Page 63 of Misadventures Of A Single Mom

I sat upright and held my arms out, words stuck behind the big glob of tears lodged in the back of my throat. He let out a deep breath and sat carefully on the gurney, pulling me to him as far as the tubing and wiring would allow. Once his arms were around me, I started crying. I couldn’t stop for God knows how long, finally hiccupping to an unattractive finish while Ty held me, rubbing my back.

“I thought you were dead,” he murmured, my head tucked under his chin. His smoky, sooty shirt smelled like a week-long barbeque and sweat, but I didn’t care.

“I thoughtyouwere dead,” I sniffled.

The curtain was yanked back once again. Goldie barreled in and over to the opposite side of the bed from Ty, all fluttering hands, teased hair and bad words. Her high-heeled mules click-clacked on the linoleum floor. She finally pulled herself together enough to speak. “I thought you werebothdead. I can’t believeit. I’ve been in Billings all day, talking to the…oh, for heaven’s sake. Who would have thought that man…Are you sure you’re…I mean really.”

I’d never seen Goldie so flustered she couldn’t complete a full sentence. So discombobulated she didn’t have on any lipstick, her ponytail askew. She stroked a hand over my hair in a motherly way and plopped down on the bed on the other side.

She took a restorative breath. “I’m sure you’re sick to death of answering questions, but will youpleasego over it again for me?” Obviously, she was desperate for details, but I could tell she didn’t want to upset me.

Ty stood up and moved to sit in the utilitarian chair next to the bed. They didn’t aim for comfort in the ER. I was cold without his body heat and I shivered. He looked much more relaxed now. Calmer, not happier. In fact, he looked downright angry. Wariness crept in. Angry at me?

“I haven’t given much of a statement yet.” I tucked my hair behind my ear, realized it was snarled and tangled. Good thing there wasn’t a mirror around. I could only imagine what I looked like.

“A sheriff’s been waiting for you to get settled to give a report. I’ll just get him. Be right back.” She dashed out, probably happy to have something to do.

I looked at Ty. He looked at me with those deep blue eyes. We said nothing, but I felt a lot. Knew I loved him. I was sure of it. A deranged lunatic had made things very clear.

He reached over and took my hand and held it until Goldie came clickety-clacking back with the sheriff. A middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair, crisp gray and blue uniform and a serious demeanor. He held a small pad and pen.

“Ma’am. Whenever you’re ready.”

Goldie returned to her spot at my side. No way was she going to miss out on the juicy, and morbid, details. I took a deep breathand recapped all that happened. When we came to Ty’s text, he straightened in his chair as if shocked with a cattle prod.

“I didn’t send you a text! How the hell could I do that when I was out fighting a fire? Besides, I lost my phone.”

“You lost your phone when…” I darted my eyes to Goldie, and then to the sheriff. I tried not to blush but I could feel my cheeks heat. “When we were in my kitchen the other night. It fell out of your pocket and went beneath thekitchen table.”

Goldie cleared her throat. She was no dummy, but was polite enough not to embarrass me, at least not in front of the sheriff.

“What?” Ty was a little slower to catch on. When he did, he hid his own embarrassment under a whole lot of anger. He clenched his jaw as tight as his fists.

I went back to my story, glad to move past the sex-on-the-table portion. It wasn’t really even part of what happened today anyway, so I was glad to get back on track. Away from my love life. Ty, Goldie and the sheriff remained quiet until I got to the part where Dex got his melon crushed.

“Good. Served the fucker right.”

My mouth fell open. “Goldie!” I’d never heard her swear before. Sure, she’d said some colorful things, but never good old-fashioned bad words.

“I can’t think of anything better,” she replied.

“Asshole,” added Ty angrily.

Goldie pointed a French manicured finger at Ty. “That’s a good one, too.”

“I could add a few but it wouldn’t be professional,” the sheriff added. A smile cracked his lips. “With the details you’ve provided, we should be able to close a whole slew of open and cold cases.”

“Glad I could help,” I said, although I didn’t really mean it.

“What about that sweet horse?” Goldie asked, concerned. “Bless his heart.”

That sweet horse had crushed his owner’s skull but obviously all of us could overlook that small point.

“He’s officially my new best friend,” I said. “He even tops Kelly, but I figure under the circumstances she’ll understand.”

“Speaking of, did you call her?” Goldie asked.

I shook my head. “Can you do it for me? I don’t want her to worry, but I don’t think I can go through it all again right now.”

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