Page 75 of Cowboy Seeks Husband
WEEK FOUR
Encounters of the Hot Kind
Chapter 13
Walker fiddled withhis phone, obsessively checking the weather, while his parents talked to the doctor.
They’d invited Walker to come with them to the hospital so that Tessa wouldn’t have to repeat everything the doctor said later. He’d been happy to go, getting out of filming a “date” with Ben, which would have been awkward as hell after the kiss. One of the few loopholes in the contract was for immediate family illness, specifically a hospital stay. So there was nothing Andy, John, or Molly could do about it. They’d had to rejig their whole schedule, but, in the end, Walker got his day away with his parents, and the suitors endured playing board games like Twister and Monopoly in between special interviews.
Walker was grateful his parents had let him come along. It helped to know what was going on, but he also knew how much it pained his dad to be seen like this. In the hospital bed, wearing nothing but a gown, he looked like the old man he was, not the fighting fit cowboy he’d been his whole life. It was an adjustment for all of them.
They’d already corrected his insulin, and, despite the scary episode that had prompted these tests, his condition was stable. He’d been lectured most of the day about the importance of his diet and actually taking his meds, and he looked properly chagrined. Tessa, for her part, had been taking copious notes.
After replyingyesto the latest wave of frantic text messages from John and Andy asking if he’d be back for filming tomorrow, Walker turned off his phone and told Tessa he was going for a soda. A few minutes later, she joined him by the vending machine in the waiting area, sinking into the plastic chair beside his. He stood and thumbed some more quarters into vending machine slot, selecting a Dr. Pepper for Tessa, and opening it for her before he plunked back down in the creaky chair. He took another sip of his Coke and let her be the one to break their comfortable silence.
Tessa shook her head and sighed. “That man.”
“He needs to stop trying so hard to get back to his regular work routine.”
“He needs to stick to his diet and check his blood sugar regularly.” She took a pull of soda, obviously relishing the taste. “I’ve been eating better than he has. They’ve given us a lot of new websites to look at, though, and forums with support groups. Not that he’ll use them.”
“Nope.”
“And hopefully these tests will show that he’s not done too much damage to himself in the last few months.”
Walker nodded.
With an irritated sigh, she pushed herself upright. “Stubborn ass, but I think the doctor and this latest episode made quite the impression on him. He swears he’s going to pay attention to his diet and insulin. At least until the next time all goes well for a while and the tough cowboy thinks he’s cured.”
“He does realize there is no cure, right?”
Tessa lifted a square shoulder. “You know what he’s like. I love him to death, but he’s so stubborn he could quarrel with a wall and win.”
Walker couldn’t argue with that. He glanced at the time. He should be leaving soon to get things ready for his meeting with Roan. His stomach did a little dance like his horse Cormac in the sunshine. Clearing his throat, he asked, “So Dad’s still spending the night here, right?”
Sipping her coffee, Tessa nodded. “Yes. There’re still those tests to run, and he’s still under observation until tomorrow afternoon. They want to see what his blood sugar does after he’s eaten a couple of meals.”
“You’re staying with him?” he confirmed, his pulse racing. It was ridiculous, but he felt like a teenager trying to get away with sneaking a boy into the house while his parents were out. His foot jiggled as a pulse of excitement throbbed.
“Yes, I think so. I hate to leave him alone. Unless you need me at the farm?”
“No,” Walker said. He ran his hand through his hair and glanced at his phone again. Already six o’clock and he hadn’t eaten anything yet. It was a long drive back to the farm. He needed a shower too. If he planned to meet Roan at ten…
“I should go on home, Tess. You gonna be okay for the night?”
“Oh yes, you have a cast of thousands waiting for you back there.” She winked. “Was that why your phone was all lit up? They need you back there?”
“Something like that, yeah.” He pulled his phone out and turned it on out of habit, then regretted it once he saw more new messages. “Andy’s on the warpath right now. Not about my being here tonight, but about, uh…people not following all the rules.” He played with a thread on the knee of his jeans, glad he was facing away from Tessa and she couldn’t see his face.
“Was that someone you?”
“Little bit.”
She laughed. “I see. Are you playing by the rules being here?”
“Yep. It’s in my contract. Parent in hospital means a get out of jail free card.”
She looked him over speculatively. “And tonight? You planning on playing by the rules tonight?”
