Page 97 of Rocky Mountain Home

Another deliberate breath brought air burning into her lungs. Then slowly, determinedly, Dare opened her eyes and focused on the bright blue sky outside the window.

She’d get through this. One moment after another, she’d make it to the other side, whatever the other side looked like.

If she didn’t completely acknowledge that faint voice inside whispering Jesse will help, an unexpected warmth in her heart budded from a seed into a tiny green hope.

She didn’t have to face this alone.

Chapter Eighteen

Jesse paused down the hall from Dare’s room to get himself under control. He’d been moving like a madman since he’d left because he didn’t want her alone for too long, but the last thing she needed was for him to barrel in as if pursued by a horde of demons.

He put his back to the wall so he could close his eyes for a moment and calm his breathing. As he waited, he went through his mental list in the hopes he’d remembered everything.

“You holding up that wall for a particular reason?”

Jesse turned on the spot to find himself being accosted by Tamara. Accosted was the right word, because there was fire in her eyes and her tone was pure trouble.

He didn’t have the time or energy for bullshit right now.

“What’d you want, Tamara?” he demanded. He should have gone straight in to see Dare. “It’s been a hell of a day already, and I’m not looking for any Coleman lecturing.”

“Poor baby. Sometimes we just don’t get what we want.” She stepped forward to poke her finger against his chest. “I hope you’re ready to get your head out of your ass.”

“If you didn’t read between the lines a moment ago, I was telling you to shut up and mind your own business,” he warned.

“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” Tamara didn’t look at all impressed. “You want to scare me into shutting up, you’d need to be a whole lot more frightening. Besides, this is too important to scare me off.”

Jesse sighed. He loved his family, really he did. His immediate family and the extended cousins, he loved them all, but sometimes they were more punishment than any man deserved.

He rubbed his temples. “Get it over with. I’ll give you exactly thirty seconds, then I’m getting on with my day.”

She lowered her voice, glancing down the hall before glaring sternly. “You don’t seem to get it. I mean, you obviously care about Dare a little, but I wanted to make sure you know how serious this is.”

His stomach dropped a mile, and he pulled up from his slouch, ready to run to Dare’s side. “Did something happen while I was gone—?”

Tamara had the grace to look sheepish as she held up a hand to stop him from racing off. “No, I didn’t mean that. Dare’s fine, but you were bitching at her pretty hard when I picked her up in Emerg.”

For fuck’s sake. Jesse pinched the bridge of his nose. Overprotective, snoopy cousins—although, Tamara meant well. He had to give her that much.

He met her gaze directly. “She was overdoing it, and I was trying to protect her. She’s as stubborn as they come. Didn’t even want to get checked out even after passing out.”

Some of the implied violence in his cousin’s eyes lessened. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. I’m worried about her, okay? I might have snapped harder than I should have, but we’re okay.”

Tamara wrinkled her nose, her glasses shifting position. “I’m sorry. I thought you were flouncing around like you were making sacrifices. When you took off because you needed a hamburger, or whatever that was more important than being there for her—”

“You need to either curb your imagination or try minding your own business,” Jesse drawled. Now he understood the lecture, but he didn’t need to explain himself to Tamara. “Can I go see my fiancée, now? So I can tell her why I flounced off?”

“Brat. Don’t rub it in,” Tamara murmured. “I wa—”

“Are you holding a medical consultation in the middle of the hallway?” A good-looking doctor stared sternly down his nose at Tamara. “I’m sure you wouldn’t be doing anything improper, now, would you, Miss Coleman?”

“Improper? Me?” Tamara laid a hand on her chest, her mouth gaping as if in shock. “Never.”

“Don’t give me attitude,” he warned.

“Or what? You’ll send me a scary email?” Tamara snapped back instantly.