He watched as she tied the end of the stretcher she’d made on each side of the saddle.
Then she did the same to Snoopy, leaving his reins on the ground. Now that Russ’s horse was held by the stretcher and Snoopy, he wouldn’t leave.
Then they loaded the supplies onto Snoopy and Russ’s bag of dirty clothes and even his Stetson onto his horse. “By the way, this is Jack. He’s Russ’s favorite.”
“I put Russ’s boots in one of the satchels.”
“Good. Let’s go get Russ.”
They found Russ wandering aimlessly around the big room. “I can’t find my jeans,” he complained, clutching the blanket around him.
“We packed them. You’re traveling in a sleeping bag,” Tori said matter-of-factly, as if that were normal.
Russ looked confused and started his search again.
Jon threw an arm around him. “Come on, Russ. You need to lie down again. Did you eat any cookies? They’re good.”
Tori looked at the table as Jon helped Russ back into his sleeping bag. “He took one bite and hardly drank any coffee. I’m going to give him some water to keep with him. I’ll leave the cookies with him, too.”
She did a visual sweep of the cabin, her hands on her hips, before she nodded. “Okay, let’s load him.”
“You take his feet. I’ve got his shoulders,” Jon said softly, hoping to get things under way before Russ realized what was happening.
It only took a minute to get him and his mattress out the door and onto the litter. It was still raining, but Tori had carried the tarp under her arm. She quickly spread it out over Russ, even covering his head.
The she gathered up the rope and zigzagged it over her cousin from his chest to his knees, including the mattress, so that he was firmly tied to the litter.
Jon marveled. He probably wouldn’t have thought of that, but as rugged as the land was, he knew it was necessary. “His head—” He stopped as he watched Victoria pull the tarp back. Then she grabbed a pillow from the porch that he hadn’t even noticed and slid it beneath Russ’s head. She pulled out the flap of the bedroll and stuck two sticks through the eyelets at the end of it to make a porch effect on the litter that shielded him from the rain or the sun but allowed him to see.
Without thinking, Jon leaned over and brushed Tori’s lips with his. “You’re brilliant, Tori!”
“Don’t touch me!”
She went back inside without waiting for his response. She immediately returned with two small canteens and plastic bags of cookies. “Here’s your water and cookies.”
Then she tucked her canteen and cookies into Russ’s sleeping bag. “Russ, here’s your water and some more cookies. Try to eat a little.”
“Where’s your water?” Jon asked sharply.
“I have a bottle of water and cookies in my coat pocket. Okay, I think we’re ready. I’ll go first, leading Snoopy. You’ll come last. Your job is to let me know if anything slips or goes wrong. Or Russ needs attention. Okay?”
He had his orders. And like a good soldier, he nodded and got on the horse. His muscles protested…a lot. But he said nothing. Now that he knew Tori, he wasn’t surprised that she took care of him as well as Russ. She would deny no one her care whether she was happy with him or not.
After making sure the door was firmly closed, Victoria mounted Snowflake and took Snoopy’s reins to lead them down the trail. Jon imagined her shouting “Wagons, ho!” as they always did on television. He’d ride in her wagon train anytime. Not that he’d say that. He knew he wasn’t supposed to say—or do—anything other than what she ordered. But maybe that stolen kiss would ease the pain he felt in his legs and butt from yesterday’s long ride.
Something needed to.
AT TEN O’CLOCK, Tori found a level, grassy area to stop for a break. She wanted Russ to get his medicine when he needed it. So far, things had gone without a hitch, thank goodness.
She swung out of her saddle and walked to the litter. “How are you, Russ?”
He’d been asleep, and he looked at her blankly. “Tori?” he asked in a whisper.
“That’s right. It’s time for you to take your medicine and maybe take a break. Is the ride too bad?”
By that time, Jon had dismounted and he joined her at the litter in time to hear her question.
“If it is, I’ll trade with you, buddy. My rear is going to be black and blue for a month, at least.”
Russ almost managed a smile.
“I’m going to untie the litter, so keep him balanced until both sides are untied.”
“Why are you untying it? I can get him out without doing that,” Jon protested.
“But Jack can’t eat with the litter in his face,” she explained, continuing to untie the first side. Jon grabbed the pole as it came loose. Then, as she finished untying the second side, he lowered it to the ground, leaving Russ at a slant.
“Do we untie Snoopy, too?” he asked.
“Nope. Okay, Russ, we’re going to get you up. Here are your boots.” While he’d lowered the litter, she’d opened the bag and gotten Russ’s boots
Jon unzipped the bag so he could find Russ’s sock-covered feet.
“I don’t have on jeans,” Russ fretted.
“We thought you’d ride more comfortably without your jeans. I’m sure all the deer will blush, cousin, but I won’t,” Tori told him, hoping to see a smile. No such luck. She tossed him the blanket he’d been wrapped in that morning. She’d slipped it onto the litter under the tarp. “Preserve your modesty with that. But hurry up. We can’t rest too long.”
Jon helped him up once the boots were in place, holding the blanket to shield him from Tori’s eyes, then wrapping it around him. In the meantime, Tori untied Jack’s reins and put them on the ground so the horse could graze.
“Do we have anything for lunch today?” Jon asked in a low voice.
“Yes.” She didn’t explain it was only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Any kind of meat would’ve spoiled by now.
She stretched out a little. Then she passed around the sandwiches. Russ showed no interest in his.
Jon gave Russ his pill. Then he asked, “How come the jelly hasn’t bled through on the sandwiches? Mine always do.”
“I coat both sides of the bread with peanut butter. Then I spread the jelly on and smash the sides of the bread together so the jelly can’t get to the bread.”
“Good thinking, Tori. I’ll remember that.”
She frowned at him and shook her head. Really! It wasn’t rocket science. He was a doctor for heaven’s sake. And a very patient one. He hadn’t complained about anything the entire trip.
Once again they started down the trail. She had saved her sandwich for a late lunch. She planned to stop again at two. Unless everyone was doing well. Jon could give Russ his pill from the saddle and they’d only be a couple of hours away, maybe even less. She toyed with the idea of not stopping again. She’d have to wait and see.
There were a few level places where they could pick up speed, but not many. The rain had stopped before their break, which helped matters.
When two o’clock rolled around, she stopped Snowflake and turned him halfway around. “Jon, how are you doing?”
“Fine.”
She could tell he was lying, but she hoped he meant he could manage. “Is Russ awake?”
The trail was wide there, so Jon edged Devil forward a little. “No.”
“Do you think you can make it without stopping?”
“Sure. How much farther?”
“We’ve gone a little faster than yesterday, so I think we can be down the mountain in about an hour. When we get to the top of the last ridge, I’ll call the house. They can bring one of the SUVs and get you and Russ to the clinic quickly…with a much softer seat.”
“What about the horses? They deserve—”
“They’ll be taken care of. It’ll be oats for all of them tonight.” Snowflake nodded his head and whinnied, as if he understood.
Jon laughed. “Okay, I’v
e been saving my cupcakes, but I think I’ll have them now. Want me to give Russ his pill now, or let him sleep?”
“You’re the doctor,” she replied.
“Let’s let him sleep. I’ll start the antibiotics intravenously when we get him to the clinic.”
Tori sighed. She paused, then looked him straight in the eye. “I want to thank you for your help. You haven’t complained once and I know you’re hurting. I’m sure it’s made a difference to Russ. And I want to forget everything else about this trip.” She hoped she’d made herself clear.
He didn’t say anything. And why should he? It was a guy’s best dream, wasn’t it? Free sex and no responsibility? Okay, so he didn’t act that way now, but she wasn’t going to discuss it ever again.
She turned away and started down the path to home.
They stopped one more time at the top of the last ridge. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the ranch. “Red? It’s Tori.”
Before she could say anything else, Pete spoke. “Tori? Did you find Russ?”
“Yes, Uncle Pete. He’s with us. But…he’s not doing so well. Dr. Wilson wants him in the clinic at once. Can you pick Russ and the doctor up at the bottom of the mountain and take them into town? It’s been a long two days.”
“How is he?”
She heard the pain and anxiety in her uncle’s voice and she tried to reassure him. “He’s going to be okay. He’s—run-down. He may have a light case of pneumonia.”
“Pneumonia? And he’s riding? He may fall off. You can’t—”
“Uncle Pete, he’s safe, I promise. Just come get him.”
“I’ll be there. And—thank you, sweetheart.”
She disconnected. “I don’t think Uncle Pete is going to be mad. I was worried he would be.”
“Why would he? You saved your cousin’s life. He told me, when we stopped, he only found the cabin because of the light in the window. He’d been lost since the day before.”
She sighed. “Good. Now let’s go home.”
They exchanged a smile, a gentle smile that held no anger or distance. Then she urged Snowflake down the side of the mountain.
They saw several SUVs leave the ranch area and start crossing pastures, but it took a while for them to get down. The family was waiting for them as they rode down the crackback trails. Tori thought about how wonderful it was to know that all she had to do was call and her family would help her.
When she pulled Snowflake to a halt, she stayed in the saddle while Rich and his dad rushed to the litter. Jake and Brett began untying the litter. She saw Jon slide out of his saddle and then hang on to it, trying not to fall in front of everyone.
“Someone help Jon. He hasn’t ridden that much and he’s been terrific.”
He glared at her, but she knew he needed the help. Samantha, Rich’s wife, and Jake ran to his side. Janie was holding Russ’s hand.
Samantha said, “I know how that feels. I thought I knew how to ride until I went out with these crazy people.” She grinned. “I think they were all born on the back of a horse.”
“Yeah,” was all Jon could manage.
After they got the litter untied, and Jon and Russ in one of the SUVs, Brett turned to her. “Aren’t you getting down, baby girl?”
Her father hadn’t called her that in a long time. She smiled at him. “I’ve got to take the horses in and reward them for a job well done,” she said wearily.
Rich turned from the SUV where he was watching Russ. “I think I can do that job, Tori. You’ve already done the important one. We’re grateful,” he added in a gruff voice.
Tori knew he was trying to control his emotion.
“I’d enjoy the company,” she returned with a smile.
Brett ordered, “Get in the other SUV, Tori. We’re taking you back to the house to pamper you. Red and Mildred are cooking a feast for you.”
She slowly slid out of the saddle. Her father was there to wrap his arms around her. Then Pete hugged her and thanked her again.
“I should’ve gone, but I promised him,” he said shakily.
“I know, Uncle Pete, but I didn’t,” Tori whispered. “And we’re all fine. That’s what counts.”
“Yeah,” he muttered, then swung her into his arms and carried her to the front seat of the second vehicle.
Anna, after giving her daughter a hug, climbed into the vehicle with Jon and Russ, in case Jon needed help at the clinic. Jake and Rich mounted Snowflake and Devil and started the ride back to the barns. Uncle Chad and Aunt Megan, along with her dad and Samantha, were escorting Tori back home. Brett started the vehicle.
“You did good, Tori,” Chad said quietly from the back seat. “We were all worried you wouldn’t be able to remember where the cabin was.”
“I was worried, too.”
“Tori, honey, why didn’t you get one of your cousins to go with you?” Megan asked, her voice gentle with no reproach.
“Because I knew Uncle Pete had made them all promise. I didn’t want to force one of them to break his word to him. But I hadn’t promised. I was going alone, but Jon figured out what I was doing and insisted on coming with me.”
“Thank God,” Chad muttered.
“I could’ve managed, Uncle Chad,” she insisted, hurt by his words.
“I know you could have. But four hands are better than two. Making the litter and getting Russ on it would’ve been hard alone.”
“Especially since you’re such a little thing,” her father added.
“Russ has lost a lot of weight,” Tori muttered, frowning. “I don’t think he took good care of himself the ten days he was gone. He—he hasn’t really talked much. He told Jon that he’d lost his way the day before yesterday and had to spend the night in the forest. Then when we got there the next evening, I lit the kerosene lanterns and put one in the cabin window. That’s how he got back to the cabin.”
Megan gasped and reached over the seat to pat Tori’s back. Chad shook his head. “Well, you were there for him, and Janie and Pete will never forget that.”
Tori rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “I didn’t want to lose him. We’ve already lost Abby. It would be too much.”
“Yes,” Megan agreed softly. “Too much.”
JON GOT HIS PATIENT cleaned up and in bed. He then started an intravenous line with nutrients and antibiotics.
“Look, I’m going to run home and shower and put on clean clothes. Maybe shave myself,” he added with a wry grin as he scraped his cheek. “Then I’ll be back to check on him again.”
“Can you come to the house this evening for dinner?” Janie asked.
“Frankly, Mrs. Randall—”
“Janie, please.”
He nodded with a smile. “If I sit down, I’m going to fall asleep. I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to take a rain check. Besides, I want to keep an eye on Russ.”
“But I’ll stay and watch him,” Anna said.
“Nope. The other nurse will stay until I get back. You need to take care of Tori. She was incredible. But it was a strain. She needs some nurturing. And I prescribe bed rest for her tomorrow. No working.”
Anna beamed. “Yes, Doctor. We’re going to keep her at the ranch tonight.”
“Good. She’s lost weight, too, since Abby’s death. I know it’s been hard on all of you, but I want everyone eating three square meals a day, okay?”
“Yes, Doctor,” Janie hurriedly agreed. “When will Russ get to come home?”
Jon shrugged his shoulders and then wished he hadn’t. “I don’t know. We’ll see how he responds.”
After kissing their son goodbye, Pete and Janie, accompanied by Anna, headed for the door. But Anna stopped beside Jon and gave him a hug. “Thank you for bringing Tori back safely.”
“Believe me, Anna, it was the other way around.” In fact, when he thought about what had happened, he felt horribly guilty. Tori seemed to hate him, but he hadn’t forced her in any way. In fact, part of the pleasure had been her responsiven
ess. He needed to talk to her, to find out what was wrong.
And if she wouldn’t talk to him, then he’d have to talk to Brett.
Chapter Nine
Jon stood propped against the wall across from the open door to Russ Randall’s room, staring at his patient.
The nurses had reported that Russ was refusing to eat and had taken out the intravenous feed several times. So Jon was watching, trying to decide what to do. He’d only had him in the clinic for less than twenty-four hours, but he should be showing more improvement.
Twenty-four hours. Jon’s body still ached from his trip up and down the mountain, in spite of long hot showers. He was glad he had gone, of course, for Russ’s sake, though so far the man had shown no appreciation.
He was glad he had gone because of Tori, too. But he hadn’t talked to Brett yet. First he wanted to talk to Tori. He’d missed her. She’d stayed at the ranch the night before and he’d felt lonely, knowing she wasn’t next door.
That was silly. He couldn’t get attached to her that quickly. He paused. Their lovemaking had been so extraordinarily incredible, maybe he could.
Not that she’d let him touch her now.
He was startled to see her come around the corner and head in his direction.
“You’re back,” he called softly.
She stopped two feet from him. “How’s Russ?”
“The same.”
Her gaze sharpened. “He’s been on antibiotics for twenty-four hours, hasn’t he? Longer actually. You started the medication Saturday night and it’s Monday afternoon. Why isn’t he showing any improvement?”
Jon had told Russ’s parents that morning to be patient, but he was rethinking his advice. “I can medicate Russ, honey, but I can’t give him the will to live.”
“Don’t call me honey! What do you mean?”
“Russ is refusing to eat and he keeps removing the drip when no one’s around.”
She turned to study her cousin. “It’s in now.”
“Yeah. The nurse just put it back in ten minutes ago.”
“When’s his next meal?”
“In about fifteen minutes. It’s almost six.”
“What are you doing working so late?”
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