Page 60 of Catch Me, Cowboy
Ty was almost the end of the alley before he was aware that he was moving. He started toward Wyatt’s truck and trailer, then altered his course as he saw the roper talking to a woman near the rail.
“Have you seen Shelby?”
Wyatt shook his head. “Her truck’s here, so she must be in the stands.”
“Thanks.” But Ty still had a bad feeling about this. He dashed to his truck, the overly-long fringe on his chaps beating on his legs as he ran. He unlocked the door and grabbed his phone, punching in Shelby’s number. She answered on the second ring.
“What?” She snapped the word out instead of saying hello.
“Where are you?”
“Gramps was in a rollover.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.“Local hospital?” He didn’t want to travel to Marietta General only to discover that Les had been taken to Bozeman.
“I… uh… yes.”
“Hang tight, Shelby. I’ll be right there.” He hung up before she answered and ran around to the driver’s side of the truck.
“Ty!” He stopped at the sound of his father’s voice. “What the hell? Where are you going?”
“Les O’Connor had an accident.”
“You’re leaving now?”
“Shelby needs me.”
“You won’t get back in time.”
“Don’t care.”
“Youdon’tcare?” His father’s face went red. “Buck Creighton is here. He has a cameraman. You have to ride.” The pulse was beating in the vein in his forehead. “You being at that hospital won’t change anything. Half an hour from now youwillbe there.”
“I’ll be there now.” His father reached out and grabbed his shoulder as he turned toward the truck and Ty swung back. “I’m notfuckingriding, Dad. This ismylife, not yours!”
He shook off his dad’s hand and jerked open the truck door. He started his truck and pulled out of the space, leaving his father standing exactly where he’d left him. He’d deal with it later.
Ty forced himself to drive slowly as he headed toward the bridge, then picked up speed after swinging out onto the street. The hospital was close and his dad was right—he could have been there in less than half an hour. Except that he needed to be there now. With Shelby.
*
Trooper Russell cameinto the emergency room with Shelby and guided her to the nurse’s station, making certain she was in good hands before once again taking off. He’d barely left when the door swung open and Ty strode in, his chaps flapping around his legs.
“How is he?”
Shelby looked at the nurse, since she had no answers.
“You’ll get an update as soon as we have information. Dr. Gallagher is with him now.”
Ty’s hands settled on her shoulders, big and warm and reassuring. Shelby swallowed and after giving the nurse the rest of the information she required for admittance, allowed Ty to steer her to the waiting area.
He sat on a short vinyl sofa and pulled her down beside him, wrapping his arm around her. Shelby sat stiffly for all of two or three seconds, resisting… everything. The truth about where she was and why. The urge to allow herself lean on Ty. Finally, she gave up, closed her eyes to shut out her surroundings and settled her head on Ty’s hard shoulder. His arm tightened around her and they sat. Silently. She was grateful he didn’t offer useless platitudes. She didn’t want to hear that Gramps would be all right except for from someone who knew for certain.
The waiting room was empty except for a mother waiting for her son’s broken arm to be dealt with. Compound fracture according to what Shelby had overhead when the woman was talking on her cell phone. She was sorry a child was hurt, but bones would mend. Ty was living proof of that.
But her grandfather… what kind of injuries did he have? She was not ready to lose him. Someday she’d have to let him go, but not now. Not today. Ty’s phone buzzed in his pocket for the third or fourth time, but he didn’t bother to look at it.
Suddenly she sat up straighter and stared at Ty, who frowned back at her. “What?”
