Page 166 of Huckleberry Hill
I was being carried away. I attempted to swim toward the bank, but my side burned in agony.
“Declan!” I cried out, praying he’d hear me over the rushing water and pouring rain.
My head bobbed up and down as I tried to regain my footing, and through the slanted rain I could see Declan on Merlin’s back galloping along the bank. He had his rope out and he was building a loop over his head, preparing to throw. When he was close enough, Declan threw the rope.
It missed the mark, but my fingers touched it briefly before I was pulled under again.
I broke the surface, sputtering and coughing, and that’s when Declan’s second throw caught me. He dallied the rope to the saddle horn to slow me down and I began to tread water as I was being pulled to the bank by Merlin.
As I got to the edge of the creek, Declan dismounted and ran toward me. I thought about attempting to stand, but my body was cold and I was injured.
He waded into the shallow water toward me. I could tell he wanted to go faster, but if he lost his footing, the raging creek would just sweep him away too.
My heart pounded in relief when his arms came around me.
I cried out in pain.
“Hadley! Are you okay?”
“No—my ribs—” I gasped.
“Hang on to me, okay? Whatever you do, don’t let go.”
My arms wrapped around his neck and my legs around his waist. He waded us out of the water as he carried me, and I clung to him with all my might.
We finally made it to solid ground, and Declan set me down.
He kissed my wet cheeks, my wet forehead, my wet lips.
“You’re okay. You’re going to be okay. You’re okay.” He repeated it like a mantra, an affirmation for him to believe.
“I’ll be okay,” I chattered. “But I’m so cold . . .”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The Hospital
* * *
The left side of my body screamed in pain. I gritted my teeth. Declan saw my grimace and took my hand while we waited for the doctor.
“Squeeze my hand,” he said. “Hard as you want.”
“I’m fine.”
“Liar. Terrible, terrible liar.”
“Have you talked to Dad? How are the cattle? Was anyone else injured?”
“We don’t have to talk about that now.”
“Distract me, please,” I begged.
“I didn’t ask,” he said. “My first and only priority was getting you to the hospital.”
He was still in his rain gear. After Declan had fished me out of the floodwater, he’d ridden Merlin hard toward the main house, with me in front of him on the saddle. When Muddy saw us, she immediately snapped into drill-sergeant mode. She commanded Declan to get me warm and dry.
Muddy tried to get hold of Dad to let him know what was going on, but cell service was spotty in even the best of circumstances at the ranch, and because of the weather he was with the rest of the boys and the cattle on the northwest side of the property.
