Page 60 of Want You Back

Hannah was so, so brave, and my chest swelled with pride even as my heart ached for what she was enduring.

“Faith is alive.” I started with the most important detail, the one that had been in question for several long hours. “In the ICU, but stable, finally. She had more internal bleeding that required another trip to the OR.”

“Is she going to make it?” Hannah’s voice was wary like she was scared to hope too hard. I understood the feeling all too well.

“I’m going to be honest that it didn’t look good for a while there, but the doctors think her chances are much better now.” I needed to name a horse or perhaps a whole barn after Dr. King and the work she’d put in to save Faith. She’d lost a lot of blood, to the point that I went and donated while she was in surgery for the second time, a small thing I could do to top up the supply of our uncommon blood type. “She has a long way to go, but I talked to her before I left.”

“Oh good.” Hannah exhaled so hard that her whole body shuddered. Faith had been even more groggy for our second conversation, but what she’d said had very nearly brought me to my knees.

Dreamed. Mom said get…back on the horse. I’m gonna fight, Mav. Want to get better. Be better.

“She wants to fight,” I told Hannah now. “She wanted me to come tell you in person how sorry she is.”

Hannah buried her head in my chest. “When can I see her?”

“I’m hoping for tomorrow.” The one visitor at a time and no visitors under eighteen rules were still in place. I’d also been ordered by Faith, Dr. King, and more than one nurse to come home to sleep. “There’s more you should know though.”

“She was drinking.” Stepping back, Hannah grimaced. She’d seen far more than any middle schooler should have. That much was certain. “I knew it. Is she going to go to jail?”

“Maybe. We don’t know yet.” I hated not having an answer for Hannah. Or me. So much remained up in the air. “She did a bad thing. I think she’ll probably plead guilty and see what can be worked out. She sounds willing to go to a facility to get help after she’s healed.”

“I hope she goes.” Hannah’s voice turned firm with no small amount of anger. “I don’t want her to go to jail, but I know what rehab is. That’s where you stop drinking. She needs that.”

“Yeah, she does.” I had to agree, but I’d also seen the most vulnerable side of Faith within the last twenty-four hours. “And she needs you. Whatever you’re feeling right now is normal—angry, sad, hurt. I’m feeling all that as well. But your mom also needs our love right now.”

“I don’t want to go back to Houston with her.” Gaze dropping, Hannah kicked at the dirt with the toe of her riding boot.

“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen,” I promised, pulling her in for another hug. “I’m here for you no matter what, Hannah. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Okay. I think I want to ride my horse some more.” She swallowed hard, shoulders back, chin jutting out. So damn stoic, and she shouldn’t have to be, but I was impressed nonetheless by her fortitude.

“You do that.” I gave Hannah one last hug. “I might go find some coffee.”

“Coffee? You need your bed,” Colt scoffed. He’d hung back while I talked with Hannah, but he stepped forward now. “I’ll walk with you.”

“Go. I’ll keep an eye on the girls.” Kat made a shooing motion with her hand.

“You okay to walk?” Colt peered at me as we exited the barn into the hot summer sun. “I could go get the truck.”

“I can walk.” I sounded disgustingly like my father, so I gentled my tone. “Slowly. But stretching my legs feels good.”

I wasn’t lying. It did feel good to move. Adler had stumbled to the upstairs bedroom as soon as we’d arrived back at the ranch, but I’d needed to see Hannah and Colt. And move. Breathe. Remember smells and sounds other than the hospital.

“You tell me if you need a hand.”

“I always need a hand.” Feeling bolder than usual, I grabbed his hand and held it tight, less for balance and more for the simple pleasure of holding it. “Did you mean it when you said you believed in me? That I can do anything I set my mind to?”

Hearing that after my long night had been more potent than a triple shot of espresso.

“You’ve always been impressive.” Colt swung my hand lightly, a little playful in a day of awful. “Great grades despite what was going on back here at the ranch. Put yourself through college. Great career. I saw what you did with the house here.” He stopped near the back steps, a fond expression in his eyes. “You always did have talent.”

“Thank you.” If I were less exhausted, I’d preen, but I settled for a grateful smile.

“And for better or worse, you have ranching in your blood.” Colt gestured around us at the land and outbuildings. “If you want to make a go of this place, not simply wait your year out, I believe in you. You’re more than capable.”

“I sense a however coming any second.” My tease had a certain wariness to it.

“No.” Colt pursed his lips, making me less inclined to believe him. “You asked me to fight for us. And I’m ready to do that. I want you to stay. Am I scared you’ll get tired of ranching? Yes. But that’s different from thinking you can’t do it.”

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