As she stared into the darkness enveloping her, she prayed the paramedics would arrive in time. She prayed that Nannette’s collapse had been caused by something other than whatever disease she was fighting. Nannette had to be okay. She was such an incredible woman. Her family loved her so much. What would they do without her?
Flashing red and blue lights colored the early evening sky, and sirens blasted through the quiet as the ambulance roared toward the house.
“She’s this way,” Elizabeth said to the paramedics once they arrived. She stared at them. Both men, tall and athletic, one blond and one dark haired, could be on the cover of any magazine.
“Is Mrs. McAlister conscious?”
“I don’t know. Avery didn’t say.”
“Have they contacted her oncologist?” the dark-haired paramedic asked as he flung open a panel on the ambulance and pulled out a duffel bag.
“Nannette has cancer?” No, not that fantastic, spunky woman.
He grabbed a portable machine from another compartment. “She’s got a rare kind of inoperable brain tumor. She’s undergoing experimental treatment in Portland.”
Elizabeth’s heart dropped. Experimental treatment meant every conventional one doctors tried had failed. Experimental treatment meant a last-ditch effort to stop the cancer. Experimental treatment meant desperation.
She regretted every time she’d pushed Rory to do things he wasn’t comfortable with. She’d accused him of not taking the job seriously. No wonder he’d been so incensed when she’d renegotiated his deal.
Money was literally a matter of life and death for his mother.
The rear ambulance doors clanged shut. The second paramedic joined them with a gurney. Elizabeth raced up the walkway, threw open the front door and stepped aside for the EMTs to enter.
When she’d followed them to the kitchen her eyes filled with tears. Avery sat on the ceramic tile floor, her mother’s head in her lap, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Griffin sat beside them, worry etched on his classic features. Nannette’s arm was splayed across her son’s lap.
Rory paced the room, his eyes dark and his face drawn, a cell phone held to his ear. “The paramedics are here. What do I need to tell them about her treatment?” He nodded toward the dark-haired EMT. “Glad it’s you, Brandon.”
“We’ll take care of her.” Rory’s siblings moved away as Brandon knelt beside Nannette. “Mrs. McAlister, can you tell me if you’re hurt anywhere?”
She weakly shook her head.
The second paramedic attached disks to various spots on Nannette’s shoulders and one to her chest. He then clipped on wires and connected them to the portable machine. Next, he slipped a clip onto her index finger and took her blood pressure. After studying the machine, he said, “Your vitals seem strong. Blood pressure’s a little high, though.”
A second later Rory approached and handed his phone to Brandon. “It’s Mom’s oncologist in Portland. He wants to talk to you.”
Stark panic shone in Rory’s eyes when he joined Elizabeth. She glanced at Griffin and Avery, who stood huddled together a few feet away from their mother. Similar worry etched their faces.
Rory’s voice wavered. “I refuse to lose Mom, too.”
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist. He leaned against her, just the littlest bit. Not enough for anyone else to notice, but close enough that his pain radiated through her.
“I hate feeling helpless,” he murmured, as they watched Brandon start an IV on Nannette.
That done, the medic walked toward them. Rory stiffened and moved away from her, all the vulnerability she’d seen in his eyes earlier, gone.
“She’s stable, Rory, so that’s a good sign.” Brandon returned his BlackBerry. “Her oncologist said as long as she’s stable, the best thing to do is get her to the hospital. He’s calling the E.R. doctor to update him on Nannette’s treatment.”
“Thanks, Brandon.”
“We’ll meet you at the hospital.”
Rory joined his mother, knelt beside her and kissed her forehead before the EMTs loaded her on the gurney. “If you wanted a little attention, Mom, all you had to do was ask.”
“There are some things you need to know—” Nannette began weakly.
Avery’s sniffles echoed in the room.
“Tell me tomorrow,” Rory said, and then turned to his friend. “Take good care of her.”
“You got it.” Brandon walked to the head of the gurney. “Now, Mrs. McAlister, I don’t want to hear any complaints about my driving. I’m a more responsible driver now than when Rory and I were in high school.”
After his mother and the EMTs left, Rory looked at Griffin. “We should have two cars at the hospital. You and Avery ride together, and I’ll drive there in my truck.”
“See you at the hospital,” Griffin called as he and Avery left the kitchen.
Once they were alone, Elizabeth stared at Rory. His hands shook as he pulled his keys out of his jeans pocket. She joined him and held out her hand. “Give me the keys.”
“I’ve got to go to the hospital. Will you be all right here?”
“You’re in no shape to drive.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” She caressed his cheek with her hand. “Let me help you.”
He handed her his keys, fatigue and worry causing his broad shoulders to slump. “You drive. I’ll navigate.”
AS SHE AND RORY MADE their way through Estes Park’s darkened streets toward the hospital, she longed to tell him that everything would be okay, that his mom would be fine. She glanced at him in the passenger seat, and her heart froze. The strongest, most capable man she’d ever known had tears in his eyes.
“When was your mom diagnosed with cancer?”
“Around a year after my dad died.” Rory’s voice broke. “I don’t know how she did it—going through chemo while still dealing with dad’s death. Sheer force of will, I guess.”
“She’s an amazing woman.” Elizabeth’s hands tightened around the steering wheel. “That’s why you changed your mind about modeling, isn’t it? You needed the money to pay for her treatment.”
“Who told you?”
“I overheard part of your family powwow.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you as an eavesdropper.”
“I’m not. I was coming to talk to you. Devlin wanted me to talk you into doing the underwear gig.”
“I’m not changing my mind.”
“I’m not asking you to.” Elizabeth pulled into the hospital parking lot and followed the signs directing her to the emergency room entrance. “I told Devlin if he wanted your arm twisted, he’d have to do the job himself.”
“I may have to give in.”
“You can’t compromise. Not when you’re so adamantly opposed to it.”
“If you heard the discussion earlier, then you know that without additional income, the ranch is running in the red.”
Elizabeth pulled into a parking place. “What’s your advertising plan?”
“There’s the website, and we’ve got brochures in the hotels and the tourist bureau.”
“Maybe that’s part of your cash flow problem.”
“Now’s not a good time for me to talk business.”
“Sorry, old habits are hard to break.” Elizabeth turned off the engine and handed Rory his keys. Then she crawled out of the truck. She couldn’t help him with his business issues right now, but she could help him in other ways. “Who do I need to call about your mother? Does she have family other than you kids who need to be notified? How about a pastor?”
“I haven’t even thought about that.”
Elizabeth reached into her purse and pulled out her iPhone. “Tell me who needs to be called.”
Rory rattled off names as they strode toward the emergency room entrance, and she compiled a list. The hospital’s giant motion sensor door swooshed open as they approached. Griffin and Avery stood to one side of the reception area, Avery’s shoulders sh
aking with the force of her emotion as she cried in her brother’s arms.
“Has something happened to Mom?” Rory asked, his voice filled with panic.
Avery stopped crying and gazed at them through red, swollen eyes. “We haven’t heard anything yet.”
Deep worry lines etched Griffin’s forehead. “I’m hoping no news is good news.”
“I’ll find out what’s going on.” Rory stalked toward the reception window. “Lucy, how’s Mom doing?”
The nurse behind the desk smiled at him. “They’re running tests now, but she’s conscious and coherent. In fact, she’s giving Dr. Greer a tough time. She keeps insisting she’s fine and wants to go home. He says no matter what, she’s spending the night.”
Rory laughed, but not his normal full-bodied laugh. This one held a brittle quality. “Sounds like Mom.”
“She’s one tough lady.” Elizabeth joined him and rubbed his arm. “That will help her get through this.”
“You need to register her,” Lucy said.
As Rory reached in his back pocket for his wallet, another nurse rushed out a door to the left. “Dr. Greer wants to talk to all of you. He needs to do a CT scan, but your mother says she hates ‘those damn things’ because they’re noisy and claustrophobic.”
“You two go,” Rory said to his siblings. “I’ll join you once I get Mom registered.”
“We’ve got your mother’s information on file.” Lucy nodded toward Elizabeth. “We’ll get her paperwork taken care of. You can sign any necessary forms later.”
Elizabeth held out her hand. “If you give me your phone, after I’m done with that, I’ll call the people we talked about.”
Rory leaned toward her, kissed her on the cheek and handed her his BlackBerry. “Remind me to thank you later.”
After he and the others left, Elizabeth turned to Lucy. “Would you point me in the direction of registration?”
“I’ll take you there,” Lucy said as she came around her desk. “That boy has always carried more than his fair share of the family burden. He needs a woman who’s strong enough to take some of that weight off his shoulders.”
“Rory and I work together. I’m his boss,” Elizabeth said, hoping to clear up the receptionist’s misconception before it spread through the town. “We’re not involved.”
No. They were just sleeping together, but only for now. And she loved him more than she’d ever imagined possible.
Lucy laughed. “Honey, you’re not fooling anyone. My guess is not even yourself.”
No kidding.
Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth made her way to the waiting room and sat with Avery and Griffin. “I’ve called Reverend Klockers. He’s on his way. I’ve also called your uncle. He’ll take care of everything at the ranch. He figured that was the best way he could help. If you want him to come to the hospital, you’re to call him. I checked Rory’s BlackBerry. There are tours scheduled for tomorrow.” She glanced at Griffin. “Do I need to reschedule them?”
“Uncle David and I can see to them.”
Elizabeth checked off the item on the to-do list she’d compiled while registering Nannette.
Avery linked her arm through Elizabeth’s. A fresh batch of tears pooled in her eyes. “Mom has been through so much, and now this. What if the tumor’s growing? What if the experimental treatment doesn’t work? What if—”
“Avery, don’t even think those things. Take a deep breath.” Elizabeth clasped her hand, then breathed deeply, encouraging the younger woman to breathe with her. Once Avery appeared more under control, Elizabeth said, “Show me where the cafeteria is. I could use some coffee.”
Rory’s sister hesitated.
“I could use a cup myself,” Griffin stated. “Go on. I’ll talk with Uncle David about the tours while you’re gone.”
“You’ll call if…” Avery stopped, unable to continue. She bit her lip.
Griffin patted her arm. “Mom’s tough. She’s going to be okay.”
“We won’t be gone long.” Elizabeth stood and gently coaxed Avery to her feet. “I hear you’re in vet school. What’s that like?”
As they left the waiting room, Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder at Griffin. Phone to his ear, he mouthed the words thank you.
RORY LOOKED UP to find Lizzie and Avery entering the waiting room, their hands filled with coffee cups. He’d joined Griff a few minutes ago with a list of things to take care of, only to discover Lizzie had seen to most of them. Without his asking. Without him having to lead her through things step by step. All his life he’d been the one everyone looked to during a crisis. He figured that was part of the oldest-child job description, but sometimes, like tonight, the role weighed him down.
Accepting a coffee cup from Lizzie, he smiled. What a woman. She could hold her own in the business world. She could laugh with him and trade zingers point for point. Now she’d taken care of things he hadn’t even realized needed to be done, like checking tomorrow’s tour schedule.
He could get used to having her around. Someone who worried about him every once in a while. Someone he could count on. Someone he could love and grow old with.
Realization hit him as hard as running headfirst into a ten-point elk.
He’d fallen in love with his little Lizzie.
Now the question was what the hell should he do about it?
One thing he knew, he wouldn’t beg her to stay. He’d made that mistake before.
“How’s your mom?” Elizabeth asked as she sank into the chair beside him.
He twined his fingers with hers, sending little ripples of heat through her. “Dr. Greer thinks she collapsed because of fatigue and stress, but he’s doing more tests to be sure. When he’s got all the results, he’ll fax them to Mom’s oncologist in Portland, and they’ll talk over the results.”
“If I’d known she was sick, I would’ve talked Devlin out of doing the commercial at Twin Creeks.” Tears pooled in Elizabeth’s eyes. When she sniffled a bit, Rory traced circles on her palm with his thumb.
His actions confused her. He’d never given any indication that he wanted a permanent relationship with her, yet here he was, turning to her for comfort. Was that all this was, him needing comfort and her being convenient?
Please, let him think we had more than that.
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. If anyone’s to blame it’s me. I should’ve checked to make sure she was still in Portland.”
Lizzie squeezed his hand. “I guess we’re both at fault.”
“Stop it, you two. It doesn’t matter, and feeling guilty won’t help. We need to focus our energy on helping Mom,” Avery stated, her gaze and her voice filled with censure.
Both brothers stared wide-eyed at their sister. Rory nodded. “You’re right. You always manage to keep things in perspective, Avery.” He smiled weakly. “Mom’s stable. We don’t know how long she’ll be in the hospital. All of you need to go home and get some sleep.”
Both Griff and Avery shook their heads.
“What if Mom’s situation changes?” Avery blurted out, then her eyes widened in horror, as if her saying the words could bring about the event.
“Us being here won’t keep that from happening.” Rory released Elizabeth’s hand. “I’ll take the night shift. Then tomorrow, when I’m sleeping, you can stay here with Mom, Avery, while Griffin takes Elizabeth to the airport.”
Rory’s words, said so calmly and without regret, crushed Elizabeth. Her heart shriveled and then she went numb.
What had she expected when she’d thrown herself at Rory? That he would declare his undying love for her and beg her to stay, because he couldn’t bear for her to leave him?
Obviously unaware of the turmoil churning inside her, Griff turned to her. “What time’s your flight?”
“It’s at one-twenty, but you don’t have to take me. I turned in my rental car when we arrived, but I can rent another one.”
She sat there wishing Rory would ask her to stay. She longed to tell h
im how much she loved him and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but she couldn’t. Right now she had nothing to offer him, and he had enough problems. She refused to add to his burdens.
And he would worry about her. He was that kind of man. One who shouldered his family’s problems and worked to ease their situation. He’d feel partly responsible for her unemployment because it resulted from her unwillingness to talk him into modeling underwear. Not that she believed that, but Rory would feel obligated to her, and she’d never be sure if he was with her out of love or not.
Relationships started when one person’s life lay in ruins never went well.
“I’ll take you.” Griffin’s voice broke through her thoughts. “We can drop Avery off here in the morning and then head to Denver.”
Flashing what she hoped was a no-my-heart-isn’t-in-pieces smile at Griffin, she said, “That would be perfect.”
Chapter Sixteen
Rory stared out one of the hospital’s huge picture windows, watching for Griff and Avery. When he’d received Griff’s text saying they were on the way, Rory had left their mom sleeping in her room, and headed for the hospital entrance. A minute later Griff’s dark blue Chevy truck pulled into the parking lot.
When Rory saw Lizzie, as well as his brother and sister, crawl out of the truck, his heart fell. He’d hoped she wouldn’t come to the hospital today. Letting her go last night had been hard enough. Seeing her now was like pouring rubbing alcohol on an open wound. When he’d tossed out the comment about Griff taking her to the airport, he’d held his breath. He’d prayed she would say she couldn’t bear to leave him.
When she didn’t, he unsuccessfully tried to force the words asking her to stay past the lump in his throat. He’d traveled that road before, begging a woman to stay, to love him, and he’d crashed and burned. A smart man never made the same mistake twice.
The hospital door whooshed open and Rory smiled, trying to pretend his stomach wasn’t full of knots. His gaze remained locked on his siblings as he updated them on their mom’s condition. If he looked at Lizzie, he feared he’d beg her to stay in Colorado. With him. Forever.
Big City Cowboy (Harlequin American Romance) Page 19
