Second Ride Cowboy (Second Chance Series) (2 page)

Alone with Duke, Lila went back to his side and sat next to his hip. She’d spent a lot of time here in the rehabilitation clinic where Duke came after a three-month stay in ICU at San Antonio General Hospital. Each day he remained in the unexplained coma, she lost more hope he’d ever wake up. The doctors couldn’t help him. She couldn’t help him. He was slipping away and for the life of her, she didn’t know what to do to save him.

“Duke, I need you.” Wetness fell to her cheeks and she wiped it away. “Come back to me. I have so much to share with you. I have a surprise and I’ve waited so long. I want
us
back.”

Taking his large hand into hers, she entwined their fingers.
A perfect match
. How could this have happened to him? To them? They’d been so happy about their future. One minute he was with her and the next he was gone.

Lila bent and kissed him on the lips. “Oh how I’d give anything just to see you again.”

Drying her eyes, she slipped her hand from Duke’s, gently laying his on his stomach and she left the bed. As she reached the door, she stopped and swept a look back at him. “I still love you, Duke. I always will.”

CHAPTER TWO

LILA STRETCHED UNDERNEATH the warm blanket. She’d gotten home late last night from her date with Shaun Lucas. The two glasses of champagne she’d had over dinner made her sleep like a baby. Once upon a time, she could drink half a bottle and be wide awake. How times change as well as how her priorities were different.

Lifting groggily onto one elbow, she glanced through slanted lids at the digital clock on the nightstand.
Eight-fifteen
. On cue, the red lights on the monitor flashed, followed by the sound of rustling covers. A loud, shrill groan vibrated the speaker. Lila shook her head. “Right on schedule.”

Pushing out of bed, Lila padded down the carpeted hall to the next bedroom. She peeked around the doorway just as a soft whimper came from the crib. Tiptoeing into the nursery, she looked down at nine-month-old Ava. Her chubby fist waved and her feet were doing a good bicycle spin through the air. She gazed up with pale blue eyes and her mouth curved into a cherub’s bow smile.

“Ma.”

“Hello there, precious.” Lila lifted Ava into her arms and hugged her gently. Lila inhaled the baby powder scent and sweetness of her baby. Ava cooed and emotions blossomed inside Lila. Who could have imagined that she could love another person as she did her child? And when Ava smiled her father’s wide grin, Lila’s soul warmed. Duke would be proud.

At times, she’d wondered if she’d made the right decision not taking Ava to see her father at the clinic. Would their daughter’s sugary joy somehow bring him out of the coma?

Sadness washed over Lila. She’d said goodbye to Duke yesterday. The decision had been constant in her mind as Ava grew older and needed more of Lila’s attention. If she had only her well-being to consider, she’d wait forever for Duke, even if the moment he awoke never came. Ava’s feelings were in the equation too. She deserved all of Lila’s time when she wasn’t working. It was time she took a step into the future.

Moving on didn’t mean she was ready to make her heart available.

Lila knew she could never love another man as she did Duke. When the time came and Ava had questions about her father, Lila would share stories. How wonderful and tough he was. How he’d once ridden bulls at the rodeo. How Lila’s and Duke’s love for one another had been a true romantic tale.

For now, Ava was content with lullabies.

Lila took Ava to the dressing table and laid her down for a diaper change. Lila tickled her chubby chin and received a giggle in return. “I have something to share with you, darling. Shaun has asked mommy to marry him.” Another chuckle sounded as if Ava understood. “I’m glad you find that funny.”

After finishing changing the baby, Lila dressed her in a pink and white dress, and lifted her up into her arms. Lila tousled her russet locks. “You’re right, Ava. It
is
humorous that I’m sharing this information with a nine-month-old, but I wanted you to know, I haven’t said yes. I told him I’d need time to think about it.” She lifted her left hand and wiggled her fourth finger. With a cackle, Ava grabbed Lila’s fingers and pulled the ring up to her tiny mouth. “It looks good enough to eat, but it’s not edible.” Lila glanced down at the twinkling two-carat diamond. “He asked me to wear it for a few days and see how it feels. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I just don’t feel the emotion in my heart.”

She liked Shaun. Maybe even loved him, some. Shaun wasn’t the problem. After Duke went into the coma, Shaun had offered her support. There was something special about his friendship. He even took up with Ava and the baby smiled when he was around. Lila had told Shaun she still loved Duke and always would. Shaun believed the feelings would fade in time, but Lila couldn’t imagine not loving Duke. Her guilt for wearing the ring told her she wasn’t ready, at least not for marriage.

It should be Duke’s diamond.

The phone rang. “Wonder who that is?”

Lila walked down the hall, with Ava still in her arms, and read the caller ID. She grabbed the phone and hit talk, “Carly, I should have known it was you.”

“Of course, Lila. I’m anxious to hear how your date went with that sexy doctor friend of yours.” Her friend’s laughter vibrated the line.

“He asked me to marry him. I didn’t say yes.”

“Really?” Carly made no effort to hide the lack of surprise in her tone.

“I’m wearing the ring, though. For now. But I’m going to give it back to him.”

“A ring? He gave you a ring? Is it big?” Carly asked.

Lila laughed at her friend’s goofiness. “Yes, it’s big.”

“Hang on, Lila. Chance is asking me a question.” Lila heard the phone muffle and murmured voices in the background. “Okay, I’m back.”

“Please don’t tell Chance about the date. The last thing I need is for him to torment me over this.” Although Lila’s relationship with Chance had improved over time, they still had their moments of discord, which didn’t mean she disliked Chance. In fact, she had a lot of respect for him, although she’d never told him.

Carly and Chance had been through a lot. They were married, and when their first child died, Carly had suffered depression and eventually divorced Chance. A few years ago, when Carly had fallen, gotten amnesia and believed that she and Chance were still married and in love, he hadn’t told her the truth because he didn’t want to hurt her. During Carly’s memory loss, she and Chance found one another again. Eventually, Carly had gotten all of her memory back and now they had a new family. Chance was a great husband and father, and Carly loved him.

“Don’t worry, you know he doesn’t listen to our talks about men and engagement rings,” Carly said. 

“I’m not going back to the clinic, Carly. I’ve decided Ava needs me here on my days off.” Lila glanced down at Ava who was happily playing with a button on Lila’s pajama top.

“I understand, honey. Duke doesn’t know you’re there, but Ava needs her mommy.”

“Thank you, Carly. I needed to hear I have your support.”

“Okay. We’ll talk soon. I hear my wee one waking up.”

Lila hung up the phone and looked at Ava, “Ready to eat, little one?” Lila kissed Ava’s plump, rosy cheek as the telephone rang again. “Hang on, Carly must have forgotten something.” Hitting talk, she said, “I knew you’d call back out of curiosity. It’s a two-carat princess cut. I’m still not keeping it.”

“Hello, Lila. This is Janette from the rehabilitation clinic.”

Lila felt her cheeks turn hot from embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

“No problem,” Janette said.

“Did the doctor get the test results back for Duke’s blood levels?” Ava whimpered and grabbed for the phone. Lila gently pushed her hand away.

The phone line went eerily silent for what seemed a long time. “No, the test results aren’t why I’m calling.”

The panicked tone in Janette’s voice alarmed Lila. Impatient, Ava pounded the phone with a balled fist. Lila set her on the carpeted floor and handed her a toy off a nearby shelf. “What is it, Janette? Is Duke okay?” Her heart skipped a beat. Her grip tightened on the handset as she prepared herself for the nurse’s response.

“I...I think you should come here ASAP.”

“Janette, you’re scaring me.”

“I called you as soon as I could. There’s something you should know.”

“Spit it out,” Lila swallowed back the tightness in her throat.

“Duke…well, he’s awake,” Janette said.

“What?” All the air deflated from Lila’s lungs. “I thought I heard you say Duke is awake. I must have heard wrong.”

“No Lila, you didn’t.” Janette’s soft voice soothed her. “He’s awake. I came in at seven to start my shift and while I was checking his vitals, his hand moved. I called Dr. Scott in and during the examination, he woke up.”

A mixture of pain, happiness, and disbelief coursed through Lila’s veins. She couldn’t form words on her trembling lips as her brain raced, searching for a logical answer. Dizziness washed over her, turning the room dark. She leaned against the wooden table as her legs grew weak. The phone slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor. She didn’t bother reaching for it. She stared down at Ava, her darling child with Duke, and tears flooded her cheeks.

“
Oh, my God
.”

An hour later, Lila rushed through the doors of the clinic, still buzzing from the adrenaline high of hearing Duke was awake. She pushed away her anger at the traffic jam that had kept her from getting here quicker.

She’d been crying when she’d called the babysitter, Margaret, to come sit with Ava. The sobs had continued as Lila threw on clothes, careless of what she wore. During the drive it took to the reach the brick building, which housed the eighteen-bed clinic, she’d finally managed to gain control of her frantic emotions. The last thing Duke needed was to see her bawling and hysterical.

What would Duke’s reaction be at seeing her? Would he even remember her?

“You okay?” Janette’s voice pulled Lila out of her thoughts. Concern etched wrinkles around the other woman’s eyes. Lila moistened her trembling lips and swept her clammy palms down thighs. Over the course of time, Duke had been at the clinic, Lila had grown close to all of the nurses. She was grateful for their compassion when it came to Duke’s care, and they’d always listened to Lila’s concerns. “Ask me that same question in about an hour, Janette.”

“Dr. Scott checked Duke over again and he’s got a clean bill of health,” Janette said as she slipped out from behind the counter and came to pat Lila’s shoulder. “Now, I’m not sure about you, my dear. You’re as pale as a ghost. I’m sure this must be a lot to digest.”

Lila nodded. “Is he talking? Does he have his memory? Does he know he’s been in a coma for a year and a half?” She swept her gaze down the corridor to the open door at the end of the hall. Her heart raced in anticipation.

Janette smiled. “He’s talking and Dr. Scott explained the injuries he’d received in the fire and the coma. He’s a little shell-shocked it seems, but it appears he’s fine for a man who has been in a sleep-stage for this long.”

“Can I see him?” Worry dashed through her body and she tried to control the shakiness in her limbs. She wrapped herself in the comfort of her own arms, but nothing could settle her nerves.

“Dr. Scott thought you should be the first to see Duke since he asked for you.” Janette said.

Lila blinked back the sting of tears. “He asked for me?”

The nurse nodded and squeezed Lila’s hand. “Can I get you a cup of coffee? Water? Some alone time with Duke?” Janette wriggled her brows. “I’m sure you two have a lot to catch up on.”

Lila managed a smile. “For now, I’ll take it slow. I’m just afraid I’ll wake up and find that this is a dream. Or what if he falls back into the coma?” Her throat constricted.

“It
is
a dream, girl. Duke is awake. It’s what you’ve hoped for. Whatever you said to him last night after I walked out of the room must have done the trick.”

Lila knew she needed to push aside her fear. Gaining her composure, she refused to see Duke after all this time with a tear soaked face. One last deep breath, she headed toward his room.

Outside his room, she hesitated. What would she say to him? What would be the right words? Were there wrong things to say? This would be trial and error, and she’d never know until she gave it a shot. She stepped through the doorway and reminded herself to stay positive.

Duke was sitting up in bed, his back propped with pillows and it seemed surreal. His attention was out the window. She took the time to absorb him with a starving gaze. What had she been expecting? He was the same. Maybe a little scarred, longer hair and skinnier, but still the man she’d loved. Hearing the news had felt like a figment of her imagination, but now as she stood here and saw him with her own eyes, it felt real and so right.