The Rancher & Heart of Stone (9 page)

Maddie drew in a breath. She was feeling drowsy. “Thanks,” she said. “It means a lot.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing,” Odalie added. “I’ll take care of you.”

Maddie flushed. She’d never even really had a girlfriend, and here was Odalie turning out to be one.

Odalie smiled. “Now go to sleep. Things will look brighter tomorrow. Sometimes a day can make all the difference in how we look at life.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good girl.” She glanced at Cort. “Can you drive me home and bring me back?”

“Sure,” he said. “I need a change of clothes, too. I’ll drop you off at Big Spur, go home and clean up and we’ll both come back. We need to tell our parents what’s going on, too.”

“John will be beside himself,” Odalie said without thinking. “All I’ve heard since I got home is how sweet Maddie is,” she added with a smile.

She didn’t see Cort’s expression, and she couldn’t understand why Maddie suddenly looked so miserable at the mention of her brother’s name.

“Well, don’t worry about that right now,” Odalie said quickly. “But I’m sure he’ll be in to see you as soon as he knows what happened.”

Maddie nodded.

“I’ll be right out,” Cort said, smiling at Odalie.

“Sure. Sleep tight,” she told Maddie. She hesitated. “I’m sorry about your rooster, too. Really sorry,” she stammered, and left quickly.

Maddie felt tears running down her cheeks.

Cort picked a tissue out of the box by the bed, bent down and dabbed at both her eyes. “Stop that,” he said softly. “They’ll think I’m pinching you and throw me out.”

She smiled sadly. “Nobody would ever think you were mean.”

“Don’t you believe it.”

“You and Odalie...you’ve both been so kind,” she said hesitantly. “Thank you.”

“We feel terrible,” he replied, resting his hand beside her tousled hair on the pillow. “It could have been a worse tragedy than it is. And Pumpkin...” He grimaced and dabbed at more tears on her face. “As much as I hated him, I really am sorry. I know you loved him.”

She sniffed, and he dabbed at her nose, too. “He was so mean,” she choked out. “But I really did love him.”

“We’ll get you a new rooster. I’ll train him to attack me,” he promised.

She laughed through her tears.

“That’s better. The way you looked just now was breaking my heart.”

She searched his eyes. He wasn’t joking. He meant it.

He brushed back her hair. “God, I don’t know what I would have done if you’d died,” he whispered hoarsely. He bent and crushed his mouth down over hers, ground into it with helpless need. After a few seconds, he forced himself to pull back. “Sorry,” he said huskily. “Couldn’t help myself. I was terrified when I saw you lying there so still.”

“You were?” She looked fascinated.

He shook his head and forced a smile. “Clueless,” he murmured. “I guess that’s not such a bad thing. Not for the moment anyway.” He bent and brushed his mouth tenderly over hers. “I’ll be back. Don’t go anywhere.”

“If I tried to, three nurses would tackle me, and a doctor would sit on me while they sent for a gurney,” she assured him, her eyes twinkling.

He wrinkled his nose and kissed her again. “Okay. He stood up. “Anything you want me to bring you?”

“A steak dinner, two strawberry milkshakes, a large order of fries...”

“For that, they’d drag me out the front door and pin me to a wall with scalpels,” he assured her.

She sighed. “Oh, well. It was worth a try. They fed me green gelatin.” She made a face.

“When we get you out of here, I’ll buy you the tastiest steak in Texas, and that’s a promise. With fries.”

“Ooooh,” she murmured.

He grinned. “Incentive to get better. Yes?”

She nodded. “Yes.” The smile faded. “You don’t have to come back. Odalie, either. I’ll be okay.”

“We’re coming back, just the same. We’ll drop Great-Aunt Sadie off at the house, but she can stay at Skylance if she’s nervous about being there alone. She’s been a real trooper, but she’s very upset.”

“Can I see her?”

“For just a minute. I’ll bring her in. You be good.”

She nodded.

Great-Aunt Sadie was still crying when she went to the bed and very carefully bent down to hug Maddie. “I’m so glad you’re going to be all right,” she sobbed.

Maddie touched her gray hair gently. “Can’t kill a weed.” She laughed.

“You’re no weed, my baby.” She smoothed back her hair. “You keep getting better. I’ll bring your gown and robe and slippers and some cash when I come back. Here. This is for the machines if you want them to get you anything...”

“Put that back,” Cort said, “Maddie won’t need cash.”

“Oh, but—” Sadie started to argue.

“It won’t do any good,” Cort interrupted with a grin. “Ask my dad.”

“He’s right,” Maddie said drowsily. “I heard one of his cowboys say that it’s easier to argue with a signpost, and you’ll get further.”

“Stop bad-mouthing me. Bad girl,” he teased.

She grinned sleepily.

“You go to sleep,” he told her. “Odalie and I will be back later, and we’ll bring Sadie in the morning.”

“You’re a nice boy, Cort,” Sadie said tearfully.

He hugged her. “You’re a nice girl,” he teased. “Good night, honey,” he told Maddie, and didn’t miss the faint blush in her cheeks as she registered the endearment.

“Good night,” she replied.

She drifted off to sleep before they got out of the hospital. In her mind, she could still hear that soft, deep voice drawling “honey.”

The next morning, Maddie opened her eyes when she heard a commotion.

“I can’t bathe her with you sitting there,” the nurse was saying reasonably.

Cort frowned as he stood up. “I know, I know. Sorry. I only fell asleep about four,” he added with a sheepish smile.

The nurse smiled back. “It’s all right. A lot of patients don’t have anybody who even cares if they live or die. Your friend’s very fortunate that the two of you care so much.”

“She’s a sweet girl,” Odalie said gently.

“So are you,” Cort said, and smiled warmly at her.

She flushed a little.

Maddie, watching, felt her heart sink. They’d both been so caring and attentive that she’d actually forgotten how Cort felt about Odalie. And now it seemed that Odalie was seeing him with new eyes.

Cort turned, but Maddie closed her eyes. She couldn’t deal with this. Not now.

“Tell her we went to have breakfast and we’ll be back,” Cort said, studying Maddie’s relaxed face.

“I will,” the nurse promised.

Cort let Odalie go out before him and closed the door as he left.

“Time to wake up, sweetie,” the nurse told Maddie. “I’m going to give you your bath and then you can have breakfast.”

“Oh, is it morning?” Maddie asked, and pretended to yawn. “I slept very well.”

“Good. Your friends went to have breakfast. That handsome man said they’d be back,” she added with a laugh. “And that woman. What I wouldn’t give to be that beautiful!”

“She sings like an angel, too,” Maddie said.

“My, my, as handsome as he is, can you imagine what beautiful children they’d have?” the nurse murmured as she got her things together to bathe Maddie.

“Yes, wouldn’t they?” Maddie echoed.

Something in her tone made the other woman look at her curiously.

But Maddie just smiled wanly. “They’ve both been very kind,” she said. “They’re my neighbors.”

“I see.”

No, she didn’t, but Maddie changed the subject to a popular television series that she watched. The nurse watched it, too, which gave them a talking point.

* * *

L
ATER
, S
ADIE
CAME
in with a small overnight bag.

“I brought all your stuff,” she told Maddie. “You look better,” she lied, because Maddie was pale and lethargic and obviously fighting pain.

“It’s a little worse today,” she replied heavily. “You know what they say about injuries, they’re worse until the third day and then they start getting better.”

“Who said that?” Sadie wondered.

“Beats me, but I’ve heard it all my life. Did you bring me anything to read?” she added curiously.

“I didn’t. But somebody else did.” She glanced at the door. Odalie came in with three beautifully illustrated fairy-tale books. After breakfast, both Odalie and Cort had gone home to change, and then picked up Great-Aunt Sadie when returning to the hospital.

“I bought these while I was in college,” Odalie said, handing one to Maddie. “I thought they had some of the most exquisite plates I’d ever seen.”

And by plates, she meant paintings. Maddie caught her breath as she opened the book and saw fairies, like the ones she made, depicted in a fantasy forest with a shimmering lake.

“Oh, this is...it’s beyond words,” she exclaimed, breathlessly turning pages.

“Yes. I thought you’d like them.” She beamed. “These are updated versions of the ones I have. I bought these for you.”

“For me?” Maddie looked as if she’d won the lottery. “You mean it?”

“I mean it. I’m so glad you like them.”

“They’re beautiful,” she whispered reverently. She traced one of the fairies. “I have my own ideas about faces and expressions, but these are absolutely inspiring!”

“Fantasy art is my favorite.”

“Mine, too.” She looked up, flushing a little. “How can I ever thank you enough?”

“You can get better so that my conscience will stop killing me,” Odalie said gently.

Maddie smiled. “Okay. I promise to try.”

“I’ll settle for that.”

“I put your best gowns and slippers in the bag,” Sadie told her. “And Cort brought you something, too.”

“Cort?”

She looked toward the door. He was smiling and nodding at the nurses, backing into the room. Behind his back was a strange, bottom-heavy bear with a big grin and bushy eyebrows.

He turned into the room and handed it to Maddie. “I don’t know if they’ll let you keep it, but if they won’t, I’ll let Sadie take him home and put him in your room. His name’s Bubba.”

“Bubba?” She burst out laughing as she took the bear from him. It was the cutest stuffed bear she’d ever seen. “Oh, he’s so cute!”

“I’m glad you like him. I wanted to smuggle in a steak, but they’d have smelled it at the door.”

“Thanks for the thought,” she said shyly.

“You’re welcome.”

“Bears and books.” She sighed. “I feel spoiled.”

“I should hope so,” Odalie said with a grin. “We’re doing our best.”

“When we get you out of here, we’re taking you up to Dallas and we’ll hit all the major museums and art galleries,” Cort said, dropping into a chair. “Culture. Might give you some new ideas for your paintings and sculptures.”

“Plus we bought out an art supply store for you,” Odalie said with twinkling eyes. “You’ll have enough to make all sorts of creations when you get home.”

“Home.” Maddie looked from one of them to the other. “When? When can I go home?”

“In a few days.” Cort spoke for the others. “First they have to get you stabilized. Then you’ll be on a regimen of medicine and physical therapy. We’ll go from there.”

Maddie drew in a long breath. It sounded like an ordeal. She wasn’t looking forward to it. And afterward, what if she could never walk again? What if...?

“No pessimistic thoughts.” Odalie spoke for the visitors. “You’re going to get well. You’re going to walk. Period.”

“Absolutely,” Sadie said.

“Amen,” Cort added.

Maddie managed a sheepish smile. With a cheering section like that, she thought, perhaps she could, after all.

CHAPTER EIGHT

T
HE
THIRD
DAY
was definitely the worst. Maddie was in incredible pain from all the bruising. It was agony to move at all, and her legs were still numb. They kept her sedated most of the day. And at night, as usual, Cort and Odalie stayed with her.

“How are you getting away with this?” Maddie asked Odalie when Cort left to get them both a cup of coffee.

“With this?” Odalie asked gently.

“Staying in the room with me,” she replied drowsily. “I thought hospitals made people leave at eight-thirty.”

“Well, they mostly do,” Odalie said sheepishly. “But, you see, Cort’s Dad endowed the new pediatric unit, and mine paid for the equipment in the physical therapy unit. So, they sort of made an exception for us.”

Maddie laughed in spite of the pain. “Oh, my.”

“As my dad explained it, you can do a lot of good for other people and help defray your own taxes, all at once. But, just between us, my dad would give away money even if it didn’t help his tax bill. So would Cort’s. It’s just the sort of people they are.”

“It’s very nice of them.” She shifted and grimaced. “How are things at my ranch, do you know?” she asked worriedly.

“Great. Not that the boys don’t miss you. But Cort’s been over there every day getting roundup organized and deciding on your breeding program. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Are you kidding? I make fairies...I don’t know anything about creating bloodlines.” She sighed. “My dad knew all that stuff. He was great at it. But he should have had a boy who’d have loved running a ranch. I just got stuck with it because there was nobody else he could leave it to.”

“Your father must have known that you’d do the best you could to keep it going,” Odalie said gently.

“I am. It’s just I have no aptitude for it, that’s all.”

“I think...”

“Finally!” John Everett said as he walked in, frowning at his sister. “There was such a conspiracy of silence. I couldn’t get Cort to tell me where you were. I called every hospital in Dallas...”

“I left you seven emails and ten text messages!” Odalie gasped. “Don’t tell me you never read them?”

He glowered at her. “I don’t read my personal email because it’s always advertisements, and I hate text messages. I disabled them from coming to my phone. You couldn’t have called me in Denver and told me what happened?”

Odalie would have told him that Cort talked her out of it, but he was mad, and John in a temper would discourage most people from confessing that.

“Sorry,” she said instead.

He turned his attention to Maddie and grimaced. The bruises were visible around the short-sleeved gown she was wearing. “Poor little thing,” he said gently. “I brought you flowers.”

He opened the door and nodded to a lady standing outside with a huge square vase full of every flower known to man—or so it seemed. “Right over there looks like a good place,” he said, indicating a side table.

The lady, probably from the gift shop, smiled at Maddie and placed the flowers on the table. “I hope you feel better soon,” she told her.

“The flowers are just lovely,” Maddie exclaimed.

“Thanks,” the lady replied, smiled at John and left them to it.

“Oh, how beautiful. Thanks, John!” she exclaimed.

Odalie looked very uncomfortable. John didn’t even look at her. He went to the bedside, removed his Stetson and sat down in the chair by the bed, grasping one of Maddie’s hands in his. “I’ve been beside myself since I knew what happened. I wanted to fly right home, but I was in the middle of negotiations for Dad and I couldn’t. I did try to call your house, but nobody answered, and I didn’t have your cell phone number.” He glared at his sister again. “Nobody would even tell me which hospital you were in!”

“I sent you emails,” Odalie said again.

“The telephone has a voice mode,” he drawled sarcastically.

Odalie swallowed hard and got to her feet. “Maybe I should help Cort carry the coffee,” she said. “Do you want some?”

“Don’t be mean to her,” Maddie said firmly. “She’s been wonderful to me.”

John blinked. He glanced at Odalie with wide-eyed surprise. “Her?”

“Yes, her,” Maddie replied. “She hasn’t left me since I’ve been in here. She brought me books...”

“Her?” John exclaimed again.

Odalie glared at him. “I am not totally beyond redemption,” she said haughtily.

“Maybe I have a fever,” John mused, touching his forehead as he looked back down into Maddie’s eyes. “I thought you said she stayed with you in the hospital. She hates hospitals.”

“She’s been here all night every night,” Maddie said softly. She smiled at Odalie. “She’s been amazing.”

Odalie went beet-red. She didn’t know how to handle the compliment. She’d had so many, all her life, about her beauty and her talent. But nobody had ever said she was amazing for exhibiting compassion. It felt really good.

“It was my fault, what happened,” Odalie said quietly. “I was driving.”

“Who the hell let you drive a car?” John exclaimed.

“I did,” Cort said heavily as he joined them. He looked at John’s hand holding Maddie’s and his dark eyes began to burn with irritation. “Don’t hold her hand, it’s bruised,” he blurted out before he thought.

John’s blue eyes twinkled suddenly. “It is?” He turned it over and looked at it. “Doesn’t look bruised. That hurt?” he asked Maddie.

“Well, no,” she answered. The way Cort was looking at John was very odd.

“Yes, he let me drive because I badgered him into it,” Odalie broke in. “Poor Maddie tried to save her rooster and ran out into the road. I didn’t see her until it was too late.”

“Oh, no,” John said, concerned. “Will you be all right?” he asked Maddie.

“I’m going to be fine,” she assured him with more confidence than she really felt.

“Yes, she is,” Odalie said, smiling. “We’re all going to make sure of it.”

“What about Pumpkin?” John asked.

Odalie tried to stop him from asking, but she was too late.

“It’s all right,” Maddie said gently. “I’m getting used to it. Pumpkin...didn’t make it.”

Sadie had told her that Ben had buried the awful rooster under a mesquite tree and even made a little headstone to go on the grave. Considering how many scars Ben had, it was quite a feat of compassion.

“I’ll get you a new rooster,” John said firmly.

“Already taken care of,” Cort replied. “You’re in my seat, bro.”

John gave him a strange look. “Excuse me?”

“That’s my seat. I’ve got it just the way I like it, from sleeping in it for two nights.”

John was getting the picture. He laughed inside. Amazing how determined Cort was to get him away from Maddie. He glanced at his sister, who should be fuming. But she wasn’t. Her eyes were smiling. She didn’t even seem to be jealous.

Maddie was so out of it that she barely noticed the byplay. The sedative was working on her. She could barely keep her eyes open.

As she drifted off, Cort was saying something about a rooster with feathers on his feet....

* * *

A
WEEK
AFTER
the accident, Maddie began to feel her back again. It was agonizing pain. Dr. Brooks came in to examine her, his face impassive as he had her grip his fingers. He used a pin on the bottom of her feet, and actually grinned when she flinched.

“I’m not going to be paralyzed?” she asked, excited and hopeful.

“We can’t say that for sure,” Dr. Brooks said gently. “Once the swelling and edema are reduced, there may be additional injuries that become apparent. But I will say it’s a good sign.”

She let out a breath. “I’d have coped,” she assured him. “But I’m hoping I won’t have to.”

He smiled and patted her on the shoulder. “One step at a time, young lady. Recovery first, then rehabilitation with physiotherapy. Meanwhile I’m going to consult with your orthopedic surgeon and put in a call to a friend of mine, a neurologist. We want to cover all our bases.”

“You’re being very cautious,” she murmured.

“I have to be. The fact that you got excellent immediate care at the scene is greatly in your favor, however. Cort knew exactly what to do, and the paramedics followed up in textbook perfection. However,” he added with a smile, “my personal opinion is your condition comes from bad bruising and it is not a permanent injury. We saw nothing on the tests that indicated a tearing of the spinal cord or critical damage to any of your lumbar vertebrae.”

“You didn’t say,” she replied.

“Until the swelling goes down, we can’t be absolutely sure of anything, which is why I’m reluctant to go all bright-eyed over a cheery prognosis,” he explained. “But on the evidence of what I see, I think you’re going to make a complete recovery.”

She beamed. “Thank you!”

He held up a hand. “We’ll still wait and see.”

“When can I go home?” she asked.

“Ask me next week.”

She made a face. “I’m tired of colored gelatin,” she complained. “They’re force feeding me water and stuff with fiber in it.”

“To keep your kidney and bowel function within acceptable levels,” he said. “Don’t fuss. Do what they tell you.”

She sighed. “Okay. Thanks for letting Cort and Odalie stay with me at night. One of the nurses said you spoke to the administrator himself.”

He shrugged. “He and I were at med school together. I beat him at chess regularly.”

She laughed. “Can you thank him for me? You don’t know what it meant, that they wanted to stay.”

“Yes, I do,” he replied solemnly. “I’ve never seen anybody do a greater turnaround than your friend Odalie.” He was the doctor who’d treated Maddie after the boy tried to throw her out of the window at school. He’d given a statement to the attorneys who went to see Cole Everett, as well. He shook his head. “I’ve known your families since you were children. I know more about Odalie than most people do. I must say, she’s impressed me. And I’m hard to impress.”

Maddie smiled. “She’s impressed me, too. I never expected her to be so compassionate. Of course, it could be guilt,” she said hesitantly. She didn’t add that Odalie could be trying to win back Cort. She made a face. “I’m ashamed that I said that.”

“Don’t be. It’s natural to be suspicious of someone who’s been nothing short of an enemy. But this time, I believe her motives are quite sincere.”

“Thanks. That helps.”

He smiled. “You keep improving. I’ll be back to see you from time to time. But I’m pleased with the progress I see.”

“Thanks more for that.”

He chuckled. “I love my job,” he said at the door.

* * *

L
ATE
AT
NIGHT
,
Maddie was prey to her secret fears of losing the use of her legs. Despite Dr. Brooks’s assurances, she knew that the prognosis could change. The traumatic nature of her injury made it unpredictable.

“Hey,” Cort said softly, holding her hand when she moved restlessly in bed. “Don’t think about tomorrow. Just get through one day at a time.”

She rolled her head on the pillow and looked at him with tormented eyes. Odalie was sound asleep on the rollaway bed nearby, oblivious. But last night, it had been the other woman who’d been awake while Cort slept, to make sure Maddie had anything she needed.

“It’s hard not to think about it,” she said worriedly. “I’m letting everybody at the ranch down....”

“Baloney,” he mused, smiling. “I’ve got Ben and the others organized. We’re making progress on your breeding program.” He made a face. “John went over there today to oversee things while I was here with you.”

“John’s your best friend,” she reminded him.

He didn’t want to tell her that he was jealous of his friend. He’d wanted to thump John when he walked in and found him holding Maddie’s hand. But he was trying to be reasonable. He couldn’t be here and at the ranch. And John was talented with breeding livestock. He’d learned from Cole Everett, whose skills were at least equal with King Brannt’s and, some people said, just a tad more scientific.

“That’s nice of John,” she remarked.

He forced a smile. “Yeah. He’s a good guy.”

She searched his eyes.

“Oh, hell,” he muttered, “he’s got an honors degree in animal husbandry. I’ve got an associate’s.”

She brightened. “Doesn’t experience count for something?” she teased lightly.

He chuckled deep in his throat. “Nice of you, to make me feel better, when I’ve landed you in that hospital bed,” he added with guilt in his eyes.

She squeezed his hand. “My dad used to say,” she said softly, “that God sends people into our lives at various times, sometimes to help, sometimes as instruments to test us. He said that you should never blame people who cause things to happen to you, because that might be a test to teach you something you needed to know.” She glanced at Odalie. “I can’t be the only person who’s noticed how much she’s changed,” she added in a low tone. “She’s been my rock through all this. You have, too, but...”

“I understand.” He squeezed her hand back, turning it over to look at the neat, clean fingernails tipping her small, capable fingers. “I’ve been very proud of her.”

“Me, too,” Maddie confessed. “Honestly this whole experience has changed the way I look at the world, at people.”

“Your dad,” he replied, “was a very smart man. And not just with cattle.”

She smiled. “I always thought so. I do miss him.”

He nodded. “I know you do.”

He put her hand back on the bed. “You try to go back to sleep. Want me to call the nurse and see if she can give you something else for pain?”

She laughed softly and indicated the patch on her arm. “It’s automatic. Isn’t science incredible?”

“Gets more incredible every day,” he agreed. He got up. “I’m going for more coffee. I won’t be long.”

“Thanks. For all you’re doing,” she said seriously.

He stared down at her with quiet, guilty eyes. “It will never be enough to make up for what happened.”

“That’s not true,” she began.

“I’ll be back in a bit.” He left her brooding.

* * *

“Y
OU
HAVE
TO
try to make Cort stop blaming himself,” Maddie told Odalie the next day after she’d had breakfast and Cort had gone to the ranch for a shower and change of clothes. Odalie would go when he returned, they’d decided.