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“What rehabilitation?” I seethe.
“The one the Layton Ranger I knew would’ve insisted on,” Livy says beside me.
“And no one thought to consult me about it?”
“You and your dad are cut from the same cloth, you know? He said the same thing to me at the hospital. Maybe those exact words. It’s like déjà vu.”
“What are you talking about?” My rage is tempered. Her beauty and her calming presence suck back the betrayal I feel at my oldest brother.
“I’m talking about when I came to the hospital to see you. The three times I had to leave my phone with security because they assumed I wanted photos for the press. The three times I had to give the password to the guard, only to be turned away by your dad who shielded you like a father should. I’m talking about those times.”
My jaw goes slack. “You came to the hospital?”
“Of course, I did. I’m your friend. I was also part of your rehab team. Not that you accepted anything in that respect, though.”
My mind is spinning. That whole time is foggy in my brain. Between the coma, coming to terms with what was happening, and the meds, my memory is thick, chunky soup.
“I read that in your texts a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t really put that together. I—”
She must take my pause as permission. “I don’t mind the heat, but the flight did a number on my leg. Do you mind if we go inside so I can elevate it?”
Is she asking me or Emberleigh?
“Come on.” Emberleigh shuts the passenger door after grabbing Livy’s purse. “It’s this way. Let’s get you set up.”
Emberleigh breaks around me, going right. Livy moves to my left, reaching tentatively to touch my wrist as she pauses on her crutches to take in my face. Together, they leave me facing an empty pickup and wondering what the hell is happening here.
I twist, seeing Braxton following them in. Kyle trots right behind them.
I had surprise and anger on my side on my way down the porch stairs. I was acting on instinct when I saw Livy with a swollen, black eye and a bum leg. But, now, I’m at the bottom of a set of steps I haven’t climbed since the day I came home more than a month ago. At that time, I had a walker as well as Pop and Exton on either side of me. Now I have none of that.
I need sheer will and all the concentration I can muster. Thank goodness I can’t see Pix’s ass in those pants. I would be here until the cows come home.
And we don’t have cows.
Kyle pokes his head around the jamb. He noses out of the door and comes to the top of the stairs, tail creating a current in the air behind him.
“Hey, good boy. Have you been protecting your mama?”
He takes the stairs cautiously and comes to my side. He puts his front paws up one step and waits until I do the same with my good leg. When I pull my weaker left leg up to that step, he brings his back ones there and reaches with his front ones again to the next step. I take another, and he repeats the motion. We’ve made it all five steps when his tail hits my knee from behind, the force of it nearly taking me down.
“Whoa, boy.” I rub his large head and move behind his ears but resist moving my hand down his body. “Seems we’re all a little bit broken around here, huh?”
He trots off, his large paws thumping on the wood floors.
I’m on the porch of my childhood home, looking in. An apt metaphor, no doubt.
Inside is the most interesting woman I’ve ever known talking with Emberleigh and Brax like they’re old friends.
“We have a place for you in town, but we thought we’d offer you a room here.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“You aren’t imposing,” Emberleigh continues. “With your injury, we figured this would be easier. It’s just until you feel well enough to drive without risking further injury.”
Braxton cuts in. “If you hate the idea and need more solitude, one of us can pick you up as you need and take you home too.” He looks at her leg. “None of us foresaw that. We’ll do whatever you’d like.”
From the corner of my eye, I see Bright making her way from the barn with Colt in her arms. Luna, as usual, is on her heels.
