Page 76 of Colton’s Inferno

“You don’t need to apologize.” She had gotten carried away, too. “I’m on the pill.”

“Oh,” he said.

Was there a twinge of disappointment in his voice? “I’m not ready for a child.”

“Yeah, I get it. There’s a lot going on in your life. We just started dating.”

So, they were dating. It was an interesting development. And she would have liked to think about it more. But Dr. Colton would be waiting for them at the hospital.

“I should probably get ready.” Lucy scooped up her towel from the floor. “Your dad will be expecting us soon.”

“I’ll give you some privacy, then.” He pressed his lips to her cheek.

She waited until he walked out of the room. Then, she got dressed. Jeans. T-shirt. Sneakers. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and secured her tresses with an elastic band.

When she entered the living room, he was sitting on the sofa.

“Ready?” he asked.

Was she?

“Yeah,” she said. “I’m ready.”

They left the apartment and walked down the stairs. Aiden held open the door that led to the street. His car was parked at the curb. Using a fob, he unlocked the doors and started the engine. Lucy opened her own door and slipped into the passenger seat.

Aiden was quiet as he drove to the hospital. The silence suited her just fine. Too many thoughts tumbled through her mind. How was Rusty now? Would he ever be okay again?

By staying with Aiden, she was safe for now. But it also meant that she’d been neglecting the ranch. The cattle had been left at the summer pasture for too long. They needed to be moved. But she had no idea how to make that happen on her own.

And after this morning, there was another concern. True, she’d been on the pill since she was a teenager. It’s just that she hadn’t brought the prescription with her to Aiden’s apartment. In fact, Lucy couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken one of her birth control pills.

Sitting in a chair next to Rusty’s bed, Lucy held her grandfather’s hand. Doctor Jonathon Colton stood on the other side of the bed, and Aiden leaned against the wall. A deputy sat in the chair in the hallway. The officer’s presence was a stark reminder that someone wanted her and her grandfather dead.

She’d been at the hospital for hours. Her grandfather had been gradually weaned from the sedatives that had kept him unconscious.

Now, it was anyone’s guess how long it would take for him to wake up.

And until he was fully awake, there was no way to know if his brain had healed.

“Mr. Harris.” Dr. Colton was nose-to-nose with Rusty. “If you can hear me, blink your eyes.”

Lucy stared at her grandfather. He lay without moving.

Dr. Colton let out a long breath. “His respiration and pulse are all normal. Sometimes it takes longer for a patient to come around than we want.”

“Grandpa,” said Lucy, raising her voice. “I’m here with you. I love you and I want you to come back to me.” She paused. “If you can hear me, squeeze my hand.”

His fingertips fluttered against her palm.

“He moved,” she said. “He gripped my hand.”

“That’s good news,” said Aiden.

“It might be a reflex.” Dr. Colton paused. “See if you can get your grandfather to open his eyes.”

Lucy rose from her seat. She leaned toward her grandfather, just like the doctor had done a moment earlier. “Grandpa Rusty,” she said. “It’s me. Lucy. I’m here at the hospital and we’re waiting for you to wake up. Can you open your eyes and look at me?”

Her grandfather’s face didn’t change. His fingers tapped on the covers.