Haley laughed bitterly. “Seriously? It’ll give him a reason to kill us both.”
“Then let’s go on and do it. We can go to Vegas, spend a few days in a hotel doing nothing but ordering room service and making love. No Dooley kids around to interrupt us. Just you ’n me naked in a hotel room. We won’t even tell until we get back. Then we can have one hell of a party and invite the whole town.”
Haley cocked her head. “Just the two of us, naked in a hotel room?”
“Absolutely.” He paused for a heartbeat. “We’ll make the reservations after we’re sure Conner and Geronimo are okay. We can stay anywhere you want.”
“Two whole days.” It came out on a sigh. “We could sleep in a tent for all I care. Just so long as you’re there with me.”
Damn if he didn’t believe her. Wyatt’s heart swelled with love for the woman sitting beside him. Then and there he made up his mind to give her a wedding she’d never forget. Even if it was a quickie.
“I’ll make the reservations.”
Haley nodded. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure, sweet pea. This is one fight your pa ain’t gonna win.”
“Okay then. Now all we need is Conner to be all right and I need to call Holden.”
“What for?”
“To have him write me up a will. I aim to see to it that my daddy won’t ever get his hands on the One-Eyed Jack.”
* * * * *
“And you don’t think any of your hands could have had something to do with the snakes in the barn?” Lloyd Mattson walked with Haley as she paced the floor in the emergency room. Finally, he reached out and grasped her arm. “Ms. Kilpatrick, I really need you to focus, ma’am.”
Haley looked at the man, startled. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked if you thought any of the men on the One-Eyed Jack could have had a hand in dumping those snakes in your stud’s stall.”
“I…no.” She gave her head a firm shake. “All of them worked there before, for Aunt Jack. Wyatt trusts them and if he says they’re loyal, I believe him. Besides, if Winslow was watching, he’d know that besides me, only Wyatt, Connor and Dooly handle Geronimo, Wyatt, Conner and Dooley. Conner already told you that Winslow threatened him after admitting he’d killed that girl. No better place to dump those snakes than the one place he’d be guaranteed to get at least one of his three targets.”
Mattson scratched the back of his neck. “I reckon so but I’m gonna run a check on your employees all the same. I got a deputy out there talking to them now and I’ll be needing to speak with your brother once he’s able. You’re sure you or Wyatt didn’t see or hear anything?”
Haley nodded distractedly. “No sir, nothing. We’d just woke up and were having breakfast when we heard the scream.” She closed her eyes, reliving that sound. “I ain’t never heard a body scream like that. Between Conner and the horses, it was a fearsome noise.”
“I expect it was. We’ll investigate to the best of our ability but I don’t think we’ll find much. Footprints if we’re lucky.”
“I under—”
“Haley?” Haley spun around when someone called her name. Tracie Owens approached and seeing Haley’s confusion, she offered a smile. “Student nurse doin’ an ER rotation. The doc says come on back.”
The sheriff forgotten, Haley held out her hand as she approached the double doors. Wyatt took it and they followed Tracie back to a curtained treatment cubicle. There were two doctors with a heavily sedated Conner.
“Ms. Kilpatrick,” the younger of the two said. “I’m Dr. Sharpe.” He gestured to his colleague. “This is Dr. Kellerman, the orthopedic surgeon on staff.”
Haley’s eyes widened. “Orthopedic surgeon?”
Dr. Kellerman took over. “Your brother has developed a very rare condition known as compartment syndrome. Basically, his muscles and the tissue surrounding them are swelling at a rate faster than can be controlled by antivenin and medication. The swelling is so bad that it’s compressing the blood vessels and nerves in your brother’s leg. Oxygen can’t get to the tissue and it begins to die. Without surgery, he’ll probably have permanent nerve damage, possibly the leg will need to come off.”
Haley felt lightheaded. “Oh Jesus.” Her knees turned to water and Wyatt eased her down onto a chair, squatting beside her.
“And with the surgery?” he asked Kellerman.
“There’s a very high success rate with this type of surgery. The biggest problem will be scar tissue, of course, and the thickening of the scars can cause some mobility problems with the joint involved. But with physical therapy those issues are resolved.”
Haley blew out a breath. “Okay, so what’s involved with this surgery?”
“We’ll make incisions in the leg here, and here,” Kellerman explained, pointing to Conner’s swelling leg. “A small area of the fascia, the connective tissues covering the muscle, will be removed to relieve the pressure. In a few days, we’ll go back in and close the incisions. It’s likely he’ll need skin grafts but we’ll see how he progresses. We’ll also put him in a hyperbaric chamber to get more oxygen to the site.”
Nerve damage, skin grafts? Damn Rafe Winslow to the deepest pits of hell. “And you can do that here?”
Kellerman nodded. “Yes, ma’am. And we need to do it as soon as possible to avoid further injury. Conner’s been out of it so we need your consent for the surgery.”
“Jesus,” she whispered, then stood and moved to her brother’s side. God, he was pale, his breathing so shallow. “Do it. Whatever it takes.”
And just like that, Conner was whisked away.
Chapter Eleven
Wyatt smiled as Haley buckled her seatbelt and cinched it tight. She’d never been on a plane before and had revealed to him that she was just a tad bit nervous at the prospect. “Soon as we’re in the air, we’ll have ourselves a drink to calm your nerves.”
She nodded, then pointed at the phone. “You can make phone calls from an airplane?”
“Sure. You wanting to call the hospital and check on Conner?”
Haley ducked her head. “I know it’s silly. I mean, I saw him with my own eyes and I know he’s okay. Hurting like a sum-bitch, but okay. I just want him—”
“To know you aren’t abandoning him. I get it but he’s so doped up on pain medication it’s not likely he’ll remember you calling. But if it’ll make you feel better, help you relax, then we’ll call him once we’re in the air.”
She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. “How come you’re so good to me?”
He chuckled. “Because I know what’s it like to have someone you love so sick. And because I love you.”
“I love you too, Wyatt Brody, and I can’t wait to be your wife.”
His wife. The word delighted and scared him all at once. It was an awesome responsibility, taking on the care and feeding of another human being, but one he was looking forward to. Haley was the perfect woman for him. She knew what it took to be a rancher and wasn’t afraid of hard work. She was honest, independent enough to be a challenge, funny and bright, and as if that wasn’t enough, she was so pretty it sometimes made his heart skip a beat just looking at her. Yessir, he was a lucky man. Today he was marrying the woman of his dreams, tonight was his wedding night and he had plenty of fantasies about how he intended to make love to his new bride.
* * * * *
Wyatt watched with delight as Haley’s eyes widened in amazement. “The Bellagio? Are you kidding? Wyatt, it has to be the most expensive hotel in the whole town.”
“And you’re worth every penny, sweet pea.” He took her hand, raised it to his lips and brushed a kiss across her scarred knuckles. “Figured since you’re not gonna get a big fancy wedding, the least I could do is get us a fancy room for a few days.”
The dazed expression never left her face as the limo driver pulled up in front of the hotel and opened the door so they could exit. Wyatt pressed his hand to the small of her back and guided her to the private re
gistration in the executive suite lounge. The Cypress Suite was ready and all arrangements met his specifications, the clerk assured him.
He smiled indulgently when Haley leaned in to him and hissed, “Suite? Do you have any idea what that’s gonna cost?”
He put an arm around her and tucked her in close. “I reckon I do since I’m paying for it. Now stop your fretting and let me spoil you a little. God knows you deserve it.” He chuckled when her face turned the sweet color of pink he’d come to know as a combination of pleasure and embarrassment. Heaven help him, he figured he was going to be looking for ways to keep that pretty blush on her cheeks for the rest of his life. Considering what they were facing with Conner’s recuperation and her father’s threatening games, what Wyatt wanted more than anything was to give Haley a few days of relaxation. And really, he couldn’t think of a better means of relaxation and distraction than providing her with as many mindless orgasms as she could handle. Not that such a thing would be a hardship for him. The way he saw it, it was a win-win situation.
“Oh my, ain’t it somethin’?” his soon to be wife said, turning 360 degrees to take in the entire room.
Wyatt tipped the bellhop and crossed to where Haley stood looking out the large plate-glass windows.
“You’re something,” he said, slipping his arms around her waist. She turned to face him and it took every ounce of his considerable control not to strip her bare and have his way with her. Instead, he rested his forehead against hers and sighed. “I took the liberty of having some dresses sent up for you. Don’t bother looking for price tags because they took ‘em off. I wanted you to pick a dress because you love it, not because it’s the cheapest of the lot. They should be hanging in the ladies’ bathroom. If you want a bath before the preacher gets here, I suggest you get moving.”
“The preacher’s coming here?”
Wyatt smiled, kissed the tip of her nose. “I ordered our marriage license online and had it delivered to the hotel. We’re getting married in the smaller of the two chapels.”
“I didn’t know you could do that, order marriage certificates online.”
Wyatt stepped back. “Not much you can’t do in Vegas.” He gave her a little nudge toward her personal bathroom. “The ‘hers’ bathroom is over there. Mine’s over here.” He nodded toward the other facility. “Let’s hope they sent the right size tux for me.”
Haley blinked. “It’s all so…extravagant.”
Wyatt shrugged. “I figure we’re only gonna do this once so we might as well do it up right. Go on now. There’s a big old soaking tub in there. We got two hours before the preacher gets here.” He watched her go, peeling off clothes on her way, and was sorely tempted to climb into that whirlpool soaking tub with her. He shook his head with a little regret and headed for the steam shower in the “his” bathroom. They had the rest of their lives to bathe together. Visions of Conner swirled in his head and he grimaced. Assuming they had the rest of their lives to be together. He shook off his worry. Today was his wedding day. Nothing and no one was going to ruin it.
From across the room, he heard Haley exclaim, “Oh my God,” and grinned at himself in the mirror. Showing her some of the finer things in life was going to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. He gave himself a critical once-over. Definitely needed a shave. He wouldn’t want to chafe his new wife’s tender thighs while he feasted between her legs. He laughed. Yup. Marriage to Miss Haley Kilpatrick promised to be a hell of a lot of fun.
Wyatt was just straightening his tie when he heard Haley’s tentative voice. “Wyatt?” The insecurity in her voice saddened him. After all these months, how could she not know he thought her the most beautiful woman in the world? He gave himself one last look and stepped out into the living space.
Dear god but she was stunning.
She’d chosen the white dress that brushed her calves and was covered in black lace, though why anybody’d cover a wedding dress in black lace was beyond him. He’d hoped she’d pick that one but a fellow could never tell what a woman was bound to like. Sequined mesh sandals with transparent heels put her nearly equal to his height. To his everlasting pleasure, she’d chosen to wear her hair down and his fingers twitched with the desire to bury themselves in the sunny silken locks. A wide silver wired band trimmed with white roses and crystals held her hair back from her face. A couple swipes of mascara, a brush of blush and pale pink lipstick highlighted the fresh beauty of a face he’d come to love so much that sometimes it left him breathless. Like now. How was it possible that her father didn’t know what a gift he’d been given when Haley had been born?
“You look like a princess,” he said, crossing the room to offer his arm. “Preacher’s waiting in the chapel. You ready?”
“I’m ready.” She gazed up at him with a shy smile. “Unless you ain’t. I don’t want you to do this unless you want to.”
Wyatt chuckled and kissed her cheek. “Sweet pea, I’m so sure it’s all I can do to keep from racing you to the elevator.”
She giggled. Lord but he loved that sound. “Don’t reckon I can run in these shoes, cowboy, but once we get back here and I can kick ‘em off, I’ll be chasing you around that big old bed.”
He opened the door and she went out ahead of him. Damn but she was pretty. “Darlin’, it won’t be much of a challenge for you. I’m pretty easy to catch when you’re the one chasing me.”
* * * * *
The east chapel was much more intimate than the larger chapel or the outdoor venue, with the capacity to seat thirty guests. Not that they’d have thirty guests but there would be a few and Wyatt had really had to scramble to get them there without Haley finding out. His biggest fear was that they’d run into everyone before they made it to the venue.
They arrived at the chapel lobby without incident and Haley gasped. Dooley and Maria stood waiting alongside Holden Petrie and his wife, Martene.
“Oh Wyatt.” Haley threw herself in his arms with a sob. “I can’t believe you went to all this trouble.”
Wyatt held her tightly and whispered in her ear. “Nothing I’ll ever do for you will be too much trouble for me, sweet pea. I’d give you the moon and stars if I could.”
She smiled up at him with so much love animating her beautiful face that Wyatt was nearly struck dumb. By god, he’d slay every dragon that came their way just to see that look on her face. Starting with Rafe Winslow and Kent Kilpatrick.
“Just love me, Wyatt, that’s all I could ever ask for. That and babies.”
He leaned back, smiling. “How many babies are we talking, darlin’?”
Her lips curved into a knowing smile. “I figure we’ll need a big family to run an empire.”
Wyatt chuckled. “An empire, huh? Then I reckon we’d best get hitched so we can get started making babies.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly, then gave him a nudge toward the chapel.
“Get moving, cowboy. I’m gonna ask Dooley to walk me down the aisle.”
* * * * *
Haley had never felt like a princess in her entire life but damned if she didn’t feel like one every time her husband looked at her. Her husband. Wow. She’d done the one thing she never thought she’d do. Despite the constant fear of what might lay ahead, she’d found the happiness she never expected to find. The enormity of it made her a little lightheaded and she took a deep breath then exhaled slowly.
Wyatt leaned down and whispered, “Too late to change your mind now, Mrs. Brody.”
“Never crossed my mind.” They walked together behind their guests, fingers entwined. “It’s just, I never thought I’d do it. My life ain’t been all that normal, Wyatt, so I reckon there’s gonna be a learning curve, if you know what I mean.”
He squeezed her hand. “I understand, but what say we leave all the learning curve talk for another day. I made reservations for supper and the sooner we get everybody fed, the sooner I can get you upstairs and naked. Start making those babies we talked about.”
Haley grinned and gave him a shoulder bump. “I like the way you think…husband. Now where are we eating?”
“Restaurant called Fix. It serves American food, nothing fancy that we can’t pronounce. Steaks, chops, seafood. We’re all Texas ranching stock, figured I’d keep it simple.”
Simple had never been a part of her life but Haley decided she approved. The restaurant had clean modern lines, gleaming wood and comfortable seating. The menu was simple with the prices printed right next to each item so there were no surprises when the bill came. Wyatt ordered an extra large seafood appetizer for the table to share and Haley had her first taste of just about everything on the platter. She shuddered when Wyatt ate a raw oyster but didn’t chicken out when he held one out for her to try.
“Well,” she declared once the thing was down. “The taste ain’t so bad if you can get past the look of it.”
They ate and chatted while waiting for their food and Haley tried not to fidget in her seat. Tried not to worry about Conner or her daddy’s plotting. Today was her day. Her’s and Wyatt’s and damn if she’d let thoughts of Kent Kilpatrick put a damper on their happiness. Holden ordered two bottles of champagne and toasted the bride and groom.
“May you have many happy years together,” the aging attorney said, holding up his glass. “I never did see two people more suited to one another than the two of you.” He looked over at this wife and smiled. “Except maybe for me and my lovely bride of forty years. We wish you joy and prosperity and the comfort of unconditional love.”
Glasses clinked together and then Maria spoke up, “And many babies.”
“And patience,” Dooley chimed in. “You’ll be needing that to go along with the young’ns.”
“Hell, she’ll be needing that to put up with young Brody here,” Holden quipped, and everyone laughed as the food arrived.
Haley had never felt so loved in all her life as she felt at this very moment, with Wyatt beside her, surrounded by the first real friends she’d ever had. There had been times in the past few months that she felt like she needed to pinch herself to make sure this new life was real, that it wasn’t a dream from which she would awaken and find out nothing in her life had really changed. And now she was entering into a new phase. One that included a husband and children. How was it that one person could deserve this much happiness? Her eyes got watery and Wyatt reached over, taking her hand.
AlmostHome Page 17
