Page 78 of Eyes Like a Hurricane

After the doctor leaves, I look around at my family.

“Thank you, everyone, for everything you did to help me these last few days. I love you all from the bottom of my heart.” Everyone returns my sentiment and takes turns kissing my head. “I know this is hard, but I really think it would be best for everyone if you all went home to shower, change, rest, and get a good meal,” I suggest.

Lachlan shakes his head, adamantly stating, “I’m not driving back to the ranch and risking being thirty minutes away from you.”

I look up quizzically. “I’m not in Topaz Falls, am I?”

It hadn’t even occurred to me what city I was in, but I guess it would make sense. Topaz Falls doesn’t have an emergency room. The little clinic is for earaches, minor infections, and basic medical care. I think we only have a nurse practitioner and no overnight emergency capabilities.

Leo bites his lower lip. “No, they don’t have an ER. Edwin brought you to Whitefish. We were driving all over the place when the call came in. By the time we got to the ranch, we turned around and drove over to Whitefish.”

I purse my lips. “Okay, Whitefish is where the alpaca ranch is. Why don’t you guys head over there and ask Marta ifyou can quickly rinse off and change? She has a whole store of clothes, and there is the little diner we passed the other night.”

Leo tilts his head back to the ceiling and pulls his entire lower lip into his mouth. “This is payback for me laughing at your alpaca gear the other day, isn’t it?”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing, “Nope,” I say popping the ‘p.’

He snickers and wiggles a finger at me. “I know you too well, Ais. Fine, you want to see me rocking alpaca wear, then I will show you just how good I can make it look. I love you and be good. Don’t discharge yourself.”

With that announcement, he spins on his heel and grabs onto Kieran and Paisley. They shout goodbyes as they’re guided out of the room.

Soft snores come from Lachlan as I notice his body has gone limp against me. I stroke his shoulder and lean my head against him. He’s a cowboy. A little mud won’t do him any harm, but lack of sleep will.

“I love you, Lachlan. Thanks for being my hero,” I whisper into his hair. I close my eyes and allow my body to relax into a restful sleep, knowing a nurse will be in to wake me or check on me every couple hours.

Chapter 50

Lachlan

Thursday, June 22

The discharge went well. Aislinn is sitting next to me. My hand is on her thigh. Life is taking a turn for the better after 48 hours of hell. If we can survive what we did the last few days, then we can make it through just about anything.

Almost losing her put a lot into perspective. I hope we can have a long and happy life together. Glancing over, I smile at her. The bandage at the base of her neck is much smaller than the one she had at the hospital. She smiles back at me, and the world feels right again. My axis is no longer tilted.

I look down at my new alpaca shirt and grin. Leo had bought us two new, very stylish alpaca outfits. When I woke yesterday afternoon with gritty eyes, the other three were all sitting in various spots around the room, freshly showered and donning red, yellow, and pink alpaca shirts. I think it was the smell of take-out which brought me out of a deep slumber. A glob of ketchup barely missed my forehead as Aislinn tried to quietly eat her meal over my head.

I was able to shower and change into fresh clothes without leaving the room, which relaxed my nerves. The idea of leaving her, even for a few hours, while she was at the hospitalwas giving me heart palpitations. If Leo had tried to walk me out of there, I think I would have had a full-blown panic attack.

I shake my head, remembering my relief at seeing the teal alpaca shirt draped over the end of the bed with an aqua one beside it.

Chuckling, I turn to Aislinn. “Think Marta will hire us for their catalog next season? By spring, we will have an entire wardrobe at this rate.”

She smirks. “I think you look pretty hot. I love the fact that Leo got you one that said, ‘I have a six alpaca.’ The little barbell in the alpaca's mouth is adorable.”

Glancing down, I nod. “I want to know how he knows this fact. Can’t say I have walked around him shirtless.”

Biting her lower lip, she mumbles, “I may have mentioned it.”

Twisting her fingers into mine, she squeezes against her thigh.

I laugh. “Mentioned my six-pack to your brother-in-law? It was that memorable, huh?”

She untangles our fingers and gently goes to swat my chest, but I quickly grab onto her fingers and bring them to my lips. Gently kissing each one, I bring our hands to rest on the center console and smile. We are so close to home. Before I can ask her what sounds good for dinner tonight, my phone rings.

“Hello?” I say. Bluetooth picks up the call, and Edwin's deep voice fills the cab of the truck.

“Hey, man. How’s your girl?” he asks.

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