Page 33 of Colton in the Wild
Had she known? Had she somehow realized this was going to turn bad on her? Was that why she’d opened up last night, why she’d admitted that he hadn’t been the only one feeling attraction since all the way back in high school?
That idea jabbed at him worst of all. Why wouldn’t she have told him if she was feeling that bad? He would have figured out a way to get her out of there sooner if he’d known she was going to crash like this. Somehow. Even if he’d had to carry her every step of the way.
Spence would have sworn the clock over the door had somehow been piped through a loudspeaker because he could hear every ticked second as if it echoed off the walls. Every second that went by that she didn’t move, didn’t wake up. The nurse glanced at him now and then, smiling in understanding, and he wondered how she could stand this kind of work. People weren’t nearly appreciative enough of individuals in this profession, until it came to hellish times like this.
He’d muted his phone an hour ago, when he’d first come in to sit at her bedside. Out of the need for distraction he pulled it out and saw a screen full of missed calls and texts. He knew Hetty’s brother Troy was out on an oil rig so he wasn’t surprised that there wasn’t anything from him. Every other sibling she had, which meant five, had all texted. Then there was Dad, checking back in, and Mom, saying she’d be there in an hour. Hetty’s mom, who was out of town, had left a voice message saying she was on her way back. His cousin Lakin, who was very close to Hetty, had also texted she was on her way.
And at the end of the list, a brief text from his cousin Eli, only saying he’d see him soon. So he probably had been assigned the case of the body they’d found. Something Spence was having a little trouble caring about at the moment.
A quiet whisper of his name came from the doorway and he looked up to see Parker standing there. He got up and walked over to him, and they stepped outside the room, although Spence made sure he was standing where he could still see her.
“How is she?”
“Not great.” He couldn’t help the grim tone in his voice.
“She’s as tough as she needs to be, Spence. She’ll pull through.”
She has to. She just has to.
He didn’t say it aloud, afraid it would come out as nothing less than a whine.
“Let me know if anything changes, will you?” Parker asked. “I’m going to head out with Chuck to see what can be done about the plane.”
“Okay.” Then, as his brain woke up to what his cousin had actually said—that he and the RTA mechanic were going to the campsite where it had all happened—he added sharply, “Hey, wait, we don’t know if that guy is still out there.”
Parker’s mouth quirked. “Aw, cuz, you care.”
Something hot and sharp welled up inside him. “Don’t joke around when Hetty’s lying in there possibly dying.”
Parker looked startled then thoughtful. “Well, well,” he murmured.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” his cousin said almost cheerfully. He turned to go then looked back. “Except it’s about time.”
Spence stared after his cousin. What wasthatsupposed to mean? And when had that become the question of the day?
For a moment he just stood there, feeling a little stunned. Was he wearing a freaking sign or something? First Dad, hinting that he’d known something was brewing. Now Parker, acting like he’d known all along that all the sniping and poking at each other was a cover.
He let out a compressed breath, shoved all that aside, too, and went back into the room where the only thing that really mattered right now lay so very, very still.
Chapter 17
Spence had lost track of who all had come and gone. He’d vacated his spot for Hetty’s family, but not for just friends. All of the siblings except Troy had already been, he thought, but with seven total, he could be wrong. He hadn’t had much, if any, sleep since things had gotten bad.
He was back in the almost-comfortable reclining chair next to her bed, dozing in and out, when he heard the nurse talking to someone fairly close by.
“—and he hasn’t left her side since. It’s actually very sweet,” the nurse was saying to whoever it was.
He opened groggy eyes to look, and felt a jolt when he realized it was her mother. He swung his legs over and got to his feet, although it took him a moment to steady himself.
He was startled when the petite woman came straight to him and clasped both his hands in hers.
“Thank you, Spence.”
He blinked. “For what?”Taking her out where she got shot? For assuming she was going to be okay and deciding to stick the night out up there instead of carrying her down to somewhere Dad could have picked her up even at night?
“For saving her and getting her here alive.”
