by Debra Kayn
Jack swallowed. He understood what Stuart was saying. He wanted nothing more than to make Chantilly happy for the rest of his life, but he sat in a precarious position. His loyalty to the man who’d confided in him and his love for the man’s daughter didn’t sit well inside his stomach anymore.
“Stuart, I really think—”
“All right, men, outside. It’s time to get this shindig going. I’m starving.” Val shooed them away from the table. “Go out and do your jawing while we bring the food out.” She snapped her dad with the dish towel. “Get going.”
Stuart raised his arms above his head. “Damn, woman, you shoulda stayed on the ranch the way you like to round things up and herd them away.”
Val snorted. “That’s Chantilly’s dream.”
“And what is your dream, Valenciennes?” Stuart stopped at the back door. “What do you want, sweetie?”
Val stood up on her tiptoes, kissed her dad’s cheek and whispered, “I want someone to love me as much as my daddy does.” She gave him one more kiss before pushing him out the door. “Now take Jack outside and get ready to eat your weight in food.”
Stuart chuckled and clapped his hand on Jack’s shoulder. He shortened his stride. Stuart wasn’t showing him a sign of companionship, but leaning heavily on him.
“You okay, boss?” Jack kept his gaze forward. A proud man never wanted to admit to weakness, especially to another man.
Stuart squeezed his shoulders. “I’m gonna need you to distract Chantilly Tuesday. I’ve got another session with the physical therapist and it’ll be a tough one…or so they say.” He sniffed and inhaled deeply. “I swear, Jack, this is worse than getting kicked by the meanest son-of-a-bitch bull you’ll ever meet.”
Jack pulled out one of the chairs around the outside table. “Stuart—”
“Grub’s ready. Let’s start the Fourth of July off right and dig in.” Chantilly led all of her sisters out the door. “It won’t be long and the whole town will be here to celebrate McDougal-style.”
He sat down beside Stuart. Taking off his hat, he stretched his neck. The muscles running up the backs of his shoulders to his head were tighter than a lead line. It didn’t feel right keeping Stuart’s personal information to himself when he was in love with Stuart’s daughter. He’d talk to the boss tomorrow. This had to end. Dammit, Chantilly has a right to know. Hell, the whole family would rally around Stuart and make this so much easier. Stuart needs to realize he isn’t protecting them, but denying them their right.
Trucks of all sizes packed the gravel driveway leading up to the ranch. Chantilly stood on her tiptoes and leaned against the railing, scanning the crowd gathered on the front lawn for Jack. He’d disappeared fifteen minutes ago, and she couldn’t find him anywhere.
She stepped off the porch. He wouldn’t have gone back to his cabin. He’d promised to help light the fireworks for all their friends and other families.
Jack strolled around the corner of the house, carrying a large box. He winked when he caught sight of her. She reached his side, gave him a quick kiss and peered into the package.
“I think Daddy buys more fireworks every year.” She laughed. “I always thought this was a bigger holiday than Christmas when I was growing up.”
“Wanna know a secret?” He grinned. “I’ve never shot off a firework in my life.”
“Seriously?” She grabbed a package of sparklers and handed them off to one of the kids who’d jumped up to follow the man with the goodies. “Pass these out to the parents, okay, sweetie?” She grabbed the back of the boy’s shirt. “Jimmy…you wouldn’t be thinking of not listening, would you?”
“No, ma’am. I’m paying attention.” He giggled and ran off into the cluster of families gathered on blankets in the yard.
“Sorry it took me so long. I stopped inside the barn where it was quiet and called Craig to wish him a happy Fourth of July.” Jack set the box down on the ground away from the crowd. “He’s going out with a bunch of buddies to watch fireworks over some lake near campus. He got a kick out of what your family does to celebrate every year.”
“Oh, I’m glad you called him.” She rubbed his back. “I bet you miss him at times like this when families get together…”
He nodded and tipped his hat down farther. “Yup. He’s all the family I’ve got. I almost wish I would have bought fireworks a few years ago and gave him something I didn’t have growing up.” He gazed around at the people. “I guess I never knew this was how normal people celebrated holidays.”
“You’ve done a great job of raising Craig, Jack.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “You gave him love and that’s all a person really needs in life. Maybe next year you can invite him to the ranch…if you’re still working here, I mean.”
He cleared his throat. “I’d really like that, darlin’. In fact, he mentioned coming home, back to my place, for a month this summer before school starts. I’m gonna talk to your dad and see if he wouldn’t mind if Craig came here instead. He’s a good kid, wouldn’t cause any trouble.”
“Of course he can come. You don’t hafta worry. Dad would love having him here.” She smiled. “I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Good.” He inhaled and blew out a breath. “Good.”
“It’s almost dark enough, ’bout fifteen more minutes and we can get this show started.” Chantilly gave him an extra squeeze and stepped back. “I’m gonna round up Dad and tell him it’s time to thank everyone for coming. I’ll be right back.”
She’d moved half a dozen steps and Judy Swanson, a childhood friend, grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the side of the house. Chantilly joked, “Hey, Judy, we don’t hafta sneak any beer, there’s a whole big tub of ice sitting up on the porch for the adults.”
“You know that’s not what I want.” Judy peered over her shoulder and lowered her voice. “I want information…who’s the man?”
Chantilly pursed her lips and tried not to grin. “What man would that be? The ranch is full of them.”
Judy scoffed. “You know exactly which one I’m talking ’bout. Where did he come from? How serious are you?” She stopped to take a breath. “Where can I find one?”
“Oh…” Chantilly smiled and rolled her eyes. “That guy. His name is Jack Grady. He comes from Helena. He’s working here on the ranch as our foreman, and you are out of luck. He’s mine and there is no one else like him.”
Judy stuck out her lip and crossed her arms. “Dammit. Just when Pike gets a new man, you scoop him up before any of us girls stand a chance.”
Chantilly hugged her friend. “I don’t believe a word you’ve said. I know you love Scott.” She stepped back. “Hey, when are we gonna get together and have a girl’s night out soon? I missed the last one.”
“Soon, I hope. Georgia Ann had her baby last week—”
“Get outta here! I hadn’t heard.” She shook her head. “Boy? Girl? How are they doin’?”
“A little boy. Cute as a puppy dog, he is too.” Judy leaned in closer. “Of course, Georgia looks like she’d never been pregnant a day. I swear that girl’s got all the luck.”
“Tell her I’ll try to get over and see her. I can’t believe she has a baby. It seems like Georgia just got married a couple months ago.” She rubbed her bare arms. “Well, I better go find my dad and grab a sweatshirt before Jack starts lighting the fireworks. It was good to see you, Judy. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ll give you a call soon to catch up.” Judy wiggled her brows. “I wanna know everything.”
“Gotcha.” Chantilly hurried up on the porch, opened the door and took the stairs two at a time. She’d grab some blankets too in case anyone else got too chilled in the night air.
The house sat quiet. The voices from outside muffled. She opened her bedroom door, grabbed a sweatshirt and headed back down the hallway for the blankets stored in the linen closet.
Once she had her arms full, she stepped toward the stairs and suddenly stopped. That’s weird. Turning around s
he squinted inside the doorway of her dad’s room. Not able to see the strange shape on the floor in the darkened room, she leaned over and hit the light switch with her elbow.
She screamed and dropped the blankets. Scrambling over the mess piled at her feet, she knelt beside her dad, who was sprawled out on the floor. He wasn’t moving.
Chapter Thirteen
Margot paced back and forth in the middle of the waiting room at St. John’s Medical Center, talking in a low voice on her cell phone. Val sat across from Chantilly, her legs bouncing against the plastic chair at the rapid rate of a jackhammer. Jack and Florentine flanked each side of her, holding her hands. Chantilly squeezed her eyes shut and wished she could stand up and throw something across the room.
After the McDougal sisters arrived at the hospital behind the ambulance, the paramedics informed them their dad was breathing but hadn’t regained consciousness on the trip here. Chantilly pulled her hands free and stood up.
“I’m gonna see what’s taking so damn long.” She headed to the front desk, but Margot stepped in front of her.
“Give ’em time.” Margot closed her phone and threw her arm around Chantilly’s shoulder. “It’s not gonna do Dad any good to have you causing trouble out here.”
“I don’t understand how this could happen. Dad’s always been healthy as a horse. He’s strong and stubborn.” She swallowed. The tears gathered behind her eyelids again. “This ain’t supposed to happen. He’s only fifty-five years old. Do you think it’s his heart?”
Jack came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head back against his chest. Her dad was the one constant person in her life. Heck, he’d braided her hair when she was little, bought her first bra for her and sent Tom Dirkens packing when he tried to sneak into her room one night when she was fifteen. Her dad promised he’d never go away like her mom did. I remember when he made that promise. It was my eighth birthday and I was sad that the other girls had mommas at my party.
“Chantilly, let’s go sit down. I think Florentine would like you to sit with her.” Jack urged her back to the chairs.
Tears flowed down Florentine’s cheeks. Chantilly sat down beside her, picked up her sister’s hand again and placed it in her lap. Jack squeezed her shoulder.
“Let’s keep it together. Be strong for Dad, okay?” Margot sat beside Val.
Val laid her head in Margot’s lap and closed her eyes. “This ain’t happening. I just want everything to go back to the way it was yesterday.”
“Does anyone know what Dad was doing in his bedroom?” Margot stroked Val’s hair back from her face. “I was talking to the Olsons. I didn’t even know…”
Jack shook his head. “Last time I saw him he was talking to a group of men outside the barn, but that was ’bout a half hour before Chantilly came out of the house.”
They all fell silent. Chantilly glanced at the clock. If she had gone straight to find her dad instead of talking to Judy and getting her sweatshirt and those damn blankets, she could have helped her dad. Who knew how long he’d been lying on the floor unconscious.
“McDougal family?”
Chantilly raised her gaze toward the door. Her heart beat fast and she struggled to breathe over the tightening sensation in her chest. The doctor stepped farther into the room, his blue cap in his hand.
“We’re Stuart McDougal’s family.” Margot stood up.
Chantilly and Florentine scooted to the edge of their chairs, their hands squeezed tightly together.
“I’m Dr. Scarborough, your father’s physician. I have Stuart resting comfortably, and you can see him in a moment when the nurses finish making his room ready and we’ve transferred him upstairs. He’ll remain asleep because of the medicine we’re using to treat the high fever he had on arrival to the hospital.” The doctor sat down in one of the empty chairs. “We’ll admit him to a third floor room and monitor him for the next twenty-four hours. His white blood count is too high for my comfort. In his condition, we have to be careful of every little infection that weakens his system.”
“H-his condition?” Margot’s gaze flipped from one sister to the other.
Chantilly shook her head and frowned. “What are you talking ’bout?”
The doctor dropped his chin. “I take it he hasn’t told you.” He inhaled. “Your father was diagnosed six months ago with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—Lou Gehrig’s disease.”
Margot pinched the bridge of her nose. “Shit.”
“I-I don’t u-understand.” Chantilly shrugged off Jack’s hand and stood up. “Margot?” She shook her sister. If anyone could make sense of medical terms, it would be her oldest sister. “‘Oh shit’ what? What does that mean?” She turned back to the doctor. “Just tell us. He’s gonna be okay, right? You’ll give him some antibiotics and he can come home. That’s what an infection means.”
Margot reached over and turned Chantilly around. “It’s more serious than that.” She moved Chantilly back to her chair. “ALS is an incurable neuromuscular disease.”
“Are you saying he’s gonna die?” She covered her mouth. “No. No. Don’t say that, Margot Lace McDougal. Daddy’s not gonna die!”
Jack pulled Chantilly to his chest and pressed her face into his shirt. He rubbed the back of her neck. She sobbed.
“Sh…darlin’.” He kissed the top of her head.
The doctor cleared his throat. “I know this is a lot to absorb and understand. From the time Stuart came in with complaints, I figure he’d already shown signs of the disease for almost a year.” He paused. “I’ll give you some literature to take home with you that explains it in much greater detail. Your father is going to need you all to support him. It won’t be easy. I understand that.” Dr. Scarborough stood up. “I’ll have my nurse give you all the literature and the number for my office. Please…if any of you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call and I’d be happy to discuss this with you.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Margot sat back down and held Val’s hand.
Chantilly pushed herself off Jack and turned to Florentine. “Why didn’t he tell me? I live with him.”
Florentine hiccupped, reached for the box of Kleenex on the end table and after grabbing a few for herself, passed the tissues to Chantilly. “This is a nightmare.”
“It’s all wrong.” Val stormed across the room. “Daddy should have told us all.”
“Did anyone notice anything different lately?” Margot crossed her arms.
“No, I—” Chantilly shook her head. “Oh God. He’s been leaving the ranch a lot lately.” She buried her head in her hands. “I thought…I thought he had a girlfriend.”
“Shit.” Margot stood up, began to dial her cell phone, but stopped and turned to Chantilly. “We’ve gotta be strong. It’ll do Dad no good if we all fall apart and he believes he needs to take care of us.”
“What is this…thing, this A—whatever the doctor called it?” Chantilly rubbed her hands down her cheeks.
Margot plopped down on the chair and leaned forward. “It’s a progressive disease that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing them to deteriorate, and it eventually kills you.”
Chantilly sat in stunned silence. That wouldn’t happen to Dad. He’s so strong. He’ll fight it.
“There’s no cure?” Florentine asked.
Margot shook her head. “No.”
“W-when will he—” Val clamped her lips shut.
“I don’t think they know.” Margot stood up. “Some patients last only months, others years.” She rubbed her arm. “We need to call Bisette. She needs to come home.”
“I’ll do it after I see Daddy.” Florentine took Margot’s cell phone from her.
A petite woman with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail stepped into the room. “You can see Mr. McDougal now. He’s still sleeping, but the doctor said you can spend a few minutes with him before you leave for the night. He’s up on the third floor, room 327.”
“Thank you.” M
argot led the way out of the room and over to the elevator.
“Darlin’?” Jack brushed her hair off her forehead. “I’m gonna let you go in with your sisters. I’ll be outside at the truck waiting for you, okay? This is a time when your daddy needs all you girls around him.”
She nodded. “Thanks for bringing us, Jack, and for staying with me. I don’t know what I’d do right now without you.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “Go see your dad, and then I’ll take you girls home.”
The heels of Jack’s boots seemed to echo down the hall. He stepped through the electric doors, turned left and headed for the truck. He’d give anything to protect Chantilly. Hell, he wanted to protect all the McDougal girls from the heartache that was sure to come.
He unlocked the driver’s side door, climbed up into the cab and closed the door. Smacking the steering wheel, he hoped like hell Stuart pulled through whatever was infecting his body and they’d all have more time with him. At least he’d have the love of his family around him now. If anyone deserved the love of five successful women, Stuart McDougal did.
Chapter Fourteen
Rickrack’s cinnamon-colored mane slapped Chantilly face, but she pushed the horse forward, cantering over the land that had always brought her security but now brought her a grim dash of reality. The ranch was her daddy’s pride and joy. Stuart had built the ranch from the ground up. He’d worked, sweated and breathed life into the land. How would she walk the fields, run the cattle and go on without her daddy by her side? He was the McDougal ranch. She’d never thought he wouldn’t be here.
The wind dried her cheeks. She was sick of the tears, the helplessness that crept up when she least expected it.
This time it only took seeing her dad and Jack sitting on the porch. She blinked her vision clear. Was it really only four short hours ago that they brought Stuart home from the hospital?
