Page 14 of Love in the Wild

Now that her schedule was thinner, she’d gone back to talking her mom’s ears off. “Are you ready for a nap?”

Marianne shook her head, gently lolling it from one side to the other. “No, but I’d like to look out the window.”

Hadley stood and opened the blinds. “Better?”

“Much. I like to watch the clouds.”

Her mom’s voice still punched Hadley in the gut every time she heard it. The slow and slurred words weren't the same as the happy, upbeat speech of Hadley’s childhood.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Hadley said. If only her mom could go and do whenever she wanted.

“No, but I think you should go enjoy the beautiful weather, flower.”

Hadley reached for her mom’s hand, still young without a single wrinkle. “I like being here with you.”

“I know, but it has been a long winter. Enjoy the sunshine.”

Brushing her thumb over her mom’s hand, the urge to pull her mom out of this room and back to the ranch with her had her muscles tensing.

Spending a day at the hospital just meant her mom was stuck in a room alone unless Hadley or Cheyenne stayed with her.

If she could care for her mom on her own, Marianne Keeton would be out of the long-term care facility in a heartbeat. It wasn’t about the care, it was Hadley’s lack of skill. Marianne was doing great considering the circumstances, but she needed plenty of medical care that Hadley couldn’t provide.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Her mom squeezed her hand. It was weak, but it was much better than the tiny flexes she’d been able to accomplish right after the stroke.

“Of course, baby. Thank you for my flowers.”

Hadley and her sister had always been their mother’s flowers. She’d used the nickname for as long as they could remember. The least Hadley could do was bring her mom a piece of the happiness she craved.

“Love you. I’ll call you soon.”

“Love you too, flower.”

Hadley grabbed her purse and started down the hall toward the exit, waving at half a dozen nurses as she went.

Everyone at the hospital was kind and loved her mom. It was the same at the facility. It probably helped that the bill for that place was more than Hadley would make in a lifetime, but thanks to Cheyenne’s dad, their mom was getting the best care money could buy.

She had the entire day off, and that usually meant she didn’t know what to do with her time. She fired off a text to the ranch foreman, Jameson, asking if there was anything she could do today.

Jameson’s reply came through as Hadley pulled up at her cabin. His wife, Ava, was suffering from another bout of morning sickness that lasted all day, so he told her to call Jess.

Hadley’s thumb almost pressed the button to call Jess when her phone belted out the chorus of “9 to 5” by Dolly, the special ringtone for all of the other ranch workers. She sucked in a long breath through her teeth when she saw Brett’s name on the screen.

“Hellooo,” Hadley sang in greeting as she stepped into her cabin.

Thankfully, Jess wasn’t anywhere in sight. That woman could hold a grudge like Fabio held long-haired busty women on the old romance book covers. No doubt she was still stomping around, wherever she was.

“Hey. My friend, Thea, is gonna be in the hospital for a little bit. She’s having some tests done right now, so I can’t ask her what she might need. Can you put together a bag for her?”

“Sure thing. Come on by.”

So much for not getting caught up in the Patton sibling battle.

Grabbing a duffel bag, she threw together anything a woman might need after being injured and hospitalized. She tossed anything into the bag that might be comfortable or convenient. From what Hadley had heard, Thea was probably miserable.

With the bag packed, Hadley sat on the front porch of her cabin with a cup of coffee in her hand while she waited for Brett. Her favorite sherpa blanket draped lightly around her shoulders as she tucked the hem under her chin. The steam billowed off the hot coffee, warming her nose as she luxuriated in the aroma.

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