Page 31 of Forbidden Cowboy

“Uh, I fell over and bruised it.”

“It looks like it hurts,” she said with some kind of worry in her voice. “Do you want me to call reception for ice?”

“No, thank you, Han, I’m just going to—”

The ringing came again, the same one that had woken me up earlier, and this time, I recognized that it was coming from Sierra’s phone. I walked over and looked at the caller ID.

Gunnison Valley Health Hospital

Beau.

Sierra woke up quickly once I handed her the phone and her face grew more and more upset by the moment while she was on the line. With a horrified gasp, she covered her mouth, and tears filled her eyes.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she said with a note of finality, “yes, thank you, goodbye.”

She hung up, and turned those teary eyes on me.

“What’s wrong?”

“He—Beau had a seizure last night, and he’s being taken into surgery. I didn’t really understand a lot of what they were saying, but that’s the gist of it.”

“Fuck,” I swore.

“I-I have to get out of here,” she said, and started collecting her things, “I have to go get my stuff andgo.”

“Yes, of course,” I said, pulling my phone out of my pocket, “I’ll get you the soonest flight.”

She looked like she wanted to argue about me spending more money on another flight for her, but then the pragmatism of knowing it was the fastest way to be back with her brother seemed to occur to her.

“Thank you,” she said simply, and left the room.

I really hoped, as she left the suite, that no one was in the hallway to see her walking in nothing but my long t-shirt.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, she was packed, standing in my suite.

The purple sparkly suitcase looked out of place next to her somber appearance. She was wearing the sweater with the stars on it, despite the heat outside, and I pulled her into a hug. I wanted to kiss her, to hold her and tell her I loved her too, but Anna was somewhere, and I didn’t want to make things complicated when it was already going to be a difficult day for Sierra.

Speaking of my daughter, I heard her own suitcase rolling, and she walked out of her little bedroom to see us there.

“I’m going with you,” she said decisively to Sierra.

I stopped all movement. Never, in her entire life, had Anna willingly left my side.

“Anna?” I said tentatively. “It’s a nice thought, but Sierra isn’t going to have time to play or—”

“Uncle Beau is sick,” she said. “And you always make Sierra eat and leave the hospital, Dad. You have important things here, though. I’m going home with Sierra.”

I pulled my daughter into a tight hug then, bending down to fully hold her. She was still so young, so small, but so fierce and caring. I hoped she never lost the intuition that told her what people needed and made her act on it. Even if her decisive actions sometimes scared me, I wanted her to stay the same and be this amazing person for the rest of her life.

“That’s so wonderful, honey, but it’s not up to me.”

“I’d like you to come, Anna,” Sierra said quietly, and Anna wriggled out of my arms to be held by Sierra. “If you’re not going to be dreadfully bored in the hospital, the company would be nice.”

I saw the two of them, and my heart ached. I loved them both, and seeing Anna trust Sierra, and Sierra accept the affection my daughter was giving, made me melt.

It didn’t stop me getting a little emotional at the airport, however, when I waved them both through the departure gate.