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Jake sighed. “I suppose not.” He looked at Sawyer. “Thank you for coming home to help out. I appreciate it.”
“Of course, Dad.”
Jake took Sage’s hand. “And you, too. I know you’ve jumped right in and worked right alongside your brothers.”
“I tried.” She glanced at Sawyer. “I’m not always allowed to help with the manly stuff.”
Sawyer grinned. “Come on, Little Sis, you’ve been a great help in the kitchen.”
She stalked over to him and shoved him. “Shut up.”
Jake laughed. “Alright you two. Get along at least until I get out of here.”
J.T. shook his head. “It’s been like supervising kindergartners.”
When Sage walked into the hospital room the following morning, Jake was sitting on the edge of the bed fully dressed and pulling on his boots.
She moved in front of him and put her hands on her hips. “What are you doing?”
“I’m getting the hell out of here.” He studied his boots for a moment. “These were new when I left.”
“Dad. What’d the doctor say?”
“You were there last night. He didn’t say anything. He doesn’t have a clue why I can’tremember the last five months. Or why I was unconscious for two days. The guy’s…well, for starters, he’s like twenty years old.”
“He’s a doctor. It’s not even possible for him to be twenty.”
“You know what I mean. I’m not saying he’s incompetent. But there’s a reason why he’s working the graveyard shift at the hospital.”
“He said he was going to send a neurologist in this morning.”
“Well, nobody has shown up. I need to go home. I miss the ranch. Or I would if I actually had any memory of being gone for five months.” He looked at her. “I’ll go see Doc Curtis when we get back. He’s been my doctor since I was fifteen. If he tells me to go see a damn neurologist, then I will. But right now. I need to go home. I’m the only one who has a chance of getting through to your granddad.”
He saw Sage’s resolve slipping. She knew when she wasn’t going to win an argument with him. “You’re just like him, you know?”
“My father?”
“Yes. Only you’re funnier and not quite as ornery.”
“You forgot to mention better looking.”
She smiled. “Well, that goes without saying.”
He glanced toward the door. “Where are your brothers?”
“They’re coming. They’re bringing some breakfast from the restaurant down the street.”
“I guess I am kind of hungry.”
“Good. Then we agree. You need to eat before we leave.”
“I agree.”
She took his left hand, then looked at him. “Dad? Your ring.”
Jake looked at the finger that had worn a wedding ring for twenty-five years. “I didn’t lose it, honey. I took it off.”
“When?”
