Page 82 of Risk of a Lifetime
“You’re awake, so I figured you might want something to take the edge off.” The doctor grinned. “Now if you don’t want the shot, just say the word and—”
“Okay. Okay, I get the picture.” Heck, yes, he wanted the shot. Bucking up for this damage wasn’t an option. “Only enough to take the edge off.”
His wife winked and then nodded. He shook his head. What had they done to him? From the looks of the equipment, the feel of his body, and the grateful look on Marcy’s face, they’d done whatever it took to keep him alive. Even doc looked worried.
Dr. Crowley evaluated the wounds. Listened to vitals.
“Well?” JB asked.
Doc charted and conferred with the nurse. She changed his bandages.
“Let me know if any of this hurts, JB.” The doctor pushed and poked and prodded at most places not covered by a cast, needle, or gauze.
JB grimaced. Groaned. Nauseated. What was that noise? Himself? Couldn’t be. Not him. He could take anything. Always had, always would. Yet the noise he heard spew from his mouth didn’t begin to express the agony inside.
“You can stop any time.” JB growled.
Dr. Crowley paused. Looked him in the eye. “Does any of that hurt?”
“Yes. It hurts.”
“How much?”
JB swallowed, blew out a quick breath. Clenched his teeth. “One heck of a lot.”
“Good. We’ve finally got some honest communication going between us. Not like when you were here after the explosion.” The doctor grinned and left the room, followed by his nurse.
Thank goodness they were gone. JB wanted no one but Marcy right now. Wanted to get an idea of where they stood.
She eased her hand under the sheet, rubbing her fingers back and forth on the inside of his ankle, then returned to her place in the chair next to the bed. He missed the heat of her skin against his.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me Truman used to be FBI? Still does some work for them?” She shot him one of her gotcha looks.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” This wasn’t what he wanted to talk about right now.
“Don’t pull that with me. My mother and I had a nice, long talk about marriage and the law. You and Truman and my dad.” Her voice didn’t sound sad or angry, just mater-of-fact. “What gets me is, all these years, I thought she’d played it safe with a simple businessman for a husband, when it was just the opposite. Guess you don’t always know what’s going on in someone’s life.”
Not sure of where this conversation was headed, he stayed quiet. He glanced around for a pitcher of water. None. Not even a glass of ice chips. Nothing in sight to ease the pain of waiting for her to get to the point. He guessed a man waiting for the verdict of a jury must feel about the same way. ‘Cause his future was in her hands, and her answer might be no. Might already have his bag packed and sitting on the porch.
Well, she had another think coming this time. He might have left easy the last time. But he planned to go down fighting this time. Fighting for her. For them. Hell…why didn’t she get this over with and say what she was gonna say?
She covered his fingers with her own. “I always knew you were one heck of a lawman, but these past days have made me see just how good you are. The FBI, the DEA, the…the…well, any of those initialed agencies would be lucky to have you.” Her fingertips rubbed against his palm. “I’m so damn proud of you.”
Here it was. Her way of pushing him out the door. “So what are you getting at?”
“I just wondered if you had considered staying in Crayton.” She fidgeted with the edge of the sheet.
Stay? Of course he planned to stay. With her? Depended on Marcy. He was who he was—the law—now and forever. If that wasn’t good enough for her, then so be it. He’d never doubt himself again. “You trying to go back on your promise to show me how much you care?”
She tilted her head and stuck out her tongue, crossing her eyes. “No. It’s just, before Landon left town yesterday, he asked the doctor when you’d be able to get back to work.”
“Sounds like he was in one damn awful hurry to leave Crayton.” Couldn’t the man see the police department might need a little help at wrapping up the case?
“That’s not it. He got a phone call that his wife wasn’t doing well, and he needed to head home.” She blinked, then rapidly batted her eyes. “Did you know she has cancer? They found out the day he was late to that past assignment you worked together. The one that started this whole thing.”
JB hadn’t thought he could feel any worse, but he’d been wrong. Cancer? Diagnosed that day? Explained a lot…one hell of a lot. “I didn’t even know he was married.”
Was that how he wanted to keep living? Always keeping your personal life secret. Trying to protect your family by never sharing the bad times with others. Not even the good times. At least if you had a community like Crayton around you, there were people who cared enough to be there as you celebrated accomplishments. And there to see you through the pitfalls.
