Page 81 of Ride or Die

I place the paperwork onto the spare chair, leaning over to press a kiss to the top of Billie’s hair with a whispered, “You wait here with your brother, baby. I’ll be right back.”

Hopping up, I duck around the curtain, searching the space before my eyes land on the familiar set of broad shoulders belonging to the mussed-haired man standing at the nurse’s station. He looks every bit the handsome cowboy. Hat in hand, dust covered shirt, and leather chaps over his jeans, and my heart shifts in my chest because he really did come straight here.

I hurry over, placing a hand on Cole’s back as I approach. “Hey…”

He startles, spinning around, eyes wide as they take me in. Cupping my face between his big hands, he studies me closely, zeroing in on the red friction burns on my forehead and cheek before ducking down and pressing soft kisses to the marks.

My eyes flit to the nurse right in time to see her offer a deadpan look. “Brother, huh?”

Cole ignores the woman, and I offer her an apologetic smile as he takes my hand and walks me away.

“Shit, baby,” Cole whispers, pulling me flush against him when we’re out of earshot of the nurse. Cupping my cheeks again, he stares down at me, his eyes wide as they search mine.

“I’m okay,” I tell him, placing a hand over his chest. When I feel just how fast his heart is racing, I force a smile I know doesn’t meet my eyes. “I am, I promise.”

“What happened?”

I shake my head, trying to remember what happened. Honestly, it’s all a blur. One minute we were driving along the road that leads out to Rattlesnake Ranch, the next minute the car was spinning out of control.

“I think I hit something. Or ran over something.” I shake my head again, closing my eyes tight. “I-I can’t remember. All I know is that I lost control and we went off the side of the road.” When I look up again, I notice the way Cole’s jaw clenches, the muscle in his cheek ticking.

“I didn’t have any cell service so I couldn’t call you,” I tell him. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, now”—Cole ducks down, catching my eyes, his thumb gently tracing the curve of my cheek—“what’d I tell you about apologizin’ to me, baby?”

I try for a small smile, but I know it’s weak. “We were just lucky that Deputy Cruz was driving by when he did.”

Cole nods once, and I’m not sure if I’m imagining it when I see a flicker of something flash in his eyes, but it’s gone almost immediately.

“The kids are alright?”

I nod. “Tommy’s in a bit of pain and Billie’s really shaken, but they’re okay.”

Turning, I lead Cole back across the walkway to our designated bay, and as I pull open the corner, I notice the way both Tom and Billie’s eyes light up at the sight of him, and I feel my own heart clench. Cole has this way of making everything feel like it’s going to be okay, just by his presence alone.

“Hey bud.” Cole approaches the side of the bed tentatively. “How you doin’?”

“I’m okay.” Tom nods, chin held a little higher than it had been moments ago.

Cole reaches out and gently ruffles his hand through Tom’s disheveled mop of hair before turning to meet Billie’s eyes from where she’s seated in the chair, knees pulled up to her chest, thumb in her mouth.

“How you doin’, Miss Billie?” he says softly, walking around the foot of the bed and crouching down in front of her. “You okay, darlin’?”

“We had a car accident,” Billie murmurs around her thumb, clutching Curly to her chest.

“I know.” Cole nods, reaching out and ever so gently cupping her little face. “I bet it was real scary, huh?”

She nods again. “Tommy has a broked arm.”

Cole glances back at Tom. “I broke my arm when I was about your age.”

Tom’s eyes go wide. “Really? How?”

I notice the way Cole’s jaw ticks again, another flicker of something in his eyes, and my stomach knots because from that reaction alone I have a feeling I know exactly how his arm broke when he was ten. But before I can interject, Cole grins, shaking his head once.

“Actually, I-I can’t even remember,” he says, his gaze flitting to me momentarily. “But the coolest thing about a broken arm is you can get people to sign your cast. Make it look real badass.” Cole grabs the markers the nurse brought in for Billie to color with earlier.

“Can I?” Billie suddenly lights up, thumb popping from her mouth