Page 26 of The Wayward Son

Sawyer shook his head. “A doctor will just tell me I have a concussion. Then give me a list of what not to do for the next week or so. I’ve heard it before.”

“You’ve had more than one concussion?”

“Yeah. A couple.”

“That’s not good, Sawyer. The damage is cumulative.”

“Thank you, Dr. Emmerson.” He reached a hand out to her, and after a moment, she relaxed her stance and took it. He smiled. “I love that you care. I’ll follow the protocol for after-concussion care.”

“Which is?”

“No driving. No alcohol. And plenty of rest.”

She cocked her head. “And no participating in the activity in which you got the concussion?”

“That, too.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m not in any rush to get back in the ring.”

“Good.”

“I do, however, have to get back to the ranch in a few days. I don’t want to miss my little brother or sister being born.”

“You don’t know what it is?”

“No. They didn’t want to know.” He let go of her hand and reached for the blanket with a groan.

She helped him with it. “That’s cool.”

“Yeah. But I shouldn’t drive that far. Or at all.”

Jade sat on the edge of the bed. “I could go with you.”

He looked at her for a moment. “You want to go with me?”

“I really do. I talked to Sage for about an hour last night.”

“You did?” That was surprising. What could they possibly have to talk about?

“Yeah. We both needed to be distracted from the beat up guy on the couch.”

“What did you talk about?”

“Everything.” She smiled. “I know pretty much everything that’s happened in your life since I left.”

“Great.”

Jade laughed. “Most of it was good stuff.”

He was getting sleepy again, and Jade seemed to notice. She patted his knee. “Get some more sleep. And when you wake up, you need to eat something. When did you eat last?”

He yawned. “A late lunch around two.”

“You need to eat.”

“Yes, ma’am. But sleep first. And then, a shower.”

The pain pill allowed Sawyer to get a few more hours of sleep. When something woke him, it took a moment for him to figure out what it was. Jade was talking to someone in the living room.

Alarm flashed through his mind before he recognized Keith’s voice. A moment later, Keith appeared in the doorway.

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