Page 62 of Bernadette
“Do it,” Wyatt, Morgan, and Lucas all said at the same time. When the older couple turned to Lucas, he looked at them and shook his head. “Uncle Wyatt, you would never want to be in a wheelchair. Why take the chance?” He looked at the doctor and asked. “I know this question is out there, but do you know a Dr. Keener that’s over in Bozeman?”
“Yes, I trained her, why?”
“Because she worked on Morgan’s brother when he broke every bone in his hand, and he’s healed. If you’re as good as she is, what are my uncle’s chances of not ending up paralyzed?”
“Ninety-nine percent.”
“And if he doesn’t have the surgery?” Morgan asked.
The doctor pursed his lips, moved his head back and forth, then nodded once. “Thirty-eight percent.”
“I’ll have the surgery, doctor,” Wyatt said, then looked at Lucas when the doctor left.
“I’ll get out of your hair,” Carl said, then went over to Wyatt and shook his hand. “I wish you luck. Do you want me to tell anyone what’s going on?”
“Are you going over to see Chuck?”
“I am, then I have to get to the office, my office, not the one at the compound.”
“Oh, well, sure, let Chuck know, maybe he and Lucas can keep in contact while I’m in surgery.” Carl agreed, then left, and Wyatt looked at Lucas. “Call your father and hand me the phone.” Lucas did, and the two left in the room listened as Wyatt told his brother exactly what was going on, and what had to be done at home. They hung up by telling each other they loved one another, and that Dillon would be in as soon as he could. Wyatt told him to stay home and take care of the ranch, that there wasn’t anything he could do by sitting in the waiting room.
One hour later, Wyatt was wheeled away to have surgery to save his life, and Morgan stood there in the middle of the hall, shell-shocked. For the first time in years, she wished her had her mother there with her.
CHAPTER23
Chuck lookedover at Bernie and held his hand out to her, sighing in relief when she put her hand in his. They were finally alone, since the A’s had taken Angela out to dinner, leaving the two of them alone.
“Are you okay?” Chuck asked as he brought her closer to him. He patted the bed as he moved over, indicating for her to sit beside his hip.
“Yeah, just tired, that’s all. Plus, I’m wondering what’s happening with Wyatt.”
Chuck looked at her, then sighed heavily, “I know what I’m about to say is way too soon, or that I’m assuming anything, but I really like you, Bernadette. I know I’m injured, I know you have a problem with your knee. I know you also have a lot of shit to go over with the paperwork for Boswell.”
He paused and she looked at him with a frown. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m trying to say that I want to kiss you, and keep kissing you. I want to see if we have something going for us. I know, I know,” he said as he held up his good hand to stop her from saying anything. “It’s too soon, we haven’t even known each other for a week yet, but I want to put it out on the table that I want us to be together.”
“For sex?”
Chuck grinned at her. “That, or to talk, or to hang out. You know, like a relationship.” He studied her and was afraid to ask what she was thinking, but her expression had several different emotions crossing over it. When she didn’t slap him, jump away from her, nor tell him no outright, he smiled as he reached up with his good hand, gently took the back of her head in it, and brought it forward for a kiss. He acted slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away from him. When their lips were only millimeters apart, he paused long enough to give her more time, but when she didn’t pull away, he smiled as he brought her the rest of the way down to meet his lips. What he thought would be a gentle kiss to let her know his intention, on a sweet level, quickly turned into a hot and heavy kiss. It was several minutes before they realized someone was in the room with them, and thinking it was a nurse, Chuck looked over Bernadette’s shoulder to tell them to come back later. Instead, he looked at Carl Miller, and scowled at his expression.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, and Bernie looked over her shoulder and quickly stood beside the bed.
“Yeah, what’s wrong?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you look like a combination of wanting to rip someone’s head off, and throwing up?” Bernie said. “Spill it.”
“Mind if I sit?” Carl asked as he pointed to the only chair in the room, the one Bernie had occupied since Chuck had been admitted. When they offered it to him, he sank heavily into it. He ran both hands over his face several times, the looked at Bernie. “We need to get these fuckers soon.”
“I know, once Chuck’s out of here, and we’re back home, we’ll be working on it.”
“Okay, let me update you. I don’t think you know what happened yet.”
“Tell us,” Bernie barked out and unconsciously gripped Chuck’s hand in hers. “What happened?”
“Good news,” Carl began. “Wyatt is awake, and he remembers everything. By this, I mean he remembered the wedding, Morgan, Lucas, me, the accident, what happened after his horse stumbled.”
