Page 19 of Unexpected Danger (Mountain Justice #2)

Londyn awoke with a startle. Where was she? And why did her head ache and her entire body feel as though she’d been run over?

She had a dream that Brodie was carrying her through the rain.

Her head rested against his chest, and he’d stumbled and nearly fallen as he tramped through tall weeds.

The downpour pelted her, and whatever she was wearing was not enough to keep out the chill of the brisk winds.

She recognized the familiar scent of his cologne and the safe, reassuring feel of his arms.

Brodie.

Would he ever speak to her again after what she’d done?

She kept her eyes closed and took a deep breath.

The odor of antiseptic flooded her nostrils, and the sound of something beeping, muffled voices, and obnoxious snoring at extremely high decibels garnered her attention.

Londyn strained her eyes open and stared at the ceiling before allowing her gaze to wander to the thin white blanket covering her.

A glance to the right revealed a man sleeping in a chair near the window.

Brodie?

Londyn attempted to sit up and winced with pain when a pinch surged from her hand up her arm. She reflexively jerked, causing even more of the stinging sensation to again shoot through her hand from the IV. “Brodie?” she croaked.

Londyn recognized the snoring. When they rode in the church van during a mission trip in high school, Brodie had fallen asleep on the return ride home.

He’d never lived down the teasing from the other passengers about his thundering snores.

Snores that lived in perpetuity and had been recorded more than once.

She blinked as her vision cleared. Brodie’s head lolled to one side, his mouth was open, and his shoulders far too broad for the narrow chair. A surge in her chest reminded her of the reality that she still loved him.

And always would.

He wore his sheriff’s uniform—a tan shirt and brown pants.

The poor guy was folded so awkwardly in the chair that he’d likely be unable to move once he awakened.

It was just like him to sacrifice whatever was needed to care for another.

In this case, that must have had something to do with her being in a hospital bed. But why?

The door creaked open, and Kayla Dwyer, her friend since junior high, entered. “How are you doing, Londyn?” Kayla asked, her voice low, likely to avoid awakening Brodie.

“I think I’m fine. What happened?”

Kayla took her vitals. “You were in a car wreck. Brodie found you, rescued you, and brought you to the ER.”

“A car accident? He brought me here?” The latter question shouldn’t surprise her. Brodie had always been her hero.

“The doctor will likely release you today after he stops by on his morning rounds. He wanted to keep you overnight for observation, especially with the bad concussion and severe bruising you experienced. Praise God, it wasn’t worse. From what Brodie said…” Kayla’s voice trailed.

Memories came flooding back. “I was run off the road,” she muttered.

“Are you serious?” Kayla’s brows knitted. “Does Brodie know?”

“I don’t think so. I had a dream that he was carrying me through the rain, but now I’m thinking that wasn’t a dream.”

Kayla rested a hand on Londyn’s arm. “I just assumed you lost control of the vehicle because the storm caused so many accidents, but if someone ran you off the road, you need to tell Brodie.”

“I will. It was…” She thought again of Dustin’s truck ramming the side of her SUV. Of how he’d known she was coming to Pronghorn Falls. Of how his feelings toward her had gone from friendship, to more, to obvious hate if he wished her harm.

The questions that pummeled through her mind caused her head to ache worse. “I will tell him,” she promised Kayla, who was still standing beside her bed, concern in her pale blue eyes.

“Well, I’m off my shift,” said Kayla. “It’s good to see you. We’ve missed you.” The nurse’s attention veered in Brodie’s direction. “Especially some of us.”

“I’m not sure he missed me after what I did.”

“You two go so far back and have known each other forever. It’s not my business what happened, but I do hope you’ll reconcile. Text me and let me know how you’re doing in the coming days.”

“Thank you, Kayla. I will. It’s good to see you, too.”

Brodie released an especially thunderous snore, and both Londyn and Kayla muffled their amusement.

“Remember the incident in the church van on the way back from the mission trip?”

“I do. I was just thinking about that.”

“Brodie’s a good man,” said Kayla, her eye meeting Londyn’s and holding it.

“I know.”

Kayla said nothing more, but her probing gaze confirmed what Londyn already knew—that she’d made a grave error the day she walked away from Brodie Brenneman.

Ten minutes later, Londyn heard Brodie shift in the chair. He groaned and reached a hand to his neck.

The man was handsome on any random day, but he was downright cute when he just woke up.

Dark brown hair stuck out at odd ends, and his bleary blue eyes and the crease on his cheek made him appear younger than his twenty-nine years.

He moaned again and sat up and stretched his long legs before easing out of the chair.

“That is the most uncomfortable place I’ve ever slept.

” He stood, shook out a leg, arched his back, rubbed his eyes, cracked his neck, then tugged on his rumpled shirt before limping over to her.

“How are you feeling?”

A crusty drool mark edging just below his lower lip on the left-hand side lent to his charm.

“Thank you for saving me. When Kayla said I was in a car accident, bits and pieces of what happened started coming back to me. Some of it’s still a blur.

” Her head throbbed, and she realized there wasn’t anywhere on her that didn’t ache.

She needed to inform him about Dustin and how he’d run her off the road. There was so much to tell.

“I’m just glad you’re all right.” He extended a hand toward her, then pulled it back and instead rubbed the back of his neck.

She needed to tell him she was sorry. But the word seemed so pithy in light of what she’d done.

The IV machine’s constant beeps filled the silence between them.

Brodie cleared his throat and finally spoke.

“I’m going to run home and get a shower.

Then I’ll be back. Do you have somewhere to stay, or are you just passing through?

” There was no condemnation in his voice, but his clipped tone edged with a mixture of curiosity and something else she couldn’t quite ascertain.

“I’m hoping to stay in Pronghorn Falls.”

He stared at the railing on the hospital bed. Was he glad she was staying?

“Do you have a place or—?”

“Do you think I could stay with your mom at the ranch? Temporarily, of course, until I find a place to rent.”

Wariness captured his expression. “Mom already offered, so yeah, sure. The tow truck has towed your SUV and the cargo trailer to the ranch so we can unload them.”

“Thank you. And Brodie, thank you for rescuing me. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if someone hadn’t seen me in that borrow pit, especially with the weather conditions the way they were.”

“There were a couple of intense moments there. But, yeah, you’re welcome.” He fidgeted with a button on his sleeve. “I’m going to leave, but I’ll be back.”

She was about to mention that she needed to tell him about what transpired, but Brodie didn’t wait for her reply. He grabbed his coat from the lone hook on the otherwise bleak wall, waved, and left.

The new nurse entered several minutes later and opened the blinds to reveal a beautiful sunny day. Londyn could see the meandering sidewalk outside where a few people nonchalantly moseyed. The cloudless weather was a welcome change from the storm the day before.

“I’m Dorena, the nurse on this shift.” The auburn-haired woman took her vitals. “The doctor will be here as soon as he’s able to see about releasing you. Breakfast will arrive soon. In the meantime, is there anything else you need?”

“No, thank you.”

After breakfast, Londyn closed her eyes for a few minutes while she awaited Brodie’s return and the doctor's visit. A tap on the door interrupted her attempt to rest.

“Miss Siegler?”

“Yes?”

An older man carrying a bouquet strode toward her. “I’m from Pronghorn Falls Florist and Gifts. This was ordered for you.”

“Oh, how pretty!” The spring flowers boasted daisies, baby’s breath, and two carnations in a stubby plastic purple vase. A card stuck out from a plastic forked card holder.

The man set it on the movable table beside her, told her to get better, then left.

Londyn’s first guess was that the flowers might be from Brodie. He’d never admit it, but he was romantic. If they weren’t from him, her second guess would be Aileen.

But when she opened the card, neither of her guesses was accurate. Her heartbeat stalled when she read the words.

Hello, Beautiful .

Where had she heard that before? A glance upwards and out the window confirmed the dread that engulfed her.

Dustin stood at the window, peering in at her.

It had been him all along. The one who’d texted and called her. The slim, tall, man who’d attempted to break into her apartment. The one who’d been in her bedroom that night. He must’ve watched her enter the code the night of the movie.

Why hadn’t she realized it before?

Gooseflesh prickled on her skin, and dread twisted her gut. What was he doing here? And how had he found her again ? Not that it would be too difficult to discern she’d be at the hospital after the accident he’d caused. But how would he know she’d been rescued?

How, unless he’d been watching the rescue as well.

Londyn pressed the call button.

“Is everything all right?” Dorena walked through the door.

“Yes, a man was at the window.” Londyn pointed in the direction of where Dustin had stood just seconds before. As quickly as he’d appeared, he’d vanished.