Lone Star Burn: Taken by Surprise (Kindle Worlds Novella) (6 page)

“He could have killed her.” Jack barely got the words out through gritted teeth.

“But she’s still alive.”

“Are you sure?” Jack looked through the window on Jessie’s driver’s side. Fear choked him as he saw that she was unconscious, her head lolling to one side, the deployed airbag surrounding her and the steering wheel pressing her into the seat. “Is she breathing?” He was almost afraid to ask.

The EMT—Jack thought his name was Casey—had come up next to him and nodded his head. “Yeah. I got a good look through the window. But she’s out cold, so the faster I can get to her the better.”

“Any second,” Andy told them, his words immediately followed by the sound of clanking chains, a heavy motor and the screech of metal being separated from metal. The offending vehicle was jerked away from Jessie’s car and dragged out onto the highway.

Immediately, the two deputies went to work opening Jessie’s driver’s side door and then stepped aside so the EMT could get her out of there. The airbag had deflated by now and the electrical system, still worked, so they could slide the seat back to remove her. But everyone was being careful not to jar her body in case of injuries they couldn’t see. Jack could barely keep himself still while he waited. It seemed to take forever for them to get her out of the car. One of her legs was injured and her left shoulder was at an unusual angle. He nearly decked the EMT who wouldn’t let him get close until he had Jessie on the stretcher and was checking her vitals.

“She’ll be okay,” he told Jack. “But she’s got a head injury and her leg may be broken. Let us get her into the ambulance.”

It took longer than Jack would have liked before they actually had Jessie loaded and the ambulance on its way.

“I’m going to the hospital,” he told Andy. “You guys can make do without me.”

“No sweat.” Andy clapped him on the shoulder. “I don’t think you’d be much use to me right now, anyway.”

Even though he had the lights on and the siren wide open, it seemed to take forever until he got to the hospital. Then he had to fight his way through Emergency and their red tape to even find where they’d taken her. They finally told him which treatment room she was in after he threatened to arrest everyone.

He had to stop and pull himself together when he saw her lying on the bed, whiter than the sheets, a doctor on one side of her and a nurse on the other. But he breathed a small sigh of relief when her eyes opened.

“Give us a few minutes here, Deputy,” the doctor said when he tried to get next to her.

“Is she all right?”

The man smiled “I can tell you better if you let us check her over.”

“I’ll need the details of her condition for my report.”

“I’m aware of that, Jack. And I’ll get to it a lot quicker if you leave us to it.”

“Fine. But I’m not going far.”

Jack paced the waiting room after they shooed him out, ready to bite nails if someone didn’t tell him something soon. He’d been waiting about half an hour when Rona and Alton showed up from the diner.

“Diane and Bob made us promise to call as soon as we got here.” Rona held up her cell phone. “And a bunch of the customers said they want to hang out there until we know something. We all decided just to keep the place open until whenever.”

Jack could hardly swallow past the lump in his throat.

“I know she’ll appreciate that.”

“So, what’s the news?” Alton demanded.

Jack was about to tell them he still didn’t know anything, but, at that moment, the doctor walked into the waiting area.

“She’s damn lucky,” he told Jack. “Just hitting her head on the side window could have killed her.”

“But she didn’t, right?”

He smiled. “That’s right. She’s got a bad concussion, a wrenched shoulder, and a broken leg. Otherwise, she’ll be just fine.”

Rona immediately began dialing the cell phone.

Jack shook the doctor’s hand. “Can I see her? Please?”

He nodded. “We need to cast the leg, and we’re making arrangements to admit her. We can’t give her anything too strong for the pain because of the concussion. I’m sure you’d be better medicine anyway.”

She looks so small in that bed
. He reached for her hand and enfolded it in his larger one. He was trying to figure out what to say to her when she opened her eyes.

“Jack?”

He managed a smile. “In the too, too awful flesh. How’s my girl?”

“Am I?” she asked. “Your girl?”

In answer, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. “Always and forever.”

“I’m so sorry.” Tears flooded her eyes. “I treated you—us—so badly. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Already forgotten.” He brushed the hair back from her forehead. “When I thought I’d lost you, I realized nothing was important except us finding a way to be together.”

“Me, too!” She wiped her tears with her free hand. “I-I love you, Jack.”

“I love you, too, sweet Jessie. Can you build a life here with me in Fort Mavis?”

For the first time, her lips curved into a smile. “I wouldn’t do it anyplace else.”

“We’re getting married just as quick as we can. And that’s an order.”

“Yes, sir, Mister Deputy.” Then her forehead creased in pain, and she squeezed his hand. “Stay with me?”

“Always,” he promised.

“I think it should be bigger,” Alton said, looking up at the outside of the restaurant.

“I think it’s just the right size,” Diane told him. “Bigger isn’t always better.”

“What do you think, Jessie?” He looked to where she stood on her crutches next to Jack who had his arm around her.

Jessie couldn‘t take her eyes off it. This was an important day in her life, and the sign was the milestone marker. “I think it should go a little to the left. What about you, Bob?”

Bob looked down from where he stood on a ladder. “I think it’s the right size and it looks damn fine right here.”

The crowd gathered on the sidewalk burst out laughing. A number of people had gathered to watch Bob take down the Delfina’s Diner sign and now they were waiting for the new one to be hung. Jessie could feel the excitement and expectation, and it made her feel good. These people had become her friends as well as customers.

“Then we’re good to go,” she told him, grinning. “Put it in place.”

This new sign was her guidepost to the rest of her life, the culmination of a dream—although, the dream had taken a detour and metamorphosed into something a little different. But to her it was also a little better. No,
much
better. She leaned into Jack. She could not have done this without him. He’d been her rock since the accident.

And the way the people in Fort Mavis had rallied around her, sending her cards and flowers, books to keep her occupied, even a bottle of wine or two. She still couldn’t get over how they had embraced her. She was positive Delfina’s spirit was hovering, guiding all this.

They all watched as the brand new sign was settled in the spot they’d made for it when the old one came down. She waited as they made sure it was secure, then nudged Jack who lifted his cell phone and snapped some pictures.

“Jessie’s Place.” She sighed. “I can’t believe it. My very own place.”

Jack kissed her forehead. “Honey, it didn’t take a sign to make this your place. I think everyone in this town has fallen under your spell.”

“They did that after the first week she was here,” Rona said. “A fancy chef from Houston who fits right into Fort Mavis. Go figure.”

“I think I was always meant to be here.” She looked up at Jack. “Right?”

“Right, honey.”

She had shared Delfina’s letter with him—he was the only one she’d shown it to—and told him its effect on her. She’d cried again, and he’d held her, and they’d talked far into the night.

The past few weeks had brought big changes in her life. The doctor would not release her from the hospital unless she had someone to stay with her. Ignoring her protests, Jack moved in with her and proceeded to care for her in his usual efficient manner. Dean had even been flexible with his schedule, despite the fact he’d had rodeo duty one of those weekends. Still, the sheriff worked around the hours that he needed to be with her. When he had to be away, Rona and Diane took turns with her. Her only complaint was that she’d missed the rodeo, but the day’s receipts Rona or Diane called in to her each time put a big smile on her face.

Today had been the culmination of her dream, albeit not quite the way she had originally seen it. But this one was closer to her heart because of the people in this town, who had adopted her as one of their own.

“We got another surprise,” Bob told her. “Just hold on a minute here.”

He and Alton took the tarp off the back of Alton’s truck, and, before she knew it, there were three little café tables with chairs in front of the store. They were painted the same color as the sign, peach and green.

“But how—?” She stared from one to the other. “I don’t understand. What—? Where—?”

Jack laughed. “Close your mouth, Jessie, or you’ll be catching flies.”

“You said you wanted an outdoor café thing,” Diane told her. “Although, I’m not sure how much fun it is eating out on the sidewalks.”

“Come here and let me hug each and every one of you,” she demanded.

“And then it’s time for us to go home,” Jack told her. “You’ve been up hopping around too long today.”

“I’m fine,” she protested. “Really. A lot better than I was.”

“If you keep on being fine, that cast will come off in another two weeks, so let’s not upset the applecart.”

She looked around at the small crowd that had assembled for this.

“Thank you all so very, very, very much. I couldn’t love this place any more if I’d been born here.”

People stopped to hug her or shake her hand as they moved away. Then Jack gave her crutches to Bob and swept her up in his arms.

“Time to go home, darlin’.”

Bob followed them to Jack’s SUV and handed them in after they were settled.

“Can’t wait to try out some more of your new recipes,” he told Jessie. “You do what Jack here says, so you can get back on your feet quick.”

“Why, Bob! That’s so nice. I didn’t think you liked my fancy cooking.”

“Oh, I have to put up a good front,” he told her. “Got my reputation to think of.” Then he laughed and closed their door.

“I can’t believe this is really us,” she told Jack when they were back at the house.

He’d carried her right to the bedroom and told her she needed to rest.

“Me, either. But I’m beginning to believe more and more in fate.” He set her crutches against the nightstand in case she needed them.

They had settled into a good routine, she thought. Little by little, Jack had moved his clothing and personal items into her house. After four weeks, he’d looked at her and made an announcement.

“We’re getting married.”

She smiled. “Are you asking or telling?”

“Telling. I’m never giving you a chance to change your mind ever again.”

“But not until I’m off these crutches,” she protested.

“I agree, but not one minute more than that.”

After that, he’d gone about the business of moving the rest of his things in with hers. Some of the furniture had come with the rental house, and he really didn’t need it. Jessie was amazed at how easily they managed to blend all their things together. Jack had convinced her to put all her things from Houston in storage for the time being, until she was “on both feet again,” as he put it. Dean had someone fly Jack on a private plane to Houston so he could at least pack up her personal things and get them back to her. They were still sitting in the extra bedroom in cartons, but at least she had them.

Now he lay down next to her in the bed and pulled her close to his body.

“I never thought we’d get here,” he said at last.

“I never thought I’d be happy to get in an automobile accident,” she chuckled. “If not for that, I might never have gotten you to listen to me again.”

“That was kind of drastic,” he agreed. “But I’ll tell you a secret. I was tired of us being apart. I saw your move here as a sign of some kind. I was finally ready to get over myself and was trying to figure out a way to get with you when the accident happened.”

“I’d say we should send the guy a thank you card, but this broken leg kind of prevents me.”

“So, when do we start planning the wedding?” he asked, sliding little kisses along her cheek. “You’ll be off those crutches in a couple of weeks.”

“We can start now,” she told him.

“How about in a few minutes?” He opened each of her buttons very slowly, easing the tails of her shirt from the waistband of her shorts. She’d given up jeans until she got the cast off.

“Exactly what did you have in mind, Deputy?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

“A little striptease. A little hanky-panky.”

She laughed. “You don’t think you got enough last night?”

“Darlin’, I’ll never get enough of you. Not even close.”

He lifted her up toward him while he got rid of her top and her bra. Jessie loved the way his nostrils flared and heat flamed in his eyes when he looked at her. He cupped first one breast then the other in his palms, brushing his thumbs against each nipple. She sucked in her breath at the electric feel of the contact.

He peppered slow kisses down the valley between her breasts, over the swell of her tummy, tugging her shorts and bikini panties as he did so. Removing them had become a little tricky, but he’d become expert at it by this time. When she was completely naked, he placed an open-mouthed kiss on her sex. Her entire body heated, and she dug her free heel into the mattress to anchor herself.

“Hurry,” she told him.

His laugh was low, a hot, rumbling sound. “A little anxious, are we?”

“Always, where you’re concerned.” Urgency was building in her body. His touch always did that to her. “Please, Jack.”

He stripped out of his clothes with maddening efficiency and grabbed a condom from the nightstand. It had taken some doing and some interesting calisthenics, but they’d finally figured out the best way to come together.

“I love you,” he told her as he slid into her and took her mouth in a hot kiss.

She broke the kiss to catch her breath. “And I love you.”

“Six months ago, I would have said this—us being together—was impossible.” He lifted his hips and thrust into her again. “It was a good surprise.”

Jessie clenched her inner muscles around him, milking him the way he liked it. The way that always drove him wild.

“It was the best surprise,” she whispered, locking her gaze with his.