her hand in his as he addressed the crowd around them. “Folks, Jamie and I are going to leave. Enjoy yourselves for as long as you like. The hospital has given us free-reign on the room.” He let his gaze sweep her family. “We will see all of you in the morning, I’m sure.”

“We’ll be right here,” Bonnie said as she leaned over and kissed Jamie. “Be happy, sweetheart. You deserve it.”

“I love you, Mom and Dad.” She kissed her parents and returned to take Wyatt’s hand in hers. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

* * * *

Jamie slowly opened her eyes when she felt fingers stroking her face.

“Come on, baby. Open those beautiful brown eyes for me.”