The Gift (The Protectors Book 6)

by Leeanna Morgan

  Dave pulled on his jacket. “The security camera app works great. I’ve got to go. Thomas arrived this morning and I’m helping him feed the cattle.”

  Hannah took her jacket off the coat stand. “Mrs. Bennett wants some eggs.”

  “Does she need them right now?” Brett asked.

  Hannah sighed as Dave left the house. “Not exactly.”

  “Have you had breakfast?”

  “I was waiting for Claire. We’ve got two meetings in town this morning.”

  He pointed toward the kitchen. “Why don’t we have breakfast together? You can tell me why Jason came here and scared the living daylights out of you.”

  “It wasn’t his fault,” Hannah said as they walked into the kitchen. “He thought he was doing the right thing, but someone at Fletcher Security forgot to tell us he was coming. It was good of him to check on us. Is Ida still in an induced coma?”

  Brett took two plates out of the pantry. Hannah wanted to change the subject, and he was too tired to do anything but answer her question. “The doctors won’t take her out of the coma until they’re sure her body is able to fight the infection.” He reached for a piece of bacon while Hannah placed a few pancakes on their plates.

  “No bacon for me,” she said quickly. “I’ve been eating far too much since I’ve been here. Mrs. Bennett’s baking is way too tempting.”

  Brett’s eyebrows drew together. “You look good to me,” he said, before popping the bacon into his mouth.

  Hannah laughed. “Considering how tired you are, I’ll take the compliment. Do you know anything about Jason Smith?”

  “The security guard who came here last night?”

  Hannah nodded.

  “I’ve never met him. Why?”

  “Claire is friendly to everyone, but she seemed even more interested in Jason. He’s quite…intense. I thought you might have seen him at Fletcher Security.”

  “Do you want me to ask John about him?”

  Hannah’s eyes widened. “No, don’t do that. Claire will be horrified if she thinks I’m interfering in her life.”

  “What if she doesn’t find out?”

  His heart rate kicked up a notch when Hannah smiled.

  “As much as I like the way your mind works, the answer is still no.” Hannah took their plates across to the table. “Before we have our pancakes, there’s one thing I’d like to do.”

  Brett rubbed his eyes. “That’s fine, but you’d better make it quick. I’m ready to fall asleep on my feet.”

  “This won’t take long.” Hannah stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I know how much Ida and Pat mean to you. I hope Ida gets better soon.”

  He looked into her eyes. A calm peace that he hadn’t felt in a long while washed over him. He pulled Hannah close, letting her warmth fill the empty space inside his heart. “Thank you.”

  Her arms tightened. “You’re welcome. Any time you need a hug, you know where to find me.”

  He wasn’t so sure about that. If she went to Vancouver, he might never see her again.

  With a sigh, he stepped away. “Let’s have breakfast. I promised Pat I’d be back at the hospital by lunchtime.”

  Hannah looked disappointed, but she sat at the table. They talked about the events she was organizing and what Brett was doing on the ranch. But not once, during their entire breakfast, did either of them mention what was happening between them.

  ***

  Hannah pushed the first-floor elevator button at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. Instead of sharing a ride into town with Brett, they’d decided to drive Claire’s truck to the hospital. Brett hadn’t been too happy but, so far, it had worked out fine.

  “Did you check the visiting times for the Intensive Care Unit?” Claire asked.

  “No, but it doesn’t matter if we can’t see Ida. I want to make sure Pat is okay, too.” Hannah adjusted her grip on the picnic basket they’d brought with them. “If Pat isn’t here, I’ll leave the basket with the nurses.”

  Their two business meetings had gone without a hitch. Hannah was trying not to get too excited about the events people were booking for the following year. She still wasn’t sure whether she would be in Bozeman, but by next week she would be one step closer to making a decision.

  From the landing, the Intensive Care Unit looked like any other ward. It wasn’t until you opened the first set of doors, that you realized just how different it was. Hannah sat on a chair while Claire went to the nurses’ station to see if they could visit Ida.

  When Claire returned, she shook her head. “It’s family visiting only. But Pat’s inside. The nurse is going to bring him to us.”

  Hannah nearly cried when she saw Pat’s tired face. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug. “You look exhausted.”

  “It’s been a stressful time. I hear you had an interesting night as well.”

  “It worked out okay in the end.” Hannah gave Pat the picnic basket. “This is from Mrs. Bennett. Brett said the hospital found you a small room in their emergency accommodation wing.”

  Pat nodded. “I slept there for a couple of hours this morning. It was better than using the chair beside Ida’s bed.”

  Claire rubbed Pat’s arm. “We’re all thinking about you and Mrs. McConachie.”

  “Thank you, Claire. Ida is holding her own at the moment, so we’re taking that as a good sign. Brett should be here soon. He went into town to pick up some supplies.”

  Hannah was worried about Pat. He looked so pale she thought he was going to faint. “Do you want to sit with us? We don’t have to go far from Ida.”

  “I could get everyone a drink,” Claire said. “The nurse told me there’s a coffee machine at the end of the hallway.”

  Pat took a deep breath. “A few minutes away from the Intensive Care Unit would be good. It’s a difficult place to be in for any length of time.”

  Hannah led Pat across to a chair and left the picnic hamper beside him. “Mrs. Bennett started baking at six o’clock this morning. She made your favorite muffins and sandwiches.”

  “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

  The doors opened behind Hannah. Unless someone else used the same, subtle aftershave as Brett, she knew he was standing behind her. “I think you’d be perfectly fine. You could even teach Brett a thing or two about looking after himself.”

  A deep male voice cleared his throat.

  She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Hello. Did you find all your supplies?”

  “Most of them.”

  Brett sat beside her. He looked almost as exhausted as Pat.

  “Mrs. Bennett has been baking.” She lifted the lid on the basket and showed him what was inside. “I don’t know how she gets her muffins so light and fluffy.”

  “Buttermilk,” Pat murmured. “Ida used it in her baking, too.”

  Hannah looked at the muffins and sighed.

  Claire’s shoes clipped along the vinyl flooring. “Here you go. I made you a coffee, too, Brett.”

  “Thanks. How were your meetings?”

  “Very productive.” Claire handed Hannah a hot chocolate. “I didn’t think you’d appreciate the extra caffeine.”

  Brett raised his eyebrows.

  “Two cups of coffee is my limit.” Hannah sipped the chocolate. “This is good.”

  Pat lifted Mrs. Bennett’s picnic basket off the seat. “Would anyone like something to eat?”

  While they were enjoying an early lunch, Hannah watched Pat. After a cup of coffee and some sandwiches, his face had more color and he didn’t seem so exhausted.

  Pat handed everyone some paper napkins. “Have the police found the men who attacked Dave?”

  Brett wiped his hands on his napkin. “The police think they’ve found them. I’m meeting Dave at the police station in twenty minutes.”

  “That’s such a relief,” Claire said. “Are they connected to his father?”

  “I don’t know.” Brett threw his empty coffe
e cup into the trash. “But I hope for Dave’s sake they aren’t. It’s bad enough that his dad wants money from his family. It would be worse if he were willing to hurt them to get it.”

  Hannah thought about her own father. He might have been in and out of prison, but he’d never physically hurt them. That hadn’t been the case for everyone else. He was ruthless, determined, and violent—someone that no one could trust.

  Brett picked up his jacket. “What time do you think you’ll be at the ranch, Hannah?”

  She looked at her sister. “About two o’clock. Claire and I have some shopping to do, then we thought we’d come back to the hospital to see how Pat and Ida are doing.”

  “You don’t need to do that,” Pat insisted. “The doctors and nurses are doing a great job of looking after Ida. Besides, the ranch is a lot safer than here.”

  “Are you sure?” Hannah asked. “We really don’t mind spending time with you.”

  “I’m positive. Do your shopping, then head to the ranch. Just remember, no one’s safe until the police confirm who was involved in Dave’s beating.”

  Hannah gave Pat a hug. “We’ll be careful. I hope Ida has a restful night.”

  “So do I,” Pat said sadly.

  Brett wrapped his arms around Pat’s frail shoulders. “I’ll be back after I’ve seen Dave. Call me if you need anything.”

  Pat nodded. “Take care. You’re just as vulnerable as Claire and Hannah.”

  Brett nodded and looked at Hannah. “Are you ready?”

  “We are.”

  With one last goodbye to Pat, they left the hospital.

  On their way to the ground floor, Hannah slipped her hand inside Brett’s. When his fingers tightened on hers, she looked up and smiled. It hadn’t been an easy few days for Pat or Brett, and it didn’t look as though the days ahead would get any easier.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  That night, Brett sat in front of the fire, enjoying the peace and quiet of his own home. Well, he would have been, if he didn’t miss Hannah so much.

  For more than two weeks, she’d been an almost constant presence at the ranch. And now she was living in Bozeman, getting on with her own life instead of being caught up in his.

  Someone knocked on his front door.

  “You home, boss?”

  “I’m in here, Dave.” He dropped his feet off the couch. After everything that had happened, he half-expected Dave to be bringing bad news. “Is everything all right?”

  “I just wanted to say thanks. I spoke to mom. She’s driving back to Bozeman on Saturday with my brothers.”

  “That’s good. Do you feel better knowing the people who hurt you are behind bars?”

  Dave shrugged. “I suppose so, but it doesn’t change the fact that dad owes people money. I guess it’s like the detective said. We’ll still need to be careful.”

  Brett admired Dave’s attitude. It was hard knowing you were better off having nothing to do with a parent. Maybe one day, his dad might turn his life around, but no one was counting on it happening anytime soon. “You made the right decision today. Agreeing to testify against the men who attacked you is the only way to stop them.”

  “I hope so. At least they won’t be able to hurt anyone else when they’re in prison.”

  Brett hoped he was right. “Do you want to watch some TV?”

  “Not tonight. I’d better get back to our house. Mrs. Bennett made an apple pie for our supper. If I leave Thomas alone for too long, he’ll eat it all.”

  Brett stood and walked Dave to the front door. “Thanks for staying with everyone last night.”

  Dave pulled on his hat. “It wasn’t a big deal. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”

  His sincerity made Brett feel humble. “That’s good, because I wouldn’t want you to be anywhere else. Watch the ice on your way home. It’s freezing outside.”

  Dave smiled and opened the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, boss.”

  “Sounds good.” Brett closed the door and glanced at the fireplace. Going back to the sofa wouldn’t help him out of the mess he was in. He might as well spend a couple of hours in his office, working on the ranch accounts. At least he’d have something productive to show for the night and less time to think about Hannah and Ida.

  ***

  Hannah looked around the grand ballroom of The Baxter Hotel. The maple hardwood floor gleamed like a polished jewel. The large, arched windows spilled light onto four crystal chandeliers, and yards of white chiffon fell in soft folds across the ceiling and down the walls.

  Tomorrow, Beverly Jenkins would marry her fiancé in the Holy Rosary Church. By four o’clock, they would be here, enjoying the wedding reception of their dreams.

  For the last three days, Hannah had worked alongside her sister to make sure the bride and groom’s wish list came true. At the moment, the ballroom looked like a construction site. Florists were hanging baskets of cascading white roses from specially designed frames in the ceiling. A lighting contractor was making sure the fairy lights were working, and the hotel staff were checking the sound system.

  “Do you think we’ll have everything finished in…” —Claire looked at her watch— “Three hours?”

  Hannah smiled at her sister. “Of course we will. Once the flowers have been hung, the hotel staff will set the tables and we’ll add the final decorations.”

  Beverly had chosen a winter wonderland theme for her wedding. Over the years, that theme had been done so many times that nothing about it was new. But not for this wedding.

  Hannah and Claire had hired a fairytale carriage for the ground floor entrance. As soon as the guests arrived, a small snow machine would send sparkly snowflakes into the air while the guests had their photo taken.

  Hot chocolate, eggnog, and muffins decorated with snowmen were just some of the treats waiting for the wedding guests when they arrived at The Baxter.

  Claire placed the box she was holding on one of the tables. “The teardrop crystals have been delivered.” She unwrapped a pale blue shard of cut glass. Six crystals would hang from a delicate silver candelabra on each table. With the candles lit and snowflakes sprinkled across the linen, the tables would look beautiful.

  Hannah held one of the crystals. “They’re even better than I remember. Do you want me to help you hang them on the candelabras?”

  Claire pulled another set of crystals out of the box. “I’ll be okay. Did you speak to the people in Vancouver?”

  Hannah nodded. “They were really nice. I’m visiting the university next week to see the art faculty and meet some of the staff.”

  “Have you told Brett?”

  “Not yet.” She glanced at her sister. “What am I going to do? He’s going to be upset.”

  “You’re the only one who can answer that question. Has Brett said anything to you about the residency program?”

  “I think he’s letting me make up my own mind.”

  “Maybe it’s time you had a good talk with him?”

  Hannah placed a big white bow on the back of a chair. With everything else that was happening, it was the worst time to tell him she was leaving. “I’ll wait until the Jenkinses’ wedding is over.”

  “If you need some moral support, let me know.” Claire’s phone beeped and she looked at the screen. “A delivery has arrived. I’ll be back soon.”

  Someone gave a loud shout, and Hannah looked up at the ceiling. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the fairy lights sparkling through the sheer fabric. When the lights on the walls were turned off, the whole room would look magical.

  “Are wedding venues always this chaotic?”

  Hannah jumped. “Brett? What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been at the hospital. The doctors have taken Ida off the drugs that paralyze her muscles and she’s started using her lungs. They’re still only working at about fifty percent, but it’s a huge improvement on what she was doing.”

  “That’s amazing. You must be really happy.”

 
“I am. She’s still got a long way to go, but we’re so proud of her.”

  “What about the sedatives? Have the doctors been able to reduce those?”

  Brett nodded. “They’ve taken her completely off one and she’s only getting half the amount of the other two. If everything goes well, they’ll slowly remove all the sedatives and try to wake her.”

  “That’s fantastic. How did Pat take the news?”

  “He’s excited and scared. We don’t know what will happen once Ida’s awake, but at least she’s getting better.”

  After working with people who had been placed in induced comas, Hannah knew Ida still had a long way to go. After she was awake, it could take months for her brain to unjumble the mixed-up messages it was receiving.

  Brett pointed to the ceiling. “The lights look great.”

  “Thanks. Once the florists have hung the roses and the tables are set, you’ll really see a difference.”

  “What can I do to help?”

  Hannah squeezed his biceps. “It depends on how strong you’re feeling.”

  Brett lifted her into his arms and spun her in a circle.

  Hannah squealed and held on tight. She laughed at his mock groan when he finally stopped moving. “You can put me down now.”

  “What if I don’t want to?”

  The smile on his face was contagious. “Then you’ll need really strong muscles to hold me. And I’ve got the perfect job for a big, muscly man.”

  “Does it involve sampling the white chocolate fountain I saw beside the entrance?”

  “No, but I could be persuaded to let you try the chocolate if you do an itsy-bitsy job for me.”

  Brett looked around the room. “It looks as though you’ve got everything covered.”

  “Not quite.” Hannah peered at Brett’s forehead. He hadn’t even broken into a sweat. Not many people could have held her for so long. “I need someone to assemble fifteen artificial pine trees.”

  “Sounds like I’m your man.”

  Hannah grinned. “You’ll need to put me down first.”

  “Or I could take you with me.”

  Her smile disappeared when she looked into his serious gray eyes. She needed to tell him about Vancouver, and she had to do it now. “I have something important to tell you.”