“Your boyfriend is very sweet. He hasn’t left your room for over two days,” the nurse commented, tucking me back into the bed. “We even fixed him a bed in a recliner in the waiting room down the hallway last night, but he refused. He said until he got you home, he wasn’t leaving your side.”
“He is sweet,” I agreed. She placed her hands on her hips.
“And I wouldn't kick him out of my bed for messin’ with the remote, either,” she added as I laughed, catching my ribs as pain shot through my torso.
“No, I wouldn’t either. He is pretty handsome,” I agreed, smiling.
“Handsome? The nurses have been fighting over who got to come in here to check on you. It’s a wonder either one of you got any sleep the past thirty-six hours. And I’ve got a sixteen year old football player at home who is just dying for me to ask him for his autograph,” she added.
“Well, you’ve taken such good care of me, I’ll make sure he signs something for him. Does he have a football?”
“I bet I can find one,” she replied.
“Good. Bring it in, and I’ll make sure he signs it.”
“Thank you, darlin’. I’ll bring you some extra green Jell-O tonight,” she winked.
“Oh, yum,” I replied. I could hear her laughing down the hallway.
Twenty-Eight
“Kelly?” Liam’s voice came out of my dream.
“Hum?” I murmured, pushing against the pillow.
“Kel, wake up. Somebody’s here to see you, baby.”
I opened my eyes to find Liam standing over me with Masen in his arms. Masen squealed as I focused on him.
I raised my arms to take him, but Liam shook his head. “You can’t lift him yet, Kel. Here,” he said, sitting down beside me. He moved close, letting Masen lean over so I could kiss his chubby cheek. I held his face in my hands as I kissed him over and over, his gurgles and giggles letting me know how happy he was to see me. I immediately felt relief. I didn’t know how much anxiety I’d let build up over being separated from him, and it vanished once I touched him.
“Thank you,” I whispered, emotions threatening to overwhelm me.
“Hey, now, what is it?” he asked, wrestling with Masen as he struggled to reach out to me.
“Here, let Uncle Ethan have him a minute,” Ethan said, taking Masen. Liam turned back to me, pushing a stray bit of hair back behind my ear.
“No, I’m fine. I just didn’t realize how much I was worried about Masen.”
Liam smiled down at me and nodded. “I get it. It’s a mother thing. I think you’re better at this than you give yourself credit.” Then he leaned over, whispering in my ear as he added, “And you really do deserve to be a mother.”
I nodded, the nerves he was touching today were very raw, but his words sparked something deep inside me. The love I felt for him was overwhelming, but the love I saw in his eyes overwhelmed me even more.
“Everything in here looks good,” Chelsea announced from the end of the bed as she flipped my chart shut. “I just talked to your doctor in the hallway, and he thinks you are going to be here a while, at least until they can run some more tests on your spine. Liam asked me to arrange for a private nurse for you for when you are released. We’ll see how things go.”
“Liam, I don’t think I’ll need…” my voice trailed off at his stern glare.
“It’s a done deal, Hellcat. She’s paid whether you let her help you or not, so no arguments,” he commanded.
I stayed silent, learning to accept everything he was trying to do for me.
“Wow! You’re taking orders pretty well from a hospital bed. I might have to get one of those for the new house,” he teased.
“Don’t get too used to it, Covington. I won’t be down forever, so don’t get used to calling the shots.”
“I like her, Liam. I like her a lot,” Ethan commented.
“Kelly, about the nerve thing. I know a top neurologist at Scott and White. We’ll see how these test come out, and if we need to, we’ll give her a call. She’s one of the best in the states. Don’t worry,” Chelsea urged, moving around the end of the bed and then sitting down on the side opposite Liam.
“What nerve thing?” Ellen asked.
“She can’t feel her legs yet, Mom. Doc says it could come back soon.” He shrugged, trying to convey nonchalance, but I saw the worry cross his brow. “Could be bone fragments near her spine. The tests they are going to run should show us more.” He took Masen back from Ethan. Masen reached for me and grabbed the covers, trying to pull himself toward me.
“Let me have him,” I whispered.
“Your wound,” Liam reminded me. “I don’t want him to hurt you.”
“It’s wrapped up tight. I’m fine,” I argued, reaching for him. Liam moved over so he could put Masen close to me and still support his weight with his arm.
“Aunt Kelly has missed you so much,” I said as he gurgled at me and waved his arms. I took one of his little hands in mine, thinking for the thousandth time he was the only person left on earth who shared DNA with me. I’d felt like such an orphan when Aunt Deb died, and the feelings intensified when I lost Dana. The urge to pull him into my chest and cradle him close was almost overwhelming. My greatest fear was that he might ever feel abandoned or alone…feelings I’d experienced quite frequently in my childhood. I was all Masen had, and I’d left him alone already for too long. My heart began to race, anxiety sweeping over me as I thought about it. Liam must have sensed my emotions, for he frowned at me, rubbing the wrinkled place between my eyebrows with his thumb.
“Well, I think we all need to go and let you get some rest. Davis and I will be back tonight to check on you,” Ellen said, pulling Davis to his feet.
“Mrs. Covington, please, this is an hour drive for you. I’ll make sure Liam calls you when we get the test results. You can come see me when I get to go home,” I urged, not wanting them to feel they had to come back to Austin.
“You’re family now. Please, call me Ellen, or Momma,” she said softly, cupping my cheek in her hand.
“Thank you, I will,” I replied, overwhelmed with her offer.
“Take care, little Hellcat. Now I know why Liam calls you that,” Davis whispered in my ear when he bent down to kiss my forehead. I nodded and smiled at him as he left the room behind Liam’s mother.
“Well, I think the new baby is craving some ice cream. Ethan, will you buy me an ice cream cone in the hospital snack bar?” Chelsea asked, rubbing her small baby-bump.
“I heard something about that. Congratulations!” I exclaimed.
“I’m rooting for a boy, Chels. I don’t want my son to be outnumbered in the Covington clan,” Liam said jokingly as he placed a kiss on top of Masen’s head.
“I don’t care what sex the new baby is, as long as it gets here with less fanfare than last time,” Ethan said forcefully. “I can’t watch you go through that again,” he continued, placing his hand on Chelsea’s abdomen. I felt a sharp stab of anguish at the gesture, thinking briefly Liam and I might never experience the pregnancy bond.
“It will be a breeze this time, I promise,” Chelsea assured him, pulling him from the room. “We’ll be back in a bit to get Masen.”
After the door shut behind them, I raised my eyes to Liam, who was still watching me.
“Kel, what were you thinking about so hard a few minutes ago?”
“About Masen, and the fact I’m all he has left in the world. I’ve abandoned him for days. I swore he’d never have to go through that as long as I’m alive,” I said, tears coming to my eyes. I pulled Masen down to me and kissed him on the forehead. Somehow, Masen sensed he needed to be careful around me. He snuggled against my neck and stilled, his breathing becoming almost sleep-like.
“Oh, Kel…you couldn’t help it. Masen is fine. Chelsea said at two o’clock this morning, Ethan got up to feed him, and then when Chelsea woke again, Masen was between them in bed. He has been cuddled and loved the entire time, I promise you. And Che
lsea says Sammy adores him. She plays with him for hours, trying to make him laugh at her. Masen follows her every move, and even tries to mimic her facial expressions.”
“Liam,” I said. He turned back to look at me after kissing Masen. “I love that you just called him your son.”
Liam nodded, leaning over to kiss me softly. “I already feel like he is. And you’re not all he has in this world. My family already considers him theirs too. And you,” he whispered, pulling back to look down into my eyes. “I’m not the only Covington who loves you, Hellcat,” he murmured, kissing first one eyelid, then the other, then my nose and finally my lips. His kiss was light as if he were gently searching for that one sweet spot, testing first one corner of my mouth, then my bottom lip, then the top, then the other corner. As he continued to taste my lips, he finally moved his lips slowly, parting mine. He gently flicked his tongue into my mouth, awakening my senses even through the haze of pain, medication and confusion.
“I can’t wait to get home,” I whispered against his lips.
“Is it all right if I have some things brought to the house without you picking them out? I’d wanted us to do all the furniture shopping together, but now all I want is to get you to the new house. I don’t want to take you out of here and back to the hotel room,” he said adamantly.
“Of course it’s all right, Liam. Anywhere is fine with me as long as you’re there. Whatever you want to do,” I said, looking down at Masen. He’d fallen asleep on my chest with his thumb in his mouth.
“Liam, what did Ethan mean, about his hoping this baby was easier than last time?” I asked.
Liam sighed, running his fingers through his thick hair, ruffling it in the most adorable way possible.
“Chelsea had preeclampsia. Her blood pressure spiked dangerously high, and they had to take Sammy early. There were numerous complications, and she and the baby almost died.”
“Wow! I’m surprised they would want to try again.”
“Well, that’s a touchy subject with Ethan. He was adamantly against it. Chelsea got off birth control against his wishes. He’s not happy. He wants to have another baby, just not at the risk of Chelsea’s life.”
“I don’t blame him. No wonder he’s worried.”
“I would be too. And I am. I’m worried about you, Kel. I promise you, I’m fine with whatever happens. I don’t want you to feel any kind of pressure about a family. I’ve already got everything I need.” He patted Masen’s little butt for effect. “I’ve never been more scared in my life than when we brought you in here, bleeding profusely from your chest. The three hours you were in surgery were the worst of my life. I didn’t know if you would live or die,” he whispered, choking up. “I couldn’t even think about losing you. I know how Ethan felt, now.”
I nodded at him, moved by his depth of emotion. “I felt the same way, when I saw Reeves pointing that gun at your head. Then when he pushed you away and I saw his finger on the trigger, I had to get between you. Nothing else mattered to me but protecting you.”
“My beautiful hero,” he breathed. “Just. Don’t. Fucking. Ever… risk your life like that again,” he said forcefully as he leaned his forehead against mine.
* * *
A week later, I was still in the hospital. Most of the tubes, leads and monitors were gone, but tests had still revealed nothing about my partial paralysis.
“Kelly, what’s wrong?” Liam asked, rising from the chair in the corner. I’d woken myself, moaning as my legs jumped.
“I don’t know--my legs, it’s like I have static electricity going through them,” I whispered. “They hurt, like when you’re little, and having those growing pains?”
Liam switched the light on beside the bed.
I drew my left leg up, bending my knee. I pulled at my right, and my knee bent.
“Kel, did you move your leg with your hand, or did your leg do it?”
I pushed my leg flush on the bed without touching it.
“That’s great! Can you feel anything?” he asked excitedly, running his finger down my leg. I shook my head at him.
“I don’t care. At least I can move it!” I whispered, overcome with emotion.
Liam left in search of the doctor, and then came back with one of the nurses.
“Sometimes with an injury like yours, the nerves and muscles just have to ‘wake up.’ It’s like some things have to re-boot. That’s probably the leg aches you’re having. I’ve brought you some Motrin, to help. We’ve weaned you off the morphine,” she said. I nodded.
“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to be drugged up.”
“It’s about five till six anyway. We’ll bring your breakfast around, and then see if we can get the doctor in here early. Would you like some coffee and juice?”
“Yes, sounds great. Thanks,” I told her as she left the room. Liam moved back over and sat down on the side of the bed.
“I’m so glad you’re better, Kel. I can’t wait to get you home,” he murmured, touching my cheek.
“Oh, come on, Covington…You just miss the sex,” I teased as I grabbed his hand and held it.
“Oh, yeah…that too,” he whispered, with a twinkle in his beautiful blue eyes.
Twenty-Nine
After ten grueling days in the hospital, the doctor released me. Liam had been on the phone much of the previous evening and all morning. After he had me strapped in his SUV and homeward bound, I turned to him.
“What’s with all the secret phone calls?” I raised an eyebrow in his direction.
“You’ll see soon enough, Hellcat. We’re almost home.”
“Did you call Chelsea?”
“Yes, I did. She took a couple of days off so she could help you with Masen until you are on your feet again. She and Ethan are going to meet us at home.”
“She didn’t need to, Liam. I feel bad.”
“She wanted to do it, and she’s more stubborn than you are, if you can believe it.”
“How’s everything going at work? With the funeral and everything, I feel like I’ve been gone a lifetime,” I murmured, gazing out the window at the neighborhood we were driving through. I realized we were close to our house. Liam had taken a different route, and I still wasn’t completely familiar with the neighborhoods around ours.
“Everything’s fine, Kel. Stuart said Gabby and Lisa are finishing up some last minute things on the Austin Nightlife project, and they have a new development on the Auto Dealers account. But Gabby said it can wait till next week. She suggested they hook you up and Skype from the office so you can work from home.”
“Hmm. That could work. I’d feel a lot better if I could just touch base with them.”
“Don’t worry, Hellcat. You had the place running smoothly when you left, and Stuart told me the budgets for advertising have never looked better. Austin, Inc. isn’t going anywhere, and Whelan will wait for you, I promise.” He winked at me, and I gave him a lame smile.
“I still feel like I have an unfair advantage,” I muttered petulantly.
“Teacher’s pet,” he teased as he reached over to caress my face. “With all you’ve been through, you deserve some advantages.”
We pulled into the driveway to find Chelsea’s and Ethan’s car, along with several others I didn’t recognize, including a moving van.
“What’s going on?” I asked, turning to him.
He shrugged, trying but failing to hide his smirk. “Stealth mission, welcoming committee, and some other stuff. I never dreamed a little Texas girl from the hill country could be so much trouble!”
I cocked an eyebrow at him for the second time, but he just laughed at me.
“Come on, Hellcat. It’s time to welcome you home,” Liam said, pulling me from the car and planting a chaste kiss on my lips.
Liam’s mother greeted us at the door. “Welcome home, sweetheart. We’re so glad to have you out of the hospital!”
“Thank you, Mrs. Covington. It’s good to be home.”
She raised a manicure
d eyebrow at me. I coughed, embarrassed as I corrected myself. “Ellen.” She pulled me into a gentle hug, being careful of my wound.
Liam dropped my bags in the foyer and then escorted me into the great room.
“Wow, someone has been busy,” I observed, turning around the room. I spied Tana and Sunni by the patio doors. “I’m thinking you had something to do with all this?” I asked, gesturing to all the furniture in the room.
“We’re kind of design divas, and Liam gave us a credit card. You have to have some furniture to lounge around on while you’re recuperating, so we did a little shopping for him while you were in the hospital.”
They’d outdone themselves. A large sofa and loveseat, made out of buckskin leathers and boho velvets curved elegantly around the massive stone fireplace. Large coffee tables and end tables flanked the sofas, made out of old Spanish mission doors. Two large armchairs on either side of the fireplace, covered in black and white cowhide and leather fringe, completed the look.
“It looks like it was made for the room,” I said as I turned to Liam. “It’s beautiful. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Come on, Cat, let’s go and see what you think about your bedroom,” Tana said, pulling me from the room.
I winced, extending my right arm a little too much and pulling my still-sore wound.
“Easy, girls. She’s still on the mend,” Liam urged, placing his arm around me. “Take things slow. Then I think Kel might need to rest a bit. She’s been on her feet for more than an hour, now.” Liam cautioned protectively.
He followed us into the master bedroom. I stopped abruptly and gasped, for the view was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. The girls had picked out a king-sized four poster bed that looked like it had been carved out of three-hundred year-old wood. Drapes lined the iron around the top, and the entire bed, windows and chairs were upholstered with a western-inspired taffeta and crushed velvet spread in turquoise, robin’s egg blue and rust designs. The drapes on the massive windows puddled fairy-tale like on the floor, and the sheer blue fabric over the panes let just enough romantic light in to bring the shades of blue to life. A long dressing table sat on the wall next to the master bath, and a twelve-foot Spanish wardrobe stood on the wall opposite the bathroom.
Texas Hellcat Page 33
