Page 21 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)

CHAPTER TEN

MORGAN

S itting in the kitchen with Blue and Buck, I thought it would have been awkward, but they made me feel at home.They made conversation and the time that Pacey was down the hall talking to Austin felt like seconds had passed.

My ears prick when I hear the sound of footsteps approaching, turning to look over my shoulder I see Pacey and Austin.

“Hey,” Pacey steps forwards and places a hand on my shoulder.

“Hey,” my hand automatically finds his and I freeze momentarily before I slip it away.

“Hey Morgs,” Austin says as he reaches for a glass then grabs some cold drink from the fridge, opening the bottle and dumping the contents of it into his glass.

“Morgs,” Pacey crinkles his nose as he looks at his friend and I can't help the smile that crosses my lips.

“Yeah, what's wrong with that?” he asks as he slowly looks over his shoulder at me, then his eyes lift to Pacey's.

“Her name is Morgan.”

“Right?” his tongue is in his cheek.

“So call her Morgan,” and I nibble my bottom lip.

Austin rolls his eyes in an over exaggerated manner.

“Fine, hey Morgan .”

“Better, thank you,” Pacey nods then drags a chair out next to me and slumps himself into it.

“You two,” Buck grumbles before he reaches for his paper and begins to read.

“I know right,” Pacey smirks as he eyes Austin.

We fall back into easy conversation and Austin sits next to us, Blue potters making lunch and Buck just joins in every now and again with his opinion on the matter when he feels it is needed.

The hours slip by and we're back in the truck and driving towards home.Pacey made the call to get the nurses there and deep down, I am grateful that he made that decision for me.

“When are you getting your horse?” I ask Pacey as I gaze over to him, his hair all thick and wavy as it blows in the wind from having the windows of the truck down.

“Oh shit yea,” he grumbles, pulling his eyes from the road for the moment and looking at me. “I was supposed to get him today,” he sighs.

“I can get him tomorrow? Dusty can help me if that helps,” I suggest and give him a smile and he nods at me.

“Okay, that would work if that's okay with you?”

“Sure,” I mumble as we pull into the driveway of the ranch and my heart begins to beat quickly.

“You okay?” he asks as he cuts the engine, his eyes scoping my face.

I nod.

“It's just...” I pause for a moment as I look up at the house. “I have had such a lovely day with your family and the Warrens and now reality has hit me in the face at what is going on,” I drop my head, looking at my bit to fuck nails.

But his hand is there, scooping mine up into his.

“I know,” he says softly and he could have said so much more and tried to give an explanation about what is going on, but I am grateful that he doesn't.

“Come, let's go and sit with him. I'll make the tea,” his thumb brushes back and forth across the back of my hand and I bob my head.

“Will you come with me to see him?” my voice is quiet.

“Of course,” his smile widens before he drops my hand into my lap. Opening the door, I step down and walk side by side with him as we enter the house.

He takes my hand in his as we climb the stairs and the nurse is just walking back into his room.

She gives a soft smile and then steps aside so me and Pacey can enter the room.

I pause for a moment, my legs suddenly feeling heavy as I take a deep inhale, holding it for five then releasing as we walk through the door.

He stays right beside me.

My pops’ eyes find mine and a small smile spills onto my lips as I walk cautiously into the room.

“Hey,” I say softly, looking down at him and pushing his hair away from his face, my brows furrow when his hot skin molds into my cold hand. He has tubes up his nose and a drip running into the crease of his elbow, a bag full of liquid and I know it's the strong stuff to make him comfortable.

“Hey sweetheart,” his voice grumbles and his hand trembles as he reaches for my hand that is resting on the bed.

“You doing okay?” I ask but his eyes have drifted over my shoulder to Pacey, a hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips before his main attention is on me.

He gives a soft nod.

The sound of the bedroom door closing has me looking over my shoulder, the nurse walking towards us.

“He has had his meds, we're going to head off now if that's okay and we will be back in a couple of hours.” She asks and she looks so cautious.

“Of course,” I turn fully and place my hand on the top of her arm. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“He is comfortable, but if there are any changes then please do give us a call,” she glances over at Gerry and gives a warm smile. He holds his hand up at an attempt of a wave before she is walking out of the door and it's just the three of us.

“Are you hungry?” I ask, sitting on the edge of my pops’ bed and he nods.“Let me go...” I pause when Pacey's hand is on my shoulder.

He continues, “Let me go out and grab something... will you be okay for like...” his voice trails off as he looks at his watch and then his eyes are back on me, “twenty minutes, thirty max?” and I am a little hesitant, but I give him a nod anyway.

“I'll make sure Dusty is close by, I'm going to pop into Sunny's, what would you like?” he asks the both of us and I look at my pops before I twist my upper body to him.

“I'll have a meatball sub,” I lick my lips and my pops grumbles then holds his thumb up.“Make that two,” I smile at my husband and his eyes glisten when they find mine.

“I won't be long,” he whispers and for a moment, I feel like he is going to step towards me and place a kiss on my forehead, but he doesn't. He turns slowly and walks out the room, pulling the door two.

Sighing, I watch my grandad like a hawk, plucking conversation from the air to try and keep him awake until Pacey comes back.

I am terrified of something happening whilst I am alone.

I hear the front door close and the sound of Dusty's voice drifting up the stairs as he calls my name.

“All okay?” he asks and the sound of his footsteps hit the landing, his head pokes around the door, cowboy hat in hand.

“Yup,” my chest aches as I look at him lying in bed.

How the hell did he deteriorate this quickly.

“Do you need anything?” Dusty asks as he steps into the room, and I shake my head.

“Pacey will be back soon, I'm sorry to call you in on a Sunday,” and guilt eats away at me.

“Ma'am,” he steps a little closer. “I live in the cabin at the bottom of the ranch, this is my home, my life... you call, I come. Marsha knows that. I am home for supper every night and there for breakfast because my boss takes the early shift so I can eat with my children...” he pauses for a moment as his eyes narrow on mine.

“So please don't feel sorry for asking me here, Pops is so much more than the big boss,” he winks at me, and I laugh softly at his playfulness.

“I owe him everything,” his fingers fiddle with the trim of his hat and my breath catches at the back of my throat.

Dusty was convicted of a crime when he was a teen, wrong place, wrong time.

He was set up by his own flesh and blood, someone he trusted with every fibre of him.

Everyone knew what really happened, even the old sheriff but they told him if he took the fall, he would be out in twenty years.

He went away, did his time and came out ready to make something of himself.

I still think he deserved more than the life he has, but he is happy.

And isn't that what we all want in reality?

Happiness.

Whether that be with someone or without... a happy life was what I always dreamt of.

“He loves you like you were his own Dusty,” I whisper and smile through glassy eyes, my pops softly snoring.

It was the truth.

When Dusty came out of prison, he had nowhere to go. His dad fled, he had no siblings and his mom was nowhere to be seen.

He turned up on my pops’ door, wet and cold, clothes ripped and soaked through.

He asked to stay for one night, he never left until he met Marsha. My pops cleared out the cabin at the bottom of the ranch and made it up for him and his wife.

He never let him go after that.

Pops said Dusty always felt bad and promised to pay him back everything, but my pops would never take the money from him.

Told him to put it into the kid’s trust funds.

Dusty tried to argue it.

Pops shut him down.

“I know ma'am,” he stammers over his words when we hear the front door close. “That must be Pacey, I'll catch you tomorrow,” and before I can tell him he doesn't have to leave, he walks out the door.

I'm not alone with my thoughts long when Pacey walks into the room with two large brown bags and a cup holder.

“I didn't know what you wanted to drink...” he pauses as I look at the four cups then back at him with a giddy smile on my face.

“So I went for soda, coffee, shake and some weird energy drink thing,” he shrugs his shoulders up as he places it on the side unit and then places the bag on the bedside table and that's when my pops opens his eyes, squinting slightly.

“Meatball sub for the boss,” he licks his lips as he places it on my pops’ lap and his eyes light up.“Another sub for my wife,” he tilts his head as he hands it to me and the warmth feels good against my hands. I have no idea why I feel so cold.

“What did you get?” I ask, looking over the bag as he fists his hand in there.

“Tuna and pickles,” he licks his lips, and I turn my nose up.

“Tuna and pickles,” I gag.

“Have you tried it?” he asks, holding it out to me and I shake my head.“Then how can you judge?” he shrugs his shoulder up as he walks around the other side of the bed and perches himself on there.

“I can't,” I smirk, placing my own sub down and unwrapping my pops’. I had no idea if he was going to eat, but I would like him to just try and have a mouthful or two.

Standing from the bed, I move next to him and he takes the sub from me and takes a mouthful, groaning in appreciation.