Page 11 of Rescued Faith

Keep it professional.She should make it her new mantra.

“I know you have to get back to it, and I—” She tried to take a step but everything buckled.

Bryce caught her around the waist. “Don’t tell me you’re fine. You’re coming with me.”

He swept her into his arms and carried her to the cot again. “You’re getting a ride to the hospital.”

She must’ve really rattled her brain. This time she didn’t fight it. And when the medic started assessing her vitals, she didn’t stop Bryce Crawford from walking away.

Back in Last Chance County, and in less than an hour she’d almost died, then run into her extremely handsome ex. She needed to get out of town fast.

FOUR

Ridge had broken his leg last night but otherwise would be fine.

Bryce, not so much.

Penny was back.

Was that good or bad? An answer to prayer or a test?

“Dude, what are you doing?” Izan Collins walked out the door of the firehall with his duffel bag.

Bryce fumbled with his truck keys, barely catching them before they fell. “Just trying to decide where to grab some grub.”

Bryce looked over the hood of his truck, still parked outside the firehouse, at the mountains glowing in the early morning light. Too bad he couldn’t find answers there.

But wait. Pastor talked about a verse like that.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

The Maker of heaven and earth.

So maybe it wasn’t so crazy that he was staring at the morning sky, looking for answers.

Wouldn’t Penny get a kick out of that? The fact that he went to church, read his Bible now, and even remembered a couple of verses. Maybe this was all part of being a new guy.

Penny was part of his past. So probably best if he just let it go and moved on.

But something inside didn’twantto let it go. It clung to some minuscule, impossible hope. Which was crazy. Maybe he just needed to figure out why she’d left him so he could move on.

“She rattled your cage, didn’t she?” Izan’s question snapped Bryce back into the moment.

“Huh?”

“Penny. You haven’t been the same since she first showed up, back with all that Sosa stuff a couple years ago.”

Bryce blew him off. “Nah, haven’t given her much thought.”

“Right, cuz you’re too busy with all the other ladies, huh?” He dropped his duffel and leaned against Bryce’s truck. “Sure it’s not Penny that had you tossing all night long? I heard they kept her overnight at the hospital. You worried about her?”

No need to tell Izan he’d already found out she was still at Last Chance County Hospital on the second floor. “I had too much caffeine. That’s all.”

“Really?”

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