Page 26 of Heal Me
“That’s right. I assume that you know about Hayley’s injury last year?”
“Yes, Emily told me about it. You must’ve all been terrified,” Kate said. “Post-concussion syndrome can be severe and there are still varying opinions as to how many long-lasting effects it can have.”
“Yeah. It was a tough time. Hayley’s always been so funny and full of life. Seeing her so sick was horrible. But, she’s doing great, as you know. After she was hurt, Ty told us that he wanted to buy the medical center and expand it. He was upset because they had to take Hayley to Denver for a peds neuro specialist since we didn’t have one.
“There are a lot of specialists that we need around here, but without the proper funding, the hospital couldn’t afford to bring them on board. So, since we have the means, we figured that we could help the people of our hometown by improving the healthcare around here,” Ric said.
Kate’s estimation of Ric went up. There was a lot more substance behind him than she’d thought. “That’s really kind of you all.”
“Well, none of us had the best childhoods. Ty’s dad ended up dying in prison when he and his sister, Lizzie, were just teenagers. Same for me and Emily. I was fourteen when Mom passed. Ty’s mom, Maggie, became a sort of surrogate mother to us, and to a lot of kids in town.”
“What about your father?”
Ric snorted. “He fell apart after Mom died and drank himself into oblivion every night and eventually pickled his liver. I basically finished raising Emily. He drank away most of our money, so I worked at the Hamiltons and one of the cattle ranches outside of town to make ends meet. If it wasn’t for Maggie having me and Em over for supper a few nights a week, we’d have gone hungry sometimes.”
“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” Kate admired him for taking care of a younger sister when he’d been just a kid himself.
“It’s okay. It made me more driven to succeed in life and it taught me a great work ethic. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve all pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps. We became each other’s family,” Ric told her.
Kate played with one of Cinders’ front paws. “That’s great. I’ve met Tyler. He can be a little…intense.”
Ric laughed. “To say the least. He’s a real bastard when it comes to business, but he’s a pushover with the people he loves. He has a pretty short fuse and he and I butt heads a lot, much like brothers do.”
Kate was putting the dynamic of Ric’s relationships together. “What about Chase? You mentioned him, but how does he fit into the picture with your group?”
Ric’s laughter surprised her. “I’m sorry. You have to meet Chase to fully appreciate him. He’s the exact opposite of me and Ty. Footloose and fancy free. He’s loyal, kind to a fault, and hates wearing clothes. He makes us sick because he’s one of those people who’s good at everything and everyone loves him. He’s hard to explain.”
“He’s good at everything? Like what?”
“You name it, he’s good at it.”
Kate decided to test him. “Singing?”
“Sings, plays guitar, and tinkers around on piano. He was our best receiver in high school, he’s a great dancer, and he knows his way around a kitchen. He draws, likes to write poetry, and loves to play just about any sport,” Ric said.
“Wow. He sounds like quite the guy. Perhaps Ishouldmeet him,” she teased.
“Right now I’m really glad he’s in LA.”
“Well, I’m not interested in anyone who lives in LA.”
Who shemightbe interested in hung in the air like a balloon about to be popped.
Ric said, “Glad to hear it.” Then his voice turned seductive. “Does this qualify as a phone date?”
Talking to Ric was so easy that they’d slipped into conversation before she’d meant to. “I guess so,” she said, chuckling.
“All right. I hate to ruin the mood, but I need you to tell me what upset you so much the other night.”
Her stomach tightened with nerves. She’d known that he would ask, but that didn’t make telling him any easier. “Do you remember the day at the Diner when I said that I hadn’t been out with anyone since Phil died?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
Kate fidgeted with Cinders’ collar. “What I meant was that I haven’t dated anyone since then. At all. You’re the first man I’ve…been intimate with since him.” Silence met her quiet announcement and she checked to see if Ric was still on the line. “Ric?”
“I’m here. I wish you would’ve told me, Kate. We’d have taken things a lot slower. That’s a big step, you know?”
His kind tone of voice brought tears to Kate’s eyes. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot. I think I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want to overthink it. I didn’t want to feel nervous or scared. I just wanted to feel alive and free and you certainly made me feel those things.”
