Pushing aside her exhaustion which was making her feel rather queasy, she walked back to the hospital as quickly as she could manage.
Heath was sitting right where he said he would be. He turned, his eyes growing dark with displeasure as he saw her.
She held up her hand to forestall any argument. “I can’t sleep, if I close my eyes I just, I see Brax, I…” she broke off with a sob and Heath immediately rose, dragging her against his chest. Damn, she had to stop this. She was turning into an emotional wreck.
“You must think I’m insane,” she muttered.
Heath chuckled. “I don’t think you’re crazy, honey. Just exhausted and frightened. You heard what the doctor said, the swelling is going down.”
“I know,” she replied. “I know this is silly, but I just feel like if I’m not here something bad might happen. I just want to be here with him.”
Heath sighed then led her to a chair. “All right, sit here. But I know you’ve been ill lately and if you show any sign of risking your health I’m going to have you tucked up in bed sooner than you can say fried doughnuts.”
“Fried doughnuts?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s what I feel like right now. My wife, Ava, is on a health kick. No fatty foods allowed in our household.” He grinned as he spoke about his wife. Heath was a large, stern-looking man, but he obviously adored his family.
“You don’t have to stay here,” she said. “I know you must be a busy man.”
He raised a brow. “There is nothing more important than family.”
“Don’t you have a young family?”
He nodded. “Two little boys. My wife has things under control. And my other brothers will be here soon. They’ll drop their wife, Bryony, off at my house. She and Ava can manage the kids together.”
Holly knew that Brax’s other brothers, Kent and Cam, shared their wife. It was an unusual relationship that had shocked her a bit to begin with. But hell, she liked to be tied down and hit on the butt, who was she to judge?
“I really wish he’d wake up,” she whispered.
“Me too, Holly, me too.”
*****
Holly struggled to keep herself awake, it was late, nearly ten p.m. and everyone had left for the night. Heath and Cam had gone home around seven, saying they’d be back early in the morning. Kent was staying in the hotel room Heath had taken for her. He’d tried to convince her to get some rest while he stayed with Brax. But there was no way she was leaving Brax.
Sheriff Palmer had been in earlier to tell her in person that they’d arrested Mason Philips. She hoped he was stuck behind bars for a long time.
“Please wake up, Brax,” she begged. “Please. I can’t live without you.”
She placed her forehead on the bed. “I love you so much.”
“Love you too, baby.”
Her head shot up, her gaze going to his face. He stared back at her, his eyes half open.
“Oh God, thank you.” Reaching over, she hit the button to alert the nurse.
“Don’t cry, honey,” he told her, trying to lift his arm.
Holly grabbed his hand, placing his arm back on the bed. “They’re tears of joy, I promise. God, Brax, don’t ever scare me like that again.”
She moved aside as the nurse bustled in. But her gaze never left his face, her relief so intense she felt faint.
He was awake. Everything else would be okay, as long as she had him by her side. Enough was enough; she couldn’t do this living apart thing any longer. She’d been thinking it over and she was going to quit her job and move out here. If Brax wasn’t ready for her to move in with him, she’d find a place to live. She just couldn’t spend days and days apart from him.
Not again.
*****
Brax woke up, feeling much better and more coherent than he had since Mason Philips had attacked him. The last couple of days had been a blur of doctors, nurses and his family coming in and out of his room.
He’d gotten the bare facts of what had happened. Thank God Philips hadn’t hurt Holly. Brax didn’t know what the other man had been thinking. But apparently he’d been extremely drunk so he probably hadn’t been thinking at all, just acting out in anger.
Brax turned his head slowly, he still had a massive headache, but at least he could think now. The drugs they’d had him on had made him fuzzy and slow.
Ahh, there she was. Even sleeping she was beautiful. He frowned, taking in her pale skin and gaunt appearance. She’d just recovered from pneumonia—she couldn’t afford to skip sleep or meals.
A sound at the door had him turning back. Heath entered the room just as Holly stirred.
“How you feeling?” Heath asked in a whisper, although Holly’s eyes were opening.
“Much better. I’ll be out of here soon.”
“You’ll leave when they say you can and not a minute earlier,” Holly interjected sleepily.
Heath grinned at Brax. “I couldn’t agree more, Holly. I’m sure without you watching over him he’d be trying to get back to work even now.”
Brax groaned. “God, I haven’t even thought about work.”
“Don’t worry,” Holly said. “Sloan and Case have everything under control. All you have to concentrate on is getting better. This time it’s your turn to listen to me.”
He grinned, raising an eyebrow at her bossy tone, loving the way she fussed over him.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is so,” she replied firmly.
“And how are you going to make sure of that when you’re in Houston?”
He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. Hurt flashed through her expressive blue eyes before her mouth grew stubborn.
“I’m not going back to Houston. I’m quitting my job and moving here. And if you don’t like it, tough. Because I’m going to marry you.”
Brax’s jaw dropped.
“That’s my cue to leave,” Heath said with a wide smile. “I think threes a crowd during a marriage proposal. Well, unless you’re Kent and Cam.”
Brax barely heard him leave as he stared at Holly incredulously. “Was that a proposal?”
“No. A proposal means you get to say no. It’s a demand. I want to marry you, Brax.”
“And I want to marry you, sweetheart. Although I was hoping for a more romantic proposal, in a somewhat nicer setting.”
She blushed, dropping her gaze. “Sorry.”
“Hey. Come here.” He patted the bed and she sat gingerly next to him. But he wasn’t having that. He dragged her down beside him, tucking her head beneath his chin. “Do you know what I was planning to do that night I was attacked?”
“Have dinner?” she asked.
“Well, yes,” he said with a smile. “I was also going to propose to the woman I love.”
He felt her tense. She tried to move away from where he had her nestled against his chest but he held her tight.
“Really?”
“Really. And if you can find my pants there should be an engagement ring in the front right pocket. I love you, baby. I’ll try every day to be the man you deserve, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said instantly. “Yes.”
He let her sit up so he could bring her mouth down to his for a long, scorching kiss. She climbed from the bed and grabbed his pants from the drawer, pulling out the jewellery box. Brax held out his hand and she handed the small box over.
“Give me your hand, honey.”
He noticed they were both shaking slightly as he opened the box and settled the ring on her finger.
“It’s beautiful,” she told him, unable to stop staring at the glittering diamond.
Brax pulled her close once more. She settled down, holding him close.
“I should make you go back to the hotel room to sleep,” he said sleepily.
She tensed.
“But I don’t want you to be apart from me right now. So you’ll be sleeping here, with me.”
“I can sleep in the chair.”
; “Nope, I want you in my arms, I won’t sleep a wink without you close and doctor's orders are for me to rest.”
“Oh well then, if the doctor ordered it,” she replied and he could feel her smile.
Epilogue
Her wedding day. She couldn’t believe it. Her first wedding had been a lavish affair. Matt had wanted something showy and expensive. There had been nearly five hundred people in attendance, most of whom she hadn’t even known.
Today was a bit different. She hadn’t wanted a big wedding, and Brax wasn’t worried as long as he got to marry her. The sooner the better. So today was mostly a family affair, with Brax’s siblings and their families, along with his two business partners. And Derrick, of course.
Brax’s family had soon become her own. His brothers treated her like another little sister and their wives had drawn her immediately into their circle.
“Ready, Holly?”
She turned, looking over at Ava who looked far too young to have two children.
“You look beautiful, Ava.” The other woman was dressed in a deep blue sundress.
Ava blushed. “You’re the beautiful one. That dress fits you perfectly.”
Derrick had caught her looking at this gown online and had tracked it down and bought it for her. The alterations had taken a few weeks, but it had been worth it. She felt gorgeous.
“Everyone’s ready if you are.”
Nodding, she picked up her flowers and took a deep breath to still her nerves. Excitement bubbled up. She couldn’t believe she was marrying Brax.
She followed Ava down the stairs. They’d decided to get married at the family ranch, where Ava and Heath lived. It was where Brax had grown up and it was a beautiful setting. Ava and Heath had agreed to be their attendants.
Derrick stood at the bottom of the stairs. He held out his hand for her to take.
“You look so beautiful, Holly. So happy.”
“I am happy.”
“I can’t believe I’m giving you away. He better take good care of you or he’ll have me to answer to.”
“He will,” she said confidently.
“No matter what, remember you can always come to me. You’re my family, my sister.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you, Derrick. For everything.” She still couldn’t believe he’d uprooted himself, moving to Austin to be closer to her. She was still going to work for him, although she’d only drive into Austin three days a week, the rest of the time she’d work from home. Wherever that might be. Brax was insisting that they move closer to Austin so she didn’t have so far to drive, while she was demanding that they stay exactly where they were.
They’d work it out. As long as she was with Brax then she was home.
As Derrick led her out of the house and down the garden she spotted him standing under the shade of an old oak tree. He turned, his whole face lighting up as he saw her.
Yep. This was definitely the ending she’d never believed she’d get.
Her very own happily ever after.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Epilogue
His Old-Fashioned Love (Old-Fashioned Series) Page 16
