Page 114

Thea gave a little chuckle, reaching for her side. “I guess so.”

“I think we’d better go,” Emerson said. “I’ll check on you in the morning. Sharon, you coming?”

“I want to stay,” Sharon said.

Thea rested a hand on her mother’s arm as the nurse checked the blood pressure cuff on her other side. “Mom, you need to get some rest. I’ll be fine here.”

“I know. You’ve been doing well enough on your own for years, but I still don’t want to leave you.”

Thea pressed her mother’s hand to her cheek. “We’ll see each other again. If you call Gage, I bet he’d ask Hadley to let you stay at her place at the ranch tonight.”

“That’s true,” Brett said. “Thea has been staying there, and she’s a good friend. I’m sure she’d be happy to have you.”

Sharon rubbed her thumb over Thea’s hand. “I’ll think about it. Thank you.” She looked up at Thea. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“And all the other tomorrows too,” Thea added.

“Bye. Thank you,” Thea said to Emerson as she turned to leave.

“Yeah, thanks for everything today,” Brett echoed.

Emerson gave a soft nod before winding her way out of the room with Sharon behind her.

“We’re going to head out too,” Jess said. “Are you staying tonight?”

“Yeah. I’ll call you in the morning and let you know if they’re keeping her longer.”

The nurse piped up without looking away from the computer. “You’ll probably be released in the morning. Your lung isn’t punctured again, but the doctor wanted to keep an eye on you at least through the night.”

“Just let me know when you need a ride,” Jess said.

Brett caught her as she turned to leave and whispered close, “Hey, um, I think Emerson might want to get away from the place she’s been living–”

Jess raised a stiff finger between them. “Don’t push it.”

Brett held up his hands. “Just think about it.”

Without another word, Jess turned and walked out. His sister would come around in time. She always did.

“Thanks for all you did today, Linc,” Thea said.

Linc nodded once. “You’re welcome.”

When the room was quiet, the nurse finished logging Thea’s information and handed her a small plastic cup with a pill in it. “This is for pain.”

“I’ll take it,” Thea said as she reached for the cup.

The nurse looked at her watch. “Someone should be here soon with dinner. I’ll check on you again in a little while. Call if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Brett and Thea said in unison as the nurse left.

Thea rested her head back, and her eyes drifted closed. “I’m exhausted.”

Brett pulled a chair close to the side of her bed and gently brushed a hand over her hair, careful not to touch the bandage on her head. “Rest. I’ll be right here.”

Her eyes opened, and she gave him a lazy smile. “Thank you.”

Lifting her hand in his, Brett threaded his fingers with hers. “I think all of this might be over now.”