Page 63 of Wyoming Bodyguard
“You’re right,” she said. “I know you’re right. But you and I both know that sometimes, no matter how hard the best-trained professionals try, some people can’t be saved.”
Hooking an arm around her shoulders, Madden held her up. Gave her strength. Sat and waited as people came and went and the hours ticked by. Finally, a doctor stepped into the room and his gaze met hers.
She stood. Her heart all but stopped.
Madden rose to stand beside her.
“Ms. Tremont?” the man asked.
“Yes. How’s my father? Is he alive?” She swallowed the bile creeping up the back of her throat. If her father had died alone in a hospital room, her world would crumble at her feet.
The man removed the white cap from his mop of brown hair. “He came through surgery. He had some swelling around his brain that created pressure we needed to relieve. We’ll need to keep him sedated but hope this will aid in his finally waking soon.”
Relief so swift and fierce rushed through her it almost knocked her down. “Can I see him?”
“Yes. I’ll take you back to his room in the ICU. Unfortunately, he can only have one visitor at a time, and it’d be best to keep the visit short. He needs rest.”
The stipulations didn’t surprise her. The rules had been the same after his first surgery. But last time she’d lashed out at Madden and demanded he leave her alone. Now the idea of being anywhere without him was almost crippling.
As if reading her thoughts, he gave her a little nudge. “I’ll walk back with you and stand guard until a new deputy is stationed outside his door, okay?”
She let out a rush of air and nodded, grateful for his reassurance as she followed the doctor down the wide hallway to her father’s room. Life had taken a lot of unexpected turns the last few days but one thing had remained a constant—Madden’s unwavering support.
In an instant, all her earlier doubts disappeared until one truth remained. She wanted Madden McKay to be a part of her life for a very long time to come. Now she just needed to find time to tell him and pray he felt the same way.
* * *
Madden sat in the empty chair situated right outside the closed door to Kevin Tremont’s room in the ICU. The combination of lack of sleep from the night before and the gut punch of hearing the news about Lily’s dad left him shaken. Leaning his head back against the wall, he closed his eyes and fought for a calm that seemed a world away.
The buzzing of his phone sent him upright, and he grabbed it from his pocket.
“Hey, Reid,” he said, answering. “What’s up?”
“Haven’t heard from you. You still at the hospital?”
“Yeah. Lily’s in with her dad. I’m sitting outside his room.”
“Can’t face him even when he’s unconscious, huh?”
Madden grunted. “As long as he pulls through, we’ll figure out how to get him to stop hating me. As much as I want his approval—more for Lily’s benefit than my own—his attitude toward me won’t chase me away.”
“Hold on to that sentiment. But I didn’t call to talk to you about your girlfriend’s dad. I have some information from the ranchers who called me back. I can email you details to go over.”
Groaning, he glanced at his phone screen before pressing the device back to his ear. “You can try, but my internet service sucks in here. Not sure if it’ll come through. Can it wait?” As much as he wanted to know what Reid had uncovered, he couldn’t leave Lily, and asking her to rush her visit with her father didn’t seem right.
“You’re going to want to see this, but I’ll come to you. I’m close. See you in a few.”
Madden disconnected the call and glanced up and down the wide hallway. He noticed the deputy from the day before studying the selection from a trio of vending machines. Making sure to keep the door to Mr. Tremont’s room in sight, he dashed over to the younger man.
“Hey,” he said. “Are you here to guard Kevin Tremont?”
“Yes, sir. Saw you sitting there, waiting on Ms. Tremont, and figured I’d give you some space.” He fed quarters into the machine and pressed a button, freeing a bag of chips.
“Appreciate that, but can you take over for a bit? I’ll let Lily know I have to step outside for a few minutes, but she and I will both feel better knowing someone’s stationed at the door.”
“Sure thing.”
Madden led the way back to the door then tapped lightly before poking his head in.
