“Time to go,” I tell her, noticing how sleepy she looks like she’s about to join her dad in unconsciousness.
“Stay with me, Stacey,” I order. “I need you to stay awake, you’re gonna need to grab a hold of me, climb on my back once I get your dad out, okay?” I ask, relieved when she gives a nod but I say her name louder, making sure she’s focused.
“We’re gonna get out of this,” I remind her, “But you need to listen to me and do exactly as I say when I say it.”
She doesn’t say a word, but she nods her head.
This is the last time I let her out of my sight, ever. I promise myself that as I strap her dad to the front of my hardness then shout for her to climb over and hook her arms around my shoulders.
I’m not sure how this is going to work, but there’s no time to try anything else, and waiting isn’t an option with the car being to dislodge itself.
Greg hangs heavy and limp in front of me, and I don’t feel good until I’ve got Stacey’s arms around my neck as she climbs onto me from behind, using one of her hands to hold her dad’s head up.
Good girl.
Using all my strength, I take up the rope and start to pull us all back towards the shore.
The huge submerged tree cracking in half, sucking the car underwater and disappearing seconds after we’re all clear.
Thank god.
“Don’t let go, Stacey,” I encourage her. “Don’t you let go of me, not ever.”
The silent and freezing squeeze of her body against mine tells me everything I need to know.
I’ve got her again. And I’m not letting go ever again either.
Chapter Nineteen
Stacey
As the water rises, we both feel the cold, the fear. And all in complete darkness.
My dad tells me how sorry he is, for crossing the ford because of his own anger, for taking me away from Ben, for everything.
But none of it matters now. I won’t leave him here on his own. If I could even figure how to get out of the wrecked car, I’m sure I’d be swept away anyhow.
Just when it looks totally hopeless, the streaming white lights of Ben’s truck shine on us, and in a few minutes, he’s shouting through the window that he’ll have us both out in a moment.
Dad struggles to stay conscious, and I do too, by the time Ben delivers his promise.
The water felt less freezing inside the car, but I have to admit, I can’t really feel anything at the moment, except how much I love Ben.
Rescued three times in two days, that has to be some sort of record.
I can feel Ben’s powerful body struggle under me as he fights the current as well as carry two people to safety.
We do reach the shore though, and it’s only after he’s fully clear of the water that he orders me off him and unhooks my dad, laying him flat on the ground in front of the bright lights of his truck so he can stabilize his leg and treat us both for what I know is hypothermia.
I can’t speak really, just lay flat myself and watch Ben out of the corner of my eye as he fixes dad’s leg in a splint, wraps him up in a space blanket before he turns all his attention to me.
I hook my arms around his neck, not wanting to let him go ever again, but he tells me he has to get me warm. That more help’s on the way.
I must drift in and out. The next few hours are a blur until I can see the bright lights and gleaming floors and walls of a hospital.
Ben never leaves my side and is constantly updating me on my dad, even though all I want to do is sleep.
Ben keeps rubbing my hands in his, ordering me to stay awake, and it must be morning before I actually feel more like myself.
I sit up on my elbows Ben sitting right beside the bed leaning over to kiss me straight away.
“Why aren’t you in a bed, wrapped like garlic bread?” I ask him, laughing a little at how silly I sound.
“Your dad’s fine, but he has a nasty break in his foot,” Ben tells me, but as much as I’m glad to hear it. Glad we’re all in one piece, I can’t help feel like all of this could have been avoided.
“I should never have let you go,” Ben says, reading my mind, sounding like he feels it’s all his fault, but I won’t hear that from him.
Not now, or ever.
“Ben. You saved me three times in two days,” I remind him.
“If it’s anyone’s fault it’s my dad for driving the car through a river at night…”
“It’s nobody’s fault,” Ben murmurs. “I’m just glad I got to you in time.”
We sit in silence for a long time, with Ben only shifting his position to make sure I’m wrapped up and warm, even though I still can’t figure out how he’s totally fine from his own ordeal.
“When can we go home?” I finally ask him, bored already with the beeping sounds of the hospital, only wanting my Ben in our own bed.
A female’s voice answers that question for me, a doctor in a white coat introducing himself.
“I’m Doctor Rand,” she says calmly. A pretty face that has the lines of laughter stretching across it though.
I’d imagine her to be in her late fifties, but she has a glow of youth about her I like, more than I like what she has to tell me.
“We’ll be keeping you here for a time yet,” she informs me.
“Your dad too, we can arrange to have you go see him, once I think you’re well enough,” she clips, eyeing Ben with some disapproval.
“Not everyone has the capacity to recover like you do, Ranger Ben,” she frowns.
Ben only grunts. Turning his focus back onto me.
“I can look after Stacey at home as well as you can here,” he reminds the doctor.
“Her vitals are good, her temperature is stable. I think Stacey can decide whether she needs to take up a hospital bed or not,” he adds defiantly, making it the doctor’s turn to grunt.
“Maybe so, but I’d like to keep her overnight. You did a great job, Ben, rescuing them both like you did. Please let us do ours,” she clips before smiling briefly and turning to leave as silently as she appeared.
“Do I really have to stay?” I hear myself whine, the room spinning a little as I try to sit up again, but I don’t say anything about that.
“I just wanna go home, with you, Ben,” I tell him. Watching him nod slowly.
“Rest for a bit, and I’ll see what we can do,” he tells me, adding, “Do you want to see your dad? He’s pretty out of it right now.” But I shake my head.
I’m glad he’s okay, but it’ll be a while before I think I’m gonna want to speak to him.
Ben nods, resuming his seat. His vigil. Watching over me.
“Get some rest,” he orders gently, and like a spell, I slip into another deep sleep, easy in my mind knowing he’s here.
Knowing he’ll always be there from today on.
It’s sometime the next day before I wake up again. Ben’s not there, making me wonder if I maybe even dreamed the whole thing.
Doctor Rand reappears, looking a little more cheerful, asking how I’m feeling before going over my chart, frowning with some approval.
“Ben is visiting your dad,” she says, easing my mind. “He sat in that chair for more than twenty-four hours, wouldn’t budge,” she adds, leaning a little closer as she takes my temperature and checks my eyes with a light.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say the man is more than just a little in love. I’d say you’d better get a ring off him as soon as you can, he’s a keeper,” she smiles, patting my hand.
“You’re fine. And you can go home whenever you feel up to it,” she adds with a wink.
“You sound like the only person not torn up by the fact Ben’s old enough to be my father,” I groan, happy to know I can leave though.
The doctor smiles dreamily.
“I’m almost sixty now. But the man of my dreams came along when I was about your age, maybe even a little younger. He was twice my age and everything was twice as nice,” she grins nostalgically.
“Are you still together?” I ask, feeling terrible when I watch her eyes misting up.
“No, nothing lasts forever, dear. The good Lord took my John away, called him back. But he let us have the best years of my life, and gave me three beautiful children, don’t you let anyone try to stop you two from doing the same,” she cautions me, wagging her finger at me before turning to go.
“Age is just a number. It’s what’s in here that matters,” she adds, clutching her hand to her heart.
The silver line of a tearful but happy memory making her leave suddenly.
I can hear Ben’s distinctive, deep voice from down the hall as he talks on the phone.
I wonder if he’s slept. How he’s managed to sit here for so long, I just want to be well enough again to… Well. To do all sorts of things to him.
To show him how much I love him.
But it’s when he pauses outside my room, finishing what he has to say that I feel my stomach lurch.
“…Thing is, boss. I don’t feel like explaining myself anymore. Not to you or anybody else. If you have any more lost hikers or people who need saving, maybe get off your ass and come down here yourself,” he growls, and I can tell he’s hung up.
His head shaking from side to side as he comes back in, his face lighting up once he sees I’m awake.
“Good morning, princess,” he exclaims, looking at his watch. “Afternoon, really,” he adds.
“I’ve seen your dad,” he mentions, but his eyes don’t look like he wants to talk about that just yet.
“He’ll be fine,” he adds quickly. “Just more of a chip on his shoulder than anything else wrong. You wanna go see him?” he asks, surprised when I shake my head swiftly.
“Nope.” Is all I have to say about that.
“Then, whenever you feel up to it, I can take you home. As long as you promise not to set fire to the place or take a drive through a river,” he jokes, wincing once he notices my reaction.
“Too soon? Sorry. Just trying to keep things upbeat,” he adds, blowing some air out of his cheeks.
“What did dad say about me going home with you? And I hope I didn’t hear you just quitting again,” I ask, my own curiosity getting the better of me.
“One thing I will say for your dad,” he continues, starting to smile again. “He has agreed to let you stay with me, at least until he’s feeling well enough to take another swing. But he wouldn’t agree to everything,” he adds cryptically.
“Everything?” I ask, feeling my eyes widen, wondering just what he and my dad spoke about.
“Nothing,” Ben says, letting his eyes roam enough that I can tell he’s lying. But it’s a white lie and only to protect me, I’m sure.
“I’ll tell you one day, and soon enough. For today though, let’s just get you home, shall we?”
I couldn’t agree more.
Chapter Twenty
Ben
Once I know Stacey is fine and despite wanting to take her home just now, all for myself. I have to agree with the doctors and let her rest and make a full recovery.
After a whole day in a chair though, I let myself take a wander and go to the end of the hall to visit her dad, Greg.
I’m not sure I can call him my oldest or even best friend anymore, and the look on his face when he sees me says a lot.
“What the hell do you want?” he snarls, immediately asking where Stacey is and why she hasn’t come to see him yet.
I shrug.
“Stacey’s an adult, Greg. And the doctors and nurses here aren’t gonna make her do anything she doesn’t want to, including visit you.
“I suppose you’ve come to gloat?” he huffs, pulling himself up onto his pillows.
“Christ knows how we’re gonna pay for any of this,” he adds bitterly.
“Two wrecked cars in as many days and now a hospital stay? They tell me I’m here for at least a month with this break, something about a lung infection too from all that damned river water you dragged us through,” he sniffs.
“You’re welcome,” I add dryly.
“Smartass, what the hells’ that supposed to mean?” he growls again before wincing in pain.
“I already saved your ass, and the doc reckons you’ll be fine. Probably heal quicker if you ease up on trying to hate me so much. Your bills are all paid too, so neither of you has to worry about that,” I inform him.
I can afford it, but what I really want to ask for is his permission.
I’m old fashioned I guess, and while it might not be the best time I want to ask for her hand.
After everything that’s happened, I want Stacey’s name on my insurance. As my wife and I tell him so, watching the man turn so purple I almost think about calling for the nurse.
“You’ve got some nerve, Ben! First, you break my trust, lie to me about everything and now you’re telling me you want to marry my only daughter? Fat chance. And you can stick your money where the sun don’t shine. I’ll figure something out, something without you in it. You or your stupid money,” he gasps, looking like he needs some oxygen as I buzz for the nurse.
“You always were better than me, weren’t ya?” he continues. “Always flashing your money around. Your inheritance. Well good for you, Ben. But blood is thicker than water and I know Stacey will wake up to the facts once she feels better. She’s coming home with me and that’s that,” he nearly shouts before the nurse comes in, shifting me out of the way with a frown and doing what she can for the man.
“Home?” I muse quietly. “Have her at home alone for what, a whole month while you sit here, racking up a huge bill neither of you can afford?”
I watch Greg’s face fall, he knows it as well as I do, but I gotta hand it to him for putting up a fight. The good fight for what he wants for his baby girl, but it’s not the fight she needs.
“I can look after her, Greg and you know it. I can support all of us if you’ll just let me. Okay, maybe I can ease off the idea of nuptials for a bit, but Stacey’s mine now. Learn to live with that. I’m gonna give her everything she needs in this life and it’s not as raw a deal as you wanna make it,” I tell him firmly, the nurse even nodding in agreement as she can’t help but listen in.
Eventually, Greg calms down and the nurse leaves, winking at me.
“I just wish it was you who told me, Ben. Even coming from Stacey, I can’t take it. She’s just a child…” he groans, sniffing with emotion again.
“She’s an adult, Greg, but I know how she’ll always be your little girl. Just agree to her staying with me until you’re outta here. I can field anything you need to be dealt with regarding your job, anything,” I add helpfully.
“As long as you get to have your way with her?” he groans angrily, clenching the bedsheets. “As long as you get to—” But I cut him off.
“It’s not like that, Greg. I really do love Stacey. I care for her very much,” I tell him earnestly.
And yeah, in more ways than I’d ever want to have to describe to you because it would kill you if you knew what we’ve been doing. What I plan to do to her every day. Every single night of our life.
His head sinks back, and his emotions overtake him. He’s sobbing with nostalgia.
Crying for his daughter growing up, crying for his own marriage that didn’t work the way he thought it would. Crying because he’s hurting.
I draw up a seat, closer to his bed and take his hand in mine.
“I don’t want to lose you as a friend, Greg,” I tell him honestly. “I was scared as hell in that damned ford, seeing the two people I love most about to be swept away. I would’ve died happy knowing I at least tried.”
“You should’ve left me,” he groans, trying to turn his face away. “All this is too much, Ben. It’s not… natural.”
I pat his hand, which I’m glad he hasn’t pulled away.
“Just give us tome, and give yourself some t
oo,” I add, hoping again that he catches my meaning.
I love Stacey and I want her as my wife. But I don’t want to lose my best friend in the process if I can help it.
“You’ll… You’d really help us, I mean?” he asks after a long silence. Thinking everything over.
“Of course I will, you as much as Stacey. We’re like family anyway,” I point out, a little hurt myself that Greg hasn’t once asked if I’m okay. If I need anything, but I guess he’s always taken it for granted that I’m bulletproof. Indestructible. But only when Stacey’s around.
“And when did I ever flash money around?” I ask him, making him stifle a laugh as he shakes his head.
“Oh, probably never,” he snorts. “Just let me be mad for a time, will ya, Ben? I can’t live without Stacey either, but the idea of my oldest friend not wanting me either…”
“I never said that,” I caution him, but I don’t want to split hairs over anything anymore. I can see Greg coming to his senses.
Like Stacey, he’s had some big shocks over the past few days.
“Just rest up for now, and I’ll bring Stacey in to see you when she feels up to it,” I add casually, which makes him sigh heavily.
“See? She’s already against me, Ben. Don’t let her hate me. Don’t you hate me too,” he finally pleads.
I lean over and give him a pat on the back. “I won’t, but stop trying to give me reasons to,” I add smiling, patting his chest as I stand to go.
“I’ll check in on you later,” I tell him, noticing whatever the nurse gave him is already taking effect.
It won’t take away all his pain, but it’ll help him sleep for now.
Returning to Stacey, I’m surprised she’s awake and even more surprised she doesn’t want to see her old man.
She’s a chip off the old block, really and I tell myself it’s just time all of us need to get through this.
Time for me to show Stacey I can care for her and support her dad while he recovers. And time for her and her dad to come to terms with everything that’s happened.
Ranger Ben: A Steamy Standalone Instalove Romance Page 11
