Forever in Love (Montana Brides) (28 page)

“Daniel’s with him,” Grant said. “When he’s not on a Search and Rescue callout, he’s a Trauma Specialist at the hospital. Nathan’s more worried about you. The first thing he asked us to do was check how you are. Apart from a couple of grazes, you look fine to me.”
 

“Grazes?”

Grant pointed to his chin. “Nothing some fresh air won’t fix.”

Amy touched her chin, but her face was so cold she couldn’t feel a thing. After what had happened this afternoon, it hardly seemed to matter all that much anyway.
 

“Don’t worry about Nathan, Daniel will take good care of him.” Grant got out of the truck and walked toward another vehicle parked opposite them.

Paul opened the driver’s door and pulled himself into the cab. “Are you ready to head back?”

Matthew landed beside Amy, covered in snow and looking almost as tired as she felt. “Your medical bag’s in the truck with Sean.” He pulled his seatbelt on and sat back with a weary sigh. “They’re taking Chan home to the barn. Thank God he stayed at the top of the bank. If he’d moved, Sean and Alex might have missed Nathan completely.”

Amy didn’t want to think about what could have happened if they hadn’t found Nathan when they did. She leaned forward, holding onto the side of the driver’s seat. “I want to go to the hospital.”

Paul patted her hand. “We’ll go home first, honey. Nathan’s in good hands.” He started the engine and fiddled with some dials on the dashboard. “Hold on, folks. It could be a bumpy ride.”

She held onto her seat as they lurched across the ranch. They followed Grant’s vehicle, their headlights picking out half-buried fences and cattle huddled together against the cold.
 

Amy’s face started to thaw as warm air streamed through the vents. Her nose ran and she poked around inside her pockets for extra tissues.
 

She wanted to nag, insist that Paul head straight for Bozeman, but it wouldn’t do any good. It had only taken her a few days to remember that the Gray men all had one personality flaw in common. They’d all been born pure stubborn. Once they made their mind up about something they never changed it. And heaven help any woman mad enough to make them try.

Jenny didn’t wait for them to come into the house. As soon as they drove into the yard the front door flew open and she ran down the porch steps. Paul had his seatbelt off and door open as soon as the truck stopped. He ran toward Jenny, swinging her into his arms.

“He’ll put his back out again,” Matthew half joked, as they watched Paul hug his wife and explain what had happened.

Jenny burst into tears.
 

“Oh, hell,” Matthew muttered. “Dad hates it when mom starts crying. He gets all choked up and doesn’t know what to do. We’d better go and help.”

Another truck pulled up beside them and Sean ran toward his parents. “Looks like you’re too late.” Before Amy had unclipped her seatbelt, Matthew shot out of the truck and joined his family. The circle of hugs got wider, with Alex joining in for good measure.

Amy sat inside the cab, watching the snow fall on a family that meant so much to her. When she’d been sixteen, Jenny and Paul had given her more than a roof over her head. They’d opened up their hearts, shown her another way to live. Another way to love.
 

Some of the Gray men’s mule-headedness must have rubbed off on her. Nine years was way too long to work out what it all meant.

Amy jumped as a hand tapped on the window beside her face.
 

“Are you ready to join the party?”
 

Brett Forster stared down at her, a grin spreading across his face. Amy zipped her jacket up and opened her door.
 

“Are you okay?”

Amy nodded. “Better now that I’m here.”

“I came straight to the ranch when we got the call to help look for Nathan. I volunteer with the County Search and Rescue Team. One of the other guys brought the four-wheeler back so I gave Sean and Alex a ride.
 

Jenny walked toward Amy and gave her a big hug. “I’ve done nothing but bake since you left to find Nathan. Go inside and have something to eat. You too, Brett. Paul’s organizing one of the ranch hands to look after Chan and then we’re going to the hospital. Do you want to wake Catherine up and come with us, Amy?”

She wanted to see Nathan, but after everything that had happened she needed to look after her sister. “I’ll stay with Catherine.” She told herself Nathan was in the best possible place. That he’d only be allowed a few people in the room at a time. That he probably wouldn’t even know she wasn’t there.
 

It didn’t make it any easier. “I’ll see him tomorrow. Give me a call and let me know how he is.”

“I’ll do that. Now go inside and enjoy the warmth. And tell Matthew that Alex decided to go home while the roads are still open.” Jenny gave Amy one last kiss before leaving.
 

Amy walked across the yard with Brett, stomping her feet on the door mat before walking inside. The house was warm and smelled like chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon, all rolled into one delicious cookie. With a sigh she sat down on the bench in the hallway, leaning her head against the wall. Her eyes drifted shut. She could hear Matthew and Sean in the kitchen, the wind howling outside.
 

“Hey, sleepyhead. Come and get something to eat.”

Amy pried her eyes open, smiling at Brett. “I don’t know if I can make it into the kitchen.”

“There’s one way to fix that.”
 

Before Amy could figure out what he meant, he’d hoisted her over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift. “Put me down. I can walk.”

“That’s not what you told me two seconds ago,” he puffed. “You’re heavier than you look.”

Amy stopped wiggling long enough to pinch his back.
 

“You’ll have to try harder than that to dent my ego. I’ve still got four layers of clothes on.”

Brett rolled her off his shoulder and into a chair in the kitchen. Matthew and Sean stared at them with stunned expressions on their faces.

Amy looked between the brothers. “What?”

Sean cleared his throat. “Nothing. Have mom and dad gone to the hospital?”

“They left a few minutes ago.”
 

Matthew put a bowl of stew in front of her. “Mom had this cooking in the oven. The garlic bread’s on the table.”

Amy couldn’t believe the number of dishes sitting in front of her, each filled with all kinds of sweet and savory treats. “Your mom wasn’t kidding when she said she’d been baking. There’s enough food here to feed an army.”

 
“Mom brought us up with old fashioned values,” Matthew said with a scowl directed at Brett. “Family, food and friendship. As long as people don’t overstay their welcome it’s a good combination.”

Brett put the plate he was holding on the table. “Are you telling me I’ve overstayed my welcome?”

“Of course he isn’t.” Amy kept a watchful eye on Matthew. He’d puffed his chest out like a rooster looking for a good fight. “You can sit beside me, Brett.”
 

“If it’s all the same to you, I’ll take a rain check on dinner. Take care of yourself.”

Amy glared at Matthew before following Brett out of the room. “You don’t have to go.”

He pushed his feet into his boots. “I think I do. Try and get plenty of sleep. I guarantee you’ll feel better in the morning.”

She watched in silence as Brett pulled on his jacket. “I’m sorry about Sean and Matthew. I don’t know what’s wrong with them.”

“They’re protecting what’s theirs.”

“That’s silly. I’m not theirs.”

“No, but family is family. Can I ask you a question?”

Amy picked up Brett’s hat and passed it to him. “As long as it’s not too difficult, you can ask me anything.” He nodded, taking his time to form the words she could see mulling around his head.
 

“The thing is...I got the impression Nathan wasn’t impressed seeing me in the café the other day. Are you two seeing each other?”

“Seeing each other?” Amy echoed. She doubted what she felt for Nathan could be summed up so easily. For years she’d made sure she saw as little as possible of him. Now she couldn’t imagine her life without him.

 
“It’s complicated.”

“The best things usually are,” Brett said. He lifted his hat to his head and straightened the brim. “If Nathan’s half as bright as he keeps telling me, he’ll make things less complicated real fast. This doesn’t change our bet for the race on Saturday, though. I’ll find you at the finish line to collect my twenty bucks.”
 

Amy held the front door open. “Dream on, cowboy. Our team’s going to beat the socks off yours.”

“We’ll see.” Brett smiled as he stepped onto the porch. “If I find any chickens lying on the side of the road I’ll come and rescue you.”

“Turkeys,” Amy yelled down the steps after him. “We’ll be dressed as turkeys.”

She closed the door and leaned against the old wood, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Nothing about today had been normal. From the minute she’d stepped into the meeting room with her mom, her whole world had turned topsy-turvy.
 

“I’m sorry.” Matthew stood in the hallway with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
 

“It’s not me who deserves an apology.”

“This is ridiculous.” Matthew said quickly. “I thought you and Nathan had finally realized you’re meant for each other. Even Sean thought something was going on and he’s about as perceptive as a dried prune. So what’s going on with Brett? He keeps turning up and making himself at home.”

“He does not,” Amy spluttered. “And even if he did, he’s a good guy.”

“Yeah, but he’s not
your
guy. Or have you given up on my brother?”

Amy unzipped her jacket and pushed it over the hook on the wall. She sat down on the seat, too tired to even scowl at Matthew. “I haven’t given up on anyone.”

“Could have fooled me.”

Sean stuck his head around the edge of the doorframe. “Have you apologized yet? My dinner’s getting cold and I can’t eat on an upset stomach.”

Matthew pushed his hands into his pockets. “Nothing gets in the way of your stomach and mom’s home cooking.”

“Except your smart mouth,” Sean said. “Amy has had a tough day, so leave her alone.” He glanced across at Amy with a sad look in his eyes. “Sally told me what happened. I’m sorry your mom left.”

Matthew looked between Sean and Amy. “What are you talking about?”

“Amy’s mom went back to California. She doesn’t want Catherine.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” Matthew asked.

“Jeez, little brother. You can be so thick sometimes. How would you feel if mom decided she wanted nothing to do with you?”

“For the record I’m only five minutes younger than you are and I’d feel stink.” He sunk down on the seat beside Amy. “I’m sorry your mom left.”

Tears welled in Amy’s eyes.
 

“Oh man,” Sean moaned. “Look what you’ve done now. You’ve made her cry.”

“Shut up,” Matthew hissed. “You’re not helping.” A big paw of a hand rested on Amy’s shoulder, patting her like a lost puppy. “Everything will be alright.”

“You don’t know that,” Amy said softly, wiping at the tears streaming down her face. “First mom rejects us, then Nathan goes missing, and then I figure out I love him. And he loves me. And he could have died. And we wouldn’t have gotten married and had babies. My life’s a complete mess.”

Matthew pulled her into his chest, wrapping her shaking body in warmth. “You’re exhausted. Nathan’s as tough as old nails and won’t be going anywhere in a hurry.”
 

He looked over her shoulder at Sean. “Don’t just stand there. Get Amy something to drink.”

Amy didn’t hear Sean leave or see the glare he directed at Matthew. All she knew was that everything had suddenly become too hard on her own. She held onto Matthew and for the first time in her life cried until there were no tears left.

“Sit up and have a drink. It’ll make you feel better.” Matthew lifted Amy off his chest, handing her a rose patterned tea cup.
 
He sniffed the cup before letting go and frowned at Sean. “This isn’t tea. You’ll get her drunk on this much whiskey.”

“At least she’ll get a good night’s sleep.”

Amy yawned so wide that she felt her jaw click. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”
 

“Come on then,” Matthew said as he pulled her to her feet. “Food and then sleep. Sean and I will look after the whiskey.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Amy stood in the doorway of room 210. Nathan was gazing out the window over the snow covered grounds of the hospital. His left arm rested in a sling and the side of his face looked battered and bruised. She took a deep breath and blinked back the sheen of tears filling her eyes.

All night she’d tried not to think about what would come next. With the same certainty that turned night to day, she knew Nathan would avoid any mention of loving her.
 
He could have died last night. Desperation, gratitude and coming face to face with your own mortality made people say things they regretted later. Things that seemed important at the time, but became an embarrassment in the calm of everyday life.

“Hi, stranger,” Amy whispered.

Nathan turned his head, his blue eyes flaring with a rush of emotion that froze her in the middle of the room.
 

He waited, a frown deepening across his face. “You can come closer. I’m not contagious.”
 

Amy took another step forward, and then another, stopping at the foot of the bed. His eyes never left her face, never gave her time to compose her features into anything other than the truth.
She was scared. Scared and hopelessly in love.

“You’ve grazed your chin.”
 

Amy lifted her hand to her face before she realized what she was doing. “It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt much.”

Nathan moved, his grunt of pain bringing Amy to his side. “I want to raise my bed so I can see you properly. Can you pass me the button? I can’t reach it.”