Page 10 of Overdue for a Cowboy

He’d stayed?For her? The thought had her stomach feeling like someone had poured jumping beans into it.

“Of course I’m still here. I wasn’t going to leave you alone.” His eyes cut to the bedside table. “I was just coming in to tell you it was time to take another pill. It’s been four hours, and the doctor said it was important to stay ahead of the pain.”

“I just took one,” she told him. “And thanks for the crackers and the water.”

“I made soup too. But you fell asleep again, so I stuck it in the fridge. I can heat it back up for you if you’re hungry. Or I bought a couple of protein bars if that sounds better.”

Geez, how long had he been here? And how much stuff had he bought at the store?

At the mention of food, the jumping beans felt like they were suddenly being tossed around the spin cycle of a washing machine. Her hand moved from her chest to her stomach as she shook her head. “Thank you, but I don’t think I’m up for much food right now.”

“Okay, well, um…do you need anything else?” Dodge glanced around the room, anywhere but at her, and she suddenly realized she was wearing only a skimpy pair of pajamas.

She climbed back into bed and pulled the top sheet up to her neck. Moose jumped onto the mattress and settled in next to her with a groan. He rolled toward her, tipping his head back in a shameless attempt to get a neck scratch—to which Maisie willingly obliged.

“Sorry about that,” Dodge said, taking a step toward her. “You can push him down if you want. He loves to cuddle but he doesn’t realize how big he is, and sometimes he gets a little needy.”

“He’s fine. I like him. We’re friends, aren’t we, Moose?” she asked the huge mutt, to which she received several dog kisses in reply.

“You’re sweet.” He stood awkwardly at the door, shifting from one foot to the other, as if he wasn’t sure if he should come into the room or leave. His gaze once again cast around the room, this time landing on the latest John Grisham novel on her nightstand. “I’m reading that one too,” he said, pointing to the book. “I lovedThe Firm, but I’m only on chapter three in this one.”

“I just finished it. I lovedThe Firmtoo. It was the first one I read of his, and it’s so fun to have a sequel after all these years.I think you’ll like it,” she told him, a funny quell of happiness rising in her at their shared regard for the same author. “Maybe when you’re done, we can chat about what we thought of it. Like a mini-book club.”

Like a mini-book club?Could she beany moreof a dork? Why had she said that? She should have just said something about how she’d liked to hear what he thought of it when he was done—not ask him to be in a book club with her. Especially one where they were the only two members.

But he was grinning as he shrugged, apparently not bothered by her dorky comment. “Sure. Just don’t tell my brothers. They already think I’m a huge book nerd. They’d never stop teasing me if they heard I was in a book club…even one with just two people.”

She smiled back. “Then it will be our secret. We’ll call it The Secret Society of Book Nerds, and no one will ever know about it but us.” The happy feeling in her chest grew at the thought of being in a secret club with Dodge Lassiter…even if it was completely dorky and no one else knew but them.

“You’re on,” he said.

“I can’t believe you’re still here,” she said after a few seconds of neither of them apparently knowing what to say next. “You must be so bored. What have you been doing this whole time?”

He shrugged again. “I haven’t been bored at all. I think I’ve spent the last hour just checking out all the books on your shelves in the living room. You’ve got quite a library. And I made some calls, checked in with the towing company. They took your car and the camper to the shop. Hal said he’d call with an estimate when they’ve figured out the extent of the damage.” He didn’tneed to say which shop—Hal’s Auto Repair was the only one in town.

“Oh no, my books.” She pushed up from the bed, panic flaring in her chest at the sudden thought of her precious books getting ruined in the crash and then toppling around the back of the camper as it was towed to town. “I need to get the books out of the bookmobile, before they get any more damaged.” She took a step, reaching toward the pile of clothes lying on the floor, then pressed her hand to her forehead as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

“Steady now,” Dodge said, practically leaping to her side. Then his warm hand was under her arm, supporting her as he gently guided her back into bed. “Don’t worry about the books. I called Elizabeth, and she and Ford got them all out before they towed the camper.”

“What do you mean bygot them all out? There were hundreds of books in there.” Her voice caught just thinking about the damage. Because the bookmobile was geared toward kids, she’d spent the last year collecting tons of picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels to fill the shelves inside. She had a small section of adult books too, but she mainly took requests or brought out specific books with her that she would recommend to the parents of the kids on her route.

“I know. I looked inside the camper when I went back for your stuff.”

She cringed, almost afraid to ask. “How bad was it?”

“It was hard to tell. But I knew you would want to save the books, so I called Elizabeth from the hospital while you were getting your arm x-rayed, and she said she’d find some boxes and totes,and she and Ford would take care of it and make sure they emptied the trailer of books before they tried to tow it.”

Her shoulders sagged in relief, and she sank back into her pillows. She and Elizabeth had only known each other a few weeks, but they’d hit it off right away and had become quite good friends in that time. They shared a love of reading, and Maisie knew Elizabeth would handle her books with care. “I’m heartsick about the damage to the trailer, but that makes me feel so much better about the books.” She tilted her head at Dodge. “That was really thoughtful of you.”

He lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. “I was just worried about you. Seeing your car in the ditch like that really threw me. I was just standing around the hospital, feeling useless, and trying to think of ways I could help.”

His words formed a lump in her throat. Which was probably dumb. Dodge was just that kind of man—he would have helped anyone in the same way. But he had said he was worried abouther.

She swallowed. “You’ve helped me inso manyways today. I never even expected you to stay at the hospital.”

He drew his head back. “Geez. Thanks. You think I’m the kind of guy who would drop you off at the emergency room and expect you to take an Uber home?”

“Well, no,” she backpedaled. “I didn’t mean anything against you.”

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