Page 48 of Hometown Cowboy

Darby stood as far out of the way as she could while the doctor checked Ryan over thoroughly. She gripped her upper arms, holding tight to what control she could gather.

The doctor checked Ryan’s eyes with a small torch and nodded to himself. He scratched some notes on his chart.

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

Ryan’s forehead furrowed in concentration. “Ah… I helped Gabe with moving some of his herd.” He glanced at the doctor. “I help with that regularly, so that’s not helpful. Um, I started painting the outside of my house? Except the front door. I can’t decide what colour to do that.”

Darby shared a concerned glance with Gabe and Emma. They’d had a Saturday afternoon barbecue after finishing the painting of his house, sick of seeing it half-done, then scrounged through Ryan’s tins of paint in his shed and done the outside of his front door a bright, sky blue, and the inside a satin black. He’d been happy with the final result.

That had been in late April, just before the first frosts had hit.

She sucked a deep breath in and held it, biting down hard on her bottom lip. The doctor glanced in their direction. Gabe shook his head, looking grim.

He stepped forward. “We finished that off, buddy. The whole house is done.”

Ryan looked between his best friend and the doctor. “No, I would’ve remembered that. Wouldn’t I?” He looked accusingly at Darby. “Darb said you guys got married. Is that true? Did you do it without me?”

Gabe’s mouth fell open and Emma’s shocked gaze caught hers.

“No! I would never do that to you. You were there, man. We got married in the gazebo behind the Highland Inn. Your mum took heaps of pictures on your phone.” Stubborn denial stared at them from Ryan’s face. “Darb drove you home…”

Gabe trailed off, and his worried gaze clashed with hers.

If Ryan didn’t remember the wedding… Darby’s heart stalled.

The doctor patted Ryan’s shoulder. “Don’t panic just yet. Your body has had a huge shock, and you had a significant strike to the head. We’ll need to keep you in for at least another few days so we can monitor you and keep an eye on those injuries you sustained. So far they seem to be coming along nicely.”

Ryan nodded and scraped a hand over his face. “I suppose it can’t be too bad, right? Even if… if… can’t remember stuff? I mean, it’s not like anything important happened. Other than missing my best friend’s wedding, that is.”

His attempt at lightening the mood sent scattered attempts at laughter flying around the room.

Ryan doesn’t remember the wedding.

Darby gasped. She couldn’t get enough air. She stepped back, spun around and pushed through the door into the hallway across from the nurse’s station.

Oh God, no. He doesn’t remember.

She shoved her shaking hand to her mouth.

Calm down. Just keep calm.

Hell. It wasn’t just her hands shaking, her whole body was. Gabe and Emma appeared in her peripheral vision. The doctor, nurse and Julie following.

“Darb?” Emma’s friendly touch on her shoulder and the worry in her voice had tears welling instantly.

“I know it can seem bad, but often this kind of thing is temporary.” The doctor looked between them all. “We won’t know more until we run some more tests. I’ll arrange them as soon as possible.”

Darby’s chest constricted, tightening more each time she tried to breathe deeper.

He doesn’t remember.

She shook her head to try and clear it of the incessant, circular thought. She knew they were all looking at her, but she couldn’t stop the sob that escaped.

Julie stepped in front of her. “Honey, what is it? The doctor said—”

Darby burst into tears and dropped her head to her hands.

“Ryan doesn’t remember our wedding.”

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