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He rubbed a hand over his itchy jaw. The stubble was longer than he liked. He probably did stink. Thankfully, Blake and Ridge had dropped Brett’s truck off at the hospital after the wedding. “I’ll be back in two hours. Tell her that when she gets back.”

Gage rested his head back and closed his eyes. “Fine.”

Brett made his way to the nurses’ desk and waited until a young brunette woman gave him her attention.

“I’m visiting Thea Howard in room 508. She’s having some tests right now. I’m going to shower and grab her some things from home. Can I give you my phone number in case you need to get in touch with me while I’m gone?”

“Sure.” The nurse took down the number and promised to note it in Thea’s chart.

The freezing wind outside jolted Brett out of his exhaustion. He’d dozed for half an hour during the night while Thea was resting, but he’d been too on edge to relax. The nurses were in and out every hour, and each visit had brought hope of news about her condition.

The collapsed lung scared him the most. He’d heard about a guy in the rodeo who hadn’t survived a collapsed lung. They said Thea’s was minor, but he’d been screaming on the inside since the doctor explained things last night.

The sun was moving toward the west and shining right in his driver’s side window as he drove to the ranch, which only drained the last of his energy. When he pulled up at his cabin, Linc’s truck was gone and the silence of the secluded part of the ranch had his eyes threatening to close.

Fifteen minutes later, Brett was showered and shaved. In another five minutes, his duffel bag was packed and ready for a few days at the hospital. He climbed back into the truck with a little extra pep after the quick shower. The clock on the dash said he had a few minutes before he needed to head back. Plenty of time to get things sorted out around the ranch.

Climbing in his truck, he called Hadley.

“Hellooo,” she sang.

“Hey. My friend, Thea, is gonna be in the hospital for a little bit. She’s having some tests done right now, so I can’t ask her what she might need. Can you put together a bag for her?”

“Sure thing. Come on by.”

When he pulled up at her cabin, Hadley was waiting on the porch with a bag. She tossed it through the open window into the passenger seat. “You’re all set. I hope she’s doin’ okay.”

Hadley moved from Tennessee to the ranch last year, and she and Brett had become fast friends. She was young, funny, and pretty, but there had never been a spark between them.

“Thanks for this. I’ll make sure you get your stuff once Thea is back on her feet.”

Hadley waved a hand in the air. “Don’t worry about it. Call me if you need anything else.”

“Will do.” Brett shifted the truck into reverse and headed toward the main house. He parked out front and gave a quick double knock before letting himself inside. “Mr. Chambers!”

“In the office!” the older man shouted.

Brett stepped into the office just as his boss was standing up.

Mr. Chambers held up his mug. “I need a refill.”

“That’s exactly why I’m here.”

Mr. Chambers was creeping into his eighties, and he’d had a few health scares in recent years that kept him hanging around the house more and more. Despite the doc’s orders to cut back on the caffeine, Mr. Chambers could be counted on to have a fresh pot in the kitchen every few hours.

Brett went straight to the cupboard where the disposable cups were stacked. “Is this the good stuff or the fake stuff?”

Mr. Chambers pointed a finger at Brett. “The good stuff, but if you tell Ava, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Brett held up his hands. “My lips are sealed.”

The front door opened and closed. “Boss!” Colt yelled.

“Kitchen!” Mr. Chambers shakily poured the coffee into his cup. “I need a megaphone or something.”

“Does it bother you that we stop by all the time?” Brett asked before taking the first sip of the hot coffee. His boss might be old enough to be his grandpa, but Brett and most of the men working at the ranch liked to hang out with Mr. Chambers.

Colt walked in and pointed at Brett before grabbing a ceramic mug. “Dude, you have a story to tell.”