AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thanks.”
“I won’t stay, I know you don’t need that, but call if you need anything.”
She hugged and kissed all of them, and Joe got an extra squeeze. He wished all over again that he could love this woman. They thanked her, then it was the three of them alone once more, but now they had coffee. The food bag remained unopened.
Bailey slipped into Joe’s head as the fourth hour ticked over, and he wondered if she was okay. He had a feeling he and his family now owed her a debt of gratitude, and he’d be sure to tell her. That was, if she would talk to him again.
He’d been a dickhead kissing her when he and Angie were still seeing each other. The hell of it was she made him lose his head. He wanted her, there was no getting around that fact. But it was more; he just couldn’t put his finger on what that more was, and wouldn’t until he’d closed things off with Angie.
All eyes went to the door as it opened, and in walked Dr. O’Roake. He smiled as the Trainers stood and met him in the middle of the room.
“Jack’s doing good, he pulled through surgery well. The bullet went through the fleshy part of his side, so he was lucky as it hit nothing vital. He’s lost a lot of blood, and like I said, he’s a lucky boy.”
“Is he awake?” Pip asked.
“Yes, and someone will come and get you when he can be seen.”
“Thanks, Dr. O’Roake.” Joe shook the man’s hand. Then he and his siblings sat again, but this time it was easier, because they knew that Jack would live.
He waspale from blood loss and pain, and his eyes were closed as they stood around Jack’s bed. But on the day following the shooting he looked a hell of a lot better than he had when Joe had pulled him from Bailey’s horse covered in blood. They’d only been able to see him briefly last night, so they’d arrived at the hospital early.
Luke was still pacing the room, away and back to his brother’s bed. Pip sat in a chair, still looking pale, holding Jack’s hand. Joe just looked at his brother lying there and kept repeating over and over inside his head that he’d be okay.
“Thank God Mom’s away,” Pip said.
“Aren’t you meant to be talking in hushed voices around someone who’s near death?”
Joe reached for Jack’s hand. His eyes were open and bloodshot. Pain was etched in the lines of his face, but he still managed a smile as he looked at the worried faces hovering over him.
“I’m okay.”
The breath exhaled out of Joe like a balloon deflating. He lowered his head and hugged his brother gently. Jack gripped his shoulder and held on.
“Jesus,” Joe whispered, “you scared me, little brother.”
“Scared myself,” Jack said as Joe eased back to let Luke in.
After the hugging was done, Joe took the seat beside him.
“You up to telling us what happened?”
“We were just riding, and Bailey was telling me about living there, and how she used to ride all over the place on her own, even as a child.”
Joe knew this, but nodded.
“She’d just offered to work in the stables if I needed her, I remember that part, and we’d entered the forest and were near the river, then the bullet hit me. Beccy got spooked and reared, and I fell. I roared at Bailey to ride for help, she refused, and then the second shot was fired. She hit the ground and crawled to me. Took off her shirt, and my belt, then made a dressing.”
“Nice work, Bailey,” Luke said.
“I told her to go again, she said no again. She’s a lot tougher than I thought. Then she bullied me into getting up on her horse. She got up in front, and we left. We kept low through the forest and then we were galloping, and that’s when you found us, Joe. After that everything became pretty hazy.”
Joe had to find Bailey and thank her for saving his brother’s life.
“Do you think it was deliberate, Jack?” he asked.
“I don’t know how it couldn’t have been, no matter how much I’ve tried to convince myself otherwise. The second shot was close to Bailey and me. Once is a mistake, but twice....”
“Well, fuck,” Luke snarled.
