Page 69 of Roaring Fork Rockstar

Something about Echo seemed familiar, though I couldn’t place where from. Her features, the cadence of her speech—maybe she’d been into the Goat.

“Our organization will take care of most of Luna’s medical costs that are above what insurance covers,” she continued, sliding the paperwork toward me.

I stared at the papers, unable to process what she was saying. “Most of the costs?” I repeated, my voice barely audible.

“In my experience, we cover everything your insurance doesn’t take care of, along with things like lodging, meals, and transportation,” Echo clarified.

Tears welled in my eyes before I could stop them. The weight that had been crushing my chest since we’d arrived at the hospital lightened. I’d been calculating and recalculating our finances, wondering how I’d keep the Goat open while caring for Luna or how I’d pay for the medical care that could stretch into years.

“I don’t know what to say,” I whispered.

She smiled gently. “You don’t need to say anything. This is exactly why we exist.”

There was a knock at the door, and before I could stand to open it, Holt stuck his head inside. His appearance sent a wave of comfort through me so strong it nearly made me dizzy.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, stepping into the room. “Dr. Robbins said you were in a meeting with the representative from the charity.”

“It’s fine,” I said, gesturing for him to join us. “This is Echo West from the Miracles of Hope Children’s Charity. Echo, this is Holt Wheaton.”

Holt extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. Thank you for what you’re doing for Keltie and Luna.”

Echo shook his hand. “Do you have any connection to the Roaring Fork Ranch?”

“It’s my family’s place,” Holt replied. “We’ve owned it for generations.”

“My son Kingston works there,” Echo said, a mother’s pride evident in her voice. “He’s the ranch manager.”

Holt’s expression brightened with recognition. “Bridger? He’s a great guy. And a hell of a musician too, or so I’ve heard. Err, but not from him.”

“That’s my son,” Echo smiled. “He’s always been more comfortable with horses than people.”

“Well, he’s respected by everyone at the ranch,” Holt assured her. “Has been since he started three years ago.”

There was a moment of silence before Echo looked at me. “Do you have any other questions about the assistance we provide?”

I glanced at the paperwork, still overwhelmed by their generosity. “No, I think you’ve covered everything. Thank you doesn’t seem adequate, but it’s all I can come up with at the moment.”

“I have a question, if you don’t mind,” said Holt, leaning forward. “It might seem odd, but are you aware of any connection between your organization and our ranch, specifically?”

Echo’s brow furrowed. “Nothing comes to mind. Why do you ask?”

Holt shrugged, his tone deliberately casual. “It’s probably nothing. Just that the blanket in your logo—I used to have one exactly like it as a kid. Never seen another one.”

Echo looked genuinely surprised. “I’m sorry. I don’t know of any connection.” She paused thoughtfully. “What I can tell you is that the charity’s original name was Scarlett’s Hope, if that means anything to you.”

Holt shook his head.

“After the founder passed away,” Echo continued, “the board decided to make the name more inclusive. We’d heard so often that we worked miracles for families that we chose Miracles of Hope.”

“I see,” Holt said, though I could tell from the set of his shoulders that there was more to his question than idle interest.

We finished reviewing the paperwork, and I signed where indicated. Echo promised to contact me the following day with more information about support groups for families.

After she left, Holt turned to me. “How are you holding up?”

“Better now,” I admitted. “The financial help is… I can’t even process it.” I sighed. “Luna will receive the first round of drugs tomorrow, and that brings a whole new set of worries.”

He took my hand, his thumb moving gently across my skin. His touch alone brought me so much comfort. “Come here,” he said, pulling me over to his lap. “A little bird told me you needed a hug.”

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