Page 76 of Enticed
“I’d like to keep you a little bit longer and make sure your blood sugar remains stable, but you should be able to leave this afternoon,” the doctor announced, and Jasmine nodded her agreement. The nurse pricked Jasmine's finger to test her blood and announced the results with a pleased grin. She and the doctor left, and Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief.
“We need to call your parents,” I announced, and her calm evaporated.
“Do we have to?” she groaned.
“Yes,” I insisted. “Your dad tried to call you once already. They need to know you’re in the hospital.”
“Fine,” she agreed begrudgingly.
I tapped on his contact and placed the call on speakerphone. Woody picked up on the third ring.
“Hey,” he greeted enthusiastically. “How’s my girl? Did she win her race?” I winced, and Jasmine’s eyes filled with regret.
“Not exactly,” I answered hesitantly. “Jasmine is fine, but there was an … incident.”
“What happened?” he asked, his voice turning serious. A string of curses left his lips as I relayed the morning’s events.
“Spunk, are you okay?” he asked, his voice cracking.
“I’m fine, Pops. I didn’t get hurt. I’m just a little weak.”
“I’m coming down there,” he announced, and we heard rustling on the other end of the line.
“No,” Jasmine barked, a little frantic. She softened her tone before continuing. “There’s no need. They’re going to release me soon. We’ll be home this evening.”
“I don’t like this,” Woody grumbled. “Your mother and I should be there.”
“It’s fine,” she assured him. “Gabe’s here. He’s taking excellent care of me,” she said, her features softening. He hesitated a moment, then let out a resigned sigh.
“Alright,” he acquiesced. “Gabe, thank you for taking care of my baby girl and keeping her safe.” A stab of guilt pierced through the armor I’d erected around my heart when I’d decided to throw caution to the wind and opened my heart to his daughter. I had to swallow down the bile rising in my throat before I could respond.
“Of course. I’ll always protect her,” I promised, hoping he’d realize just how true that was when we finally told him about us.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
GABE
“Let’s get you home,” I said as I put the truck in drive. Jasmine had been discharged from the hospital, and we’d returned to find that some of the other competitors and their families had already started loading up our trailer even though the competition wasn’t over. They’d fed and taken care of Juniper and were leading her to the trailer as we drove up. She whinnied loudly when Jasmine hopped out of the truck. Jasmine went straight to Juniper, who’d nearly dragged the man holding her lead to get to her. Juniper sniffed Jasmine, pressing her nose into her belly and chest before nuzzling her hair.
“I’m okay, girl,” Jasmine cooed, petting her nose and cheeks before wrapping her arms around the horse’s neck and scratching her withers. Juniper’s gaze locked on me, and I could almost swear there was a new level of respect shining in her dark eyes.
On the way home, I frequently checked in with Jasmine, asking if she felt okay and insisting she report her blood sugar levels. Finally, after a couple hours of me asking every fifteenminutes, she told me to fuck off. That was when I knew she was back to normal.
We stopped to eat, and I made sure she consumed enough carbs and had some snacks for the road just in case. Despite her improved condition and assurances she’d tell me if she started feeling bad again, I was tense the entire drive home. Some of the tension eased when we hit Poplar Ridge. I felt like I could breathe again when our tires met the gravel driveway leading up to the ranch.
I pulled up to the house and parked, going around to the passenger side to help Jasmine out of the truck. I wanted to get her inside so she could rest before I unloaded the trailer. The second Jasmine’s feet hit the ground the front door flew open, and I took a step away from her.
Woody burst through the door, and instead of looking relieved to see us, he looked furious.
“You son of a bitch,” he growled. “Get the fuck away from my daughter.” The blood froze in my veins.
He knew.
Somehow my best friend had found out that I’d been with his daughter. My subconscious urged me to run. It recognized the immediate threat of danger that was the hulking man charging toward me. But that would get me nowhere. I wasn’t about to flee or hide like a coward. I would face him like a man.
I rounded the hood of the truck and held up my hands. He was like a raging bull, blinded by his need to pummel something red, and his sights were set on me.
“Woody, I can expl?—”
