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Cash rolled a stool next to the bed and sat down. “Seth, huh?”
“He told me I could call him that.” Rue’s voice and expression belonged to a lovesick teenager. “He held my hand and wouldn’t let go until the rescue crew reached us. Seth said if I went over the cliff, he’d go too.”
Rue closed his eyes and released a saccharine sweet sigh. Nick was positive he’d have a different set of memories and emotional reactions once his adrenaline and shock wore off. The failed brakes, careening down a steep hillside, and the near miss with the tree limb would catch up to him. Luckily, he’d have a host of people to help him through the trauma.
“Hey, Rue,” Cash said. He gently squeezed the younger man’s arm. Rue opened his eyes and turned to look at him. “I think you need to keep your eyes open until they can determine if you have a concussion.”
“Probably,” he agreed. “Shawna said I didn’t present the classic symptoms, but she also stated head trauma could be tricky.”
“Since your vision isn’t blurry, I’ll let you read all the warm wishes from the crew.” Cash handed over his phone and smiled every time Rue did.
When he finished, Rue snapped a selfie and added it to the chat. He told everyone he loved them and would see them soon. A new barrage of messages arrived, and Rue returned the phone to Cash after he read them.
“I’m really sorry about your truck, boss,” Rue said. “I wasn’t driving recklessly.”
Cash clasped Rue’s hand between his. “I know, Rue. Seth told us the brakes went out.”
Rueben nodded. “I worked in my uncle’s garage to earn extra cash in high school. He’d have me pump the brakes to help bleed the lines sometimes. And that’s what it felt like, but it didn’t click at the time because you’d just had the truck serviced.”
“The brakes didn’t fail, Rue. Someone cut them.” Nick had gentled his voice but didn’t mince words. Cash sent him an uncertain look, but they couldn’t afford to beat around the bush. “We think we know who set Tyler up and cut your brake lines.”
“Those Salvation Anew jerks,” Rue said.
“Yes,” Cash agreed. “We’re pretty sure we know who the leader really is and why he’s targeted the ranch.”
“Why?” Rue asked.
“We’ll tell everyone together when we get home,” Cash told him. “We’d planned to have this conversation over poker. I’m truly sorry we didn’t figure this out sooner.”
“Not your fault, boss.”
“See?” Nick said.
A nurse whisked the curtain aside before Cash could respond. He wheeled a cart that resembled a toolbox into the already cramped triage room. “It’s a full house in here.”
“I’m the life of the party,” Rueben told him.
“I bet.” The nurse offered a cheeky grin before opening a laptop and reviewing the information they’d gathered. He cycled through a series of questions before removing equipment from the drawers and performing a cursory assessment. “I’m sure the doc will want to run some tests, but it appears you are one lucky guy.”
Rueben smiled at the nurse. “In more ways than I can count.”
The nurse patted his shoulder and told them a doctor would be by. “It’s a packed house tonight, and she’ll see patients in order of urgency. The good news is that you’re low on that scale. The bad news is that you might have a long wait.”
Nick had received a similar warning during his recent emergency room trip. His visit had taken five hours, so it was hard to tell how long they’d be there with Rue. Nick resettled in his chair and read through the group chat conversation. He snorted when he reached the part where everyone placed bets on how long it would take for Rue to win the sheriff’s heart. Nick wanted in on the action. The shortest bet was two days, and the longest was two weeks. There was no doubt in Nick’s mind Rueben’s attraction flattered and intrigued the sheriff. He also knew Burke needed to make peace with his feelings for Cash, so Nick landed on six months. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he studied Rueben. The kid was a charmer and seemed very determined that Burke would be his. Two months, he typed and hit Send.
Nick’s entry sparked a flurry of activity, both welcoming him and debating his entry.
Rueben held out his hand for Cash’s phone when he heard the notifications landing on both their devices. After reading the latest thread, Rue quirked a brow at Nick.
“Such little faith,” he said.
“Hey, the bet is how long you take to win the man’s heart, not to get him in bed.”
Rue’s devilish smile warmed Nick’s heart in the cold, sterile space. When Burke showed up a few hours later, Nick wanted to amend his entry. The good sheriff wore a pair of scrubs he must’ve borrowed from the hospital. His skin looked a little gray, and his discomfort was clear with every step. But his face lit up when his gaze landed on Rueben. Cash vacated the seat by the bed and offered it to Seth.
“Thanks.” Burke’s grimace and slow descent were other clues to his pain level, but he seemed to stop caring when Rueben held out his hand. “This doesn’t mean we’re really engaged. I just wanted to find out what my sister said about me. I’m an elected official and need to be sure my secrets won’t land in my opponent’s hands.”
Rue smiled slyly. “Guess you’ll have to take me to dinner to find out. How does Friday work for you?”
