Page 16 of Merry Christmas, Cowboy (Home to Texas #2)

“Oh, man. You okay?” Coop ran around the island and looked at his arm. “That’s a big gash. You’re gonna need stitches.”

Garrett squeezed his eyes shut. He knew as soon as the granite slipped, this was going to be bad.

“I’ll get some towels. Where’s your first aid kit?”

Still hunched over, Garrett pointed toward the bathroom.

“Keep pressure on it,” Coop shouted from the other room.

Garrett leaned against the kitchen wall, holding on.

When Coop returned, it was only a few minutes before he was bandaged up and heading to the hospital emergency room. Garrett laid his head against the headrest in Coop’s truck and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to deal with the pain. Then he shot up in his seat. “Cody.”

“He’ll be okay. I’ll call the school and let them know what happened. They’ll notify Nicole. I’m sure she’ll watch out for Cody. There’s still an hour before school lets out.”

Garrett nodded and flopped back down, taking deep breaths, and whispered, “Nicole.”

*

“Students, it’s time to put away our crayons. Nelia, since you’re our cleanup monitor will you make sure all the crayons are off the tables and in their buckets?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you. Children, as soon as we’re done cleaning up our desks, we’ll have story time.”

The kids were especially excited lately knowing that Christmas was coming and it seemed to make them a bit unruly.

Today was uniquely challenging, nothing seemed to come easy.

One little girl cried when she couldn’t find her water bottle until Nicole noticed it in someone else’s backpack.

Two boys bumped heads when they’d accidentally run into each other at recess.

Both were sent to the office, both needed to sit it out with ice packs on their heads, until their parents came to pick them up.

And Joanie Maynard peed her pants and needed to change into her spare clothes.

On days like these, Nicole felt more a caregiver, than a schoolteacher. But it came with the territory.

When Lisa Murdock, the school secretary, showed up at her door, crooking her finger, whispering she needed a word with her, Nicole immediately walked over. “Lisa? What is it?”

“We just got word that Mr. Garrett, Cody’s uncle, was injured on the job site. He’s been taken to the hospital.”

“Oh, no.” Stark fear caught in her throat. Her heart raced wildly. “W-what happened?”

“Mr. Cooper said he’d gotten hurt installing granite and for you not to worry. He asked if you could take care of Cody until he calls you later.”

“I surely will. But did he say how bad it was?”

“No, he didn’t. Sorry.”

“Thank you.” Nicole looked over at Cody who was talking to his desk buddy, Jonas.

The boy was all smiles. How was she going to give him the news without worrying him?

And how was she going to cope with Garrett being hurt?

Already, her mind was swimming in a dozen different directions.

She prayed he wasn’t too terribly injured.

After Lisa walked away, and with her heart in her throat, Nicole struggled to keep focused on the story she was reading to the class.

It seemed like an eternity before the school bell rang.

As usual, she walked the children out to meet with their parents.

When just the two of them were left, Nicole bent down to Cody’s level.

“Cody, Paulette isn’t taking you home today.

There’s been a little accident and I’m going to ask you to be a big boy right now. Okay?”

Cody searched her eyes, looking extremely curious. “Is Paulette okay?”

Oh, darn, she was confusing the boy. “Yes, Paulette is just fine. She’ll be here in a bit. But your uncle Garrett got a little hurt and he’s in the hospital.”

Tears filled Cody’s eyes. “Is he gonna die?”

Dear God. Cody’s expression was killing her. It was the saddest face she’d seen on any child. Ever.

“No, Cody. He’s going to be just fine. Trust me.”

Cody sighed and relief registered on his face.

The poor kid, he’d had so much tragedy in his life and it hurt her to think that was the first place his mind went after she’d told him about Garrett.

That he could die. How tragic was that? To Cody, his uncle Garrett was not only his uncle, he was his parent and his best friend too.

“We can stay here at school and wait, or go to the hospital to check on your uncle.”

Cody didn’t hesitate. “I want to see Uncle Garrett.”

“You know what, Cody? I want that too.”

Cody gave her a shaky smile. “Okay, then when Paulette comes, we’ll ask her to drive us to the hospital.”

“’Kay.”

Half an hour later, Nicole held Cody’s hand as they entered the hospital.

Little Cody must’ve asked her five times on the way over here if Uncle Garrett was going to be okay.

She’d assured him again and again that Uncle Garrett would be fine.

Eventually. She’d spoken with Taylor, who’d gotten it from Coop that his injury was pretty deep and long.

He’d needed twelve stitches on his left arm.

Nicole walked up to the information desk in the lobby. “I’d like to see Mr. Brown.”

Just then, Coop came down the hallway, calling her over. “We’re in here, Nicole.” Once he spotted Cody, he tried to hide the blood on his sleeves. Maybe from her too. The thought of Garrett bleeding like that upset her stomach.

They got their visitor’s badges after some heavy discussion to allow Cody in to see his uncle. Luckily, the volunteer at the information booth had a child enrolled at Honeysuckle Elementary and she’d bent the rules a bit for Nicole.

Coop led them into a sectioned off room, with curtains separating patients.

Nicole picked Cody up in her arms so he could see his uncle better.

Garrett’s face was drawn, the pain he must’ve endured still taking a toll.

His arm was bandaged from his wrist to his elbow and some smudges of blood stained the once-white bindings.

“Hi… buddy.”

The strain on his face was evident, even as he tried to make a good show in front of Cody. “H-had me a little accident.”

Cody took a swallow. Seeing his big, strong, virile uncle Garrett in the hospital bed affected him. Heavens, it affected her too.

“Does it hurt?” Cody asked, his focus on the bandaged arm.

“A little,” Garrett said. “They gave me something for the pain. It kinda makes me drowsy.”

“Did you get stitches?”

The ER doctor came in to check on Garrett. He took one look at Cody and shook his head. “The boy shouldn’t be in here.”

Nicole turned to leave, but Coop intervened. “I’ll take him for a snack,” he said. “You stay with Garrett.”

“Is this your wife?” the doctor asked.

“We’re friends,” Nicole quickly pointed out.

“She’s with me.”

Nicole stared at Garrett without saying another word. The doctor unwrapped the bandages, cleansed the stitched area with a solution, and then wrapped up his arm with fresh bandages. “How’re you feeling?”

“Drugged up,” he told the doctor.

“Is it helping with the pain?”

“Some.”

“I’m going to keep you here another hour or two. I’ll be putting you on a dose of antibiotics and giving you a prescription for pain. Right now, you should rest. I’ll come check on you later.”

He gave a slow nod. “Thanks.”

“Yes, thank you, Doctor,” Nicole said.

She turned to follow the doctor out. “Nic?”

She swiveled back around. “Do you need something?”

Garrett motioned for her to come over with his good arm.

She took a few steps closer. “What is it?”

“Come… closer.” His voice was fading.

She stepped closer until her legs butted up against the bed.

Garrett took hold of her hand and the connection, a spark of something unnamed, traveled the length of her.

She’d been scared, frightened, and near tears hearing about his injury.

She didn’t want to admit how much she cared for him, but now that he’d been hurt, she had to come face-to-face with her feelings.

“Thank you,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Cody must’ve been scared.”

“He was, a little.”

“But you made him feel better. Heck, you make me feel better,” he whispered.

“It’s the drugs talking,” she teased, though this was hardly a teasing moment.

“It’s not. It’s you,” he said softly.

And then he pulled on her hand and she allowed herself to be tugged closer until they were face-to-face. “Nicole.”

Breath caught in her throat again. This time, the fear was of a different nature. She had to get out of here… fast. “I’d better go and let you get some rest. Don’t worry about Cody. I’ll stay with him until you’re released. See you later.”

She leaned over to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek, her mouth brushing up against his stubbly face.

But then he moved, and she moved, and the next thing she knew, their lips were on each other’s and beautiful sensations rippled through her.

As far as hospital-bed kisses went, this one was pretty great.

When it was over, Garrett closed his eyes as if savoring it. “Yeah, Nic. You do make me feel better and better.”

She gulped and left the room, wondering if he was too drugged up to ever remember kissing her.

One could only hope.