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On my days off, I like to drive around town and the side roads leading to the different ranches and get a lay of the land.I've been meeting all the different ranchers, letting people know that I'm now stationed in the area.
That's what I'm doing today.I'm driving around and I feel this pull to turn down this dirt road.There's no sign saying that it's a private road.According to the GPS in my truck, it's a public road, so I turn and carefully take a look around.
As a Texas State Trooper, I learned a long time ago to trust my gut.So when my gut says to turn down this road, I do it even if I'm not sure why.A little further down the road, a horse by the fence line catches my eye.Even though the white horse is saddled up, the rider is nowhere to be seen.
Slowing down, I scan the area.That's when I see a girl laying on the ground not moving.I slam my truck into park, and run, hopping the fence while praying the horse isn't going to attack me.I need to make sure the girl is okay.
I drop to my knees beside her, and notice the cut on her temple.It looks like she fell off the horse at some point and hit her head on a rock.
When I move the hair out of her face, it's like I'm sucker-punched in the gut.This girl is gorgeous, and she can't be more than twenty-one.Way too young for me.Yet when my heart finally starts beating again, it has one mission in mind.
Mine.Mine.Mine.
I have no idea whose ranch this is or even who she is, yet I feel urgency, so I whip out my phone and call dispatch giving them directions.I'm getting an ambulance out here.I don't know what other injuries she might have, and I know I shouldn't move her much.But I have to fight the urge to pick her up into my arms and take her to the hospital myself.
It seems like forever before help gets here, including the Town sheriff.When the sheriff gets here, he has to pull me away from her in order to give the paramedics some room to get her on a stretcher.Being away from her is torture, and I don't even know her name.
Thankfully, the sheriff doesn't press too hard about why I'm acting the way I am.
"Why don't you follow them to the hospital, and stay with her there?I'll head up to the house here and find out who she is, and meet you back at the hospital with more information.OK?"Shane says.While I watch the paramedics get ready to leave, I nod, thinking I've never been more grateful for this sheriff in my whole life.
After following them to the hospital a few towns away in my truck, I then flash my badge around to get admitted to the emergency room.This way, I can be by her side instead of in the waiting room with everyone else.
A doctor and several nurses come in and start checking her over.They run all sorts of tests asking me a bunch of questions that I have no idea how to answer, even simple stuff like her name, age, and blood type.
The only thing that calms me is that I will know these things before we leave the hospital.If by some rare occurrence she happens to be injured again, I will know every detail about this angel I found lying on the ground.
It seems like forever before Shane joins me in the emergency room.
"How is she?"he asks, nodding toward my Sleeping Beauty.
"They ran a bunch of tests, but there is no internal bleeding and nothing's broken.She's got a few scratches and a cut on her arm that they bandaged up, and now they're just waiting for her to wake up.They said it could be minutes, hours, or worst case, a few days.So, they're admitting her upstairs to watch over her until she does.What did you find out?"
"The woman at the house was her stepmom, and she couldn't care less about the girl.All she wanted to know was where she could send her bags because she wasn't going to take care of her when she got out of the hospital."
He pauses and looks down at his notepad, that I'm sure he took a bunch of notes on, and my blood starts to boil at how that woman couldn't bother to take care of her.
"Her father passed away about a year ago.I knew him.He was a good man, but I didn't recognize her.Apparently, she's a senior in college and has been away at school.Her name is Rose Hudson.Once I realized who she was, I didn't need much more info from her stepmom.It is a sad story.The ranch has been in the family for years and was supposed to go to Rose.But when her dad died unexpectedly there was no will, so it went to the stepmom.Generations of hard work are going down the drain because that woman isn't fit to take care of a fish, much less a ranch."Shane shakes his head and trails off.
He then pulls out his phone and starts talking again.
"I'm shooting you an email with information on the family since you're new to the area and don't know them.Tread carefully.The stepmother is a viper.None of us know why she even wanted the ranch, but we give her a wide berth and tend to stay out of her way.She's very rarely seen in town, and to be honest, we're grateful."Then he taps away on his phone, and a few minutes later, I get an email notification on my work account.
"I'm going to head out.Please keep me updated on her and let me know if you need anything."Then he tips his hat at me and leaves.
That's when the doctor comes and has them move my Sleeping Beauty to her own room upstairs.Once settled, I hunt down everything I can find about her, from her school to her social media accounts.Everything.
Sometimes being a state trooper has its benefits.
Chapter 3
Rose
Whydoesmyheadhurt so much?I've gotten really drunk and woken up with hangovers and a very bad headache.But they didn't hurt this much, I don't think.
As I slowly open my eyes, I find I'm in a dimly lit hospital room, and I groan.That causes the cowboy sitting in the chair next to my bed to move and focus his attention on me, which draws my eye to him.
I have no idea who he is, but he's pretty damn good-looking.Why is he sitting next to my hospital bed?I may not know him, but I feel safe with him.
