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She shivered in his hold. At that moment, the nurse came in and looked at them wrapped in each other’s arms. “The doctor would like to speak with you, Miss Gracey. If you’ll follow me.”
Meadow jumped up. Colton started to follow, and the nurse held up a hand. “Family only. I’m sorry.”
“He is family.” Meadow’s blunt statement stopped any further argument, and the nurse led them down a hallway to the emergency area. Blue curtains hung between each patient bed, making Colton wonder which one held Meadow’s father, or if they’d taken him to another part of the hospital.
A doctor with a balding ring of hair and intelligent eyes met them. “I’m Doctor Rossi. I’ve been taking care of your father.”
“How is he? Is he all right?” Meadow’s voice got higher with strain.
“He’s stable, but not for long if we don’t intervene. Your father needs emergency heart bypass surgery.”
Her hand fluttered to her lips. “Oh no.”
Colton banded his arm around her waist, anchoring her to his side, lending her his strength. What he needed her to know more than ever was that she was not alone. He would be here for her as long as she needed.
He would be here forever.
“Will Mr. Gracey be all right?” Colton asked the doctor.
The doctor turned his attention to him. Colton’s chest burned. He recognized that look on the doctor’s face. He didn’t need to tell them that he held out little hope of Gracey surviving the surgery to save his life.
A heartbeat passed between them. Colton gave the doctor a nod of comprehension and drew Meadow tighter against his side.
In the flower of their love for each other, tragedy could change everything. He didn’t know how Meadow would take losing another family member. She could retreat deep inside herself and refuse to let him in.
He couldn’t allow that to happen. He would save the ranch and save her from herself if it came to that.
“Make no mistake, Miss Gracey. Your father is a very sick man. We’re going to do our best to save him.”
At that moment, one of the curtains whipped back. Two nurses wheeled a bed out and a third trotted behind pushing equipment that the man in the bed was hooked to.
“Daddy!” Meadow tore away from Colton’s side and rushed to her father. He lay still and pale. She grabbed his hand that wasn’t full of IV tubes and leaned down to kiss where it lay on the white sheet.
The sight sent a pang straight to Colton’s heart. She loved her father so much—and Colton loved her.
He turned to the doctor. “Save him. I’m not asking you—I’m telling you.”
Chapter Eighteen
Meadow stepped out of the shower into the steam-filled bathroom. She didn’t even get a chance to reach for the thick towel on the rack before Colton wrapped one around her.
She stood on the bathmat, letting him pat her skin dry and gently squeeze the water from her hair.
She felt like a zombie. After hours and hours spent in the hospital, waiting for news on her father, nothing about her life felt real anymore. She felt as if she were in a movie, just going through the script, repeating lines she memorized long ago.
Colton’s dark eyes loomed in front of hers. Concern pinched his dark brows together. The rugged lines of his features were drawn with worry too.
With all the tenderness in the world, he fastened the towel around her damp body and led her out of the bathroom to the bed.
A cold chill ran up and down her spine. Or it could be the reaction of a nervous system that had seen pain and grief twice before. Was she just clinging to hope when all was actually lost? Maybe she should start mourning her father now.
Colton helped her into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin. When he perched on the edge of the mattress next to her, she realized he wasn’t joining her.
His eyes blazed as he stroked the hair off her forehead. Then he started to get up.
She grabbed his arm. “Aren’t you staying?”
“I’ve got chores. I need to check on things.”
