Page 34 of In Love with a Ranger

“He’s got an infection, and the bone didn’t set right – and he has been hiding it,” Houghton said, not bothering to cushion his words as he put his elbows on the table and folded his knuckles together, sinking his forehead onto them. It didn’t take a degree to realize what was not being said. The man was exceedingly ill.

“Oh, no” Ortega whispered, looking like he was going to be ill. “Did they take his leg?”

“He’s been fighting them, refusing treatment, and…”

Ortega dropped his fork, causing a clatter that startled everyone – including her. Gideon reached under the table and touched her hand, watching the other man’s reaction, almost as if he was willing to protect her from an unknown outburst.

Was Ortega about to lose it?

Crossing his arms, Ortega took several breaths, trying to compose himself, as Houghton touched his shoulder. Gideon was sitting there silently, waiting, and holding her hand, and she felt guilty at the rush of happiness for herself when she was witnessing someone falling apart.

“I know. I’m hoping they either did it against his will, or we aren’t too late.”

“I’m done,” Ortega whispered emotionally, looking completely lost and near tears. Lena’s eyes were on him, her gaze sympathetic to the man who was obviously about to have a breakdown. “May I be excused? Do I clear my plate and put it on the counter? What do you want me to do? I gotta get out of here for a few minutes and I need air…”

“I’ll get it. Go ahead,” Lena said gently – and Ortega didn’t hesitate. He was out of his chair within seconds, saying ‘thank you,’ before racing out of the house. Houghton rose from his seat a few moments later, following him.

She and Gideon exchanged a glance before he leaned toward her.

“I’m going to step out and call my sister to see how bad things are…”

“That’s a good idea,” she nodded, feeling almost grateful that he was so easily willing to do this for the other man. There was an unspoken sense of solidarity within the group and to see one struggle, well, it was hard. “And I think I’ve lost my appetite.”

“Me too,” he admitted, getting up from his seat.

“Jill, I’ll help with cleaning up,” Christina volunteered. “Lena…”

“I’m going to go check on Jake,” the other woman said, leaving the table in a rush. Rising to her feet, everyone seemed to be moving to their own corners to process the possible arrival of someone who might be in terrible condition or worse. There was something in Jill and Houghton’s face that was telling, yet no one wanted to speak it aloud.

She took her time washing the dishes and putting away the food while Jill made up something for Ortega to eat later since he’d left most of his meal on his plate. Daphne excused herself, looking very unsure of herself. She didn’t really blame the woman. Marrying her cabin mate had to be shocking, but obviously, something was budding between Lena and her new cabin mate. It was like watching someone put their head in a noose without knowing it was there, except Daphne had to have some vague idea that if she suddenly was sharing a cabin, then she was being set up. Or at least to Christina, this is what it felt like from her point of view – which was a surprising thought. Surely, her cousin and her husband wouldn’t have set her up for this, would they? How could they have known?

“Don’t be silly,” she muttered under her breath, rinsing her hands and drying them. Looking up, she saw Lena talking to Jill. The young woman looked very upset and met her eyes before walking off. Yeah, there was a definite tension in the air for all of them. “Jill, I think I’m going to head out for the night. See you in the morning?”

“Okay, sweetie – and congratulations on your marriage.”

“We’re just friends.”

“All the best marriages start that way,” Jill smiled, hugging her. “Just remember, friendship is for the heart - but love is just a deeper bond made for the soul.”

“It’s not love,” she chuckled nervously, feeling very much like she was under a microscope as Jill smiled strangely. “It’s something we decided on – as friends.”

“Of course, sweetie.”

Both women looked away as the front door opened – and then closed, much too loudly. Ortega’s frame went stomping past, looking traumatized, as Houghton paused nearby in the doorway, staring after the other man.

“Is he okay?”

“Would you be if you found out your best friend might be coming here… only to die?” Houghton said thickly and shook his head, turning away. Jill immediately took off after him, leaving Christina there alone.

She stood there silently, feeling adrift with the weight of everything pressing down on her. Her marriage, her thesis paper, her friendship with a man that she was having more than ‘friendly’ feelings for… and felt truly alone for the first time in forever. Oh, there were moments when you were in a room by yourself, but you were content with it. This was different. She felt isolated, lost, and very much like she was adrift in the ocean, clinging to a life raft.

Folding the towel in her hands, she hung it on the rack and moved to get her jacket. A part of her wanted a bowl of ice cream and to soak for an hour, having a pity party or a moment for herself – but that couldn’t happen because she was sharing a space with a husband who wasn’t a husband.

Walking outside, she saw Gideon talking with Lena in the distance and turned to walk away. He was perfectly entitled to talk to other women because it was just a piece of paper between them. A piece of paper and a shared ten-by-ten living space. Maybe she should just go back home to Maryland and give up on all of this, and she felt her heart breaking at the thought.

It wasn’t just her degree she would be giving up.

It would be Gideon.

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